how often do you have downswings?

[kcb 0]

I'm still fairly new to the online game and was just wondering how often you guys have significant downswings or losing sessions?I put 60 into my Bodog account last Thursday and now I have just a little under $300, so I've been on a huge rush. For the last few days though, I've been making little or no money. I'm kind of relieved, because now I can actually play poker and use strategy, but on top of the cold cards I've been getting, I've had to deal with the runner-runner tough beats and all that jazz. No big deal, because I know it's poker and that's why I play this game, because that's what is going to keep the fish coming back.So when exactly should I start worrying? 2 or 3 week stretch of losing sessions? 2 months?Also, anything else you guys want to add that you think I or anyone else might benefit from, feel free.Thanks.

[Theraflu 1,035]

It's good to be constantly analyzing your game, like you said you focus more on things you're doing rather than just letting the cards fall where they may. I've been on streaks of 2-4 months where everything just seems to go wrong constantly, then I'll have a 2-3 week period where i feel like i play my @ss off and evewrything hits just right.Variance is a whore, but you just need to keep re-evaluating and trying to figure out on your own why you're losing. sometimes the bad beats happen when your money's already in the pot, other times its because you let them draw out or priced them in. Your game definately should be constantly evolving. on Bodog your swings should prolly start coming back to normal though, plenty of fish in that sea.

[srblan 0]

I've had multiple month downswings before. One thing that you might do is think back at some of the tough beats that you took and try to figure out if you should or could have done anything different which might have changed the outcome of the hand. For instance, if you play 52 offsuit, flop two pair, and get outdrawn when the board pairs higher than your two pair, you might think that you just got unlucky. Well, you did get unlucky, but think about it, should you have really been in the hand? If it was your big blind and the pot was unraised, then fine, you were forced into the hand and took a bad beat. Any other time, you played a hand you shouldn't have, hit a lucky flop and then got outdrawn by someone who probably thought that their hand was good.The key is to think about how you played, whether you won or lost that day. If you lost, think about if you got unlucky or if you made bad plays. If you won, think about if there were times that you made a bad read and got saved by a lucky river card. Honest self-assessment should let you know if your wins are flukes or if you are playing good poker.

[kcb 0]

Also, how big of a downswing before you guys call it quits for the day?Right now, I"m on a 100BB downswing (or $10. I play .05/.1 NL) Should I just take the rest of the day off, or not worry about it and continue to play?Oh and I agree about what you guys said on analyzing your play. I'm always doing that. I really need to get poker tracker, but right now I'm using checkyourbets.com and that helps me some. It at the very least tells me whether I'm winning at a certain limit or not.Anyway, thanks for the replies.

[srblan 0]

Also, how big of a downswing before you guys call it quits for the day?Right now, I"m on a 100BB downswing (or $10. I play .05/.1 NL) Should I just take the rest of the day off, or not worry about it and continue to play?Oh and I agree about what you guys said on analyzing your play. I'm always doing that. I really need to get poker tracker, but right now I'm using checkyourbets.com and that helps me some. It at the very least tells me whether I'm winning at a certain limit or not.Anyway, thanks for the replies.

I don't think that pokertracker handles bodog histories, fyi. I'd probably call it a day after two buyins, I don't usually track NL games in terms of BB lost. If you still feel like you are playing well, you might consider changing tables.

[Longshanks 0]

i always get a downswing after a big upswing, over and over and over, just gotta ride it all out and learn omaha

[No_Neck 0]

I know you guys have heard this but I think you should stay as long as you are still playing your A game. if you find yourself playing hands you shouldn't or betting more than you normally would so you won't get sucked out on then you are tilting and need to take a break. Also I find that a 30 minute break, with some exercise of some sort to get the energy out will do wonders for your emotions.I work friday-monday and I only play on my "weekend" so during the week I print off all of the hand histories of hands I was involved in and look over them, it is amazing how many times I have found large errors in my play the day after.

[deviper 0]

i always get a downswing after a big upswing, over and over and over, just gotta ride it all out and learn omaha

[STYLINHAWYN 0]

I get a really bad down swing probably once every 3-4 months, at least a really bad one that last's more than 2 weeks. I ususally try not to worry about the one or two bad days where I lose a few buy-ins, it only makes me play more passive causing me to lose more. I start to get really cautious and concerned when the beats have been rolling in for over a week, thats when I decide that it's time to take a long break from any form of poker and concentrate on the other things in life. Another thing to keep in mind when you start to experience a down swing is that you should always drop down in limits till you feel you are playing your regular solid poker game again. Don't try to make up for your losses playing the same limits trying to get back to even, believe me, your bankroll will plummet faster than Vanilla Ice's carreer as an entertainer. Weird i should mention that, all of a sudden I have an overwhelming urge to hear "ice ice baby, dun dun dun dun da da dun dun"

[kcb 0]

bump, for anyone else that wants to contribute.

[Binbs 0]

I dont have downswings. I just get good cards.