I just blew my bankroll on blackjack....

[sweeng8]

Hi guys,

First post here in a while but I need to advice.
Basically I have just blew my $2000 bankroll on blackjack in the space of about 5 minutes of madness, and though I have never done this before I feel like has been coming for a while.
A little background first. I usually play 1/2 NLH multi tables and have been a regular grinder winner over the last year or so. I play about 10 a week online and I am happy to grind up to about $6000 or so they cash out to pay for real life stuff. A couple of months ago I felt for the first time I wasnt getting any buzz from winning. If I lost, even a little, I felt annoyed, but if I won the same amount I felt nothing really- almost like I got used to winning.
Over last couple of months I havent played nearly as much but have been sitting down at big games way above my bankroll and going through huge playing swings. I think even then it was becoming only a negative. If I was up $1k it felt pretty good but if I lost $1k I would feel ill. Im a student and dont have many money issues- dont have much but not many overheads, and I feel sick when I lose a large amount that I could really use in real life.
Anyway, just now after losing about $100 playing silly HU games I went mental and for reasons I cant explain donked $2k on blackjack and lost my whole bankroll. I feel ill again but have no explanation why I did it. I dont like to think I have a gambling problem, and rarely gamble outside poker but what ive done cant be normal.
Im planning to stop playing for a while anyway while I sort out my PhD but I actually will seriously miss poker money if I dont have it. I can only afford $500 or so to start again but would like any thoughts/opinions on what is going on with me? Beyond poker life is good and have little to worry about but as I say I cant belive I am throwing money like that away, and perhaps need some kind of help

Thanks for listening,

[Ganjasaurus Rex]

What do you mean "sort out your PhD"? Are you having trouble finishing it up? Maybe you should give up poker until you finish your school so you can fully concentrate on your dissertation without distractions.

[nineinchal]

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What do you mean "sort out your PhD"? Are you having trouble finishing it up? Maybe you should give up poker until you finish your school so you can fully concentrate on your dissertation without distractions.

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Take that comment where it comes from, the dude has a marijuana leaf as his avatar...

[KhalynYohrk]

Give up poker till school is done. Or, play poker for $ while you finish up. Its a coinflip. Only you can be a true judge of wether or not depositing again is a good idea for you right now.

[Lucere]

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though I have never done this before I feel like has been coming for a while.

A couple of months ago I felt for the first time I wasnt getting any buzz from winning.

[/ QUOTE ]


These two statements are concerning because although they might not necessarily suggest that you have a gambling problem, they do suggest that you might not be playing for the right reasons. In other words, instead of playing to better your game and/or playing to make some money while still monitoring a solid game, you're playing for some kind of rush or feeling. This is no different than smokers or drinkers who need more of a given substance over time to feel the same effects as they did when they first started. If that's what your poker playing has been reduced to -- feeling some kind of effect -- then you're not only playing for the wrong reasons, but those reasons can lead you to make bad behavioral choices (e.g., blowing your bankroll on blackjack), because you're essentially doing it for the rush and not thinking about it. If you want poker to remain a part of your life, then I think you need to figure out a way to maintain a steady, solid game without doing so for the need of a rush. If you can't do this, then I think poker needs to go, otherwise all your money might go.

Also, as a PhD student myself, being a grad student is one of the most stressful things a person can do, and I've seen grad school make otherwise level-headed people do crazy things on an impulse. If you've had a very stressful week or day because of school, that's also a time when you shouldn't play. Hope that helps.

[pococurante]

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I dont like to think I have a gambling problem

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Well, you kinda do. Not like a total addict who blows all the money he ever gets on gambling, but if you "go mental" and gamble for reasons you can't explain then it's not a good thing.

Anyway, I'd say you should quit poker for a while at least. When you come to expect wins every time and get upset at losses, you're just going to be pissed off 90% of the time you play. So even if you do well, it might not be worth it.

If you must play, then try tightening up and playing safer in order to decrease variance. And if you run bad, force yourself to remember what happened this time and make sure you don't tilt and throw away your money.

BTW I can also almost guarantee that if you do play, eventually you'll run into a similar situation again and get into the "tilted" mindset, and tell yourself "ok I won't play blackjack... but I'll just move up to 3/6 instead, that's less harmful and I have a better chance to win".

[Ganjasaurus Rex]

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What do you mean "sort out your PhD"? Are you having trouble finishing it up? Maybe you should give up poker until you finish your school so you can fully concentrate on your dissertation without distractions.

[/ QUOTE ]

Take that comment where it comes from, the dude has a marijuana leaf as his avatar...

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LOL. Don't be jealous.

[iplayscared]

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just now after losing about $100 playing silly HU games I went mental and for reasons I cant explain donked $2k on blackjack and lost my whole bankroll. I feel ill again but have no explanation why I did it.

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i used to be the same way back when party was available. it was really sick. I did it a few times on UB too and knew i had to put a stop to it so i emailed them and they took BJ off my accounts lol.

take some time off. Try learning a new game. I started learning Omaha/8.

GL

[LoosenUp]

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