Should I be done with poker?

[wegs the wegs]

I have been on tilt for two straight months. What was once a great practically guaranteed income every week has now turned it a steady depletion of a bankroll. I played poker successfully for 2 1/2 years and now everything has fallen apart.

At the end of June I finished the book Zen and the Art of Poker. It is supposed to make a player release the ego, be unattached emotionally, and really focus deep on the game and the actions one makes. I have done the complete opposite. I "know" that everyone is worse than me and can be easily outplayed in the hand. They "should" fold to huge bluffs because I know they can't call. And playing like a maniac brings fun and excitement to the poker grind.

I've taken two weeklong breaks from the game just to cool off and try to regain a little focus. I've moved up and down levels, less tables, different tournaments, sites, and styles. I just can't find the rhythm I used to have.

My question is this. After three years of play is this a sign to fold my poker career and move on? I graduated college in May and will be certified for my new job in roughly 5-6 weeks. Until then... no income.

I have told myself time and again "Play tight, be patient, let the money come to you." Never seems to do anything for me. Time to retire or am I being too harsh?

One of the reasons for freaking out is the no income thing. If I take the rest of my bankroll out right now I am set financially for at least three months until payday. As it stands now without income from poker or withdrawing the bankroll I have enough for the three months but will be keeping an extremely tight lid on my spending.

Emotionally I am just frustrated because I am so bored with life right now. Post-college depression is on me and I have a lot of free time until the job starts up. My friends are around but most are still in college.

Thoughts on any of this? Thanks for reading the ramblings of a tired and frustrated 22 year old. I do appreciate it.

[DeliciousBass]

Buy:
A plane ticket to Europe
A rail pass

In "5-6 weeks" post your trip report...boredom relieved.

(If you are European, buy:
A plane ticket to the US...Try New York or San Francisco.)

[Quanah Parker]

Re-read the Zen of Poker backwards.

This is obviously the point your play tanked, so the only logicial way to repair the damage is by undoing what has been done.

[canada_dry]

Wegs,

2 months of tilt is just far too long. You need a serious break from the game. Take the next five weeks to do something else....Poker will always be there.

[john kane]

geez this is like reading an extreme version of my last 2 months (....breakeven last 2 months having had it as a nice income for past 2.5 years or so ($50K) although im looking forward to final year at uni so dont have the post-college depression plus id like to think i havent tilted, but still reads very similar).

i can easily relate to what your saying.

often winning at poker is not about winning that sum, but that you know you can do it week after week. as soon as you hit a long spell of loss/breakeven, not only do you not have the money you should of won, but also your view of future earnings and disposible income drops massively.

i too have tried many sites, limits at both NL and limit, and different styles. sometimes id have a good day and think i'd cracked it only for it to reverse the following day.

some of the phrases are identical to my thoughts as well:

[ QUOTE ]
I have told myself time and again "Play tight, be patient, let the money come to you."

[/ QUOTE ]

after ive had an unsuccessful run at a different style i switch back to this mentality and focus. 3 hours later and im breakeven and i cant see where the profit comes from i lag it up or give up for the day.

apologies as rather than offering a solution thus far instead im just relating my thoughts, but it may be at least some help for you to know that there are others out there who have been winning regularly for over 2 years and then hit a crush 2 month spell.

as for solutions, i'd recommend:

1. go on a short holiday. ive come back from a week holiday on a pissup with friends and it wsas great fun, and helped having a week of solid fun rather than fun mixed in with some grinding/frustration.

2. get a fixed daily structure. i want to do this, this and this and then if i have spare time play poker with that, if thats what i want to do. that kind of thing.

3. do not read sub-forums on this site which are detrimental to when your on a long downswing. i've stopped reading the mid-stakes NL forum. had enough of reading about guys running at 6BB/100 with very similar stats to me. just makes me want to punch them. a lot of people will disagree with what i just said about not reading midstakes Nl, or limit, whichever is your game. they will say its the only way to learn. i dont need to learn and im sure you dont either. im sure you know how to play a flush draw etc having been a winner for 2+ years. its overcoming the mental side of the game in dealing with such a run rather than how to value bet etc.
instead read BBV, OOT, laughs or links and this sub-forum. i think this sub-forum is the best for thoughts and OOT+laughs or links for fun, and BBV to read about some guys massive downswing or massive run of beats.

4. eat well and exercise well. i never do but im sure it would help.

i think thats pretty much all, if i think of anything else id add i will.

have a good day and best of luck

[Doppler Bob]

Hey man, I feel ya. I'm not financially set from my poker earnings (yet), but I am also a 22 year old recent college grad. I have a job, but I make 20K a year... so poker is a supplement to that LOL.

Sounds to me like you need to do a few things I never did when life was "boring" during college.

First, a change of scenery. Vacations (be them small or big) are a GREAT way to take your mind off the game, clear it out, and start over. I just took my first days off since starting work in the beginning of June, re-read a few poker books on the shores of Ocean City, Maryland, came back refreshed and DAMN, I was playing some good poker (not to mention catching a decent run of cards too). This helped immensely.

When I got this job (and since I'm on TV) they also paid for my gym membership. Now I was NEVER one to go to the gym, but I live in WV, and being from NY this place is frankly boring as hell. But the gym gives you something to do daily, and it releases a ton of stress, and the physical benefits are great too.

Anyways, I hope this helps, and I hope you don't give up the poker. Just refresh... I did and I'm seeing the positive effects from it.

[King Spew]

Try a different game.... others have suggested Omaha.

I play 6Max, but when I'm on an antiheater, I'll play a few days of full ring. Forces me to tighen up but pushup the aggro level. I seem to play better 6MAX after a 'vacation'.

[Yads]

[ QUOTE ]
i dont need to learn and im sure you dont either.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what you're saying is that you know everything there is to know about the game? There are no hands you encounter that you had no idea what you were doing?

[canada_dry]

Once you know how to play, you don't need to reread everything. its not like they are adding more cards to the 52 card deck.

THe only real trick to poker is dealing with the losses and playing through them.

Period.

[john kane]

yads, obviously everyone is always learning.

my point is that, as canada mentions, things like dealing with big downswings, bankroll management and not spending your winnings are going to lead to a far more profitable player than trying to get that extra 0.3% edge on someone by learning. my usual game over the last year has probs averaged 2-4nl. i beat the bad players and the good players just pass back and forth the money. the trick is not trying to beat the good players as well (as when it comes to 8 tabling online this is very hard), its about not playing above your roll (albeit which is easy) but mainly being able to plough through the bad spells and not let it affect your game.

if your not a winning player at 90% of the tables (not saying 90% sessions, but if you sit down if the game were infinite youd win 90% of the time) after over 3 years of learning and regular play then its not your game, but those who win a shed load at the end of this period are those who repeatedly battle through the bad patches and dont spend much of their winnings - both things i dont do. if i did, i'd be playing 10-20nl without a doubt. instead i love to spend money, so i cant progress. but meh, its a lot of fun.