How do you guys deal with a bad run?

FeetMagic · 03-01-2009 5:40am #1

For those of you who have been playing regularly for a while now its clear that as a poker player you have to be able to deal with bad spells as well as bad beats. Atm Im in the middle of a pretty poor run of luck having lost close to half my bankroll over the last 7 days. Things havent balanced out like they're supposed to, ie. Im losing far more races than Im winning, Im getting outdrawn far more often than Im outdrawing. Its gotten so frustrating that today I didnt even play the IPC which I was looking forward to for quite a while. Investing 2k in a tournament after my last few days just didnt look too good. Anyway im looking for advice from the players who are completely accustomed to this by now. What is some good advice for when you're on a terrible run? Take a few days off? Play less? Buy something new for yourself?
Thanks guys.

a-k-47 · 03-01-2009 6:07am

If your well bank rolled and have a decent rb deal, then just play through it. I found travelling does the job, take a holiday, dont play for awhile, read back on the strat threads on the forum etc when your ready to come back fresh.

dannydiamond · 03-01-2009 10:33am

Alcohol.

gondorff · 03-01-2009 10:50am

Tilt sometimes helps. Failing that, Amitriptyline.

Donkathon · 03-01-2009 11:33am

Yeah tilt is great for forgetting about money lost the previous week and if you do it just right the week before will seem like you just won a wsop title, its a tricky feat to accomplish but if you really put your heart and soul into it it can be done!

bubbleking · 03-01-2009 11:47am

Donkathon wrote: »

Yeah tilt is great for forgetting about money lost the previous week and if you do it just right the week before will seem like you just won a wsop title, its a tricky feat to accomplish but if you really put your heart and soul into it it can be done!

i think tilt is the very thing the OP is trying to avoid...iv been having the same sort of luck myself since the festive season started and its absolutely soul destroying but as a-k-47 said the only thing you can do is get the head down play through it and weather the storm and be secure in the knowledge that lucksacking fish will run out of luck.......eventually

Bluefoam · 03-01-2009 11:54am

Put it all on black!

Goodluck2me · 03-01-2009 11:58am

take a week off poker completely and do other things, see that there's more to life etc.

FuttBucker · 03-01-2009 12:17pm

i also have been on a horrible run, cant seem to win a hand where im a 3-1 fav or better, im thinking of taking a break but the money is good...

DAMO72 · 03-01-2009 1:17pm

I have been on a run of bad luck since feb '08, then i realised that i was just a bad player and needed to study my game more to be able to move forward. I got a bit of advice from a couple of players and boardsies and some very good pointers from 1 man in particular that i admire as a top player and took time to help me via PM on here ,and to him i would like to say TVM .I also found that posting hands on the hand history threads was very helpfull to get other peoples opinion on the way they look at different situations and would have done things their way , people like LuckyLloyd ,flushdraw ,semibluff and even though we have our differences of opinion jackyback also, these are guy's that study the game at lenght and are willing to help any1 with their advice. Also try Pokerswat , its a new training site that could be very helpfull. Best of luck to you and i hope it turn's around for you as i hope it also does for me in '09 .

a147pro · 03-01-2009 1:40pm

ditto, I am on a €3000 MTT losing streak over last 4 months and my account is now empty for the first time in a year. Ran bad at times but definitely played bad and cavalier too.

Think I'm just going to take a break now as I think my life would be a lot better without trying to make time to play on line.

The Snapper · 03-01-2009 3:41pm

Any of you guys think the online game just gets tougher and tougher ?

flushje · 03-01-2009 4:15pm

Move down levels?

FuttBucker · 03-01-2009 4:18pm

The Snapper wrote: »

Any of you guys think the online game just gets tougher and tougher ?

ye players are just getting better, lets this russian poker boom kicks off and adds some more fishies to the water:D

Donkathon · 03-01-2009 4:24pm

are you kiddin all the russian players i have ever seen play are actually above par, tend to blow up a lot of the time though

Mr.Plough · 03-01-2009 5:00pm

Taking a break is dumb if you ever want to get any hands in.

Play when you want to, don't force yourself to play. You'll find it's not all bad luck that you're just playing bad aswell.

So just play through it and go busto, then you won't have to worry about variance

Tight Ted · 03-01-2009 5:13pm

Mr.Plough wrote: »

Taking a break is dumb if you ever want to get any hands in.

Play when you want to, don't force yourself to play. You'll find it's not all bad luck that you're just playing bad aswell.

So just play through it and go busto, then you won't have to worry about variance

??? When you're playing you get your hands in, when you're on break you're on break? It's not like your going on break everytime you've a 3BI downswing.

Van Dice · 03-01-2009 5:15pm

^^ yeah, what Mr Plough said.
Don't play when you don't feel like you'll be playing your A game.
Though even running badly, I don't think you should have lost close to half your bankroll in a week. That sounds like really bad money management

Mr.Plough · 03-01-2009 5:15pm

Tight Ted wrote: »

??? When you're playing you get your hands in, when you're on break you're on break? It's not like your going on break everytime you've a 3BI downswing.

wat

Van Dice · 03-01-2009 5:25pm

this was running badly over the last week :mad:
doesn't even take into account folding a set or two pair in a big pot on the river 5 times, or folding KK in a 3bet pot 3 times. yay poker

FeetMagic, also try reviewing sessions more than usual, look over the bigger pots and post lots of them either here or on twoplustwo

Tight Ted · 03-01-2009 5:38pm

I don't understand what you're saying.

"Taking a break is dumb if you ever want to get any hands in."

You can still play lots of hands and take the odd break.

But don't bother explaining yourself. Childish comebacks are perfectly acceptable.

Mr.Plough · 03-01-2009 5:45pm

Tight Ted wrote: »

I don't understand what you're saying.

"Taking a break is dumb if you ever want to get any hands in."

You can still play lots of hands and take the odd break.

But don't bother explaining yourself. Childish comebacks are perfectly acceptable.

I assumed what I said was perfectly clear. If you take a break every time you run remotely bad(i.e a 3 bi downswing) you'll get less hands in.

Bluefoam · 03-01-2009 5:59pm

It amazes me how stupid people are. You can't win against online companies.You only win when they want you to win. I did some work for a bookie recently and it was scary what he told me. There is no risk from their end. Their computer systems are so sophisticated you can't beat them.

doke · 03-01-2009 6:02pm

If you think it's affecting your game, it's definitely advisable to take a break. If it's not but it's affecting you emotionally more than is acceptable, then a break is also advisable.

A break doesn't have to be a total break. My breaks tend to take the form of doing something different, like play a crap load of low stakes super turbo headsup STTs, limit cash, Omaha or whatever. You can use your break to work on some specific aspect of your game, or learn a new variant. Reading during breaks is good too. It's also good to have some sort of support system with other players, who can help keep you focused on the big (long term) picture rather than short term losses/variance. It's also important to try to get an idea of whether it's really all just variance, or your game is off slightly.

Mr.Plough · 03-01-2009 6:04pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

It amazes me how stupid people are. You can't win against online companies.You only win when they want you to win. I did some work for a bookie recently and it was scary what he told me. There is no risk from their end. Their computer systems are so sophisticated you can't beat them.

yeah

phantom_lord · 03-01-2009 6:15pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

It amazes me how stupid people are.

it never amazes me tbh.

digiman · 03-01-2009 6:19pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

You can't win against online companies.You only win when they want you to win.

Tell that to Phil Ivey, oh wait he owns full tilt. Say it to durrrr or jman then.

To be honest you probably are getting mixed up with non skill games such as online blackjack and roulette

phantom_lord · 03-01-2009 6:21pm

digiman wrote: »

Tell that to Phil Ivey, oh wait he owns full tilt.

phil ivey was the biggest winner on full tilt last year, coincidence???!!!! i think not!

Tight Ted · 03-01-2009 6:26pm

Mr.Plough wrote: »

yeah

Impressive graph, but how much did they LOSE?

mdwexford · 03-01-2009 6:29pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

It amazes me how stupid people are. You can't win against online companies.You only win when they want you to win. I did some work for a bookie recently and it was scary what he told me. There is no risk from their end. Their computer systems are so sophisticated you can't beat them.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi · 03-01-2009 6:31pm

I would like to say take a break but i normally just play through it unless i feel like i am playing very badly and causing my own problems.
A typical example of last nights session below getting ****ed over in 4/5 decent size pots at 2/4 3/6 but you gotta keep peddling.

dannydiamond · 03-01-2009 6:45pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

It amazes me how stupid people are. You can't win against online companies.You only win when they want you to win. I did some work for a bookie recently and it was scary what he told me. There is no risk from their end. Their computer systems are so sophisticated you can't beat them.

You tell 'em man,you tell 'em.

But seriously FeetMagic,as has been said,be disciplined and only play when you feel you can play your best and get the head down and try and forget individual hands/beats.
I know it's easier said than done but you have to start thinking of the long term.

Perhaps try doing something different like moving your roll to a new site or something less drastic like changing around your playing set up,just to freshen things up a bit in your head and shake you from the rut.

Is this bad run really affecting your game?
Answer this question honestly to yourself,then ask it again.

As Van Dice has already said you really need to think seriously about bankroll management,losing half your roll in a week should never ever happen.

Good luck and remember we've all been there,and there can be no good runs without the bad.

Icarus152 · 03-01-2009 6:53pm

Best way to take your mind of a bad run is to set fire to something.Start off small,maybe a neighbours wheelie bin.Then move up slowly.

Van Dice · 03-01-2009 7:14pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

It amazes me how stupid people are. You can't win against online companies.You only win when they want you to win. I did some work for a bookie recently and it was scary what he told me. There is no risk from their end. Their computer systems are so sophisticated you can't beat them.

AHAHAH. pick any bookie, let me take their prices and I promise you I will beat them

FeetMagic · 03-01-2009 7:17pm

goodluck2me wrote: »

take a week off poker completely and do other things, see that there's more to life etc.

This is what Ive decided to do but probably for more than a week. Ive lost a good bit of the motivation I once had for poker and lately it just seems to have been a grind that I really havent enjoyed. Maybe Ive been playing too much just for the sake of playing, Im not sure. Ill see how the next week or two go and then decide my best course of action.

FeetMagic · 03-01-2009 7:18pm

Van Dice wrote: »

^^ yeah, what Mr Plough said.
Don't play when you don't feel like you'll be playing your A game.
Though even running badly, I don't think you should have lost close to half your bankroll in a week. That sounds like really bad money management

I think it was bad BR management tbh but I play alot of live cash games too where it can be alot easier to lose big amounts when you're on a bad run because you dont want to leave the table when you know theres easy money on it. Honestly Ive never been too concerned about BR management and that probably has a lot to do with. Im always fond of "taking shots" as its referred to so thats something Ill have to look at too.

FeetMagic · 03-01-2009 7:20pm

doke wrote: »

If you think it's affecting your game, it's definitely advisable to take a break. If it's not but it's affecting you emotionally more than is acceptable, then a break is also advisable.

A break doesn't have to be a total break. My breaks tend to take the form of doing something different, like play a crap load of low stakes super turbo headsup STTs, limit cash, Omaha or whatever. You can use your break to work on some specific aspect of your game, or learn a new variant. Reading during breaks is good too. It's also good to have some sort of support system with other players, who can help keep you focused on the big (long term) picture rather than short term losses/variance. It's also important to try to get an idea of whether it's really all just variance, or your game is off slightly.

Its hard to know if my game is off or if Ive been playing bad due to lack of confidence. To be honest I think its time I looked at different career options. I was never sure if professional poker was for me or if it was just a phase I was going through as Ive only been playing about a year. The money has been good but Im not sure I have the head for these bad runs and the ability to base my income on a game of cards. Hopefully after a week or two away from the game looking at other options Ill have a clearer idea.

FeetMagic · 03-01-2009 7:23pm

dannydiamond wrote: »

Is this bad run really affecting your game?
Answer this question honestly to yourself,then ask it again.

As Van Dice has already said you really need to think seriously about bankroll management,losing half your roll in a week should never ever happen.

Good luck and remember we've all been there,and there can be no good runs without the bad.

Yeah the bad run has completely affected my game. The last two or three days Ive played were sort of like playing catch-up trying to get my BR back to what it was only 10 days ago. And I think this is a terrible way to be thinking when playing poker. This too has added to my losses Im sure.

Anyway thanks for all the advice. Some very helpful posts here. Ill probably stay off this forum over the next week and try to put as little time as possible into thinking about poker. Good luck to the rest of you at the tables and away from them!!

dannydiamond · 03-01-2009 7:26pm

FeetMagic wrote: »

Honestly Ive never been too concerned about BR management

You say you are playing full time?:eek:

doke · 03-01-2009 7:30pm

FeetMagic wrote: »

Yeah the bad run has completely affected my game. The last two or three days Ive played were sort of like playing catch-up trying to get my BR back to what it was only 10 days ago. And I think this is a terrible way to be thinking when playing poker. This too has added to my losses Im sure.

Anyway thanks for all the advice. Some very helpful posts here. Ill probably stay off this forum over the next week and try to put as little time as possible into thinking about poker. Good luck to the rest of you at the tables and away from them!!

Good luck with the break and clearing your head, FM, you've always come across online as very level headed and likable so I'm sure you'll be able to get things into perspective and make the right decision for you. It's a hard and cruel game at times (and a beautiful and loving one at others).

FeetMagic · 03-01-2009 7:50pm

dannydiamond wrote: »

You say you are playing full time?:eek:

Im playing full time in the sense that Im not working at present time but Ive only been doing this for about 4 months. Before that I was working and playing poker on the side. Its probably important to point out that Im quite young so poker may well just be a phase Im going through. Ill have to wait and see what else pops up.

How do you guys deal with a bad run?

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