Marcus Bateman / Marcus Bateman / 01 October 2009 / Leave a comment

How long you play poker for is an extremely personal thing. Some people like to squeeze in a few quick turbos on a break, others stick to a predictable multi table tournament schedule, and a few play marathon cash game sessions, refusing to stop as long as the game continues to run. As a result, it is difficult to ever say exactly what is right and wrong in terms of how long you should play, but there are a few key themes that seem to crop up again and again when thinking about session length.

Playing too long when losing

Most people play for much longer when losing. The desire to recoup losses is a very powerful one, and staying in games when losing is a trait that seems to affect all but the truly world class players. Although it is hard, really try and cut short your sessions when losing - playing when down is much harder than when up. Conversely, sitting with players chasing losses can be extremely profitable, and any game with a player doing it should usually be stuck in for as long as possible.

Staying with fish

This seems completely obvious, but often is missed by players. Any game that has an obvious weak player should be stayed in until that player leaves. Most of the money you will make in poker comes from weak players, and staying with them even when you have already booked a big win really adds up in the long run.

The eight hour mark

Most people cannot keep focus on anything for much longer than around eight hours. Although there are examples of people able to play for days on end, most people's performance starts to drop off after around eight hours of play. Thinking about this and factoring it into your game can really help improve your performance. Although it is critical to put in the hours to win at poker, there is a cut off point where the number of hours you play will start to negatively affect your game. Try and find the exact balance that suits you and play accordingly.

Any game that is good and has an obvious weak player should be stayed in until it breaks down - regardless of if you are up or down. When losing, you should be looking to quit early. Always remember that saving money in poker is just as important as making it, and an ability to quit when losing and playing badly is a hallmark of nearly all the greatest poker players. The length of time playing is a very personal thing, but certain key concepts crop up for most people, and understanding them and adjusting to them can make a big difference over the long run.

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