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What's the best way to get out of a downswing?
Seriously, since January I've been running so bad it's unreal. Before anyone thinks this might be the usual rant it's not. The site AIN'T rigged & I'm fairly sure Sky don't hate me, lol.
Seriously though, whilst I'm nowhere near being a great player (I'd say maybe average at best) the last 6/7 months I can't seem to do anything right. I know I have flaws in my game and I'm getting better with some of those but as far as I can see I'm not doing anything differently to before when I was winning more than I'm losing and maybe it's just variance & there's absolutely nothing I can do about it whatsoever?
What does anyone else do? Like I say, it's been the best part of 6/7 months now and I'm really not sure what to do next.
Apologies if I've rambled at all!
Seriously though, whilst I'm nowhere near being a great player (I'd say maybe average at best) the last 6/7 months I can't seem to do anything right. I know I have flaws in my game and I'm getting better with some of those but as far as I can see I'm not doing anything differently to before when I was winning more than I'm losing and maybe it's just variance & there's absolutely nothing I can do about it whatsoever?
What does anyone else do? Like I say, it's been the best part of 6/7 months now and I'm really not sure what to do next.
Apologies if I've rambled at all!
Comments
Although only this week im on the same run, KQ losin to KJ, ect ect bad beat blah blah, its just frustratin but i keep tellin myself if I carry on gettin it in ahead sooner or later (probably later) I will start winning the money i've donked off back.
I agree with a lot that Ncolley said, it may seem very cliched but all you can do is keep getting your money in when it's good, i myself am on a downswing at the moment but as long as when you look back on how you played on a given day and can say that you got your money in good then you are doing all you can.
Best of luck at the tables Silentbob. Keep on grinding.
I went through a similar run for about 4 months and what i did was, sit down and honestly look how i was playing .
I found that although i thought i wasnt doing anything different, i was actually not playing my usual game.
What i did was, on cash dropped a level(to not hurt my bankroll) and in tournies went from paying the buyin to going in satelittes to get a cheaper entry, but most of all i listened to the voices in my head,ie when i thought i was behind fold and not chase draws etc.
Within 3 weeks i came 2nd in the 500 for £900.
I am in the middle of a bad run of results but i have reviewed my play and i am playing my game very well but suffering bad beats and outdraws, so i am more confident this time that the next win is round the corner.
If your doing the right things it will break stick in there m8.
col
Go back to 1st principles for small stakes in a cash game. Next time you play, cash in for a tenner and promise yourself that you won't call a single hand. Either you're folding (because you've got the worst of it) or you're raising (because you've got the best of it).
Good luck.
Every poker player has them. Im up and down like a yo yo, but keep at it and over time if your getting your money in good youll prevail. Take some time out, maybe recap some of your plays and see if youd play them any differently now.
Everyone, live and online has bad patches and form lose it's a part of this game. The thing to do is take small breaks a few days or a week..
Also something that doesn't get mentioned is, your state of mind when you sit to play, don't play tired or stressed.
I like to play 'sit n go' double your money when i just want a game but look ahead for a tournament in the evening and try to get no interruptions for that !!
C'mon u Iron's !!
stand up, go for a cuppa and tell yourself that noone wins every time. and if you still cant stop dwelling on the past simply dont play, you dont want the extra pressure.
Ive had a terrible time recently being 80% ahead when the money goes in 5 or 6 times in big pots in tournys and been outdrawn. It is realy fustraiting and its always on your mind that you cant do anything right. Its when you been sitting tight and seen people play crazy poker and win you get invovled with the best hand and sumhow lose.
Runners for straights or the most recent kk losing to A2 on 10 10 2 board the money was all in on the flop, not gna bore you with any more.
Its only been over a couple of days for me but ive been in good postions and gone out and it does put you down.
Oh and dowzer, stay tight at the start but when the blinds go up try and make some steals using your position regardless of what cards you have.
All of the points raised so far are good things to think about when you are on a bad run.
I think that when this has happened to me in the past, it used to really affect my confidence and I would end up either tilting or playing scared instead of making rational decisions. Things would get sooooo bad I would convince myself that the site itself was against me LOL.
So if I find myself thinking these ridiculous thoughts...........I just switch to playing a different site which seems to 'cleanse away' all the negative thoughts and helps to bring the rational attitude back, which usually leads to playing solid winning poker again. I know this is nothing to do with the sites, its psychological, but it works for me, I now have my bankroll spread over several sites and play whichever is going well for me!
DEPENDS HOW MUCH TIME U PLAY BOB AS WELL... IF U DO SAY A 3-4 HOUR SLOT.. AND MULTI TAB THAT NEEDS A LOT OF FOCUSING AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DONT PICK UP ON HOW HANDS ARE BEING PLAYED... BETTING PATTERNS ETC... PERSONALLY WHEN IM ON A DOWNER I JUST TAKE A BREAK FROM THE SITE THAT IM ON... AND MAY NOT PLAY FOR A FEW DAYS OR SO....LITTLE THINGS CAN GET U UNFOCUCED LIKE THE WIFE NAGGING OR THE PHONE GOING ETC.. I DONT KNOW WHAT UR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE BUT I SOMETIMES LOSE SLIGHT CONCENTRATION AND MAKE SILLY "HERO"CALLS THAT I KNOW IM BEAT IN BUT JUST WANT TO HAVE A LOOK!! HOWEVER WHEN I KNOW IM GOING INTO A BIG MTT OR SUMTHING... I DONT MULTITAB AND SOLELY CONCENTRATE ON THAT ONE GAME... AND AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED LOOK AT UR HAND RANGES... POSSY AND MAYBE UR STYLE... I KNOW IVE PLAYED A FEW GAMES BEFORE AGAINST U AND U ALWAYS GIVE AS GOOD AS U GET... SO THE RUN WILL SOON CHANGE... FOR THE RECORD IM ON A SHOCKER AS WELL... GL MATE C U AT THE TABS;-)
Being on a downswing at the moment, I was ready to pull the plug on sky poker and move elsewhere, however,
after 5 days thought and reflection, I have shaken off the deep feelings of resentment I had and have come to the following conclusions and advice for anyone else feeling the same.
Tell yourself that you actually like bad beats!! Sounds silly, yes, but ultimately it means you pushed your chips over the line whilst you were a massive favourite. For every 15 times i get runner runner full house beating my straight, it must mean 85 times i got his chips. Remember you do not know how many times people muck on the river because they have missed their 3 outers.
Take a week or two away from the tables. Like most of us, bad beats put us on tilt. This is more dangerous than any other style of play. Not only are you playing against 5 others but also now playing against
yourself. Dont chase losses, you'll only be throwing good money away. Wait until you are more focussed.
Tell yourself you have given bad beats as well as receiving them. Can anyone genuinly say they have never pushed with hands like jacks or queens to be found running into aces and outdrawing them? Not many i would wager. Also has anyone let in the big blind too cheaply with their monster hand only to be outdrawn? Delicate balance this risk/reward thing.
Let bankroll management be your God, never play with more than 5% at any one time and if necessary drop down a level or reduce your games to 2.5% of your bankroll. Scared money never wins. If you are lucky enough to be in profit over your playing career, withdraw your original investment and only leave your profit in your account. Theres no better feeling than freerolling with other peoples money. And if you are really lucky (or good enough) to stay in profit after each month or so make a small withdrawl to treat yourself. Doesnt need to be big, just something to keep or look back on so you can see a physical return for your time and (sometimes) anguish.
Most of all, never play in the wrong frame of mind, when ill (i know from experience, after being off work ill I thought it would be the best time to get a few extra hours in, trust me, setting fire to five pound notes would be more pleasurable and the money probably would last longer!) when tired or worst of all drunk. Being on the wrong end of alchohol has cost me many cashes over the years.
All the best
Restormel
One other point i forgot to mention about bad beats.....
Many posts on here i have seen keep mentioning how they get bad beats but dont give out as many as they receive, well that just shows a good poker strategy and sense. If you play bad cards you will give bad beats, simple as. If you dont play bad cards you will not give out as many bad beats. I wish i could find the players that give loads of bad beats as long term, they will ultimately be losing players.