win small, lose big sounds like you're playing tight, so you don't get action, except when someone flops big against your over pair or top two or something and you can't get away. I guess the opposite would be you're LAGG, people are sensing it and calling all three barrels when ahead, and folding the flop when behind. But you should be winning some pots that way too, so I lean to the first one.

Having said that, if you never lost 8 buyins, why would you need a roll bigger than 8 buyins?