Since my +11 buyin session I've recorded a loss every single session since. -16.5 buyins total. Turns have been especially brutal. Some highlights from today's session:

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
SB ($205)
BB ($228)
UTG ($212.4)
HERO ($332.65)
CO ($199.35)
BTN ($149.13)

Dealt to Hero Q Q

UTG Folds, HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 327.65), CO Folds, BTN Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 144.13), SB Folds, BB Folds

Flop ($13) 5 J 2
HERO Bets $6.5 (Rem. Stack: 321.15), BTN Calls $6.5 (Rem. Stack: 137.63)

Turn ($26.0) 5 J 2 6
HERO Bets $17 (Rem. Stack: 304.15), BTN Raises To $40.5 (Rem. Stack: 97.13), HERO Calls $23.5 (Rem. Stack: 280.65)

River ($107.0) 5 J 2 6 2
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $97.13 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.00), HERO Calls $97.13 (Rem. Stack: 183.52)

BTN shows 6 6

BTN wins $297.26


Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($220.8)
BTN ($200)
HERO ($414.2)
BB ($56.75)
HJ ($200)

Dealt to Hero A Q

HJ Folds, CO Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 214.8), BTN Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 194), HERO Raises To $27 (Rem. Stack: 386.2), BB Folds, CO Calls $22 (Rem. Stack: 192.8), BTN Folds

Flop ($64) 6 6 Q
HERO Bets $24 (Rem. Stack: 362.2), CO Calls $24 (Rem. Stack: 168.8)

Turn ($112) 6 6 Q J
HERO Bets $58 (Rem. Stack: 304.2), CO Calls $58 (Rem. Stack: 110.8)

River ($228) 6 6 Q J T
HERO Checks, CO Bets $110.8 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0), HERO Calls $110.8 (Rem. Stack: 193.4)

CO shows J J

CO wins $446.6

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($199.55)
BTN ($264.05)
SB ($159.1)
HERO ($196.9)
UTG ($174.5)
HJ ($211.6)

Dealt to Hero J J

UTG Folds, HJ Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 205.6), CO Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 193.55), BTN Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 258.05), SB Folds, HERO Raises To $31 (Rem. Stack: 163.9), HJ Folds, CO Folds, BTN Calls $27 (Rem. Stack: 231.05)

Flop ($79) 9 5 3
HERO Bets $35.5 (Rem. Stack: 128.4), BTN Calls $35.5 (Rem. Stack: 195.55)

Turn ($150.0) 9 5 3 K
HERO Bets $128.4 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0), BTN Calls $128.4 (Rem. Stack: 67.15)

River ($406.8) 9 5 3 K 2

BTN shows K A

BTN wins $402.8



Gotta stop posting when I run well. I'm not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.

Brewtal. :s

Just can't catch a break. I have to have 100% equity otherwise I'm not winning

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($199)
BTN ($221)
SB ($84)
HERO ($226.35)
HJ ($299.4)

Dealt to Hero 6 6

HJ Folds, CO Folds, BTN Folds, SB Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 78), HERO Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 220.35)

Flop ($12) 7 A A
SB Bets $12 (Rem. Stack: 66), HERO Calls $12 (Rem. Stack: 208.35)

Turn ($36) 7 A A A
SB Bets $36 (Rem. Stack: 30), HERO Calls $36 (Rem. Stack: 172.35)

River ($108) 7 A A A Q
SB Bets $30 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0), HERO Calls $30 (Rem. Stack: 142.35)

SB shows T Q

SB wins $165

Up 3 buyins on the day but it should be 6-7

Literally back to back. was praying for folds tbh


Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
Undefined ($84.6)
UTG ($187)
BB ($302.23)
HERO ($199.2)
SB ($176.4)
BB ($334.59)

Dealt to Hero Q Q

Undefined Folds, UTG Folds, HERO Raises To $24 (Rem. Stack: 175.2), SB Folds, BB Calls $22 (Rem. Stack: 310.59), BB Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 294.23), HERO Raises To $175.2 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0), BB Folds, BB Raises To $90 (Rem. Stack: 204.23), BB Calls $102.2 (Rem. Stack: 102.03)

Flop ($424.4) 9 A 7

Turn ($424.4) 9 A 7 4

River ($424.4) 9 A 7 4 6

BB shows A J

BB wins $420.4


Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
HJ ($249)
CO ($135.99)
BTN ($189)
HERO ($200)
BB ($200)
UTG ($442.63)

Dealt to Hero K K

UTG Folds, HJ Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 243), CO Folds, BTN Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 183), HERO Raises To $27 (Rem. Stack: 172), BB Folds, HJ Raises To $220 (Rem. Stack: 23), BTN Folds, HERO Calls $172 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0)

Flop ($434) A 5 8

Turn ($434) A 5 8 3

River ($434) A 5 8 3 4

HJ shows A K

HJ wins $430


Before checking this river back I said out loud, I bet this fish has k10 off or some ****

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
SB ($219.45)
BB ($268.39)
HERO ($323.23)

Dealt to Hero A 8

HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 318.23), SB Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 214.45), BB Calls $3 (Rem. Stack: 263.39)

Flop ($15) 8 4 4
SB Bets $10 (Rem. Stack: 204.45), BB Folds, HERO Calls $10 (Rem. Stack: 308.23)

Turn ($35) 8 4 4 K
SB Bets $20 (Rem. Stack: 184.45), HERO Calls $20 (Rem. Stack: 288.23)

River ($75) 8 4 4 K 7
SB Checks, HERO Checks

SB shows K T

SB wins $73

I give up lol. 2k hand session, + 1/2 buyin

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
UTG ($288.05)
HJ ($214.55)
CO ($67.35)
HERO ($401.93)
SB ($156)
BB ($282.15)

Dealt to Hero A 5

UTG Folds, HJ Folds, CO Folds, HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 396.93), SB Folds, BB Calls $3 (Rem. Stack: 277.15)

Flop ($11) 5 5 8
BB Checks, HERO Bets $7.5 (Rem. Stack: 389.43), BB Raises To $22 (Rem. Stack: 255.15), HERO Calls $14.5 (Rem. Stack: 374.93)

Turn ($55.0) 5 5 8 8
BB Checks, HERO Checks

River ($55.0) 5 5 8 8 A
BB Bets $39 (Rem. Stack: 216.15), HERO Calls $39 (Rem. Stack: 335.93)

BB shows 8 4

BB wins $129

3500 more hands played at 200nl, +3 more buyins. feels good to be winning

These seem like very reasonable runouts

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($310.54)
BTN ($178)
SB ($251.55)
HERO ($200)
HJ ($221.11)

Dealt to Hero 5 4

HJ Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 215.11), CO Folds, BTN Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 172), SB Folds, HERO Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 194)

Flop ($19) 4 4 5
HERO Checks, HJ Bets $12 (Rem. Stack: 203.11), BTN Folds, HERO Calls $12 (Rem. Stack: 182)

Turn ($43) 4 4 5 A
HERO Checks, HJ Checks

River ($43) 4 4 5 A J
HERO Bets $23.5 (Rem. Stack: 158.5), HJ Raises To $73 (Rem. Stack: 130.11), HERO Calls $49.5 (Rem. Stack: 109.0)

HJ shows J J

HJ wins $186


Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
SB ($198)
BB ($159.45)
UTG ($239.1)
HERO ($222.75)
CO ($212.5)
BTN ($202)

Dealt to Hero 9 8

UTG Folds, HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 217.75), CO Folds, BTN Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 197), SB Folds, BB Folds

Flop ($13) 7 6 5
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $6.5 (Rem. Stack: 190.5), HERO Calls $6.5 (Rem. Stack: 211.25)

Turn ($26.0) 7 6 5 A
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $21 (Rem. Stack: 169.5), HERO Calls $21 (Rem. Stack: 190.25)

River ($68.0) 7 6 5 A 6
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $169.5 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.0), HERO Calls $169.5 (Rem. Stack: 20.75)

BTN shows 7 7

BTN wins $403



Almost folded 98 on the river. I'm not that sick tho

I'm tilted as ****. Faced a dozen river leads for pot today and they've had it every time (obviously, it's ****ing river lead for pot)

Told myself I shouldn't bluff here, ever, because he will never fold any hand he leads. Then I went for it anyway

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
BB ($226.43)
HJ ($539.74)
HERO ($236.45)
BTN ($157)
SB ($313.13)

Dealt to Hero A 9

HJ Folds, HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 231.45), BTN Folds, SB Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 308.13), BB Folds

Flop ($12) 3 4 J
SB Checks, HERO Checks

Turn ($12) 3 4 J A
SB Checks, HERO Bets $8 (Rem. Stack: 223.45), SB Calls $8 (Rem. Stack: 300.13)

River ($28) 3 4 J A T
SB Bets $28 (Rem. Stack: 272.13), HERO Raises To $98 (Rem. Stack: 125.45), SB Calls $70 (Rem. Stack: 202.13)

SB shows 9 Q

SB wins $221

I don't think he would've folded 2 pair even. Not sure what the **** I'm doing

Next hand, same villian., I should quit

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
BB ($220.43)
BB ($60)
UTG ($541.49)
HERO ($230.77)
BTN ($147)
SB ($402.11)

Dealt to Hero T Q

UTG Folds, HERO Raises To $9 (Rem. Stack: 221.77), BTN Folds, SB Calls $8 (Rem. Stack: 393.11), BB Folds, BB Checks, BB Calls $7 (Rem. Stack: 51)

Flop ($29) Q 6 A
SB Checks, BB Checks, HERO Checks

Turn ($29) Q 6 A 6
SB Bets $20.35 (Rem. Stack: 372.76), BB Folds, HERO Calls $20.35 (Rem. Stack: 201.42)

River ($69.70) Q 6 A 6 J
SB Bets $50.66 (Rem. Stack: 322.10), HERO Folds

SB shows 3 2

SB wins $116.88

might be a bet size read tho. That's his first bet not for pot in an hour

Only lose to one hand here (A9) Guess what he had?

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($153.89)
BTN ($226.55)
HERO ($449.2)
BB ($349.45)

Dealt to Hero Q Q

CO Folds, BTN Folds, HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 443.2), BB Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 343.45)

Flop ($12) A J A
HERO Checks, BB Bets $4 (Rem. Stack: 339.45), HERO Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 439.2)

Turn ($20) A J A 9
HERO Checks, BB Bets $16 (Rem. Stack: 323.45), HERO Calls $16 (Rem. Stack: 423.2)

River ($52) A J A 9 Q
HERO Checks, BB Bets $40 (Rem. Stack: 283.45), HERO Raises To $110 (Rem. Stack: 313.2), BB Calls $70 (Rem. Stack: 213.45)

BB shows 9 A

BB wins $269

This is your thread and you are of course free to update in whatever way you want. Just a friendly suggestion though that this isn't going to do much for you. You mostly post negative stuff about standard bad beats and coolers. And I get that's it's frustrating but it isn't going to make you any better at poker and pretty much just allows you to wallow in the negative variance. We all run bad and it's unavoidable, you'd be better off posting hands you had difficult spots and you want help figuring out the right line. Or if you wanna have some focus on the negative aspects it would prob be more helpful for you not to post hands like these but to type out your feelings about the downswing, what you think you can learn from it, and what mistakes you think you are making during it that you can work on to avoid next time so the next downswing is less severe. gl turning it around.

Thanks for the advice man, I appreciate it. I do a decent amount of reflecting on what I can learn from these swings, although I don't post about it much here. I know these are pretty standard coolers and downswings, and I'm not trying to act like I run worse than anyone else

That being said, venting here really seems to help me move past the coolers. I don't know any other poker players irl, so when I want to vent I come here. Once I post a hand I forget about it and move on right away. For whatever reason I can move past a bad beat a lot easier after I get it off my chest.

You're not wrong though, I definitely focus on the negative too much and it's something I really have to work on as a person and as a poker player. I''m basically even today despite the coolers, so I don't even have that much to complain about

Thanks again for the post, lots of good advice in there

Ended up turning it around and having a pretty good day. Played 2500 hands and won 4 buyins

Would anyone play this different? Basically a tilt call on the river. I know I can't fold here against competent opponents, but no one in my player pool is capable of having less than a full house here. I just need to fold here and punish these nut peddlers

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
CO ($200)
BTN ($200)
SB ($108.24)
HERO ($238.9)
UTG ($261.56)
HJ ($190)

Dealt to Hero 7 A

UTG Folds, HJ Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 184), CO Folds, BTN Calls $6 (Rem. Stack: 194), SB Calls $5 (Rem. Stack: 102.24), HERO Calls $4 (Rem. Stack: 232.9)

Flop ($24) 2 T Q
SB Checks, HERO Checks, HJ Checks, BTN Bets $14 (Rem. Stack: 180), SB Folds, HERO Calls $14 (Rem. Stack: 218.9), HJ Folds

Turn ($52) 2 T Q 4
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $34 (Rem. Stack: 146), HERO Calls $34 (Rem. Stack: 184.9)

River ($120) 2 T Q 4 T
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $100 (Rem. Stack: 46), HERO Calls $100 (Rem. Stack: 84.9)

BTN shows 2 2

BTN wins $316


I'm way too focused on playing solid, balanced poker and I'm leaking tons of bb/100 because of it. 9 times out of 10 I know when I'm beat, and 8 times out of 10 I know their exact hand. I just need to fold more. Who cares about ranges and blockers when people play face up

It's starting to get unreal how often people call off their whole stack with A high or worse and go runner runner for the nuts. Down 5 buyins already today from it.

On a 70,000 hand breakeven stretch now, playing better poker than I ever have. reloading my roll for the 2nd time this month. clearly I had/still have no idea what variance is

Flopped another flush. The good news is that I managed to only lose a small pot this time. The sick feeling hit me when I flopped it

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
SB ($252.2)
BB ($60)
HERO ($219.05)
CO ($247.35)
BTN ($56.2)

Dealt to Hero 8 T

HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 214.05), CO Raises To $18 (Rem. Stack: 229.35), BTN Calls $18 (Rem. Stack: 38.2), SB Folds, BB Calls $16 (Rem. Stack: 42), HERO Calls $13 (Rem. Stack: 201.05)

Flop ($73) 6 2 7
BB Checks, HERO Checks, CO Bets $40 (Rem. Stack: 189.35), BTN Folds, BB Raises To $42 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0), HERO Raises To $201.05 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.00), CO Folds

Turn ($356.05) 6 2 7 A

River ($356.05) 6 2 7 A 3

BB shows A J

BB wins $194
HERO wins $159.05

I'd like to just take a day or two off and come back hoping to run better, but I've been doing that for the past 2 months of run bad. At some point I just have to play through it.

Poker is such a frustrating game for this reason. If I'm remembering correctly you are still newish to poker (a year or two?) and it's so easy to think this type of run can't happen until you go through it. Play around with the pokerdope variance calculator if you wanna see how crazy the difference can be between two players results over 100k hands who have exactly the same winrate in the games. Cash game variance is crazy enough, I have no clue how anyone plays big field mtt full time for their living.

Just keep focusing on playing well and playing in games with the people punting with ace high and eventually you'll get the money. Don't let the variance change your game if you are confident you are playing well.

Yeah, I've been playing about 2 years, profitably/reasonably well for about 8 months.

I've looked at the variance calculator a quite a few times, and I've understood for a while that crazy swings and breakeven stretches aren't just possible but very likely, but I was still completely unprepared for how brutal it feels to run so bad for so long in such great games.

100% agree about MTT's - I can't help but play some because of how soft and profitable they are, but I couldn't rely on them for a living.

Won a couple big ones right after you posted Tyman

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
HJ ($225.45)
CO ($298.85)
BTN ($200)
HERO ($191.06)
BB ($280.57)

Dealt to Hero 9 9

HJ Folds, CO Folds, BTN Raises To $6 (Rem. Stack: 194), HERO Raises To $21 (Rem. Stack: 169.06), BB Folds, BTN Calls $16 (Rem. Stack: 178)

Flop ($46) T 8 J
HERO Checks, BTN Bets $24 (Rem. Stack: 154), HERO Calls $24 (Rem. Stack: 145.06)

Turn ($94) T 8 J 7
HERO Checks, BTN Checks

River ($94) T 8 J 7 T
HERO Bets $61 (Rem. Stack: 84.06), BTN Raises To $154 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0), HERO Calls $84.06 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.00)

BTN shows T A

HERO wins $381.12
BTN wins $8.94

I wonder how many BB I miss out on because there isn't an auto top up feature. Lost 4.5 here

Finally stacked this fish overbetting every hand

Hand History driven straight to this forum with DriveHUD Poker HUD & Database

NL Holdem $2(BB)
UTG ($273.75)
HJ ($65)
CO ($312.03)
HERO ($431.79)
SB ($471.2)
BB ($551.99)

Dealt to Hero T Q

UTG Folds, HJ Folds, CO Folds, HERO Raises To $5 (Rem. Stack: 426.79), SB Raises To $17 (Rem. Stack: 453.2), BB Calls $16 (Rem. Stack: 533.99), HERO Calls $13 (Rem. Stack: 413.79)

Flop ($54) 2 T 8
SB Checks, BB Bets $54 (Rem. Stack: 479.99), HERO Calls $54 (Rem. Stack: 359.79), SB Folds

Turn ($162) 2 T 8 2
BB Bets $479.99 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.00), HERO Calls $359.79 (allin) (Rem. Stack: 0.00)

River ($1001.78) 2 T 8 2 3

BB shows 6 T

BB wins $120.2
HERO wins $877.58

was down 8 buyins at one point today. Caught fire and at the end and ended the session only down 1.5 buyins

^You should develop the habit of topping up manually. After a short while it's pretty automatic anyway.

I do, but Ignition usually lags a few seconds, so sometimes the next hand has been dealt before I'm able to top up. oh well, is what it is

Wow, it's been a little while since an update. Been running and playing much better lately. Actually, I've been running insanely hot.

Think I've been playing my A game or close to it most of the time (easier to do when running hot but still). Really happy with some folds I've made in spots that I tend to call down a little too light

I switched over to Pokertracker two weeks ago. Really happy with the decision so far. The interface is so much cleaner and simpler than what I'm used to.

Here's my results since then (filtered out 500nl 6max because I played <100 hands there):




Tournaments have been good to me as well. I took 3rd last night in the nightly 25k on Ignition for ~3k and I placed 12th in a live tournament on sunday. I only made 2.5x my buyin, but it was a fun tournament. Chris moneymaker was playing in it also and we ended up playing together for the last couple hours before I got knocked out. Played several pots with him, nothing crazy though. Was fun to trade chips with someone who's impacted the game of poker so much

I'm really focused on making 500nl my main game by June 1. I pretty much have the bankroll, and I definitely have the skill, but I want to build up an even bigger bankroll because I'm still not mentally prepared to have 2-3k swings as a normal part of my day. I'm used to the $500-1k swings but when I run bad at 500nl it's tough to rationalize still

Just 20k hands for the month? I know ignition is slow with 4 tables max but how many hours are you actually playing? Why don't you play zone for more volume?

I got poker tracker on Feb 14, so it was 20k hands in 2 weeks.

I don't play zone partly because I don't think the increased volume is worth the lower WR and higher variance.

There's also a 15 second timer and no timebank, which isn't enough time for me if I'm multi tabling

Most importantly, I enjoy reg tables and I hate zone. I play poker for a living because I love it, so playing zone would defeat the whole purpose of choosing to play poker for a living

I've been playing 10-15 tournaments a day (around $300 in volume) to help make up for the 4 table max, and I'm going to start playing on a new network soon so I can multi table more cash

Okay, makes sense. I just started 4 tabling 200nl, 2 zone and 2 reg. If it's you at the table do two nice hands in a row and i will respond with well played, zzzzzz. Good luck!

I have chat disabled (sucks they took real chat away, such bs), but good luck to you too

It's my goal to be playing stakes like this by the end of the year. I've been stuck at $1/$3 live and the micro stakes online for a few years now...

Good luck with your challenge!