How long to stay in cash table?

How long player should stay in cash table? That is good question.

There are two extremes on disciplines about this subject, if Hit&Run players are left out from this calculation. (And they truly are left out.)

A) The tight way:
Chris Ferguson says that player should bring to table max 5% of his bankroll, and he should leave when he have doubled his stack. That is very strict and (probably) safe way to operate on cash tables. And if thinking about Ferguson's 5% rule it also makes sense, since when player have doubled his stack it is then 10%, which is way more than Ferguson's recommend 5% rule with bankroll management.

B) The loose way:
When Phil Ivey answered to this question, his opinion was totally opposite to Ferguson's. On Ivey's point of view player should stay as long as he can, many many many hours, if there is potential fish or fishes on table. Ivey thinks it is best to get the most out from these fishes whenever possible, and if it asks player to stay in same cash table for long hours, then player should stay and play.

The problem with A), leaving when doubled:
It doesn't take in to consideration that fact what Ivey talks about: it is not often when super bad players sit down, so when that joyful happening occurs, you shouldn't think about do you have 5%, 10% or 25% of your bankroll in table... you should only think about milking the money out from the fish. Yes, it is very safe way to leave immediately when you have doubled, but is it the most profitable? The momentum, and taking the best out of the momentum, is big part of playing profitable poker.

The problem with B), staying in many hours:
You get tired, and when you get tired you start to play worse. One legendary example of this is Patrik Antonius who played continuously over 24 hours (at least once) on the same tables and on one sitting. After few hours play, he was winning way over 1'000'000 dollars altogether. However, after this extremely long session, he ended up to lose way over 1'000'000 dollars from his bankroll.

Other problem is the fear factor of your big stack. I have noticed players tend to get very tight against me, when my stack is 3-6 times bigger than the second largest stack. It is obvious that other players don't want to take risk to lose all their stack against the largest stack in the table, therefore they aren't that loose anymore, which makes harder to get big pots.

C) The BEST way(?):
I think the best answer to question isn't that simple as Ivey or Ferguson suggests. Those short advices do not take in consideration all the things involved. Yes, it is safe to get out when you have doubled your stack. And yes, you should try to milk the fishes. Very understandable advices. But.

Think about
- other players
- your position (important!) in table, especially towards difficult player and the fish
- your physical condition
- your mental state

Now... if all these are in your favor (you dominate the table, your position is right after the most difficult and dangerous player and also after the fish, you feel well and sharp both physically and mentally) why to leave from the table? There is no reason to leave. You for sure should stay in, if the stars are really on your side this much!

And... when the things change (dangerous player sits down after you and start to take your pots, you start to feel tired and losing the sharpness of your concentration, the fishes leave the table etc), then you should leave from the table.

To put it simple:
- Play long hours in table, when you are able to play your best game and all the (or most) pieces in table are in your favor. Stay in, play and win!
- Play short time, when the most things are against you. Then you should at least change the table, if not call it for a day and end whole playing session.

Usually people play long hours when they are tired and out of focus, and it should be just the opposite. Long hours = when going strong. Short hours = when going bad. Use the momentum, if it is good. Understand when it isn't, and leave.