Mental Factors in Poker: Getting Back to Even

Bankroll, Mental Factors and Tilt
August 28 2008

One of the worst things poker players can ever say to themselves is “I’ll just play until I get back to even.” Those are usually the words of a player who’s already lost a lot of chips and is bound to lose even more chasing after hope.

When you’re down and you’re trying to get back to even, your mind is usually fixated on winning money right away. You can’t win money without playing hands, and suddenly hands you might not usually play are becoming an option. You might not even realize you’re playing badly until later when you’re looking at your session notes and see you played 8-6 in an early position.

The more hands you play the more money you’ll lose and the harder it will be for you to get back to even. It’s a vicious cycle. Instead of eventually getting back to even you’ll be broke in no time. The only real chance you might have is if you’re playing against another player who’s also on tilt, or you hit the perfect flop and double up on an unsuspecting opponent.

So what should you do instead? Don’t play for even; play for a maximum amount up or a maximum amount down. Before you sit down at the table, pick a high dollar amount and a low dollar amount. If you hit either one of those numbers, the high or the low, walk away for the night. This is how beginner poker players manage money effectively and don’t end up throwing away their entire bank account on their first session.

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