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I've been running real bad lately! And by running bad I mean, for the most part, having the best of it and being out drawn. But mix this in with a couple bad calls and some questionable plays, compounded by losing session after losing session and it makes me wonder if I even know how to play this game (and I got a good enuff grasp to be more than a break even player at these limits).
Any of you ever run so bad for so long that you doubted your ability? Was there anything you did to help yourself out of your funk?
I'm down 12 buy ins over my last 60k hands, a feat that in and of itself is not remarkable. I realize that for a lot of people around here that's 1 or two months of play. My biggest issue and what is really causing me to play bad and press is that this run has been since last Sept. The actual number of months for me has been the hardest thing to deal with. In fact after getting face slammed with coolers this past weekend I was about ready to just pull out most of my roll and go back to playing the penny tables. So what do you do?
1. Keep sloggin and play more to get through it faster.
I can't play a ton of hands every month because I'm not willing to uspet other areas of my life (Family, work, etc...) to play enough hands to pull out of a bad run quickly.
I also know that I tilt and so forcing myself to play more is not a good Idea. I become a calling station falling for the old "I can't possibly be beat again, and of course I am." at times.
2. Take time off and try to recoup.
I do this through my schedule. I only play 15 days a month. Just enough to make Bronze Iron man. This is also due to the fact that I just am not willing to carve out more time for poker.
3. Reevaluate your game. Talk to others, sweat sessions.
This, for me, is the best way to go about getting through a downswing. I've never been one to completely blame a downswing at the stakes I play on variance. I know I have too many leaks. Going back over my hands during this swing, if I'm honest with myself, I should probably be within a couple buy ins of breakeven. There is atleast a couple times each month that I could have saved between 60 to 80bbs by folding when I probably should have. No glory in folding right?
This is why constantly reviewing your game is so necessary. This does more for me though when I'm going through a downswing. It gives me something I can actively work on that will improve my game. It gives me a reason to want to play. Cause realistically, even though I dropped 5 buy ins this past weekend, my actual play, with the exception of probably one hand was better than it has been. So I was happy about that! Wat? Well at least after I calmed down a bit.
Anyway. Poker is a game of discoveries. I always discover more about my game when I hit a rough patch. The problem is, you need to find out what works best for you, cause we all handling things differently.
Good luck and don't let the bad beats get you down