Running Bad

[Sir Pwn A Donk]

Excuse me if this is the wrong forum, but here goes. Everything was going well and I was slowly inching up my bankroll from $5 and won $215 to put me at $500 then eventually worked up to over $700. I'd have a few losing days here and there, but nothing more than I couldn't earn back the next day. Now, things have turned to hell. It seems everytime I get my money in good I lose. Or, if I pick up a monster I get up against an even bigger one. All of this has turned my game around and now my decision making is flawed so on top of the bad run of cards, my game is flawed. I have not cashed in about 26 of my last 30 sng's (if it wasn't for those 2 3rd places in the 45 mans I would be depleted). I have played at the $12 and $16 level, and my roll is now down to $275. I am still rolled for $12 sng's, but it's not worth risking it all and losing it to tilt. Basically, is it worth my time to move down to $1 and $3 sng's and try and correct my play and try and get my confidence back (or at least keep the losing to a minimum), or should I just take time off completely...

[xxGreat1xx]

I'd take a few days off and read or re-read a poker book. I read HOH 1 and it has dramatically improved my tourney play. Take a few days off and clear your head, theres obviously a flaw somewhere in your game, I would guess you are being too impatient trying to win your money back. Ignore the fact that you are down and start from scratch.

[cheburashka]

I agree. If you are anything like me, moving down would be a bad idea.

Even though at your skill level (assuming you're competitive at $12) you should win more often at $1-3, the problem is that the maniacal at the table play leads to more bad beats, with the result that you lose your decision-making ability and fall into a downward spiral. Effectively, you start to play badly because you see bad play rewarded.

I very much like the idea of taking a few days off to read (or reread) HOH.

Another thing I do is write down a very strict opening hand list (Harrington's is fine, or the one from Ed Miller's "7 Easy Steps) and robotically fold anything not on the list (absolutely resisting the small voice that says "Well, that guy showed down K9 and A4 on the last two hands, so I can open UTG+1 with A7"). It also helps to surf porn on the Internet while I'm playing so I don't have to actually watch people win hands playing garbage.

[Gonso]

multitable low limit cash games

[LordBrun]

[ QUOTE ]
It also helps to surf porn on the Internet while I'm playing so I don't have to actually watch people win hands playing garbage.

[/ QUOTE ]

Key words being watch, people, garbage. I'm not sure why you would councel anyone to watch porn instead of observing the table.

[Harv72b]

[ QUOTE ]
Basically, is it worth my time to move down to $1 and $3 sng's and try and correct my play and try and get my confidence back (or at least keep the losing to a minimum), or should I just take time off completely...

[/ QUOTE ]

The fact that you are already considering both of those options puts you miles ahead of 90% of the other players who come in here talking about a losing streak. And both of those options are very good ones to get you out of the funk you've been going through.

Time off is good. Rejuvenate your psyche, catch up on some reading (or even some non-poker activities), and wait until poker draws you back to the tables...it'll happen when you're ready to play again. I think that most everyone needs a break from the game every so often.

When you do come back, stepping back down to the lower buy-in SnGs is probably a good idea. Not saying that you don't have enough skill to beat the 12s--you may, you may not, it doesn't really matter for now. What I am saying is that two very important qualities that a poker player, and particularly a tournament poker player, needs to have are confidence and fearlessness. If you go into a tournament as scared money & play like you expect bad things to happen, then you're simply not going to do very well. So dropping back down to games which you've already proven to yourself that you can beat should do wonders in helping both of those aspects, as will knowing that your bankroll is plenty healthy for the stakes.

BTW, the self-analysis that you gave towards the middle of your post is also way ahead of where most players at those stakes are. You definitely have the right mindset about the game, so now it's just a case of rebuilding that confidence & getting through your first big downswing. Don't worry, there will be more. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[ReverandRon]

I'm an Enlightened Spiritual Master and a serious student of "A Course in Miracles". So how does this relate to "running bad" in poker you might ask? It relates specifically in this manner. A Course in Miracles teaches us that we live in a world ruled by perception and illusion. When we are in the middle of a losing streak it is only our perception that tells us we are having a losing streak and in fact it is only an illusion. Cold, hard, rational thinking is in fact the only defense against "running bad" and making the bad plays that go along with it. The actual fact is that each and every hand you will ever play in poker is a new hand. There will be times when you win ten hands in a row or lose ten hands in a row. I could continue this essay indefinately but you would get tired of reading after awhile. But in summation life too works exactly like a poker game. And in life, as in poker, the more you base your plans and actions on truth and rational thinking the better off you are.

[mmbossman]

The only problem with the argument above is that if you make bad decisions, both in life and in poker, and continue to make bad decisions, you will continue to lose in both of them.

[DQuadfather]

How many SnGs did you play at one level before moving up? Swings aside, you may have moved up too quickly. I read in another post that it takes someothing like 1000 SnGs to evaluate your success at a given level.

Don't overemphasize the imminence of your meteoric rise to poker wealth and fame. There's no shame in taking a step back, particularly if it's profitable and, more importantly, if it will be fertile learning ground. I'd say just keep low, grind awaym, and work through it.

Not that you implied this, but just for clarity: poker doesn't "owe you." You're not "due" for a big score, nor does your recent string of bad luck mean that you're about to catch a heater. All the more reason to play within your limit, make the right decisions, and hope your favorites hold.

I recently went through the exact same SnG frustration, until I got over myself and realized two things. First, there's no need to play turbos. Since cutting them out my ROI over the last 100 games ($10/$20) has been 30%. Second, if you're tired of beats keeping you out of the money, play cash games. It's the best forum to punish people for the long-term consequences of their poor decisions.

Good luck riding it out.

[gettinpoorer]

I am a former SNG to cash game convert and I am very glad I made the switch. I think SNG success comes from patience and the wisdom to pick your battles wisely. Seems like all the weak cash game players lack those virtues. Play some 20-25Max NL and see how you fare.

At least when you get a bad run of cards in a cash game you can get up and leave, as opposed to a tourney where you have to watch your chips and buyin float away on your short stacked ace-rag last stand.