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    Question from a student -Question ” When you start to fall into that rut of chasing losses and just gambling what do you do to pull yourself out of it? “

    Dominator Posted on
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    Hi all

    I got this question from a student. I wish he would have posted the question on the forum. A great question that I thought everyone should read and respond to:

    Question:

    Dom, I certainly don’t want to bother you I know you are a busy guy but sometimes I have questions that I think only you can answer. You have been doing this so long and obviously have a passion for the game and a real passion to teach people how to do this and be winners.

    I came from a 20 year poker background. Poker bought my house and toys. I always treated it like a business and I do the same thing with craps. Sometimes, and when I say sometimes I mean lately I find myself chasing losses, playing too much, making bets I shouldn’t and so on. I know that every advantage player has probably done this at some point.

    Things happen in everyone’s lives that make us do whatever we do be it gamble, drink, drugs or whatever our escape is. It is very difficult to find people to play with that are real advantage players. A lot of people are great with the dice but they still come up short because they are simply gambling. I guess my question is this. When you start to fall into that rut of chasing losses and just gambling what do you do to pull yourself out of it?

    My response:

    You know this is a question that almost everyone has to fight and so difficult to answer. Unless you have an unlimited BR it is the worst thing you or anyone can do. If you have an unlimited BR and you know you are playing with an edge that I know you have, an edge that is, it takes discipline to stop and walk away.
     
    I will get to my answer and what I do in a moment, but first my answer is because of the following:
     
    The very first thing you must do is calculate if you indeed have an edge when you are shooting with an edge. Either do it manually or use Smart Craps. What this gives you is knowing that that the loss that you are incurring is just the variance in your edge and what will happen sometimes. It also should make you know that you can comeback from any loss that day or some day or time in the future.
     
    The next thing you must do is use the 5-count on other shooters even on friends that you are playing with that might also have an edge when they are shooting. Just because a friend has an edge you are probably NOT on everyone of his/her rolls and if you are not on everyone of his/her rolls their edge might not show up when you are playing with them. If you are not using the 5-count I am sure most of your losses during that session is because of that. So knowing why you even are losing is important.
     
    A perfect example of this is that I did a private lesson the last couple of days in Atlanta for 6 very rich guys, all the money the could ever need including private planes. We had a 3 hour session and only one guy used the 5-count on everyone and on himself he bet like we talk about in class, starting with a passline bet with odds and 2 come bets with odds. He ended up $600 while everyone else lost.
     
    So what do I do? Well first I have discipline, which you should have being an X poker player – waiting for the right cards to get into the pot. You go to have discipline. Next I give myself a stop loss, meaning I am only going to loss on this session X amount of dollars. I don’t come downstairs to the table with more in my pocket or if I traveled to a casino, I leave the rest of the money in my car.
     
    If I reach that stop loss I stop playing and then take a break and analyze why I lost. Things that I think about are the playing conditions like the table, the players at the table, what did my dice look like, etc. Now if I do come back to play, and I usually do I have a game plan for that next session.
     
    So going back to knowing I have an edge, I know I will come back from any loss. I will feel depressed for the loss, but I know that I will come back from any loss because I have an edge
     
    Hope this helps
     
    Dom
     
    His response back to me:
     
    Actually it helps more than you know. Thank you for taking the time to respond to that. I hope all is well with you, I will report back with my next epic hand!

    Replies:

    Posted by: BigCasino on November 1, 2021, 5:32 pm

    Dom,

    Thank you for sharing !  Great information..  Know your edge, set your stop loss limit for the session.  I saw one person buy in on 10$ table for 1k and tell the dealer give me 5 black. Reason he said is I know when to STOP.   So maybe buy in for 500$ and leave if you loose it all ?   Maybe a better rating buying in larger amount? not sure why? 

    After playing this game for approximately 3 years one thing I have learned is that every night is NOT your night, meaning that I don’t come home a winner every session, but with the tools you have given us, using the 5 count on other players and ourselves will help to limit your loss. 

    Loosing less when your not having that perfect night gives you the ability to come back fresh at a later time and maybe that will be the time you Roll a 40 or 50  Now that I have live craps close this came out at a great time.  

    Thank you again for sharing your years of experience!  

    JackD.

     

     

    Posted by: Finisher on November 2, 2021, 3:56 am

    Now that they have real craps were I live I may control my play time better???? . I will still be going to other states to play but may play less at them since I can play close now . 

    As far as comps go I suggest you look at your points before you start. Then after your first session look at it again . If you have any questions you can then ask . It use to be the power of the pin . Now it is the power of the delete Butten . I suggest if you go for a bathroom break when you come back ask if they still have you up .  Some times when a new pit critter sits down they clear out all players that are not right there . Even though your chips are there .

    I find that even small tips help . They do not care about how much you bye in for just how much you bet and how long . Also how much you leave with . 

    Good Rolling. 

     

    Posted by: DoughBoy on November 4, 2021, 4:08 pm

    Dom, there is no substitute for wisdom gained in the trenches. Thanks

    Dominator
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