When To Walk Away

[Fonzi]

There are certainly times in one's poker life when conditions aren't optimal. The days of smoky back rooms and damp basement games are mostly over (note the 'mostly'). And yet bad environment, annoying people, and self-inflicted distraction are rampant within the world of poker. Players who know when to walk away from a bad situation are much more rare.

Whether you play online or in the poker rooms of the plush five star resorts, you're going to find that the same temptations and annoyances that would plague you if you were playing a game against the house are present in raked games against other players, despite it not being fully to the house's advantage. Alcohol, distracting chatter, and obnoxious players can all contribute to a mindset that will lose you money in the long run.

There are two categories of the factors that create a bad environment for playing poker: Things within your control, and things out of your control. A surprising number of things are within your sphere of control, and you can change them in order to achieve your perfect poker playing environment. For example, you choose which poker room you play on, be it live or online. So pick rooms that have all of the features and benefits that suit you as a player, and all of the comforts that suit you as a person. You also choose whether or not you like the crowd at a ring game. You can get up whenever you like, so your play time is also within your control. The only things that are really outside of your sphere of influence are bad beats, cold decks, and your own mental attitude.

The solution to things you can change are simple: Change them. If something is particularly annoying about the environment that you are playing in, quietly ask the floor person if anything can be done about it. Avoid excessive (or any, for some people) drinking. If people aren't sticking to the normal procedure, whether it's a dealer or a player, let someone know about it. Online, there are often filters and options that you can use to shut out annoying chatter, hide yourself from stalkers, and even change the look and feel of your online experience. Tweak these things until you're fully comfortable. And of course, online support should always be contacted for any unusual situations that are particularly irritating.

The solution to things you can't change is less simple. These things depend on your mental state and luck, two things that you aren't fully in control of. Some people claim that they have iron minds and things that happen on the table never change their attitude. Those claims often vanish after the third suck out in a row. The truth is, keeping a positive mental attitude is a struggle at times. You have to remember that poker is a long term game, and if you make the right decisions often enough, you will make money, you will beat the rake, you will perform better than the luck sack across from you. But in the short run, sometimes that focus is lost.

If you can't solve an issue that is significantly impacting your game on that particular day in that particular place, there's only one option: Walk away. In a tournament, this might mean taking some time to collect yourself. In ring games, you might just want to quit for the day, and start fresh tomorrow. The impact of a couple of missed hands, moving across town, or even missing a few hours of playing time, is far less than playing when you have a negative mental attitude. Get up, go do something else until you come up with a solution to the problem, or consider a new card room if it happens often enough to really annoy you.

Knowing when to walk away is a skill that will keep you positive... both mentally and in the bankroll department!

Bill Ricardi ? Internet Gaming Guru