When Losing, Change the Limits

As America gets nearer to the 2016 Presidential election, one word is becoming more and more prominent in political circles.

Choice.

The word is used in talking about abortions. And of course it is used in determining who a person will support for President.

Choice is also a big word in poker circles. Every time a person enters a casino, he or she is faced with a choice of which game and what limit to play.

Most players that I know like to play the higher limit games. They figure that higher limits mean bigger profits. While that can certainly be true, higher limits can also mean bigger losses when your luck is running bad. And this is something that can easily happen in a poker setting.

The question boils down to, what can a person do change his luck when a certain game goes bad and he gets on a losing streak? My powerful suggestion is to change the limits.

For years I lived in Southern California and played at two main casinos -- Pechanga and the Sahara Dunes Casino in Lake Elsinore. I played at the same limit all the time. The game was $4-8 Hold'em with a kill.

Sometimes I would change the game and play in a Lowball or an Omaha High-Low tournament. But my main cash game, the one that paid the bills, was $4-8 Texas Hold'em.

While I know players who have graduated to higher limit games, I haven't bought into that. I am very comfortable with $4-8 Hold'em. It lets me relax, I know I am not jeopardizing a lot of my cash, and I have a good time playing the game.

After a couple of poker sessions that brought me good luck through bad bead jackpots, I let the winnings go to my head and began playing at a higher limit. It worked at first and then the odds turned on me and I began losing.

Fine. I learned my lesson. I am going back to the lower limits game and I fully expect to get back on the winning track. This is the way poker works.

Poker should be a no-stress game and if you play your cards correctly, it will be just that. It's all a matter of choice.

After more than 40 years of playing poker, I realize how much psychology goes into the game. I have never discussed this with a psychologist but I am convinced I could learn a lot about the psychology of poker if I sat down with a qualified psychologist and talked the game over.

A poker player is like the captain of a ship. The captain is responsible for guiding that ship through shallow and sometimes treacherous waters. At times you are in uncharted territory. You have no idea what dangers you may be facing.

In such times, you need to get into familiar territory and by staying at a certain level, you pretty much know what skills you will be facing in your opposition. When it comes down to calling a double or triple raise, I want familiarity t be on my side. If I am playing over my head, that doesn't exist.

If you have been suffering a losing streak, either change your game or change the limits. It can only help your state of mind, your emotional balance -- and your bankroll.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).