an interesting question

[RMac 0]

Is it possible to go on a severe losing streak when you are playing with players that you are say 10-20% better than, without having a hole in your game? Is it possible for a losing streak to be all bad cards (aside from the normal couple of bad plays per session that even professionals make)? This is strictly out of curiosity. I have not run into any such streak yet in my young/short poker career, but I know that it is mathematically inevitable. So I want to know what to do when it arrives. I have seen good players on such a streak who think their game is the problem, so they try to alter their playing style and end up playing worse! In situations like that is it better to try and wait out the cards or reevaluate your play. If you are so much better than the people that you play with, should you be able to beat the game or at least not lose in it despite the cards? Just a fascinating theory, I think. I'd love to hear what others think on this.

[dna4ever 2]

You can not avoid variance, plain and simple. You can take as many steps as you can (study, learn, play, plug leaks, etc) to play your best game, but variance is going to happen no matter what you do. Just do your best to keep that variance at the lowest % possible. My worst run to date is about 180 BB and I know I dont want to ever experience anything like it again.

[waldo 0]

anything is possible in poker, look at moneymaker

[ajs510 122]

anything is possible in poker, look at moneymaker

While you're at hit, look at how hard variance hit him...he's only made one final table in a major since winning the big one. Compare that with David Pham who has *won* 14 major titles in the same time period.

[justblaze 0]

You can not avoid variance, plain and simple. You can take as many steps as you can (study, learn, play, plug leaks, etc) to play your best game, but variance is going to happen no matter what you do. Just do your best to keep that variance at the lowest % possible. My worst run to date is about 180 BB and I know I dont want to ever experience anything like it again.

180... ouch.

[ajs510 122]

You can not avoid variance, plain and simple.  You can take as many steps as you can (study, learn, play, plug leaks, etc) to play your best game, but variance is going to happen no matter what you do.  Just do your best to keep that variance at the lowest % possible.  My worst run to date is about 180 BB and I know I dont want to ever experience anything like it again.

180... ouch.

I went on a run a couple of weeks ago that left me +115bb over an 8 hour period. Just an amazing run of cards. The thing about poker that people forget is that in an overall sense, the game is exactly at Zero. For every BB that you're up, someone else is down 1BB. It's the doppelganger effect.

[brian67 0]

Obviously the best players and the best hands do not always win. When a player finds themself on a bad run, they should evaluate both their style and the cards. If you know your stuff then it should be fairly easy to find the problem.

[dna4ever 2]

You can not avoid variance, plain and simple.  You can take as many steps as you can (study, learn, play, plug leaks, etc) to play your best game, but variance is going to happen no matter what you do.  Just do your best to keep that variance at the lowest % possible.  My worst run to date is about 180 BB and I know I dont want to ever experience anything like it again.

180... ouch.

Was over a week period, not 1 session just to clarify. I think the last 50bb I basically gave away due to chasing, tilt, and pure poor play. The first 100+ I felt was just combination of outplayed, bad luck, and bad cards.Took 5 days off from poker, came back refreshed, and started going the other direction.

[justblaze 0]

You can not avoid variance, plain and simple.  You can take as many steps as you can (study, learn, play, plug leaks, etc) to play your best game, but variance is going to happen no matter what you do.  Just do your best to keep that variance at the lowest % possible.  My worst run to date is about 180 BB and I know I dont want to ever experience anything like it again.

180... ouch.

I went on a run a couple of weeks ago that left me +115bb over an 8 hour period. Just an amazing run of cards. The thing about poker that people forget is that in an overall sense, the game is exactly at Zero. For every BB that you're up, someone else is down 1BB. It's the doppelganger effect.

poker is not a zero sum game. theoretically, yes, but practically, no.

[RMac 0]

Yeah, but if your that much better than your opponents, should you be able to do well by outplaying them even without cards?

[ajs510 122]

Yeah, but if your that much better than your opponents, should you be able to do well by outplaying them even without cards?

There are pros who can sit down with amateurs, play blind, and win. They're just that good at reading people, they'll call all the way to the river and make a final decision then as to whether or not they have the winning hand.

[speedz99 145]

Yeah, but if your that much better than your opponents, should you be able to do well by outplaying them even without cards?

Not in limit poker...

[PimpRock 0]

Moneymaker's baron spell is nothing to dow ith variance, its just that compared to a lot of the upper tier... he sucks.