Lost money 18 of the last 20 days

Hattifnatt · #1 09-09-2006, 10:54 AM

I was thinking about posting this in BBV but I test here instead and see if I can avoid the "PARTY BJ!" kind of answers.

This is my first post in the Psychology forum and I have almost never read anything here either.

Anyway, of the last 20 days I have played every day, not poker every one of them but something, poker (about 80%), sportsbetting (about 15%) and some Casino games (about 3%), others (about 2%).

I feel almost like the worst/most unlucky Poker Player alive right now. I play pretty low stakes ATM 1/2 NL at Prima primary because of an finite BR, but the last days I have taked shots at some higher games, 3/6 and yesterday some 7/7 NL at a casino where I lost about $1400 in 30 minutes, most of it to a 2-outer.

If this post doesnt belong here please tell me or a moderator can move it.

Any thoughts/questions/advices/similar stories etc. are welcome. I have played poker pretty seriously for almost 4 years and thought I was pretty hardened but this is my by far worst bad streak.

Poker Fool · #2 09-09-2006, 12:38 PM

Losing 18 out of 20 days is not coz of a two outer on the river.

I suspect you moved up to get some money back, or where they "respect your raises more".

All you have done is potentially move to a place where the players are stronger and you are under bankrolled and maybe playing with scared money. Its a bad combination for winning poker.

Take some time out.

If you have pokertracker after you taken some time out go through a lot of those hands and see just how bad your play was.

And continually look for your bad plays (there will be plenty).

Then maybe take a little more time off to evaluate what you discovered about your game and then return to the tables at stakes your bankroll can withstand.

While you blame bad luck you are not going to improve.

I was given this advice some time ago and I count it as some of the best advice I've ever been given.

Hattifnatt · #3 09-09-2006, 01:15 PM

All you say is true, and I have been playing long enough to understand this, but this is just too sick. Even though all of it of course isnt bad luck, lots of it is it, I have posted some key hands here and also analyzed them. But when I play the biggest Live-pot ever and he hits the 2 outer it hurts..

jb9 · #4 09-09-2006, 01:28 PM

I think losing 18 of 20 days in cash games for an experienced player when you are playing more than 1/2 hour or so a day is a sign of a problem that you need to identify.

It could be that you are making some subtle, but frequent mistakes -- it could be that the games you are playing in are too tough (or possibly just have a style that doesn't allow you to use your strengths).

No doubt you have had a run of real bad luck, but you should find out if there is something else wrong as well.

If you really can't identify a problem with your play or the games you are playing, then I'd suggest taking a break of at least several days and then coming back to 1 limit lower than what you normally play.

Reef · #5 09-09-2006, 06:54 PM

I wouldn't be concerned of the number of days.. only how many hands you've played. If you've only gotten in 10k hands in the 20 days - Yawn. If you've gotten in 40k hands, then there could be a problem.

mudbuddha · #6 09-09-2006, 08:43 PM

take a week off man

your a solid player and u know what to do for bankrolling. Im sure you will get past it. perhaps you just dont have the patience for poker and some time off would help you clear ur head.

Hattifnatt · #7 09-11-2006, 12:04 PM

20/22 days now.. ughh. Time for a break I guess.

montechristo · #8 09-11-2006, 01:35 PM

dude take a few days off, don't play poker, dont talk about it read 2+2 or anything. come back play tighter than normal for a few thousand hands and get your game back. remember this too shall pass.

Hattifnatt · #9 09-11-2006, 03:26 PM

montechristo> your advice sounds very good, problem is I work at a internet poker company and almost all my nearest friends talk almost only about poker.

Today I did a very idioti thing. I NEVER EVER play before dinner, unless its a $5 HU match or some 0.01/0.02 or something like that. I had a friend at my house and I felt for playing some 5/10 NL at Prima with $100, I did that, but reloaded some and played some 10/20.. 30 minutes later I was down $1600 . [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Please help me out here.

JoaoPinto · #10 09-11-2006, 03:55 PM

I had a friend at my house and I felt for playing some 5/10 NL at Prima with $100, I did that, but reloaded some and played some 10/20.. 30 minutes later I was down $1600

Why did you reload and try 10/20?

The last thing you do when your on a terrible downswing is move up limits.