[longest run of bad cards?]

I'm just curious to find out what was the longest losing streak some of you FCP'ers have had to endure in during your careers? I am currently on a 3 month run of bad beats and coolers that has seemed to defy all probability. Without getting into the gorey details, lets just say that the nightmare hasn't ended and it's beginning to take its toll on my confidence. This game can really mess with your head! I'd just like some of you to share some stories of horrendous runs that went on for what seemed to be an eternity. I think talking about this censored will help me get through this.... P.S. I'm sure countless threads have been started on this topic, but guess what I don't care.

What most of the people in this forum don't understand is that a bad run of cards is where the skill comes in. You cannot implement SSHE to the letter and wonder why you don't win. I finally realized this out for myself. Handling your emotions and betting patterns is the skill that separates the good players from the great.You are not experiencing a bad run of cards. You are just not good enough. If you could handle your emotions and understand the flow of each game, you would have the skill to maximize your profits in any situation. That is why posting hands in the strategy section makes no sense to me. Analyzing each hand accomplshes nothing. The true winners at poker can handle their emotions and figure out the flow of each game.

Question - how many hands have you played and tracked in some manner. Because your theory that good players don't go through tough times of losing money is incorrect. If you are playing correctly, you will lose a lot of money when your flopped str8 loses to a full house on the river. Unfortunately, when you put a string of these types of beats together, you are going to lose money. I was just wondering if you had any idea of the chance element in poker. It is gambling!

[longest run of bad cards?]

I am going through the same thing right now. For the last 14,000 hands I have lost $23. Its like you said, make a gain and then lose it back to a series of 2 outers and runner runners. It can affect your play. I think that it has affected my postflop play by making me push a little more than I would normally. Pushing small edges and staying with hands that I might not have stayed with. I am really examining my postflop play and eventually the cards will come around. It is frustrating without a doubt to lose with your big hands - and expensive. The cards will come though, I am just trying to make sure that I am not developing bad habits during this streak. good luck and I hope that your streak (and mine) ends soon.

["the big game"]

For info about the real Big Game, Read "The Professor, The Banker, and the Suicide King by Michael Craig. Real interesting reading. It is about how Andy Beal, a banker, arranged heads up matches with the top pros who formed a corporation so that they could cover the stakes that he wanted to play. They got into 100,000/200,000 limit hold'em. Part of Beal's strategy was to try to take the pros out of their comfort zone with the stakes. I enjoyed the book.

[$50-$1000 help]

I enjoyed Smash's posts. I am also starting over in building my bankroll. I cashed out earlier for a family vacation to Myrtle Beach and so I am on my own $50-$1000 quest. (I didnt get there before by the way, but I did alright) Anyway, if you are serious about grinding it out, maybe we can compare some results and so on. I am playing on pokerstars now as Tcchap.

[remember the smash experiment posts]

I just had to check back in. On feb. 20th, I started keeping track of the amount of time played, hands played, and big bets won or lost. I have learned a ton in the last 3 months or so, it has been a great experience. Here are my stats (I have to tell some people who actually understand): these stats are based on 12,080 hands at mostly .25/.50 and .50/1.00 limit.BB/100 - 3.8BB/HR - 4.289.5 hours and $250I am not putting these stats up to brag, I said in a previous post when I just started this that when I got a big sample of hands, I would check back in. I realize that 12,000 hands is probably not a statistically significant sample but I still feel it gives an indication of play.On a side not, I was at the Gold Strike in Tunica a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. the 3/6 game there is very similar, I thought, to .50/1.00 on empire. I played 15 hours of limit and made 210. It was fun.

[smash mania]

Every poker player does this. It is called building a bankroll. He just has specific guidlines and goals.

i guess that has been the value in this. I think that there alot of players like myself who learn how play and can play winning poker but they have no concept of the importance of bankroll. I would change your quote to "every goodpoker player does this.

[smash mania]

How many of you are conducting your own version of Smash's experiment? I am conducting one of my own. I don't want to get into results right now because I only have @ 800 hands in that I have kept records on. One benefit of doing this has been that I never really appreciated before how important bankroll is. Also, I didn't have a full understanding of the normal swings of poker. I would like to hear from anyone else who is doing "the smash thing".

[$50 to $1000 on pstars day 18: 75 hands full of love]

Smash,I read your posts often but have to admit that up until now, never really got into your hand histories. I read through all of day 18 and I am hooked. Also, just today I have started looking at my own hand histories. Thanks for putting in the time to post, I really think it is helping my game.

[poker school online]

Have any of you used PokerSchool ONline? If you have, did it help, and would you suggest it. I am thinking about it and will probably sign up, I just wanted to know what you all thought. Thanks

[online qualifying for the wsop]

Have any of you qualified online for the WSOP? Where are the best sites to play in satellites? What are some of your plans to qualify? Thanks.

[importance of discipline]

I knew that one was coming. That is the solution though.

[importance of discipline]

I have been playing online poker for about 10 months and it seems that my biggest problem is playing when I shouldn't. Late at night or after drinks. Has anyone else had these issues? I love to play but it is frustrating to lose bankroll that it has taken a week to build up. Have any of you guys had these issues? If you did, what did you do about them. Thanks.

[is party poker empire poker]

I feel pretty stupid having to ask this, but reading posts I am confused about the difference between Party Poker and Empire poker if there is one. Thanks .