One of the biggest mistakes that poker players make is staying in the game too long. If you don’t know when to walk away from the poker table it can kill your bankroll when you are playing for real money.
There are a couple of different scenarios in which staying in the game can kill your bankroll. The first is when you are losing. A lot of players stay in when they are losing because they keep thinking to themselves, “I’ll win the next round”, and they don’t want to walk away with a loss. They’d rather stay in and hope for the best. However, the truth of the matter is that when you are on a losing streak your mind isn’t totally in the game and you are more likely to continue on your losing streak. If you are starting to feel negative about your game then it’s time to walk away from your losing streak. Come back when you are feeling more positive and win your losses back.
There is also the scenario where you lose money by staying in the game too long when you are ahead. To many players have gotten cocky when they are on a winning streak, made a big bet or raise and lost all of their winnings. Set a winning limit for yourself. When you have managed to reach this limit walk away to ensure that you hold on to all your winnings.
You can practice walking away with a free game. Keep track of your fun money winnings and losses and walk away when the time is right!