Atrocious Downswing - need help

[housenuts]

Ok I'm starting to get a little scared.

I finished university in December. I plan to go travelling by May. Right now poker is my only source of income and I was hoping I could keep it that way until I went travelling because I don't really want to get a job. I didn't play too much over the holidays because I was busy with family and getting drunk with friends and what not.

It wasn't until this week that I started playing a reasonable amount of hands.
The past 2 days have been absolutely heartbreaking.

Over 1,790 hands I'm down 131 BB's. I really don't know how this compares to other downswings, but is this really in the realm of possibility without atrocious play on my part? I know there were some times I made some questionable plays but for the most part I maintained my cool. Maybe we can account 10-20 of those lost BB's to tilt but that's just a guess. I would say no more than that though.

This is really starting to scare me. I play 5/10 at Stars. This downswing has eaten up almost 1/3 of my bankroll and I don't even know if it's going to stop. Here I am thinking I could make a fairly comfortable living and savings off 4-8 tabling but this doesn't appear to be the case any more. In 2005 I had 2.69BB/100 over roughly 30,000 hands.

I think the new VIP program may have something to do with this. The tables are definitely alot TAGier than before.
I also think the fact that I am almost forcing myself to play is having a negative effect. Before I would just play when I could for fun...it was my hobby and a decent source of income. But now it is essentially my job and I feel I need to put in hours even when sometimes I don't really feel like playing.

I dunno what to say. This is a bit of a rant, but I'm getting a little nervous about this now. Any suggestions, similar stories, or anything to boost my confidence again would be great. Thanks guys!

[numeri]

My short advice: It certainly is possible, but my general experience has been that at least some of it is due to your poor play.

It certainly looks like you're a winning player, so my guess is that it's a combination of a bad run and your new pressure that you have to play - and win.

I have no other advice, since I'm just a recreational player. Sorry! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Monty Cantsin]

[ QUOTE ]

Over 1,790 hands I'm down 131 BB's. I really don't know how this compares to other downswings, but is this really in the realm of possibility without atrocious play on my part?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not a question a professional should have to ask. If you want to approach poker as a job you need to do better than this. There are tons are lengthy and detailed discussions of this issue throughout the archives of this site.

The short answer is: 131 BB's is nowhere near the maximum downswing that a solid, winning, player can expect to see, mulitple times, during his career.

Keep your head down, hang tough, play the best game you can, play fewer tables, drop down to protect your roll if you need to, and you'll be fine.

/mc

[jph0424]

Are you serious man. 131BBs??? Suck it up. This is poker, you will have swings.

[Scotty.]

Is this post a joke?

I'm sure it is, but if not, here is a reference picture for you

[mungpo]

Normal.

[oreopimp]

[PokerBob]

i am a pro. be afraid. be very afraid.

[P.Dirty]

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[TheWorstPlayer]

OMG, how did that second downswing not make you quit poker forever? Right as you were close to clawing your way back from 400BB you downswing 500BB? I would kill myself or quit poker for sure.