Some advice and moral support please!

[TightEnd]

I am in a downswing that has now lasted three months, with only one in the money finish from a large number of tournaments and cash games. All well within my bankroll, smallish buy-in stuff.

I have gone to thinking I am unlucky to pondering my whole method of play to thinking my luck must change and back again.

The following are not bad beats, they are the facts of life in poker but to illustrate:

In the last three nights of concentrated play before a short holiday I have had the following. In each instance I have raised/been the aggressor/got my chips in when leading

(in no particular order)

AA x2, including third to a full house (guy calls raise with QQ, fair enough ) and a flush (raise called by AJ, Marginal)
KK x2, my big raise called by 96, guy hits a straight flush on the river...then my raise is called by 55, 3rd 5 on the flop
JJ x2 including 86 hitting two pair on the flop
QQ x3 including called by AK (fine), first four cards of flop 2345.
10 10 x4 but all to lower pairs tripping up or suited connectors hitting two pair


I estimate over the three nights I played in excess of 250 hands and hit decent pairs on 15 occasions

All lost. I don't think I played any of them wrong. and I have double checked pre and post flop odds on my poker calculators since!

But this is now a pattern that is becoming entrenched...Outdraws, suckouts etc etc over what seems like to me an eternity.


Some questions

a) What period/how many hands would you consider long enough for a bad run to be considered more than bad luck? ie at what point can I call myself a bad player and go and take up crotchet instead?
b) If you have experienced a difficult poker time, what have you done to help yourself out of it?


I was planning to play a few events at the Vic and Luton in the forthcoming festivals, but I feel like the deadest of dead money!!

[Karabiner]

What I tend to do in the midst of a bad run is take a break.

Easier said than done I know, but even half a day will help.

Personally, I like to go and hit some golf balls and then read (or reread) one of my poker books. A few chapters of 'theory' for instance.

I find that these things refresh my mind and clear out the 'clutter' and negative thoughts that a bad run can create.

Hope this helps.

 

[Milkybarkid]

The one thing i always remind myself when things go bad is a quote i made up a while ago. "Never get too excited when things go well and never get too downhearted when things are bad."

I have had some really bad runs both online and live since i started playing poker years ago. If you speak to any pro they will tell you that they have had some horrendous runs. Rob Hollink who just won in Monte Carlo was saying that he was on the worst run of his poker life before he won that tournament.

Regarding your questions

a) Bad run to be considered more than bad luck? Well it depends how long you have been playing. Bad runs can last a long time..... if you have proved through your records that you have been a consistent winning player over a period of time then its unlikely that you have become a bad player overnight. Assess the important hands that you play and always ask yourself, "Could i have played that hand differently/better?"

b) Regarding what i have done to help myself. I often find that a complete break from poker is good when things are running bad. Normally a couple of weeks but i have taken longer off in the past. If you find that you are worried and not enjoying yourself when you are playing its time to take a break. When i have been on a bad run before i often get a negative attitude during hands. Start thinking that my next bad beat is just around the corner and it affects my play....

Just keep playing your best poker and things are bound to turn around.

Have a go at some of the festivals. It may be that a break from playing online is exactly what you need.

Good luck

[luckyblind]

I like to go and create havoc on the micro limit tables, raising and calling all ins with any two cards and try and inflict a few bad beats without risking too much money !
I think everybody goes through a run like you have had at sometime or another, the flipside is you will probably have a run where all your hands hold up at some point.

[londonpokergirl]

I'm like Luckyblind, although I prefer to play small limit heads up,  takes out the aggression

I was exactly same, had at least 3.5 months of getting outdraws and no luck whatsoever, then had about 6 weeks of winning everything,  I think its more a case that u just gotta be able to take the swings and roundabouts

A bit like telesales,  for 100 calls you may get 1 person who buys but 99 knockbacks, its how u take the knockbacks that count, keep ploughing on, get there in the end