My Biggest Leak

[ELCowboy]

...is most certainly stop-loss. About 80% of the time I get up around $100 and end up losing my buy in. I usually play 3-6 lhe at my local b & m. if i didnt have this stop loss problem, i would be a consistent winning player. instead, im about break even. considering just walking away after +$120 or so no matter how much of an edge i have. what strategies do you all have for stop-loss?

[hed zup]

strategy = leave with profit

[OziBattler]

welcome. yes it sucks to be ahead then lose it but it is quite likely that not having a stop loss probably is NOT your biggest leak. you probably either dont know some of your leaks or underestimate them. Leaks that we dont know about that occur frequently (even if they only cost a small amount each time) are the kind that i hate the worst as they can be death by a thousand cuts. Im not trying to be condecending and I think that what i just said applies to the most pokerplayers of which I am a member [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

perhaps youve just been getting lucky early in a session recently? perhaps you play differently/worse when you get ahead? youve probably heard the idea of its all one session and that you could continue to play as long as you are playing well enough to turn a profit, right?

[pzhon]

[ QUOTE ]
About 80% of the time I get up around $100 and end up losing my buy in. I usually play 3-6 lhe at my local b & m. if i didnt have this stop loss problem, i would be a consistent winning player. instead, im about break even.

[/ QUOTE ]
Betting strategies do not turn -EV games into +EV games.

If you are a break-even player by playing without a strategy for leaving the table, you should be a break-even player with such a strategy. You might be happier, but you won't become a winning player that way.

You should work on your game. I suggest reading and posting some hands in the Micro Stakes Limit forum, as live $3-$6 games play like online microstakes games.

[sk8ram]

I agree with the previous post and recommend working on your game first and foremost, but if it really affects your game that much when a winning session turns into a loser, then leaving when you've reached a certain point is fine.

Of course the problem with this method is you miss out on great tables because you've already made so much. However if this means you feel better about your BR you'll probably end up playing better anyway.

[bakadan]

I agree with the above!

I was similar position, often doubling my stack early then seeing it disappear!

Read the forums for your game, analyse your game with pokertracker.

You will see where you dribble away money quite quickly.

good luck!

[ELCowboy]

I know that this problem isn't necessarily my biggest leak...but its the most identifiable and probably the easiest to stop I would think. I think I lose focus later on in a session after a couple hours. I play VERY well under pressure, and if I'm down big I can usually work back to come back to either even or up if I want it enough. I know I have other leaks in my game, but I'm much better early on in the session and I know it.

[Rant]

I think it is more likely that you are playing bad once you've built up some winnings. I used to loosen up a ton once I was ahead and bleed $$.

A stop loss is fine but you should work on keeping focused and in the right mental state so you don't stop winning once you are ahead.

[wheelflush]

when you get a big stack early, you're a bigger target. your opponents are probably picking up on your tells and figuring you out. cut down on your tells and leave before they get wise to you.