Medicine for a bad-funk run

[Big Limpin']

...would be to move *UP* a level, adjust your monitor setting to 800x600, and play ONE table. Dedicate the next 40 minutes to thinking about every decision you make. Observe the villain vs. villain confrentations. At your action, note what your "instantaneous reaction action" would be, then take 10 seconds to consider the merits of alternative lines.

Hopefully one or more of the following will result:

-You lean something (which is unlikely grind-quadding your normal stakes)
-You identify situations where you overrule your gut-reaction
-Maybe you even cash (!)

YW, BL'

[pearljam]

everytime I do this I play wayyyy too agresive, wonder why.

[flyingmoose]

I prefer getting high, but this works, too.

[kasey2004]

[ QUOTE ]
I prefer getting high

[/ QUOTE ]

sounds like more fun...

But, thats a good lil stratagy u got there to play a single table and think more good post i will try that after my next swing.

/images/graemlins/spade.gif kasey /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[Big Limpin']

im im 1-tabling, there is a 100% chance of me puffing 10th letters before. As if i wanst "into" the game enough. Heh, i can outhink DeepBlue when im at 800x600 and stoned. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[raptor517]

back in the day, if i was 8 tabling the 55s and getting killed, i would 8 table the 109s. if i got killed at taht, i would 8 table the 215s. if i got killed at that, i would be broke, so i wouldnt have to worry any more. great strategy eh? /images/graemlins/wink.gif holla

[kasey2004]

[ QUOTE ]
back in the day, if i was 8 tabling the 55s and getting killed, i would 8 table the 109s. if i got killed at taht, i would 8 table the 215s. if i got killed at that, i would be broke, so i wouldnt have to worry any more. great strategy eh? /images/graemlins/wink.gif holla

[/ QUOTE ]

You should write a SnG strategy book /images/graemlins/cool.gif

/images/graemlins/spade.gif Kasey /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[raptor517]

[ QUOTE ]

Quote:
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back in the day, if i was 8 tabling the 55s and getting killed, i would 8 table the 109s. if i got killed at taht, i would 8 table the 215s. if i got killed at that, i would be broke, so i wouldnt have to worry any more. great strategy eh? holla


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You should write a SnG strategy book

Kasey

[/ QUOTE ]

its being published in 2 months. make sure to get an advanced order. holla

[Myst]

A bad run is all in your head, nothing more. Just try to think in the long run, and be in the long run. Individual results cease to matter in the bigger scope of things.

[Big Limpin']

[ QUOTE ]
A bad run is all in your head, nothing more. Just try to think in the long run, and be in the long run. Individual results cease to matter in the bigger scope of things.

[/ QUOTE ]

Myst, i like yer style, and this does nothing to change that, but...

I really do believe that many of the BAD runs are due to MORE than just variance. I dont mean the "i lost 15 Bi" bad runs, i mean the "i lost 25-30 BI" runs....and for those, im convinced that its variance, but variance AND some sub-optimal play.

Put it like this....you play 100 tourneys, and come out of it down 25 BI. Yeah, assuming you're a +EV playa, you for sure have been running bad. But i am convinced that in that stretch, most of these post are 20 Bi bad luck, 5 BI "d'oh". Yeah, i mean, like it or not, you prolly have some dergee of "tilt" mixed in there. Its only human.

And i cringe as i say "tilt" there, 'cause thats not excaxtly what i mean. I wish there was a better word. What i mean is,....you've been running bad. Youve taken some beats. And then some more. You have a badass spreadsheet showing all the $ youve made, and yet your confidence is still shaken. Eventually, you start being a "bubble pussy". You are so scared to stack off cause you know your gonna lose. And this is where those extra 5 BI loss comes from, over the course of 100 games or so.

[/tangent] What im saying is that i truely believe that you will be better of NOT trying to "play your way out of it". I think you will be best served taking a step back, playing ONE tourney, and "remembering" what you know/learned about poker.

I'll leave it at that. It just one guys take.

The point of my OP was to encourage ppls who are currently running bad to look at how they play from an outsiders perspectinve (which 1-tabling will give you), and hopefully to identify WHERE THEY CAN PLAY BETTER. (Better may mean "nornally" in the case of divergence from nornal during a bad run)

Plus, when you pimp some 22s/33s/55s/109/215s, whatever ove level up for you may be, theres a pretty decent chance that SnG poker may become "fun" to you again. And that is worth easily a 5% boost to your EV next week.

BL' out

[45suited]

[ QUOTE ]
Put it like this....you play 100 tourneys, and come out of it down 25 BI. Yeah, assuming you're a +EV playa, you for sure have been running bad. But i am convinced that in that stretch, most of these post are 20 Bi bad luck, 5 BI "d'oh". Yeah, i mean, like it or not, you prolly have some dergee of "tilt" mixed in there. Its only human.

And i cringe as i say "tilt" there, 'cause thats not excaxtly what i mean. I wish there was a better word. What i mean is,....you've been running bad. Youve taken some beats. And then some more. You have a badass spreadsheet showing all the $ youve made, and yet your confidence is still shaken. Eventually, you start being a "bubble pussy". You are so scared to stack off cause you know your gonna lose. And this is where those extra 5 BI loss comes from, over the course of 100 games or so.

[/tangent] What im saying is that i truely believe that you will be better of NOT trying to "play your way out of it". I think you will be best served taking a step back, playing ONE tourney, and "remembering" what you know/learned about poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with every word of this advice. I think that one of my strengths is that I am very patient and rarely tilt, but when a really bad run of variance hits and it seems like every time you have two pair, the other guy has a set, it does get hard to not doubt yourself a bit. That is probably the only form of tilt that I ever experience, and I'm sure it's just as bad as the form where you play reckless. Taking a step back, slowing down, and dropping to one table seems to help. (I mean like BL says when you're having an extended run of bad beats or running into monsters.)

The other thing that I do if I drop to one table is really watch every hand that is played (duh). Try to guess what each guy has. And the nice thing about the 11s and 22s is that enough hands go to showdown that you can check the HH in real time. If I find that my reads are good, I'm building up my confidence without even playing the hand.

Another thing that I do is play some NL cash games.

If you play NL, I've found that it's fairly easy building up your BR just by being a nutpeddler. Winning your money back that you lost during a bad SNG run is nice too. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Dr_Jeckyl_00]

I agree with your comments. I find it hard to believe that 'variance' is the only reason for a down swing. If I am down even if I lost to a BB, when I review my HH I inevitably find hands that I played poorly throughout the game, that cost me money (or sometimes made me money b/c luck box was on... but was a bad play), and put me in a bad position later in the forcing me to make a move. Review your HH, it does not lie... and make adjustments.

[Unarmed]

[ QUOTE ]
play ONE table. Dedicate the next 40 minutes to thinking about every decision you make. Observe the villain vs. villain confrentations. At your action, note what your "instantaneous reaction action" would be, then take 10 seconds to consider the merits of alternative lines.


[/ QUOTE ]

I have done this each time I've moved up a level.
Once comfortable with the increased $$ at risk I gradually add tables. I actually sit there with one table open taking notes with SNGPT running on the fly for tough bubble decisions. Honestly, the SNGs you play immediately after moving up are incredibly important, (for both bankroll and confidence) so I give them 100% of my attention.

[Big Limpin']

[ QUOTE ]
the SNGs you play immediately after moving up are incredibly important, (for both bankroll and confidence) so I give them 100% of my attention.

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree

[Slim Pickens]

Wow. I was just about to make the exact same post. Remeber kids, it's a good idea to read a few pages back. If nothing else, you can't lose faster. One bad set at the 22's=-$88. Two early busts at consecutive single 33's=-$66 for the same time investment.

SlimP
current downswing: 17.5 buy-ins