Win or Die!

by Roy Cooke | Published: Mar 30, 2001

One morning, in a faraway cold land, I was having an elegant breakfast with the famous Mike Caro, poker expert, fellow Card Player columnist, and generally wacky guy. Being the gambling fool that he is, he challenged me to a bet of running a mile, winner take all.

I thought about it for a moment – a brief moment. I visualized Mike's athletic aura, and examined his physique. It didn't appear that he had spent much time at the gym! As a matter of fact, I wondered if he had ever worked out a day in his life! He stated to me that I had no shot at winning such a race, since he was willing to die rather than lose. Oh well, I thought, Mike was gonna die. Yes, his death would be tragic, and the poker world would mourn, but I was gonna win this bet – because there was no way in hell that Mike Caro could ever outrun me for a mile.

I accepted the challenge, and a third person who had joined us for breakfast was looking to get in on the bet on my side. I had some mixed feelings about the whole thing, however. The primeval wolf in me, descended from hunters and gatherers gallivanting across the savannah, yearned to prove dominance and prowess, and wanted to accept the challenge, kick his butt in this race, and humble him. But the more advanced part of my brain, the part civilized by 5,000 years of human culture, appealed to a higher ideal, and didn't want to take advantage of my friend. And – what if Mike meant it when he said that he was really willing to die to win? Obviously, we would have to have a third party hold the money up front. But how would I ever explain it to Phyllis? I would have killed "the" Mike Caro! Could I live with the guilt my whole life? I decided that I probably could as long as the bet was large enough! But, in spite of these truths and the fact that I would have liked his column position in Card Player, the race never took place.

Mike is famous for his outrageous personality, and the characteristic that he demonstrated at our breakfast meeting is an admirable mentality in a person – to want to win so badly that you will die trying. To possess that high a level of grit and heart, it has to be in your blood. You see that mentality in the best professional athletes all the time – boxers whose cornermen tell them not to leave anything in the ring, and they don't, and football players who put out completely and leave nothing on the field.

Many poker players do that, too! When they're stuck, they don't leave anything on the table – nor in their pockets. They also go off for whatever they can borrow at the time. The "win or die" characteristic within them that helped them develop into a great player is a double-edged sword. They can't leave the table a loser, and are willing to lose everything to prevent it!

"You've got to know when to walk away, know when to run," sings Kenny Rogers in the song The Gambler. And it is true. You need to know when to walk away from the table, admit that you are beat, surrender for the day, and come back and fight again another time when the situation is more in your favor.

I am constantly asked for "rules of thumb" regarding when to give up. Most people are looking for time frames or dollar amounts as criteria. But like most of my answers to poker questions, the answer is: It depends. What is the situation at the time? What factors should you consider? Have you been there too long and are you dead tired? If you are playing when you're tired, you are giving up something to those who are playing with fresh minds! The difference in ability between yourself and your opponents needs to be wide in order to make up for your loss in mental sharpness. Those sloppy errors made due to fatigue really add up.

I've written before that being stuck has a psychological effect on both you and how your opponents perceive you. You relinquish an edge to your opponents when you are playing while you're stuck. Generally, you are not playing with as much confidence, and your opponents are more confident and invigorated. And there also is the emotional effect that being stuck has on oneself.

Have the "live" players left and been replaced by tougher foes? If you look around the table and the game has deteriorated, it is time to think about leaving. However, if the action and the money are still present in the game and your opponents are in the same physical condition as you are, you might want to consider staying. Gauging your opposition and their current playing ability is always a major factor in determining when and where to play.

How will staying and playing affect your ability to play another night? Will staying burn you out physically, mentally, or emotionally? Will it affect your personal life and cause you personal problems that can have a drastic effect on your game?

If you are playing well and the game is good, and staying won't have any negative effects on your life, go ahead and stay. But be aware of potential negative factors and adjust your decision accordingly. If it is right to quit, quit. Don't let your ego get the best of your bankroll. Poker is a game for life, to enhance your life! Treat it as such!

I believe that I am possessed of a fierce desire to win. I see that same desire in other pros who have survived the game over time. I think it's an essential characteristic of winning players. But I have to admit that I posses this trait to a lesser degree than my friend Mike. I don't have the "win or die" mentality. And just as I am sometimes awed by those heroes of stories and history who press on when there is seemingly no hope, I am a little awed by Mike. He just might have died trying, so we're not going to race. I'm not going to get that cash spot in the front of the magazine – and I'm not going to have to explain his demise to Phyllis. And, just in case, I think I'll give Mike a wide berth at the poker table, as well.