Question for 6max veterans

stoli · #1 07-20-2006, 08:47 PM

I'm running really bad right now. I'm sure this has led me to some unwise call downs and some chip spewing with hands I should be smart enough to know are beat...

The question is that usually I see this when someone goes on tilt and starts calling everything down. I however am showing down less (b/c I am not hitting much) I am curious as to if a low showdown and low win $ at showdown in 6max indicates anything I should correct?? Or is this just a downswing and I should pull up my skirt, grab my balls, stop crying, and play through it....??

-down 175bb's
-went to showdown 30%
-won at sd 41%
-top pair winning 34%
-two pair and three of a kind 33%
-straight and flush 80%
-full house 50%

jba · #2 07-20-2006, 08:54 PM

sample size?

fyi i've had sessions that have looked like this

stoli · #3 07-20-2006, 08:57 PM

Ok that's reassuring. I wanted to hear from at least one other person that sessions like this are not uncommon even if you play well. My whole last 10k hands has been pretty bad.

My first 20 k I won at 3bb
last 10k - -1bb

Mossberg · #4 07-20-2006, 09:25 PM

Yep, when I'm on a downswing my WTSD usually drops by about 2-3% and W$SD usually decreases about the same. For example, over 100k hands at 3/6 6max it was 35/55, but this month while I'm running quite bad, I've been more like 33/52.. I'm sure this is normal to be taking less hands to showdown, when your high pocket pair's are being destroyed by overcard flops, your draws are missing etc. I assume this is over a fairly small sample because your W$SD is kinda sick. Either way you just need to keep your head up. Never underestimate the power of giving your brain a 1 or 2 day break from poker. When I'm running bad, I have a hard time getting myself away from the tables - I'm frusterated as hell and want to catch up (I'm always fearful of having a bad month profit-wise), but when i finally talk myself into going out and getting my mind off the game, it helps ALOT. I recently decided to take a shot aty 5/10 6max and my timing couldn't have been worse - I've been running terrible, and it took me 100bb's before I told myself it's time for a break, then I need to return back to 3/6. I felt SICK about how bad my shot went, but after a 1 day break, I feel refreshed and am excited about going back to 3/6 where I feel so much more comfortable.

To control tilt, you need to make sure you're not calling down too much when your running bad. But you also need to make sure that you're not becoming overly passive and folding when you should be calling down. Taking marginal hands to showdown often requires a great deal of confidence, and I understand it's hard to properly do so without it. Study, Study, Study and start reviewing hands you've played over the past month. It will help you remember that you're a better player than what your currently going through, and it will also help you realize errors you're making during this rough stretch.

Everything will turn around, and a 175bb drop is enough to make me start looking at my game a bit closer, but nothing outside of average variance. It may comfort you to do a BBV search, and look back on some huge downswings that big winners/pros have endured. It kind of makes me sick to realize that people can win at a limit for 3bb/100 over 500k hands, then have a 650bb downswing out of nowhere.. But on the other hand it makes you realize how ridiculously standard your 100-200bb downswing really is.

Best of luck.

BTW, [ QUOTE ]
this IS just a downswing and you should pull up your skirt, grab your balls, stop crying, and play through it....

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure about the ball-grabbing part but the rest sounds good.

stoli · #5 07-20-2006, 10:10 PM

Thanks for the advice and the reassurance. I'm looking at some of my hands for sure but most are similar to this against terrible players catching [censored] which I know is the best person to lose it to.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (6 handed)
Preflop: Hero is UTG with 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
Hero raises, 1 fold, Button calls, 2 folds.

Flop: (5.50 SB) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets, Button raises, Hero 3-bets, Button caps, Hero calls.

Turn: (6.75 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

River: (8.75 BB) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 10.75 BB

Villian has TQ for two pair Tens and sevens.

RunDownHouse · #6 07-20-2006, 11:40 PM

Meh, it happens. Most of the time it won't. After you get some time under your belt, you develop a thicker skin. Or you switch to NL.

stoli · #7 07-20-2006, 11:45 PM

No NL just yet. I don't even know where to start if I switched to NL. Where would you start if you switched over to NL. And I mean literature wise not playing wise. Obviously you'd start at NL25 but are there any good books on cash games. Seems like most of it is NL tourneys..

RunDownHouse · #8 07-21-2006, 12:06 AM

2+2's got a new NL cash games book out. Pretty dense stuff, and obviously completely different than 6max limit. Definitely stick to focusing on one or the other. If you're on a tight budget and have all the limit books, then keep with it.

jba · #9 07-21-2006, 12:13 AM

[ QUOTE ]
2+2's got a new NL cash games book out. Pretty dense stuff, and obviously completely different than 6max limit. Definitely stick to focusing on one or the other. If you're on a tight budget and have all the limit books, then keep with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

all games can be great everywhere. I definitely recommend getting a decent background in other games. I just went to vegas and often the waits for 15/30+ games were an hour+, but I was always willing to jump in a 2/5NL, PLO, or limit O8 game while I waited. I probably played an extra 5-6 hours in a week long trip and that is well worth it. it's nice to switch it up too.

stoli · #10 07-21-2006, 12:21 AM

Here's a question for the math people

6max 1/2

First 10k hands
Vpip 21 PFR 12.4 ASB 22%
+2.66bb/100

Second 10k hands
Vpip 20.7 PFR 12.3 ASB 24%
-1.33bb/100

Which one's results are out of the ordinary????? Was I crazy lucky to have one playing this tight. Or am I unlucky to be losing this bad playing this tight??