How do you deal with this?

[iraise50]

Hi everyone, I know I haven't posted in awhile, but I jsut haven't ahd anything to say. I HAVE been reading in the forums, just haven't had anything intelligent enough to warrant a reply. Here's a situation I need help with. I'm used to making money playing poker, and to having cold streaks for a few days. I'm a long term + player, who recently, several weeks ago moved to SNGs full time. Being new to it, I insited on playing 100 at $5.50, 200 at $11 and well, I did fairly well with those. My ITM for those (the stats were very similar) was about 43% and the ROI 29%. I was having poorer success than usual with my rings games and finaly went to only SNGs. I began playing 22s and 33s...and I've been on the worst cold streak of my life. I've cashed in well under 10% of the SNGs I've played lately...decimated my bankroll...and...sadly, and this one hurts...I've asked for more hours at the coffeeshop. The part that I'm having trouble with, is I feel like I've been playing exceptionally well, in particular, the last 23 I've played (today and yesterday) I have had higher pockets get cracked by lower pockets, or even 2 unsuited cards. I've crapped out in 4th or 5th place in 19 of those 23. I've not cashed in 37 sngs. I know that my last 125 sngs is a small sample size, relatively, but...it is incredibly depressing and I'm truly at a loss for what to do about it. It's coming very near to destroying my confidence at poker, and I've always had success, this last 2 years I've been playing. I've had losing weeks, and months before, but not on this level. I've had big loss days, even on the whole for a week at a big loss, but never just choking to death as I am now.

Anyone have any auggestions? Anyone else ever feel like they are playing thier best poker, getting thier money in with the best of it and always, and I mean always, coming up short? I'd nearly lay 4-1 AGAINST myself with KK vs JJ at this point.

Someone, please, help quell the storm in my mind.

[joeblo]

I think this is gonna be another "its variance" bash type of a post so be prepared to hear lots of it. I went through a similar thing just recently. I had a terrible string of like 175 sng's at the 11s-33s. What I ended up doing was just playing less and trying to analyze my play bit by bit as well as moving down to the 11's to regain my confidence. I had several strings of more then 10 OOTM finishes with an 18 in a row being the longest one of them.

I would suggest that you reevaluate your play and also have someone look at your HH to see if you are in fact playing "exceptionally" as you have stated. If all is well with this part, hope that variance goes in your favor soon and just work through it. Also, if your BR has been really hit badly, move back down to the 1ls and try to build it back up.

I hope it turns around for you soon and GL.