[KurtSF]

Well, I'm on a doozy right now.

I played successfully for a long time at the micros, moving up from .15/30, to .25/.50, to .50/1. Most of my hands were at .25/.50 where I was a huge winner. I had had several 100BB downsings and a doozy of a 200BB downswing there (when I had previously running at 6BB/100), but I eventually recoeverd and felt like I was getting comfortable with variance. I hit another 100BB downswing as soon as I moved to .50/1, which hurt a lot as the stakes were doubled compared to what I was used to, but I recovered and now I'm slight winner there overall.

Then I moved to 1/2 and everything changed. I donked off probaly 50BB while "learning" the level with bad play. Then I got horribly cold decked for about 200BB and just went downhill. As I was sliding toward 200BB of total losses I was cool, calm, and collected since I had these kinds of swings before and I knew how rough variance could be. But as I got past 250BB total losses not only was this clearly my biggest lost by BB ever, but again, the stakes were recently doubled so it felt twice as bad, and I went on tilt.

Bad. I felt like I could never hit a draw, so i would end up chasing them to try and hit one, just one! I decided that I had to start winning more $$ without going to showdown, and I started bluffing more and pushing marginal hands. And worst of all, I felt like I forgot how to play. As the losses spun downward past 300BB, 350BB, 400BB, I lost all prespective and felt like it was possible I had never been able to play and was just a lucky donk in the first place. (Which was probably partially true, too, but that's another story.)

I finally got off my tilt with the help of a very generous 2+2er who would sweat me and review hands with me. I no longer felt like my poker judgment was shot as I was no longer operating in a vacuum. I stopped tilting, and tightened up my game and started playing break-even poker at 1/2, holding the downswing at 400BB.

But of course, just because you've been running cold doesn't mean you are "due" to hit a few breaks. I started getting killed by the cards again. In my last session, of the NINE sets I hit on the flop that went to showdown, TWO held up. And I wan't pushing crap hands either, the only set on a monotone flop was one of the two that held up, and most of the beats were runner-runner or river miracles. (Though that doesn't count the time I hit a fullhouse on the flop, which, amazingly, did hold up.)

Its been brutal. And now my losses off my peak are 500BB.

So forgive me if I am blase about a 200BB downswing. But enough about me. In terms of adice:

* constantly work to improve. There is always room to get better, and staying in touch with poker away from the table by studying, reading, etc will keep your game good while goind through these rough spots.
* Only play if you are playing your A game. You can play perfect poker and hit a 200BB downswing, so why handicap yourself any further? The poker gods don't owe you anything and you won't "get back" what you lose to tilt or tiredness or whatever, so don't play unless your game is 100%.
* Variance can be truly horrible. Detatching yourself from a results oriented outlook can be very dificult, but it is key to long term success.
* Watch that bankroll! If it wasn't for solid BR management (and bonus whoring, woot) I would have been out of poker by now. Always play at a level appropriate for your ability and for the amount of risk you are willing to take in terms of going busto.

Good luck!