{"id":339,"date":"2016-12-15T00:29:52","date_gmt":"2016-12-15T00:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.poker-analytics.net\/blog\/2016\/12\/stopping-sessions-at-the-right-time\/"},"modified":"2020-06-02T09:42:12","modified_gmt":"2020-06-02T09:42:12","slug":"stopping-sessions-at-the-right-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.poker-analytics.net\/blog\/2016\/12\/stopping-sessions-at-the-right-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Stopping sessions at the right time"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For cash games players, the duration of sessions can vary widely, from a quick 30 minutes online to several days<\/a> at a live table. The duration of a session most likely depends on a delicate and unpredictable mix of enjoyment, profitability and schedule.<\/p>\n

For regular players, when maximizing your profit on a long run becomes your priority, it can be difficult to know exactly when to stop a session.<\/p>\n

After playing for 7 hours at a live table and making a decent profit, it\u2019s not always obvious if putting in an extra hour is worth it. You might be a bit tired, you might experience a lack in starting hands, maybe you feel like playing a hand or two for fun, but actually it might be a good time to stop, and maybe you should have done so one hour ago.<\/p>\n

So why is it important to stop at the right time?<\/p>\n

When getting tired, you\u2019re prone to make more mistakes at the table, as you\u2019re not in the position to follow all the action. You can miss some action, you can miss a tell, or just take a sub-optimal decision that can immediately cost you.<\/p>\n

A single mistake due to inattention or an unconscious loosening of your game can have a big impact on your hourly rate. If you usually run on a +5BB per 100 hands rate, a 5BB mistake at the end of a session can cost you 4 hours of play if your table plays 25 hands per hour.<\/p>\n

Cash games are forgiving because you can quit as soon as you\u2019re not playing your best game. Doing mistakes at the end of a tournament is another story, as it can cost you much more. Making a bad move can send you to the rail prematurely and make you miss the big payouts of the final table.<\/p>\n

Mistakes will also obviously increase your risk of tilting. You want to avoid tilt at any cost. A single occurrence of tilting is never good for your results and for your mental health. Some players really want to avoid tilt as it builds up over time and can end up with a disastrous impact on their bankroll.<\/p>\n

In the long run, especially if poker is your first source of income, you\u2019re also at the mercy of a lack of motivation and burnout. These can have a really bad toll on you and your bankroll, so you definitely want to be cautious about that. More often than not, it\u2019s a good thing to stop even if you still want to play. You\u2019ll be extra motivated to play the following session. Stopping a session exhausted, tilted, or because you\u2019ve lost too much is never a good sign for your long-term goals.<\/p>\n

Limiting the length of a session have a positive effect, as you\u2019re getting some time back, time to:<\/p>\n