Dealing with a downswing

[carnivalhobo]

nice post, if you havent had a downswing you havent played enough hands.

[Dory]

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Its sad that you can't truly appreciate this post w/o having experienced one of these mega downswings.

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I can't agree more with this. I was one of the ones who would scoff at posters talking of 10+ buy-in downswings at SSNL. Until I hit one myself.

The loss of confidence was what hurt me most. You suddenly start thinking that there must be something major wrong with your game, and maybe you have been on a huge luckbox ride previously.

I had to take a week off poker when I got a bad case of the flu, and I think this was just what I needed. My head is in a much better place and it also helps that since then I have been running at 30PTBB/100 at 100NL over 1500 hands. So it's reassuring to know that variance runs both ways.

Thanks for the post AZ.

[Mal_Pais]

Great post. Always enjoy reading your thoughts.

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Don't spar in chat or "go after" a certain player.
Nothing puts me on tilt faster than having a fish talk [censored] in chat after rivering me, or having a table coach ridicule me for getting my stack in on the flop with 15+ outs. For this reason, I try to avoid chat at my tables. Of course you should read chat because you can gain lots of info on your opponents thought processes. My point is, don't get suckered in to sparring wars/arguments with the players at your table, nothing good can come of it. This is particularly true if you multitable. While your talking [censored] in chat at one table, your missing action and valuable info at your other table. Also, don't go out of your way to "get back" at a player. Anytime you play differently for reasons such as anger/revenge/etc, there is a good chance your play will not be optimal. What starts with trying to get your money back from a fish often ends with sending a couple more buyins to the said fish. Lastly, don't tap the tank. I know it's very difficult, but in the long run, pointing out the flaws in a players game will only result in all of us making less money.

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I quoted that because its something I've learned, too. I don't engage in chat sparring, but I catch myself, particularly after a bad beat by a maniac, saying "I've got to get that guy's stack" to myself. Just about every time I say that, I get stacked again by the maniac.

One of the things I tell myself now when I play is that when I say "I've got to get that guy's stack", I get up from the table. I am no longer playing good poker. And there's a difference in isolating a fish and playing marginal hands against a maniac.

Great post, AZ.

[goofyballer]

May 20-July 1



IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU

[BukNaked36]

Curious - what site has everybody had their downswings on?

I honestly don't think I can ever bring myself to play at Pokerroom ever again. No, I'm not saying it's rigged, but I have never seen such a horrible run anywhere else.

0 for 9 with KK over the run, 3 times all-in preflop against AA within 5-10 minutes. [censored] brutal.

[AScorz]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Don't spar in chat or "go after" a certain player.
Nothing puts me on tilt faster than having a fish talk [censored] in chat after rivering me, or having a table coach ridicule me for getting my stack in on the flop with 15+ outs. For this reason, I try to avoid chat at my tables. Of course you should read chat because you can gain lots of info on your opponents thought processes. My point is, don't get suckered in to sparring wars/arguments with the players at your table, nothing good can come of it.

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I only want to say I don't agree with this part. It may not be true for everyone, but venting verballing (or in this case textually), for me, is more likely to avoid tilt. I would rathar spew in the chatbox then with my chips!

Also- I have often found that prodding the right players makes them play poorly. (obviously this is opponent dependent)

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I like chat sparring. I don't take or say anything personal. It simply keeps me focused. I actually play better when I have someone gunning for me.

[tannenj]

very good post, sir

[anacrime]

You were beating NL100 at over 7ptbb/100 for over 100k hands but you started playing NL200 with 3200 before your downswing? That doesn't make sense. What happend to the $14k+ you made at NL100?

[g29w]

Taking a break for a little while is good advice.

This is a perfect opportunity to reexamine your game - even if you are playing close to perfect look for even more ways to improve. Trying a different style or different lines really helps expand your game.

[74o_Clownsuit]

VNH (added to my "favorites threads" folder on my desktop.) [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]