Knowing when to walk away from a poker table can be the hardest thing to learn about the game. It is easy to say, “I will quit when I am ahead,” or “I will quit once I’m down,” but how ahead should you be? How far down to you need to go before you throw in the towel? Knowing when to quit is vital, it can save your bankroll and keep you from becoming frustrated with poker all together, but figuring out when you should quit is a personal decision and a difficult one to make.

How to Decide When to Quit Playing Poker

Quit When You Are Ahead

Most people will advise you to quit when you are ahead. It is a good strategy and one that will help you walk away a winner, but that does not mean you should get up from the poker table after your first win. If you plan to utilize the quit while you are ahead strategy then you should decide how ahead you are going to be when you decide to stop playing. Set a dollar range in mind and then quit when you get there.

Quit When You Are Behind

Quitting when you start to loose is also a good strategy. However, knowing when to quit on a loss can be even harder then knowing when to quit on a win. You do not want to get up from the poker table when there is a good chance you could turn that loss around, but you also do not want to blow your whole bankroll on a loosing game. The easiest way to follow this strategy is to decide on how much of your bankroll you can comfortably loose. Once you hit that point, get up from the table.

Quit When You Get Emotional

You should never keep playing a poker game after you have become aggravated or upset. You will not play well. However, knowing the difference between a minor annoyance and a clue to stop playing can be difficult. Listen to your internal signs. If you feel your temperature rising, or you start to sweat and feel uncomfortable, then it is time to get up from the poker table. Also, when you stop having fun it is time to stop playing. If you are not having a good time there is no sense in continuing the game hoping it will get better. Go play a different game or wait for next time.