The thing is, when you lose a big hand or when you are having a losing session/streak, it can be frustrating but that's how you feel because it's happening to you. Step outside of yourself for a minute. The guy who just made a big score doesn't care that you think he should stick around and risk giving his profit back, nor should he.
When I think about what I want my experience as a professional or semi-professional poker player to be, it's something like this: I just want to sit down, make a certain amount, and then be free to go about the rest of my day. I might come back for another session later. I might not. It's my choice. Isn't that the point of playing for a living?
I don't dream of having to be somewhere stressed out for eight hours each day. That's all I've been doing since I got a full-time job. I play cash games because I want to be free from that daily grind. I want to have more time to do the things I want to do.
It has been my experience that, besides knowing I played badly, there is no feeling worse than having been "up" in a game, continuing to play, and then breaking even or, even worse, leaving "down" in the game.
I'd think to myself, "You were up so why didn't you leave? Were you being greedy? Overconfident? Were you worried about what people would say or think?" If I said yes to any of those questions, then I deserved to lose. Regardless of my reasons for staying, the bottom line was that I didn't quit while I was ahead. Is this not some number high up on the list of gambling rules?
Many might agree that you should keep playing if you're playing well. Well, I could be playing the best game of my life but that won't stop that one suckout on the river from crippling my stack.
So, some days, whether I hit my goal in four hours or in one hand, call it what you want but I might leave. Maybe I feel the game is too difficult. Maybe I feel myself tilting. Maybe I just have something to do and never intended to play for a long time. It's a cash game, not a tournament.
I give these hypothetical situations for the sake of this article but if I'm supporting myself playing poker, I don't really have to explain myself to the complainer at the table or worry about whether he approves of my actions.
When you think about it, sticking around seems stupid from a business perspective. A poker player's main goal is supposed to be to make money, not friends. Therefore, if you do pull a "hit-and-run," you've certainly accomplished your mission.
You could argue that poker is a social game played among friends. Well, what ruins relationships faster than money and/or cheating? When you want to keep friends, play for small stakes with a buy-in you can afford to lose, continue playing, and still have fun. I'm sure there will be no love lost.
However, when you're up and you want to leave because your livelihood is on the line, leave. You never know when your rush will come back around or even if it will during that particular session. Leave with your confidence and emotions in tact so that you continue to play well at your next table or session.
The guy talking trash because you "hit-and-run" just lost his money to you. He can't afford to pay your bills. Even if he could, he probably wouldn't. He might not even be able to pay his own when he loses. All that matter is that you can walk away knowing that you can afford to pay yours.
-JB
No comments:
Post a Comment