There are 2 very important elements when playing any kind of poker: getting to know your limits and knowing when it’s time to quit.

Getting to know your limits

Before playing poker, it’s crucial to set limits for yourself. Consider your personal financial situation, your playing skills and your sense of risk-taking and combine these three key elements to decide which limit to set yourself.

Even if you’ve got plenty of cash to spare, it’s better to begin with lower limits – not least because the level of competition is easier and it’s good practice! Think of it as “warming up”. The standard of your opponents will get higher, the higher the stakes of a game, so it’s safer to start playing the $1-$2 games to begin with.

So, how do I know when I’m ready to increase my limit? If you’ve been playing at the same level comfortably for 7/8 sessions or more, then you can consider moving up. Playing poker should be fun, so don’t set yourself a limit that intimidates or worries you. If you’re too nervous, you won’t be able to win! Also, don’t join a table beyond your means if you won’t be able to keep up with the other players for a long time. If you do well enough to win a couple of sessions, this might not last and you’re likely to end up having to move back to a lower limit. That can be embarrassing!

But no matter how uncomfortable going back to a lower limit might feel, sometimes we all have to accept it. In the end losing face is easier to accept than losing all your cash! You can just move down one limit or two, you don’t have to go right back to square one and the $1-$2 tables. The limit you chose should still prove an enjoyable challenge, if it’s too easy, you’ll lose motivation. If you've tried a $25-$50 table, we suggest returning to the $10-$20 level, but not much lower (unless things keep going badly).

Calling it a day

Even the best players on the poker circuit have bad days. Knowing when to give up for the day is best for your bank balance. If you’re playing limit poker, it's a good time to stop if you have a series of around 40 big bets in either direction. 40 big bets at limit poker is really a lot (especially at longhand), so a swing that lasts longer could affect your sanity! Only go against the 40-big-bet rule if the game you are in is really excellent and you’re chances are still good.

Generally though you should call it a day if you’re tilting; if you've already been playing a while and feeling tired; or, simply because you have other things to be doing.

How can I tell if I’m tilting?
Symptoms include: Constantly thinking that your opponents are bluffing; feeling desperate to break even for the day; feeling the need to get back into the action as soon as possible.

How can I tell if I’ve overdone it for today?
Falling asleep at the table is a dead giveaway; playing for over 10 hours in one day is generally overdoing it – shorter sessions are better; you’re finding it difficult to concentrate and pay attention to what the other players are doing.

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