GAMBLING

You know why men gamble?
Fear of the loss of love.

THE STRAY PUPPY TEST

Yesterday, the topic came up about how much one should buy in for in a no-limit cash game, and while everyone knows that the answer varies from person to person -- I think it's important to know your optimum buy-in amount -- and that it's one of the most important parts of the game. Some people latch onto the idea of creating a poker bankroll and participate in games that require an initial buy-in of 5% to 10% of that bankroll.

It works for some people, but I'm not that much of a numbers person -- so I've come up with a good way to figure out your optimum buy-in amount based on feelings and attitudes. (Note: This test doesn't apply for people who don't like puppies. If you happen not to like puppies, then go with the bankroll percentage idea).

Imagine how bad you feel seeing a stray puppy get hit by a car, and imagine how bad you feel loosing your whole buy-in on the first hand. I believe that these two feelings should be equally intense, and that you should set your no-limit buy-in amount accordingly.

If the puppy tragedy makes you feel worse than loosing your entire stack on the first hand, then you're not buying in for enough. On the other hand, if you feel worse about losing your stack, then I suspect you're over-extended -- and I'd recommend lower stakes games.

My puppy number is about $100. If you're puppy number is less than about $50 or $60, then it's not a good idea to play no-limit hold'em with players you don't know. If your puppy number is above $400 or $500, then I hope you're not playing with me.