Quit When You're Behind

CINDY: There are plenty of sayings when it comes to casino playing, the most common of which is to quit when you’re ahead.

ABBY: Of course, there are some sessions where you are not ahead, not from the very first decision. There are some sessions where you lose from right off the bat and keep losing steadily throughout the session. It could even be worse than that by losing not just that session but other ones as well.

CINDY: So how do you quit when you’re never ahead of these awful sessions? You can’t because you are never ahead. That’s the bind.

ABBY: “Quit while you are ahead” sounds good but it makes no real sense. I fly to Vegas, check into the casino-hotel, go to the tables, win my first bet. Hey! I am now ahead. Do I quit? Of course not. I’m booked for three nights and I am not going to fly home immediately because I won my first bet or second or third.

CINDY: It is a good saying but it makes no sense. Players want to pend time playing. They don’t want to win a hand or two and run.

ABBY: After some time playing and being ahead after that time then maybe that is the proper time to call it a session and do something else for a while. Maybe go to bed.

CINDY: My new saying is to “quit when you’re behind.”

ABBY: Okay, how does that work? You lose your first bet and quit?

CINDY: No. You give yourself enough money to last a given time, maybe an hour or two. You do not speculate that you will parley or increase your bets. You might do that if you are hammering the house but generally you just play your very, very conservative game. You will know after awhile if the session is in your favor or if you are steadily going downhill.

ABBY: And if you are going downhill, you pull the plug?

CINDY: Correct. You take a break. Whatever money is left over, you put in the safe and don’t use that until the very last session when you give yourself a somewhat larger bankroll.

ABBY: You’re not saying to let it all hang out in that last session, are you? You don’t mean increase the size of your bets?

CINDY: No. The extra money is just a small cushion, that’s all it is. Think of the extra money as giving you a little extra time, that’s all. Still, if your last session or two sessions are not so hot, you pull the plug on those as well.

ABBY: Let me get this now. You want to not take a beating and if you know you are in a losing session you call it off and come back later?

CINDY: Correct.

ABBY: Fight another day, so to speak?

CINDY: Yes, fight another day.

ABBY: And if you are so far ahead that you’re thinking of buying a new house?

CINDY: Then quit while you’re ahead.

ABBY: Got it!

CINDY: Good.

This article is provided by the Frank Scoblete Network. Melissa A. Kaplan is the network's managing editor. If you would like to use this article on your website, please contact Casino City Press, the exclusive web syndication outlet for the Frank Scoblete Network. To contact Frank, please e-mail him at fscobe@optonline.net.