I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people over the years say things to me like, “Looks like you’re winning big. You should probably quit before you give it back.”

Frankly, they just don’t understand how poker works. They’re often the same people who suffer huge losses at the table, but only manage very small wins.

You should never be preoccupied with your winning percentage. Basically, it’s a meaningless statistic. People brag to me that they’ve won 22 days in a row and that they’ve come out on top 80 percent of the sessions they play. The thing is, when you look deeper into their results, you’ll often find a very unhealthy pattern.

While these players are winning more than three-quarters of the time, some of them are still net losers in poker. It’s amazing, but true.

I looked at an old friend’s poker records and immediately found the problem with his approach to the game: Monday 3 hours +$147, Tuesday 2 hours +$220, Wednesday 1 hour +$400, Thursday 2 1/2 hours +$160. Then comes Friday: 16 hours -$2,210. Yikes. That’s a recipe for disaster if I’ve ever seen one.

Because my friend was so obsessed with having to win every time, he couldn’t quit when he was losing. That leads to poor play and fatigue, which is better known in the poker world as tilt.

Despite the fact that he won four out of five days, he was behaving the exact opposite of how he should have.

Winning raises confidence
When you’re losing at poker over a long period of time, it’s difficult to play effectively. Conversely, when you’re winning, your confidence rises and this can only help you at the table.

As a rule, your winning sessions should be longer than your losing ones. Nevertheless, too many players do what my friend did and keep digging a deeper hole. In fact, about 90 percent of the world’s poker players share this common problem, and it’s often their biggest downfall.

The good news is there’s an easy fix.

Before you even sit down at a poker table, decide how long you will play. For example, if you show up at 6 p.m. and decide to play six hours, you should quit at midnight, regardless of your result. This strategy will help you shift focus from wins and losses to putting in quality hours at the tables when your mind is alert.

When I started playing professionally, I put myself on a very strict schedule: Monday to Friday from noon-8 p.m., much like a real job. If the game was particularly juicy, I’d play a little bit longer, but only under one condition: I had to be winning.

Stick to a plan
Your mind often plays tricks on you when quitting time rolls around especially if you’re losing. The voices in your head will tell you, “Stay, stay, get your money back. You’re playing well, get these guys!” Do not listen to that evil voice. It will only destroy you.

Your mind wants you to believe that losing hasn’t had a negative effect on your play. Believe me, it has. Continuing to play will only hurt your confidence, your stack and your overall game. Go home. There’s always tomorrow.

As you become more disciplined, you can consider playing longer if the game is lively and you’re ahead.

It’s always OK to quit early if you’re losing. Also, whether winning or losing, it’s smart to leave if you’re not playing your best or if you’re just feeling tired.

The next thing you should do is start focusing on a new statistic. Forget about your win/loss records. Instead, start tracking your hourly rate. Divide your results by the number of hours you’ve played. If you’re earning one big bet an hour, that’s a good result.

Leave the braggarts to their amazing 22-session winning streaks. You take it one hand at a time and focus on making good decisions every time out.

The results will take care of themselves.
By Daniel Negreanu

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