Facing "downswing" of 100BB after 3,8K hands

[Stinkybeaver]

Ok so my game must have some leaks, since I'm not doing to good. As stated in headline I've played 3,8K hands at 0,5/1,0 (paradise poker) 3-tabeling.

I can't seem to figure what to do next.

1. I go back at 0,25/0,50 and enjoy my 4,5BB/100 in 8K hands and hope it continues or improves. (3 tabeling)

2. I stay at 0,5/1,0 and learn the hard way.

3. I do one table at 0,5/1,0 with main focus, and have two running at 0,25/0,5 with a little less focus. This way I can have a better feeling at the table than I usually have at any table when I 3-table.

4. Any better sugestions.?

[toss]

Is this 3800 hands or 38000 hands?

If its 3800 hands keep at it and report back at 10000 hands. The best way to improve is to respond to hand examples and see if your advice matches up to everyone else.

[scotty34]

Play 1 or 2 tables of .5/1 while you get used to it. Also post some hands for people to analyze, as you may just be running poorly. 100BB downswing after a few thousand hands is not uncommon at all.

[GrunchCan]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok so my game must have some leaks

[/ QUOTE ]

The first step is being open to the likelyhood that your game needs improvement. Most downswings are due at least partly to bad play.

Play at a limit that is appropriate to your bankroll. But don't play with the intention of "learning the hard way." You need to study poker like its classwork. If you play to learn the hard way, your strategy will be results-oriented, which is very bad.

Instead, find out what the long-term +EV plays are by contributing to this forum and reading books. What books have you read so far?

As far as how to contribute to this forum, see the FAQ and
this post (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=micro&Number=1943067&Forum =,All_Forums,&Words=-re%3A&Searchpage=1&Limit=25&Main=1943067&Search=tr ue&where=sub&Name=16000&daterange=1&newerval=1&new ertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post194306 7).

Good luck.

[@bsolute_luck]

stinky: first, i'd drop the 3-tabling. focus on your game- i play 1, but that's only because i focuse a lot on reading people. 2 would be max i think.

if your bankroll can take it, play .5/1. if you're worried about the money and not playing proper poker and being aggressive when you should, drop to .25/.5- you'll get plenty of play with your suited connectors there /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

.5/1 Paradise, from my experience, is it's pretty tight. so if you want to work on counting your outs, there is a good place. anyways, that's my suggestion. i have a couple other suggestions in the PM i sent you before. good luck.

[Stinkybeaver]

Reading SSH, have HPFAP ready when I'm certain that I fully understand SSH. Plan on reading it two or three times before I go to HPFAP.

I've played 3,800 hands. I Know that I have leaks, but I'm probably playing the proper hands, but I think I go to far in small pots with second pair and very weak draws.

VPIP: 19%
VPIP SB: 35%
PFR: 7,8%
WTSD: Can't reme,ber will post when i get home (think its somewhere in mid 30's)
W$SD: 50% or slightly less (I think this is one of my leaks)

[homebrewer]

I'm working towards making more +EV plays. But, it takes time and patience. Here are some comments:

One of the ways in which we reassure ourselves is to regularly invoke the notion of variance (i.e., downswings). You see all the time where people say that you should not sweat 40BB or 100BB+ downswing as this is to be expected at some point. And, we are reassured by the belief that this could take place over 10K hands or so. Thus, it is imperative that you have the requisite bankroll and fortitude to suffer such swings. The advice about downswings assumes tight-aggressive play.

The good news is that you could be playing very well but suffering through one of those dreaded downswings. So, perhaps there is little to fix. But, the downswing is causing you to question your play. This result is not so good as it is easy to become results oriented.

Conversely, you could be running well at .25/.50 over the 8K hands and the perception of your play is distorted. If we assume that the play at .25/.50 is not as good as .50/1 (just for argument's sake) then perhaps the -EV plays that you are making (and I'm making too) are more susceptible to being exposed. This is where careful and objective analysis of your game will pay dividends.

1. Perhaps, you should try going back to .25/.50 and work to play a tight-aggressive style.
2. Don't worry about results.
3. Think about making +EV plays (but see #5). Don't be tempted to play too many hands. In adopting a tighter style, I know how it feels when you fold KTo from MP to a raise from UTG and call from UTG+1. Then the flop comes KKT.
4. If you don't know what the +EV play happens to be for a given situation, post a hand. But, do so with Grunch's considerations in mind.
5. Try to avoid following a line because a well-regarded poster says so. It is better to try to understand why the poster suggested the line in the first place. If it is not explained well enough, post *your* analysis as to why this is the case. You'll be corrected if you're wrong.

Good luck.

[benkath1]

Nice post.

[benkath1]

This is a post you may be interested in. dealing with a 'cold deck' (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1892853&page=&view=&s b=5&o=&vc=1)

If it is any consolation, I played 11K hands of .25/.50 and my winrate was 5.5bb/100. I go to .5/1 and can't win a hand. At least at paradise I can't.

I know it is irrevelant, but might help, switch sites. Go bonus whoring for a while and look at it as starting over. I went to UB and only watched my ub stats at .5/1 and made sure I wasn't playing crap and it helped. Getting a fresh start and seeing how a tight aggressive style of play really does win makes a big difference. Then when you go back to paradise you should see a difference.

Like the others said, post hands and respond blind to other hands.

I've played against a stinky beaver at paradise. PM me if you want more info.

Good luck,
Ben