What is your longest sustained losing streak??

[Rubber Soul]

I have to admit that I thought it was impossible for a winning low limit player to ever have a losing month online... Ever since I really learned the game of nl hold-em I have had 18 straight winning months at low limit nl cash games online... I realize that perhaps only 5-7% of all online players are winners, but I figured here at 2+2 the majority are winners... I am going through a streak this month where I just can't win... I feel I am playing as well as I ever have... In the past I have never had a sustained losing or break even streak last over 7,500 hands... The streak I am on now is about 30,000 hands... Has ANY winning low limit player EVER experienced this and if so is it not all that uncommon? Or is this a once in a lifetime streak... I realize top pros all say they have gone bust at some point or at least have losing streaks, but usually that is because they take more risks than a tight aggressive grinder like myself... I always adhere to basic bankroll management and have dropped down in stakes a few times in the past (as I have been forced to now)... So, is this just a freak occurance or should I expect this every year or two?

[epdaws]

I can only offer my own perspective, but I hope it helps. When you're going through this, sometimes it helps to hear that others are as well, so:

December will be my first losing month this year, and I feel just as you do. I had a stretch where 4 out of 5 times I had AA, an isolated opponent flopped a small set on me. I had a stretch where I went 26 pocket pairs without flopping a set, and when I finally flopped a set of deuces I was up against a flopped set of tens. I've had KK on a flop of K64 lose to AA after all the money went in on the flop. And when you start losing like this, you just know the bad beat is coming, don't you?

It's awful. You start to question your play. You wonder if you're playing above your head. You wonder how any "winning" player can lose for an entire month. And you feel like digging out of the hole will take forever, while your friends are crushing the game and piling up new all-time highs. Then, hopefully, it goes from frustrating to downright comical.

Here's the most important thing: I accept variance. As long as it's variance that is doing the most damage, just hang in there. If you're tilting or donking off chips -- as we all sometimes do -- then take a break or do a little nut hunting. But the point is, losing streaks can last a long time. There is no rule that says the bad beats must stop coming.

[jacksoncrack]

i myself have had a horrible down swing this month. not 30k hands worth, only about 10k worth. but it has been crippling to my BR. i dont consider myself a pro, but i had been steadily winning for 7-8 months, and that has been wiped out this month. one bad day after the other. losing 6 out of 7 days, to win $32 on the 7th. playing like i should and have been playing, i didnt think it was possible to lose money that fast. in fact lose at all... ive tried 1/2, 2/4, 3/6 limit, and 25nl, 50nl... i switched to 25nl 6max recently and have been up ever since..before this, i think the longest losing streak was a string of about 3k hands.

[Rubber Soul]

[ QUOTE ]
I can only offer my own perspective, but I hope it helps. When you're going through this, sometimes it helps to hear that others are as well, so:

December will be my first losing month this year, and I feel just as you do. I had a stretch where 4 out of 5 times I had AA, an isolated opponent flopped a small set on me. I had a stretch where I went 26 pocket pairs without flopping a set, and when I finally flopped a set of deuces I was up against a flopped set of tens. I've had KK on a flop of K64 lose to AA after all the money went in on the flop. And when you start losing like this, you just know the bad beat is coming, don't you?

It's awful. You start to question your play. You wonder if you're playing above your head. You wonder how any "winning" player can lose for an entire month. And you feel like digging out of the hole will take forever, while your friends are crushing the game and piling up new all-time highs. Then, hopefully, it goes from frustrating to downright comical.

Here's the most important thing: I accept variance. As long as it's variance that is doing the most damage, just hang in there. If you're tilting or donking off chips -- as we all sometimes do -- then take a break or do a little nut hunting. But the point is, losing streaks can last a long time. There is no rule that says the bad beats must stop coming.

[/ QUOTE ]

-

Yeah, you are in the same boat I am in... I'll spare everyone the bad beats, but it really has become comical... I have been playing well... I only titled off about two buy-ins during this whole 30k hand streak... I actually feel that I have been playing pretty well...

[epdaws]

The most liberating thing for me was the day I was able to start laughing at it. I had gone five or six card-dead and cold-decked sessions in a row, and I picked up 55. I called a 3x raise with it, and the flop was K88. Checked around. Turn a 5. Villain overbet the pot, I pushed, he called with KK.

That was it for me. I just laughed, and it felt so good. It was like the cloud of frustration hanging over me just lifted, and I could clearly see that I was playing as well as I ever have, but variance was killing me.

It's starting to turn around, but I'm fine with it. I've made more money this year than I ever dreamed possible playing poker, and I'm going to suck it up! The key is allowing yourself to laugh.

[HoldenFoldem]

Beware "Gambler's Ruin". Sounds ominous and it is, for some. Keep notching your game back to insure you have many buy ins at the level yoiu are playing at. ie 50.
I just found this site 1 month ago, bought Poker Tracker recently, have PA HUD on trial on my computer, and for my troubles have lost all of my winnings for this month over the last week. -200 at $25 nl.
I attribute it to:
learning new skills: this site teaches a much more aggressive game than i have played . I find myself raising pf far more often. I find myself betting big on the flop far more often. Unfortunately, i haven't learned very well how to fold yet, given the more aggressive posture. This is because you get more money in sooner, and must take a bigger loss if you fold.
Far worse, i find myself folding when i do get someone playing back at be big time. Isn't this what i was waiting for. The results clearly answer the question to date...nope it isn't, unless i have the nuts.
Poor luck: AK Axx loses all in to AA
Ak Axx loses all in to AA (again next day)
AK KK6 loses all in to 66 (day before)
Thats three stacks right there. I defy anyone to try to fold that third hand. And what are the chances of all the aces being in play onthe previous two hands. I've run these hands thru the forum. The consensus is "all in" BUT, i did not play them well. This is the encouraging part. "THEY CAN BE TAUGHT" as Robin Williams said of the children in "Mrs Doubtfire". Well, we can be taught too. Have someone look at all of a series of 100 hands that you played. Not just the big ones. I think there would be much more learned from this than from just analyzing several big hands.
If you like i'll trade across with you. You comment on my 100, and i will comment on yours. email me here on the site.
Good luck

[jacksoncrack]

my personal favorite that broke me into hysteria?

Party 50nl 10 handed

I have KdKc on the button with a certified lunatic in middle position raise all in. I call.

10h 6c 9h 3h 4h. Villain shows 5c 5h and wins with a flush.

I stopped playing for three weeks.

[Fallen Hero]

[ QUOTE ]
I have to admit that I thought it was impossible for a winning low limit player to ever have a losing month online... Ever since I really learned the game of nl hold-em I have had 18 straight winning months at low limit nl cash games online... I realize that perhaps only 5-7% of all online players are winners, but I figured here at 2+2 the majority are winners... I am going through a streak this month where I just can't win... I feel I am playing as well as I ever have... In the past I have never had a sustained losing or break even streak last over 7,500 hands... The streak I am on now is about 30,000 hands... Has ANY winning low limit player EVER experienced this and if so is it not all that uncommon? Or is this a once in a lifetime streak... I realize top pros all say they have gone bust at some point or at least have losing streaks, but usually that is because they take more risks than a tight aggressive grinder like myself... I always adhere to basic bankroll management and have dropped down in stakes a few times in the past (as I have been forced to now)... So, is this just a freak occurance or should I expect this every year or two?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a friend who is now a regular at the biggest games in ps (100/200, 10/20NL, $5k hu, etc) who spent a 3,4 months getting crushed at lower limits, unable to make a consistent proffit (he was already a professional acomplished player at this time, his game was already good enough to beat 10/20NL and the likes of it). That's the worst story I know of.

[Snygaard]

I've played small NL games for half an year now. Last week I had my longest downswing. I lost 5 days in a row. It was frustrating because I knew my game was improving, yet I still kept loosing. But I just tried to focuse on playing my game. On a dowswing you can easily start playing Tight/weak, because why shuold I play a pot when I keep loosing? My advice to you Rubber is that you should just keep playing your best, and the loosing streak will soon end.

[poboy]

Downswings happen to everyone but 30k hands is alot. I obviously can't say for sure since I don't how you play but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to review your play, you are bound to find some leaks in there. Also recognizing tilt is harder then you think, remember tilt doesn't have to just be something you do out of anger. Expecting to lose is a form of tilt, and whether you recognize it or not it is probably affecting your decision making. You can be extremely happy and be on tilt, i.e you win a huge pot on one hand so you decide to go ahead and play the next hand even though it's K7o UTG and should be folded. Maybe it's just bad luck but maybe it's not. JMO

[scrapperdog]

[ QUOTE ]
lost all of my winnings for this month over the last week. -200 at $25 nl.
I attribute it to:
learning new skills:


[/ QUOTE ]

I have thought about this subject in regards to this forum alot. I was a winning player before I started posting here and did not want to screw things up. One of the things I have come up with is that is I try and fix 1 hole at a time. It pretty hard to try and fix every hole at once. I made the choice to become more agressive in my river value betting, have worked on it for a little over a month, feel it is much improved (thanks to this forum). I am now bet/folding more and check/calling less, as well as just betting my strong but not the nuts hands more, and feel much better on this part of my game. Now I am deciding what hole to work on next.

I am not gonna work on pre flop raising, continuation bets, general agression, using position, betting draws more, and so on and so on all at once. It gets too confusing when you are doing multi tables. I pick one area and work on that area until I feel it is improved, then move on to another area.

Hope that helps.

[scrapperdog]

[ QUOTE ]
So, is this just a freak occurance or should I expect this every year or two?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is normal and expect this to happen every year or 2. Happened to me for what I am guessing is about 20k hands. Will probably happen to me again in the future. If the streak lasts much longer though then I would start to think you play has something to do with it, if you hit 40K hands stop and evaluate.

[excession]

Lolsing - About 6 weeks and 28 buy-ins on the old Party $25's.
Best winning streak 22 consecutive winning weeks on the Party $50's..

[HoldenFoldem]

Thanks, that's a perspective i hadn't thought of, and i will plug it in to the way i am trying to sharpen my game.

On a different note, i am reminded of Rule Number 1 for a stock market trader who was very successful:

PLAY TO PLAY WELL, NOT TO MAKE MONEY.

I think this is perfect for poker. We can control how we play, but not the variance.

[HoldenFoldem]

[ QUOTE ]
my personal favorite that broke me into hysteria?

Party 50nl 10 handed

I have KdKc on the button with a certified lunatic in middle position raise all in. I call.

10h 6c 9h 3h 4h. Villain shows 5c 5h and wins with a flush.

I stopped playing for three weeks.

[/ QUOTE ]


lol , LOL, lol , LOL

(what else can you do)

[andyexpat]

Chip Reece said that the most important thing in poker is not how much you win, but how little you lose. I played at Poker Stars and within a couple of months made about 5k playing TX NL 1-2. Then I lost it all in the next week. It was an online slaughter, and I didn't think that I was doing anything different ? Obviously there is the "tilt" factor, because it is very hard to contain emotion when you're doing your bankroll faster than the speed of light !
And don't forget that players study your game, and use special software to accurately record very important data.
Cheers

[DustinisDead]

I haven't been playing long...but have managed to turn a bit of a profit. The hardest thing for me to cope with is the luck factor. I'm coming from the game of Chess, where it's all skill, either you're capable and strong enough to win or you get dominated...meaning, making the right move will win for you. I've tried that in poker and in the last week i've lost twice to some jerk backdooring quads... How often does this happen. I seem to habitually lose to quads...it's unreal. Just a quick senario, I raise 4x the BB on the button with 1010 the only limper calls it (everyone else folded it around to me). I'm thinking he's got maybe a mid pair(he seems to be a timid player who falls in love with any ace and the big pairs he makes really silly bets with), anything higher than mine and he'd be playing back at me. So, the flop comes 9 9 9 (i don't think i need to specify suits). He leads into me with a pot sized bet, i reraise thinking my full is best and he moves all in, i call and he turns over 9 10 off...I seem to get owned by quads a lot. It's rather frustrating...is this a common occurence?

[SauceH]

Yeah, i'd like to see how some professionals cope with really small stakes games but would be surprised if they would really lose money.

And as for your quads situation DustinisDead, very very rare--but since it happened twice in your short amount of play, they sure do stand out /images/graemlins/smile.gif