I need help

[Jorge10]

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Take a break.

Analyze your pokertracker numbers.

When you come back, drop down a level and pay attention to the basics. Play basic poker and don't try to get tricky. Go out of your way to avoid situations where the decisions are unclear. Make extra sure you're playing hands in position.

One thing I do to break out of a slump is to go into a no call defense. Just don't call unless you're getting clear pot odds to do so. Just raise or fold. It makes decisions easier.

Also at $50NL you can be a small winner just by folding any remotely marginal hand when someone makes a big bet. You're going to be making some bad folds but you'll be avoiding some bad calls and when your confidence it shot to hell your judgement is off on these matters.

[/ QUOTE ]

Great Post. I agree with pretty much everything.

Take a break, then move down. Best way to get out of a bad streak and also lessens the pressure.

[Albert Moulton]

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I am honestly suffering from the same exact thing. I built 100 into 1100, but lost it all on 2 hands. I then went on to 300 on 8 hands in which I was leading in all of them. I feel defeeated, put out and frustrated.

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Wow. You should have at least 20-buyins for the level you are playing to play comfortably at NL. Ok, some might advocate less, but really, if you lose your entire roll in 2 hands, then you are are not playing good poker. BR management is part of the game.

[nawhead]

I disagree with a lot of people saying you need a break. You don't need a break. You need to actually learn how to play in a cash game.

Drop down to 25NL where you'll have 40+ buy-ins. $400 at 50NL is only 4 buy-ins. That's nothing. If you're panicking and considering taking a break over 4 buy-ins, you're playing too high.

Once you're not playing with scared money, re-assess your game by lurking in SSNL and Microstakes NL. Play with a full stack. Don't routinely call off with TPTK or overpairs when an unknown raises you all-in. Play big pots with big hands (sets, straights, flushes).

You just need to get acclimated to online cash games. On most tables people aren't gambling big after the flop. There's no clock they're racing against. Assume unknown villains are making big bets with big hands and calling your big bets with big hands... unless they prove otherwise repeatedly.

I guess in general, don't assume anything about your game or the villains on your tables right now. If you don't know what a bet by villain X means, maybe instead of asking "should I call, fold, or raise," you should go back even further and ask yourself why you got into a pot with villain you don't know how to play against in the first place? Cash games are all about reads and acting on them. And in the absence of good reads, playing big pots only with big hands.

[Rainclouds]

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$400 at 50NL is only 4 buy-ins.

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Uhmmmmmm...

The rest of your post was good advice though [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[nawhead]

Sadly, I tried again to intuitively do 400 divided by 50 in my head and the first number that came to me was 4. How the hell do I even get dressed in the morning? I wonder sometimes...

[saeute]

you were right nawhead because I lost about 200 in no limit.

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I lost about the same amount i limit as in nl.

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With your help and some luck I had a few winning sessions lately. I played not to lose and this works very well for me, even though I know this is the "wrong" mentality.

[Frond]

Just in the last few months I have finally learned what variance is; Whether it is being card dead, cold decked or outdrawn etc. It is bound to happen & I think those who start out winning and haven't yet experienced a down swing are in for a rude awakening. You certainly find out if you have the patience and discipline for the game during these swings.