Hi, so I'm new to playing live poker regularly (4-10 hours/day0) as of the beginning of February 2012. Here is a rundown to date from PokerTracker.
All 1/2NL - Starting bankroll $4500 - Normal buyin is $120
1/30/12: 1:30 hours =
$147
1/31/12: 1 hour =
$65
1/31/12: 1:16 hours =
$20
2/1/12: 4:18 hours =
$15
2/2/12: 4:20 hours =
$430
2/3/12: 4:20 hours =
$761
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So at this point I feel awesome and that this poker thing could work. Heck I'm up around $1300 in no time.
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2/7/12: 8:15 hours =
$200
2/8/12: 11:40 hours =
$614
So essentially this is how it went by session to keep it short.
$272 |
$460 |
$800 |
$15 |
$117 |
$363 |
$120 |
$518 |
$140 |
$500 |
$190 |
$300 |
$300 |
$366 |
$60 |
$434 |
$40 |
$400 |
$745 |
$220 |
$140 |
$370 |
$445 |
$330 |
$32 |
$117 |
$82 |
$1180 |
$205 |
$33 |
$370 |
$390
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So I started out a winning player and now I'm a losing player. I feel like I'm making the right decisions but just getting sucked out on way too much. My stats look like this right now.
Total Won
($1,074): Is this a normal bad variance streak? Mine has lasted about 2 1/2 weeks now. Am I just allowing myself to lose too much in one day and should I limit how much I can lose in a day or does it matter?
Example: Loose SB straddles $5
Hero Calls from MP 5
6
Button calls
Flop is J
J
7
Everyone checks
Turn is 4
So I have a flush and am open ended for a str8 and str8 flush.
SB bets $40
Hero is all-in for $100 more
Button calls
SB folds
River comes 7
Button shows AJ
Now I think I made the right move by going all-in and representing a flush to anyone who had the Jack, plus taking pot odds away. Knowing these players, I know neither of them have a higher flush considering how the hand played out. So the guy hits a 3 outer. I don't get upset about these things when they happen a couple times but everytime for the past 2 1/2 weeks, I get my money in good and feel my decisions are correct, yet something like this happens.
Another example is when someone called my $400 bet into a $350 pot as I had KK, Villain calls with middle pair, a Jack and catches another jack on the river. Same guy calls another $400 bet by me when I had Jacks full of Queens, he shows QT and catches a T on the river.
These are just a couple of the hands that have plagued my for the past couple weeks and have cost me $2000, so I wonder if this sort of variance is normal and how to control the swing without taking more hits to my roll which now sits at about $1300 after about $2300 in expenses last month.
I feel like I'm playing with scared money sometimes because of the hits I'm taking. Yesterday too donkies are playing 90%VPIP, I have AK and call $30 raise PF. Flop is AJ8, I bet $50, one person makes an odd raise of $110, another flat calls it and I call. Turn comes a brick but I check for some reason and one bluffer goes allin for $250 more. I fold after he calls clock on me and the other guy folds AQ. The bluffer shows J10. I knew I was supposed to call and said I would when the flop came out but I let my losing sessions effect my decision, afraid he might suckout on me again cause I knew I was good on the turn.
How do I get out of this slump?
Should I take a break or will the variance be there waiting for me when I get back?
Should I limit my buyins per day? I realize if not for the $800 and $1100 losing days I'd still be up right now.
I seriously need advice on this right now as I don't want to deplete my bankroll and have to build it up again to start over.
Should I allow myself to only win $50-$200/day, then leave and build it up slowly like that?
There are some really juicy PLO games where I could make it up in one session with ease.
I'm just thinking out loud now. Any and all advice is welcome and appreciated