[NLHE] - Setting Win/Loss Limits
 

This thread is conceived, in part, by 2Tone's post on the "How Should I Play This" forum, involving winning money in NL and putting it back into your bank so he doesn't lose the money he just won.

Ok.

A good friend of mine disagrees w/ me on setting win limits. I feel that setting win limits is a great tool to keep yourself sharp, to have a goal, meet it, and to play another day. My friend on the other hand thinks win limits are stupid and if you were to catch a run of good cards, you inevitably didn't "ride out the wave." My main issue is that when I hit a certain goal, I don't want to give anything back. Sometimes, having more money can put you on a reverse tilt, where you feel that you are invincible JUST BEACUSE you are sitting w/ so much money.

Loss Limits
It's amazing to see people continually add and add funds in order to beat the game. How do you determine a loss limit for a particular session? For me, it depends on the game I'm playing and how I rate my opponents. I will NEVER drop $200 in a $25NL table. I would have walked away a long time ago. You?

Your thoughts / comments?

$25 NL is where $25 is my limit
 

I only lost $50.00 in a $25 NL table and decided that $25 would be my limit. I did notice that time when I got my other $25 on the table that my intentions were not to play poker but to get the $25 that I had just lost. Bad reasoning and I just decided that if I ever played $25 NL, it would be $25 a day.

This is a concept I flip flop back and forth on.

I tend to think setting loss limits is a good idea. Even if you know it's a good game, and you know you are getting bad beat after bad beat, I think the frustration starts to add up and you come off your "A" game, whether you like it or not. Some people get too tight, others get too lose (I am sometimes in this crowd), and others just start playing a different game - whetever it's becoming more or less aggressive, making more or less "moves," whatever. When all is said and done though, I think all of these things are bad ideas.

As for setting win limits - and believe me, I understand where you are coming from, as I used to do the same thing - I don't think this is a good idea. When you're winning big, you're obviously in a good game and playing well... and you've probably got a great table image. So why not stay and take advantage of that?

If the game is good and your still feeling up to it go for it, but if your tilting walk away

I usually set a time limit rather than a set win/loss limit.

And that is the exact argument my friend raises. The problem is, especially with NL, one hand could kill you. One single hand. With LHE, I tend to stay away from win limits.

It's just the way I do it.

I dunno. :)

For what it's worth, when I read this post, I missed the NL part. My answer was based on the game I play the most, which is limit.

I think I would be much more likely to Hit and Run in a NL game.

after I'm in $50 i take a 24 hour break unless i lost it all on horriffic beats... I usually assume that I'm doing something wrong, and I dont play again until i figure out what that thing is.

i do set loss limits, generally twice what i would buy in for. this can change depending upon the situation (i will set a higher limit if i am playing live, as opposed to online, just due to the fact that i had to drive somewhere, etc), but roughly 2 buy ins is what i can stand to lose.

i never set a win limit. if i feel that my game is slipping, i will get up from the table. i have no problem doing that, but i feel that if you only play until you hit a certain level, you will be significantly less profitable in the long run.

i think that negreanu wrote an article on his website about playing hours, not playing results, which made a good amount of sense to me. essentially his reasoning was, if you can beat a game in the long run, you should continue playing the game, no matter if you are up big or stuck in that session. without putting in the hours, you cant expect your bankroll to grow significantly.

ive never thought of that
 

of all the poker i have played, well not really that much less than 2 years, i have never once thought of setting win limits. Adds a wrinkle into my brain. I know at the 25 NL i want to get at least double. when i hit 75+ i play till i hit 100 or back to 75. then im gone. I guess i did have win limits. Just didnt think of them like that. Its like aeq.88 said you could lose a lot in 1 hand. I just look at the next highest guy and see 30 and think to myself "one hand and our positions are exactly opposite". That lets me leave a little easier.

If only it was that easy...

No, seriously, a lot of times its hard to tell youre tilting in a particular situation, even when in looking back you realize just how bad you were on tilt.
Thats basically why a loss limit can save your ass.

Defendant

I don't bother with loss limits.... I have found that I don't need them.
Limit my winning? Isn't winning as much as you can the whole point?

Oh and thirdly, I tend to try to set a time limit.
For example, Get my Ass to bed at whatever time gives me 5 hours sleep.

For those of you who are scared to sit at a no-limit table with alot of money that you have won...... Ask yourself if you are as good as you think you are.

win limits... i hope whoever posted that idea was joking, because thats the most asinine thing ive ever heard of

the only limits you should have should be on losses and on time

-jB

Here's what you're doing wrong - you are sitting down in a chair to play poker.

Someone like you would be far more suited to playing bingo with the elderly.

CF