Feeling pummeled

[Zeke]

So I've been on a bad run... nothing new it happens all the time, to everyone. But for me, this one has been different. After almost a week of sliding downward, I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever end.

To give you some quick history about myself, I recently graduated from college and decided to play poker for a living for a while. I had been playing sporatically throughout college for about 2 years. Twice I built myself a nice bankroll playing .5/1, but had to stop to concentrate on school. So after I graduated I dove back in and built my bankroll at .5/1 for about 3 weeks until I had enough for 2/4 and have been grinding it out for a month since. I had a great first month and was very happy with my play. I've been disciplined, and had to fight through some nasty downswings. But they never lasted more than a couple of days. The storms could be vicious but they were always pretty short. But now suddenly I feel like the guy with the rain cloud over his head. After nearly a week without a winning day I'm just feeling battered. I've never felt like this before and it really is awful. Now when I sit down for a session I almost expect to lose. I know that I'm a good enough player to win in the long run. I know that I play good poker. But this slide has me feeling almost hopeless. Today was supposed to be the day I really made my comeback and battled out of the funk.. and I'm down another 100 BB... and the feeling is carrying over beyond my sessions. Today I went shopping with my girlfriend and took her to lunch, and all I could think about was getting out of the rut. I didn't have any fun...

Anyways, I'm sure some people will think Im just whining here about my bad fortune. But I honestly am looking for some help here. I feel worn down and depressed.

I see that this post is long and poorly structured, and for that I apologize... but any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance

[Reef]

You'll survive - it'll make your next winning session THAT much sweeter. Losing is a part of the game. I and everyone else here knows how bad it sucks.

Make sure to hit up any possible bonuses you can. It always gives me a boost of confidence when I have a bonus to play towards.

[ismisus]

take a break, read a poker book. Comeback with a new perspective. Also it would be nice to not play poker for a living. Just can't do it at that level.

[mike3076]

two letters-GA.
they have meetings twice a week,you should try it.
any body who feels this bad at .50/1 that they cant even bang their girlfriend any more ,or have fun because of this game should give it up. dont believe everything you see on tv.your not doyle brunson,try a different path-ive played for a lving for far too many years-no retirement in this line of work. good luck to you and i hope you can cure your disease.

[Bill C]

[ QUOTE ]
take a break, read a poker book. Comeback with a new perspective. Also it would be nice to not play poker for a living. Just can't do it at that level.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or better yet, take a break for about a week and DON'T read a poker book. Read a novel. Take poker out of your mind for a week or so and you'll come back fresh. When you start in again, play good starting cards. Tighten up a little and see how it goes.

Poker can be a bitch-goddess. I get on runs I call "card-dead" where I just go hours with no playable cards. The best move is go home and do something else. The very worst move is to relax your starting requirements and start playing weaker hands.

Getting drawn out on and getting outdrawn are things that happen in this game frequently. You'll have to come to terms with that eventually. Part of our edge as 2+2ers is understanding that and being able to deal with it better than our opponents. And trying to earn a living playing basically penny-ante may be putting a lot of stress on you too.

I wish you the very best and hope it works out for you. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just my $.02 worth...
bill

[Mayhap]

Everytime I see a post like yours, I see a preponderence of 'take a break' advice in response. That is truly the voice of experience.
Make taking a break and the ability to 'foughetaboutit' part of your poker playing repetoire.
/M

[kiddo]

[ QUOTE ]
I recently graduated from college and decided to play poker for a living for a while... So after I graduated I dove back in and built my bankroll at .5/1 for about 3 weeks until I had enough for 2/4 and have been grinding it out for a month since. I had a great first month and was very happy with my play.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is something entirly wrong about deciding to play poker for a living without having the bankroll to do it. If u havent been beating the game for a long time (say 200 000 hands) you got no idea how much you can win/hour and then it is a very bad idea to make it your only income.

And also, if u want to live from poker u will have to accept that u can go 2 months in a row without winning much at all. You have to have money on your bankaccount. In december I won $12K, this month I won $400, its like that, nothing to do.

Of course u feel bad, u needed 3 weeks to build a bankroll and now u are on a bad run when this was what u wanted to do for a living. Take a part time job until u have beaten the 2/4 level for at least 3 months, playing many hours every day, with a healthy winrate.

Also, if u want to do it for a living u have to be able to not feel bad when u lose. I have lost $5000 last 4 days and of course it makes me think a little, but my wife doenst care, she dont want to live with a guy feeling bad just because luck changed into bad luck. Excercis, do whatever, but dont take it out on your girlfr.

[jskills]

A question - you went from .50/1 to 2/4, so what happened to 1/2? 2/4 is a much different game than .50/1. 1/2 is different from .50/1 as well, but is more of a logical stepping stone in the upward progression of limits.

Here's what stuck out to me

[ QUOTE ]
Today was supposed to be the day I really made my comeback and battled out of the funk.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're setting yourself up for disappointment. Today should be the day you decide to really concentrate on playing solid poker - that's all today can be. How things turn our are really not up to you, but if you're truly playing correctly, you will end up profiting over time. That's it.

There's a post you need to read right now (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1797269&page=1&view=c ollapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1#Post1797841) in order to deal with the helpless/hopeless feelings you're experiencing right now and to understand how they are affecting you.


You will hear many standard solutions for your situation right now (e.g. take a break, drop in limits, read/reread some 2+2 books, post some hands on the forums for feedback, etc.) and some or all of them may help. You just need to find out what works best for you.

Good luck.