LOSING STREAK 5 MOS.

August is the FIFTH MONTH of constantly losing mostly 20/40 Holdem sessions. The first session of this month was 15/30 Holdem. Within four hours, two sets of pocket Aces, beaten by a flush, twice. Pocket Kings (three times) beaten by a full house, a flush, and QUAD eights. I'm through, until next month. I was trying to play through this thing, but it seems, things are getting worse. (I have been playing Holdem almost daily, for the last six years, and have NEVER had this type of thing happen. This may "finish me off"...knock me out of poker.)

I have hit a pretty nasty run of cards myself.


One day its cold cold cold .. hours of mucking interrupted by bad beats or astonishingly small pots.


The next day its right down the tubes.. no draws hit.. big pairs don't hold up.. a bad floor ruling that gives away half my pot.. (how does someone with the second best hand get half the pot? ask me about it)


If my opponents werent playing so damn badly.. I'd think I was being cheated..

Sorry.


Let me know when it hits 9 months. Then I'll understand. The good news is that it will end. I'm living proof.


Josh

There's no question that losing streaks do occur and that they can sometimes last a very long time. But when you go through a losing streak, you need to consider that the probability of you being a loser has gone up. The best thing for you to do, in my opinion, is to get a good book, and I would suggest [Hold 'em Poker for Advanced Players[/i] and thoroughly go over it thinking about exactly how you are playing. I'll bet you'll plug a few holes.


By the way, I know from experience that when you go through a tough losing streak, it's also tough to come out of it. I also suggest that you begin to play a little tighter than what you think is correct and stick to full ring games.


Best wishes,

Mason

"The best thing for you to do, in my opinion, is to get a good book, ..."


I strongly agree.


" ... and I would suggest ..."


Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. My latest fiction read, helped me through a bad poker run by being so thoroughly and delightfully distracting.


Tommy

You should step down in limit immediately. Don't sit there and go through thousands of dollars playing in games that you are running bad in (or perhaps being outplayed in).


I would step down to $10-$20 and stay there until some of your bankroll loss is recovered. If you continue to lose even at $10-$20, then step down to $6-$12. The idea is to find a game you can beat until you recover your loss and your confidence.

David Sklansky wrote an article about bankroll requirements in cardplayer a short while back. At the end, he states something along the lines of "You should not lose more than 300 big bets if you can play at all. You can blame that much on luck, but any more you cannot."


Mason, does this statement not take into account the possibility of a freak, long lasting losing streak? This is something I have been trying to tackle as I figure out what to expect in the future.


Thank you.

"...Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson."


You have my 100% endorsement on that recommendation. (Not that the great Tommy Angelo needs my endorsement. LOL)


Have you also sampled Snow Crash and The Diamond Age?


NS creates such compelling characters and vivid environments, I only wish the endings had a little more pop. Even with that, though, they are wonderful reads.


BR

Jim, you are probably the poster whom I respect the most, but you are forgetting my old law school poker playin' buddy's famous war cry . . . .


DONT BACK UP . . . DOUBLE UP!!


Joe

Remember the billboard at Baker (I-15 southbound)

that the Commerce had some years ago--"Don't get mad--get even!?"