Tough Times

[M4TT]

I'm Currently going through the hardest time of my poker career so thought id make a post to see if anyone can offer anything extra to what I'm doing now, and also to maybe vent a little.

I'm a 100-200NL full time reg ( i used to play up to 1000 NL a few years ago but stopped playing) who has had respectable results over the last 2 years, winning at 2.7 PTBBs. In December I had my first losing month for 2 years and I have been on the worst down swing by far that I have ever encountered.



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As well as the obvious EV issue I'm also running badly situationaly and am constantly being coolered ( eg flop boat opponent flops quads, set over sets etc)

This bad run has made me work harder than i ever have on my game, and I have fixed some leaks that I wasn't aware of before the Down swing.

My Typical Routine on a playing day:

7 AM Gym

9 AM watch a lego poker vid ( taking notes etc)

10 AM Go through previous days play and analyse hands from it.

11AM - 7PM Play ( usually 90 min sessions taking a break of at least 15 minutes after each session

7-10 PM Relax ( family time)

10 PM Read hands posted on forums make notes

11 PM Bed


My sessions used to be a lot longer than 90 minutes but I have shortened them so I can try and play my "A game" throughout the session, I have also reduced the amount of tables I play from 9 to 4-6.

A common theme currently is I go 5 buyins down in the first 15 minutes ( usually all EV/ cooler related) and I quit because I'm not confident I'm able to play my A game after that. I then feel sorry for myself for a while, do some more study and finish up for the day, feeling disheartened and tbh pretty shitty. The following day I try and prepare myself mentally as well as I can before hand but I definitely feel apprehensive about what's coming and not very confident.
'
I feel that my Game is in the best shape it has ever been and on a positive note the leakes ive fixed should really help long term.

Maybe i have always totally underestimated Variance ( ive used the variance simulators etc) and was just fortunate i hadnt had a period like this yet. I realise poker owes me nothing and I'm working my hardest to improve the situation, if anyone has any further advice on anything else i could be doing to help this it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[piguanitore]

Maybe play lower for a while if you feel your game is affected after these first 15 minutes you're talking about to regain confidence ?

[Nitewin]

play tighter... the games nowadays are full of 3 betting and shoving. if you tighten up, you'll miss out on a lot of spots as they put it in videos but you'll basically stop your variance. if you play tight/smart, you basically can't lose. but if you want to play loose/efficient, that takes a lot of skill.

so if i were u, i'd play tight and keep grindin. also, moving down or playing where you're comfortable will help. make your goal to breakeven for the day while putting in x hands instead of trying to win. after awhile, you'll get your confidence back. good luck

[dudu]

play tighter...

if you play tight/smart, you basically can't lose

make your goal to breakeven for the day

pretty sure this is all terrible advice.

moving down would be a good move though

[Sacr1ficialLamb]

I thought my EV graph was sick...oh man that just makes me want to puke.

I went through a similar bad run, although, on a smaller scale, but still, went way under EV.

I just continually told myself I would break out of running bad, and I should move down until I can make back atleast half of what I lost. Well, sure enough, I move down, I start running good, and I am back to my normal limit in no time (but still under EV lol).

Good luck mate! Just remember, you did make it to +2500bbs, so you can do it again, especially because you are 'owed'.

[JamesMa]

well Ev wise you are winning so its really just a matter of putting in hands as shitty as I know it can be to put in volume when you get owned everyday. It sounds like you are working hard on your game and that will show through eventually although right now it may seem like it isn't having an impact.

[M4TT]

Originally Posted by Nitewin

play tighter... the games nowadays are full of 3 betting and shoving. if you tighten up, you'll miss out on a lot of spots as they put it in videos but you'll basically stop your variance. if you play tight/smart, you basically can't lose. but if you want to play loose/efficient, that takes a lot of skill.

so if i were u, i'd play tight and keep grindin. also, moving down or playing where you're comfortable will help. make your goal to breakeven for the day while putting in x hands instead of trying to win. after awhile, you'll get your confidence back. good luck

Im not sure playing tighter is the way forward, moving down probably would be good confidence wise tho.

Originally Posted by piguanitore

Maybe play lower for a while if you feel your game is affected after these first 15 minutes you're talking about to regain confidence ?

This is probably a good idea

Originally Posted by Sacr1ficialLamb

I thought my EV graph was sick...oh man that just makes me want to puke.

I went through a similar bad run, although, on a smaller scale, but still, went way under EV.

I just continually told myself I would break out of running bad, and I should move down until I can make back atleast half of what I lost. Well, sure enough, I move down, I start running good, and I am back to my normal limit in no time (but still under EV lol).

Good luck mate! Just remember, you did make it to +2500bbs, so you can do it again, especially because you are 'owed'.

Thanks for this i really hope so.

Originally Posted by JamesMa

well Ev wise you are winning so its really just a matter of putting in hands as shitty as I know it can be to put in volume when you get owned everyday. It sounds like you are working hard on your game and that will show through eventually although right now it may seem like it isn't having an impact.

Thanks, just about to watch your latest vid.

Someone said to me yesterday, that basically just through variance two identical 3ptbb winners over alot of hands can have insanely different results, one feeling like the world is going to end and there never going to win a pot again, questioning everything they do (me), and the other playing well, running hot and crushing and moving up levels really really quick, full of confidence and feeling like the best player in the world. This really got me thinking.

Thanks for all the input so far, since that last graph i lost another 10 buyins ( 15 EV ) so i took a complete day off. I've made a vid of me playing and i have sent it to some players who i really respect who offered to take a look and see if there are any small things I can do better, I know this wont change the luck factor but it might shift my focus away from it a little, and any small improvement I can make has got to be a good thing.The downswing might have also made me play poorer than normal in some spots so I'm looking forward to the feedback.

Perhaps Lego should do a new series "breaking out of downswings" where maybe they do a 6 part series with someone who is really struggling at the moment and show how to get them back crushing again, im sure there would be some suitable candidates ( cough cough)

Today is a new day tho right and ive as much chance of running ok, than this carrying on so good luck and gogoggo me

[JamesMa]

Yeah I was reading on someone's blog before about how a 3ptbb/100 winner can have drastically different results over various 100k hand samples. The best turnout was like +85 BI and the worst being -20 BI with plenty of inbetween.

[Mr Luckypantz]

Originally Posted by M4TT

A common theme currently is I go 5 buyins down in the first 15 minutes ( usually all EV/ cooler related) and I quit because I'm not confident I'm able to play my A game after that. I then feel sorry for myself for a while, do some more study and finish up for the day, feeling disheartened and tbh pretty shitty.

LMAO I know I've been there my friend... It sounds like you are doing all the right things and you are deserving of some good fortune.

Sometimes I wish I could flip a switch and (temporarily) become a poker machine, void of human emotions, yet still be able to understand those emotions and use them against my opponents... Nice to dream.

I think the soundest advice to anybody running bad (apart from the measures you've already taken) is to move down in limits to recoup some losses and rebuild your confidence while you beat up on inferior opponents. There is no shame in this. I think some people let their pride get in the way and view moving down in limits as having "failed" at the higher limit. A little bit of humility is good for your bankroll sometimes.

You seem to have your shit together, so to see someone like you going through this makes me feel better in a way about my downswings, but also a little scared that this type of abysmal run will one day happen to me. Gotta think positive though. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck!