Taking a break when running bad: + or -EV?

[Whitewash]

For those of you who have run really badly in a short spurt online (for me, down ~14 buy-ins this month), did you take a break in order to get your head together?

This is not meant to mean trying to fix your game. It more so refers to those who felt confident they were simply running badly. Is it a good idea to take a break if you are simply running bad in order to clear your head, and if so, for how long?


I'm in a tough situation. I've dropped a huge chunk of my bankroll (from around $4K to now less than $2.5K) playing 100 and 200NL this month after consistent success the previous 2 months. I set the general goal of wanting to move up to 400NL by a few months into 2007, mostly to push myself to improve my game and build my BR over the next few months. I'm in college, and feel like I shouldn't be putting so much time and energy into poker unless I am doing more than farting around making $2K a month playing 100NL.

Now, this downswing has put me at a crossroads. I wonder if I should just let this go and focus on school now, even though I know I could have a good winrate at 100NL and I feel that I can beat 200NL at my current skill level (though Im not really rolled to even play 200NL anymore). What would you do in my shoes?

[FloppyJ]

Take a break. Drop down and rebuild both your confidence and your bankroll.