downswings

[rwood 0]

ok so i've been a winning player for a very long time, and have had my share of ups and downs, but over the last month, i have been going through the worst downswing ever! i dont know wtf is going on, i mean i have heard of bad runs, but this is by far the worst i've ever seen. any advice?

[Mr Monkey 0]

How many BB are u down?

[rwood 0]

172

[rwood 0]

i dont want to get into telling bad beat stories and stuff but it's been bad... im in college and havent had to work for the last year or so and have been able to pay my rent and my bills with poker, but this last month has been ridiculous.

[Swift_Psycho 1]

Move down in limits until your confidence comes back.

[Booface 0]

This past fall I went from $50 to $600 and then from $600 to $2. I stopped playing for a few months, came back completely refreshed and not sliding. Do you think the downswing is because of luck or because youre making mistakes? If you think its because of mistakes, I would take a long break.

[rwood 0]

it doesnt really seem like my confidence is waning...but maybe that would help...thanks for your guys help, this forum is the best.

[Swift_Psycho 1]

it doesnt really seem like my confidence is waning...but maybe that would help...thanks for your guys help, this forum is the best.

Unlikely, you aren't a seasoned pro who is fully adjusted to these kinds of swings mentally. I'm a college student too, so it isn't like I'm speaking from experience. But, I think that dropping near 200 BB when you feel you are a winning player would drop most people's confidence, even if they haven't fully come to grips with it. Give it a try. Honestly, I do believe dropping down will help psychologically. You will gain the feeling that because you have played at higher levels, that you will own the lower limit tables you sit down at. For some players, that is a recipe for disaster. For true winning players, such a feeling can elevate their play when surrounded by lesser players and you'll be back on track before you know it. Getting unlucky and losing a pot will not hurt you mentally as much because you will be more confident in your ability to get the money back. Just don't rush back to the higher limit tables after one good session. Good luck.

[Mister Hand 0]

It's a bad run, but it probably won't be the worst you experience if you end up doing this for a living. The first thing I would do is review the sessions that you've had this month. Steaming and tilting don't have to happen all at once. They can creep in by degrees - maybe you loosen your starting hand requirements a bit too much, or start playing a little too aggressively - or a little too passively. It's possible that you're just on a bad run, but double checking your hand histories will go a long way to resolving that question.Second, I would look at your current bankroll. Do you still have at least 300 BB for the levels you're playing at? If not, drop down. Third, I would restudy your poker books. This gives you a break from playing while still taking steps to improve your results. And some of the more worthwhile books (like Sklansky's) have some complex concepts that can get lost in the heat of battle. Rereading them will keep them fresh in your mind.

[PrtyPSux 0]

I know how you feel ...I lost 400 yesterday playing .25/.50 NL from going on a crazy rampage..i think im gona play some 5 dollar tourney's for about 4 days..its only a 20 dlr loss and its 4 days of poker..so I could get my mind off the the loss and go back to limit in a week...anyway it doesnt seem like you've been making dumb mistakes, like me, you'll get over it and start winning again dont worry..GL

[Vade 0]

I'd argue you should move down even if you still have the roll for a higher gameIt never hurts at all to move down, you can crush that game for a while (maybe 2 weeks or so) then go back

[sloshr 0]

I had a stretch last year where I was getting killed for 3 months, about 8K playing 20/40 limit around twice a week. I was getting depressed and losing confidence in my play. I have a good job and don't rely on poker for my bills, but this hurt. I gave myself a 1 month break where I would play no bigger than 4/8. I played some 3/6 omaha and 3/6 or 4/8 holdem. I won almost every session that month, not very much, but it does a great deal for your confidence. The next month I went back to 20/40 and continued winning. I have since gotten all of the money back, and made even more. Sometimes you just need a break, and stepping down a few levels can work wonders.

[tightmike 0]

APril has been unkind to me. I know it's only the first week, but the end of March counts too.Now, I'm not too sure about dropping down in limits, but what about changing games for a little while. I feel like I've gotten a little bored or stale with NLHE. What do you guys think about switchign to Omaha/8 and learning that, or even PLO?Let me know what you think.

[jayboogie 0]

stepping down although it hurts your ego is usually the way to go. When you move down a limit, your going back to a limit that you can consistently crush and it's just a mental thing where you play better and generally do better as well. You need to have confidence to play at your best, so dropping down, winning a few sessions will get you going. It's done the trick for me several times.

[THE ACE IS BACK 0]

I had a 125 BB slide back in Feb. Droping down might help. I will tell you one thing if you are indeed a winning player, then don't worry about it. Take a week off, statrt again and eventually you will make back the 172 and go on a 200 plus postive run. That 125 slide I went on turn around with in the month and I made a total of 200 BB that month. Poker is all about runs nop matter how good you R.

[Smasharoo 0]

172Really not that bad.When you have a 250BB one let me know and I'll shed a tear.Play more hands. Fixes all dowswings if you're a winning player.

[Mr. Kaufman 0]

hey I'm glad this thread is running, I'm a player at party poker and yesterday i had the worst session of my life. A really bad 130bb downswing in about 1000 hands.It's is a real shame because i have steadily built my bankroll up from 50, what was 960 and i was just about to crack a grand. unfortunately it all came crashing down and I'm left at 700. However the way i see it, there was really nothing I could do. Because of Party Pokers abundance of calling stations i was consistanly being outdrawn by runner runner hands to my sets and stuff. I guess the only consolation is that these hands will be money makers in the long run, however devastating the are to a bankroll currently.

[cmstaab 0]

hey I'm glad this thread is running, I'm a player at party poker and yesterday i had the worst session of my life. A really bad 130bb downswing in about 1000 hands.It's is a real shame because i have steadily built my bankroll up from 50, what was 960 and i was just about to crack a grand. unfortunately it all came crashing down and I'm left at 700. However the way i see it, there was really nothing I could do. Because of Party Pokers abundance of calling stations i was consistanly being outdrawn by runner runner hands to my sets and stuff. I guess the only consolation is that these hands will be money makers in the long run, however devastating the are to a bankroll currently.

To lose 130 BB in 1000 hands you probably were tilting at least a little bit. I think it was Howard Lederer that stops as soon as he gets down 30BB for the day, good advice. If I find myself down 30BB but feel I am still playing my best and am at a profitable table(s), I will continue til the table becomes unprofitable or I am down 40BB.

[rwood 0]

thanks a lot for all your responses, i am going to take a break for 2 weeks (hopefully that long) then drop down... i am going to drop back down, although i did crush the limit i was playing at since january until i hit this bad downswing i was up 800+bb......but i def. think everyone that said dropping down will boost your confidence. im sure that although i feel fine overall, my mindset will be in a much more positive state if i am playing at one of the lower limits that i know i can CRUSH. thanks a lot for your input everyone, and hopefully my next post can be called: HOW I CAME BACK FROM THE BIGGEST DOWNSWING OF MY POKER CAREER AND WON 1000BB IN A WEEK! LOL thanks again everyone who contributed positive posts.

[Awful 0]

A lot of times when you need a break or a movedown you either "won't see it" or won't let yourself see it. Hell, in either SS or According to Doyle (fun read, worth it though not a poker advice book per se) he discusses the need for vacations, he discusses this. Doyle had been running bad and playing terrible as a result, and didn't leave the table til others told him how bad he was playing. A 2 week vacation later, he was crushing it again.Best of luck. This stuff happens, don't be afraid to say you need a break or to work on your game or take time off or do some leak checks.

[HtotheNootch 0]

Try a different game. Maybe something you've never/rarely play.

[dtemp 0]

What do you guys think about switchign to Omaha/8 and learning that, or even PLO?Let me know what you think.

PlO is not a bad idea but stick to the 25 dollar games until you really have a good grasp of the game. Its not as easy to profit as you think.Omaha/8 is not a bad idea as a lot of people play it horribly and there ars some good guides on this site.