The final truth about down swings.

[Jonny]

real good post, I couldn't have said it better myself.

[vexvelour]

Some people don't give themselves permission to win.

[SheetWise]

Theorem X: If a player is accorded information regarding his opponent's strategy, a decision rule for selecting strategies based on that information will perform at least as well as one neglecting the information.

From "The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic" - Basic Theorems. Epstein

SheetWise

[sonny black]

It occurs to me that during a downswing, two forces could be at work, bad luck, and bad play. In many cases a player begins the "downswing" with some bad luck and then begins to perpetuate it with bad play, or vice versa. It is quite
possible to play well and lose, however.

[Tommy Angelo]

"My point was more that taking a break wouldn't be necessary if it was fully understood that these swings happen. Therefore, you would not be upset or on tilt because of one. The problem needs to be understood before a proper solution can be decided upon. In this case there shouldn't be a problem in the first place."

I disagree. We have been designed by evolution to feel bad when we compete at something and lose. Knowledge of that fact does not in itself give us power over our own brain chemistry. When the act of losing makes us feel bad, at poker or sports betting or chess or whatever, that is normal and expected. When the act of feeling bad makes us perform less than optimally at some task, that is expected too. Therefore, when we lose, and then we feel bad, the most profitable move is to not play games for money until we feel good again.

Tommy

[ripped]

[ QUOTE ]
The bottom line is that no 2 people are exactly the same, and so no 1 solution will work for everyone. For some, taking a break can be a big help. Others can plow ahead and play right though the downswing. Whatever works.

Downswings can be tough to deal with. Sure, intellectually we may know they are just a part of the long-term flow of the game. But that doesn't mean it's easy when you're stuck in the middle of one with no end in sight (especially the first time). It's kind of like knowing intellectually that everyone gets their heart broken at some point in their life. This knowledge doesn't help much when the girl you love just dumped you. OK, maybe a bad analogy. But still, just saying "suck it up" trivializes how tough these downswings can be when you're stuck in the middle of one. I personally don't see taking a break, or looking for a little sympathy on 2+2 from those who've been through it, as a sign of weakness.

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent post and I couldnt agree with you more. This is something I would have posted to the T.

[J Chap]

I'm in the middle of a lengthy (few-week) dry spell. Reading (most of) this thread has been nice.

Thanks! I'll keep truckin baby.

[elmfelix]

NH I had the same ideology about downswings until a hit a really bad one!! Have you?? Its human nature to feel frustrated when cards and luck forget you. Otherwise we would be just like the nonsense characters of a poker software, and we know humans still beat computers in poker. Thats the beauty of Poker. It is made for humans with all the psychology factor included!! No psychology, no poker. It is that simple. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[Bad Beat Bill]

Uggghh...some of you have downswings that last 25k hands? Man, I get pissed if I've got a downswing lasting 1k.

[krubban]

Feels comforting reading this thread, I'm not the only one on a downswing [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]