Everyone has there ups and downs. When I play I am at my best if I start out down a little and then after 2-3 hours go on a little rush. If I am up more then what I can lose it two hands I play great after that. I no longer think about if I am going to win I think about how much I am going to win. I play my worse if I win a bunch when I sit down and then don’t win another hand for hours. Then all I can think about is why didn’t I leave after the first five min of play.
Now I am sure I have read this online other places but I just thought it was worth repeating because its such good advice. Play long days when you are winning and play short days when you are losing. For me I only bring a small amount of money and no ATM cards so I need to go home if I go down. But if I am playing and am up a lot I try to keep playing. The main reason for this is because if you are up it means either you are playing well, or they are playing bad. Both are profitable.
I get ideas in my head like maybe I should lock it up. I don’t want to lose it all. Stuff like that. But as long as you are playing well you should stick around and play more. Now there have also been times where I was up a lot of money and I looked at how I was playing and I just plain got lucky. Sucked out a few flush draws that I shouldn’t have been involved in and 3 bet players far to many times but just got lucky and won. Now on those days I say, maybe you really should lock it up. That kind of luck is not going to keep going, and if you keep it up you will give it all back.
Also don’t fall into the trap that because you are up a lot you can play more hands. I have done that before and just wasted money on stupid hands. If you really cant break that habit then you should leave. My goal is to ALWAYS play perfect poker. If at any time I am not playing the best of my ability then I try to fix it or leave.