When is the Time to Stop Playing Poker?
Posted by Thomas Kearns | Under Recreation & Sports Wednesday Feb 10, 2010We have all rued the day when we overstayed our welcome at those losing rounds of poker. In hindsight, it is easy to see that we should have walked away hours earlier. The problem is, if we did that, we would always be tormented by that jackpot that was just around the corner, awaiting a few more hands. But no, we stay and lose right down to that last grim deal. To make matters worse, since we have no idea why we put up with this torture in the first place, we go back and do it again and again.
What is missing in the above scenario is a critical analysis of the situation based on logic, not a hunch. When thinking logically about time, like say, it’s time to pick up your kid from preschool, or your spouse from the airport, you must of course leave immediately when the time has come. If you are at the table and the hoped for jackpot is just around the corner so you miss important dates and responsibilities, you are in trouble my friend. The longer you avoid responsibility and remain at the table, the worse your play will be because you know you are expected elsewhere and that burdens your mind and may well ruin your life.
Poker is meant to be entertaining. If you are not having fun, that’s as good as reason as any to walk away early before the game becomes a tragedy of poor play and an even poorer frame of mind. A lot of players begin the game of poker for recreational purposes. If the game becomes overwhelming and they cannot leave, but neither can they play a decent game, it ceases to be recreation. They may be staying out of a sort of guilt, doing penance by playing badly and losing. They stay on and on suffering greater losses with every new deal, instead of taking their medicine with maturity, maintaining their good nature and understanding that it is just a game after all.
To locate the source of the problem, it is crucial to realize that the problem does not really have anything to do with the game itself. If in spite of yourself you persist in a pointless and counterproductive activity you do not enjoy, it must be because you are avoiding something. If poker is not the reason you stay at the table time and time again, yet you don’t know why you are staying, it must be that you are avoiding something unconnected with the game.
This behavior is undoubtedly manifesting itself in other aspects of your life as well. You must refocus to help you uncover the source of your problem. Don’t waste any more time wondering dumbly why you have once again overstayed your playing time by that murderous extra hour and try to concentrate on envisioning yourself in your other day-to-day activities. This may allow you the insight to discover incidences totally unrelated to your poker game where your behavior is the same.
Keep an open mind when doing this mental exercise, it may be anything from job dissatisfaction to suppressed anger or grief. Once you have come to a conclusion, deal with it, and you will more easily be able to cut your losses by leaving the table.
The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at Betfair Poker and Rakeback at Red Star Poker.
