[binions]

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at what point should i leave a table. Now im not talking about when im playing bad and im down, im talking about being way up. should i stay when i have such a big chip advantage?

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Once you get the fundamentals of the game down, money management and game selection are the keys to overall success. And they are interrelated. Because game selection includes game deselection - ie the decision to quit.

On the internet, where the rake is 5% up to $3, the rake is not a factor on when you should leave or how you should play. In underground games in Houston, on the other hand, the rake is much higher, and can vary between clubs.

If you find yourself in a 5-5 NLHE game where $400 an hour is coming off the table in rake and tips, then: a) there better be at least 2 rich donkeys at the table, b) you want to be winning a few big pots instead of many small ones (ie pay less effective rake), so you play tighter, and c) you need to be very alert to changes in the composition in the table, and d) you need to leave any time you get well ahead and the table conditions change for the worse.

In a 5-5 live NLHE game with a 500 initial buy in, +/-300 is just variance. +300 to +800 is a good night. +800 to +1500 is very good night. +1500 to +2500 is a great night. Over +2500 is the deck running over you. Like any form of gambling, you can't win long term in poker unless you can quit while you are ahead. And when deciding when to quit, you have to be aware of what a good night is.

Whenever you get up in a game, you have to pay attention to game conditions. If I get up big, is it because I have busted some donkeys and some good players have taken their place? Is it because I have sucked out or gotten lucky against a table of mostly good players? If the answer to either is yes, I consider leaving.

If on the other hand I have busted some donkeys but they have rebought and are on tilt, you have to stay.

But even when you stay, IMO you must play more conservatively with deep money. This is contrary to the big stack as bully theory, which to me is more of a tournament concept. You must realize that whenever you enter a pot as a deep stack, you are giving someone implied odds to double up. They look at your stack and call with any trash hoping to trap you. Because of that, you need to play tight, especially when you don't have position. This also helps you protect your win.

So, the answer is not clear cut as to when you should leave. It depends on the rake, the composition of the game, and how much you are ahead. It is clear, at least to me, that if you decide to stay and play as a big stack, you must play tighter.