win/lose cap for $25 no-limit

[EthanH1]

i having been playing this level for some time, i normaly play sng's and mtt's, how ever lately playing alot more cash tables.

i set myself a lose cap per session and a win cap per session so as not to tilt if i had a bad night and a win cap so as not to get a big head if i had a good night, the cap was three times the buy in $75.

how ever as i said above i had a break and now have benn playing more lately and forgot about these caps i had for myself i have been wining around $100 mark every session i play, however last night i got myslef up to £165 and then got tired after three and half hours play and made some very bad calls to lose $90 of that. so i still came up good for $45 or so but is caping a good idea? and if so at this level whats a good size cap. i think i will allways sick to a lose cap of three buy-ins but how about the win cap?

any comments would be nice,
thanks

[Rondavu]

Win cap is lame. Loss cap ok, but whatever works for you. You also posted in the wrong forum. You still have a ways to go before you're high stakes.

[EthanH1]

how do you move this over sorry?

[tcpj4]

Loss cap is a good idea if losing $x makes you tilt or play worse. A win cap is a bad idea, you should keep playing until the game gets bad or you can't play as well as you should. Get as many hands in as possible.

[BankItDrew]

Only cap your losses if you tilt. Your poker career should be considered as a continuous lifelong game.

[WhooFleuryScores]

Loss cap is ok to prevent a major TILT steamfest(I've seen people leave the table up a measly $5 and then proceed to reload 3 times on the losing days).Set a win cap if you find your focus wavering/or game gets bad.Beware of people looking to double through you when you get to be 150BB deep or more(as they know you are more likely to reraise/push because you have them covered).

[jackvance]

I've always played with caps like this. Not really a steady amount, more like: if I "suspect" it might be my game that is sucking, I'll quickly take a break if I lose a big pot (like a buy-in).

And I also very much agree with win capping. I have been very prown to the 'big head' phenomenon from winning big. But in the long run you want to move this win cap up and up, eventually removing it altogether. Getting used to winning is important too, and really not that evident as you might think if you already have tons of experience.

Like yesterday, I had won big, and this "win cap urge" came up to leave and call it a day - but I told myself there was no reason to stop playing just cuz I had won some, I was simply playing, no big deal, the tables were good, etc. Thank god I stayed as the real winnings came shortly thereafter.

[biondino]

If you lose a pot or a stack and can feel yourself being overcome by that visceral anger thing, then stop playing IMMEDIATELY - it's the hand after this one which will put you in the most danger. I find it tends to only take 5 or 10 mins to calm down and re-focus, by which time I probably haven't even lost my seat (should I be at a table on which I want to continue).

I also tend to get a bit scared when I have a big stack, but only when other factors such as tiredness or boredom start coming into effect. These tend to make me tighten up and play sub-optial poker, and are usually in themselves a good enough reason to stop.

[jackvance]

I also tend to get a bit scared when I have a big stack, but only when other factors such as tiredness or boredom start coming into effect. These tend to make me tighten up and play sub-optial poker, and are usually in themselves a good enough reason to stop.

Yes, if winning messes with your head - ie, with your game - then you should indeed quit, or atleast switch tables, when you are ahead. However the optimum situation you want to go for is that you don't care that you won and just keep playing as usual.

[siknd]

i really think you need to learn to play through the emotional swings in the game. if you need to quit cause youre on tilt and youre going to hurt yourself, great. but quit THAT session or not, the fact that you are having such a strong emotional reaction is a problem in itself that needs to be rememdied. play within BR management guidelines, know that the money you have 'exposed' on the tables is like the tip of an iceberg. sometimes it melts sometimes it grows, but each hand is a new day and must be approached with icy analysis. never let results affect you emotionally, really work on it. lose a pot, take a smoke break, reload and get back to work.

[KingLizard]

I also tend to get a bit scared when I have a big stack, but only when other factors such as tiredness or boredom start coming into effect. These tend to make me tighten up and play sub-optial poker, and are usually in themselves a good enough reason to stop.

Funny, when I find myself up 2-3 buyins at a table, I tend to play much looser and more aggressively. I have to be careful not to overdo it because I can get stupid in a hurry.

[jackvance]

i really think you need to learn to play through the emotional swings in the game. if you need to quit cause youre on tilt and youre going to hurt yourself, great. but quit THAT session or not, the fact that you are having such a strong emotional reaction is a problem in itself that needs to be rememdied. play within BR management guidelines, know that the money you have 'exposed' on the tables is like the tip of an iceberg. sometimes it melts sometimes it grows, but each hand is a new day and must be approached with icy analysis. never let results affect you emotionally, really work on it. lose a pot, take a smoke break, reload and get back to work.

Amen.

[EthanH1]

ok thanks guys for the great reposenes here and i would just like to add, i have been a SnG and Mtt player for three years now and have had my swings but have now got my bank roll mangment sorted and now this year am up from my frist two years losses $700, and have cashed out over $1800 and have a good bank roll of $1000 so have started to move over to ring games $25 nl as said before. ill keep my 3stacks lose cap in place for awhile to keep away form tilting but have'nt had to do this for along time, as for the win/cap having only played maybe 4000 hands or so i have'nt adjusted to keeping my game at the same level and have in the past called all-in on the river when i know i have been sucked out on( this being the worst part of my game i do it way to much and feel like a donk). but with all your posts here i will start to put a mental note in that after 3xbuy-in to start to consentrat on my game and keep it steady, again thanks