I recently took some time off from poker (about a week) after a great May. Returning to my game in June has gone quite poorly. I have lost 3/4 sessions and to the tune of about 10 buyins (net). I am not sure if this post is in the wrong place - it might be - but I tend to get the best feedback here so it is worth a shot.

The game I play in is a pretty solidly run home game. The group of players is big but not huge and you always see some of the same faces.

So my question is: what do you suggest to get out of this bad mindset? Venue change? Time off? Play through it? Stop being a [insert derogatory term]?

Please advise.

Well.. are you really running 10 buyins below EV? or are you playing awfully because that is a ton of buyins...? I suggest you re-evaluate what you are doing incorrectly and once you can plug that up and sit comfortable in a game again, then it is the time to crush the game..

Many options here:
Drop down limit
Play through it and stop being a bitch
Play more-ABC and tighten up your range to make decisions more clear-cut
If you find yourself making the same mistakes you've evaluate, take a few days off until you feel the urge to play solid poker.

Well first off....where do you think the problem is?? Are you running bad?? Becoming impatient and going on tilt?? Are you going into your session worried about losing??

General suggestions are don't play unless you believe you can play your A game, changing venues against a different player pool, focus on making the correct decisions and not be results oriented, or move down in stakes until things change.

Variance is part of the game and losing streaks happen...It's up to you to not go on tilt though and control the losses. Personally, going to the gym and being in a confident, good mood are important before I go to play...

I'm pretty new to this, but I've been through something similar recently. so maybe I can help:

I just went through an under break even stretch for like 100 hours. I bricked about 8 big pots ("8" will get lols from more experienced players) in a row where I called with correct odds, got coolered a few times, an 3-outed on the river a few times.

But here's what's really interesting: I made about $1800 in calling mistakes. If I hadn't done those I would've been a little up. On the plus side, I sure as hell wasn't making folding mistakes. I swear I probably didn't make a single bad fold in those 100 hours.

I decided it was okay to make some folding mistakes. Since then I've booked some winning sessions.

Basically, I suspect you have hit and bit of runbad and that has thrown your game off balance.

I will say that I haven't been running very well. But I also know that I am not playing well. I can think of several hands I have played poorly and not too many that I can say I played well.

When I was younger I would attribute downswings to bad luck, but I can see that this is more than that.

Additionally, I am noticing more players eager to play pots with me lately, which was certainly not the case when I was playing better. To me this indicates that I am making mistakes and not just running bad. I think it is a mindset problem. I am not worried about losing the money so that is not the issue - although it certainly is not enjoyable to lose money - it is really that I went from playing probably some of the best poker of my life to playing some of the worst in a really short time frame. It is really inexplicable.

Thanks for the feedback - it was helpful.

In times like this, I first evaluate what exactly i did wrong in those hands and correct them.. Secondly, I like to think of hands I played correctly to balance out my mind..

Personally, working out before sessions help me get loose, feel great, happy, and allows my mind to generate and make correct decisions plenty of times.. Start eating healthier foods.. Start taking 10-15 mins a day to just focus on breathing.. Do some meditation.. Most importantly, remember poker is still a game! After you have done all of this that I have mentioned, hit the casino happy that it is your job. Create some table talk and make the people around you happy; you will find that they will start playing good poker with you.. and then you can start 3-bet bluffing

(Un)fortunately :/ it is not my full time job.

FYP

Go blue.