bad day

I just finished the worst day ive ever had at poker...losing $300 at the $100 NL, bad river after bad river. I should have quit for the day several times, but i kept playing until i finally hit a boat to a higher boat and lost $130 on the hand and gave up. Any advice on getting rid of this habit of playing to make the money back? Also, whats the worst day you guys have ever had in poker?

[jzpiano14]

my worst day was down 670 at 5/10 limit, bad run of cards. I'm also the same way I like to get some of it back, which is a terrible thing to do I know but I try it in small increments like $10 at a time. Had a night like that last night dropped 2 bills and today won it back with profit, it will come back around don't worry /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ajmargarine]

[ QUOTE ]
Any advice on getting rid of this habit of playing to make the money back?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Stop thinking of it on those terms. You're not playing to win back what you've lost over the last x hours. You're playing hand by hand, making the best decision in each hand, and what happens, happens. A short-term stretch of bad luck happens all the time. Set over set. You get rivered four times in a 10 hands. A3 beats your AK. Sometimes, when you are an 80% favorite going in, you lose 3 times in a row. It just happens.

But, the thing is, over the long run it all evens out. Good poker wins in the end. There's nothing a player can do to combat a short-term run of bad cards/bad breaks. If you're not playing poorly and it hasn't put you on tilt, just play through it. You'll start finding yourself in the same situations you are accustomed too. Your two pair getting called down by top pair. Your set all-in vs. some guys TPTK. You hit your flush and get paid. More hands = more chances for good poker to prevail. You're not playing to get the short-term money back that you just lost. You're playing more hands so that your skills have more chances to prevail in more situations over inferior opponents. Play through it; if you're good, the money will come back.

[jkkkk]

Be thankful it was only 3 buyins, if you play long enough you'll inevitably experience bigger downswings.

[whittiphil]

great advice.

Also, to the op, you lost a couple of buyins... happens weekly.

[Voltron87]

today in my first session I won 5 buy ins. I've been playing for 90 minutes in the evening and im down 2. swingy game. before that 5 buy in upswing i went down 2 buy ins and took 3K hands to get even.

basically, I broke even for 4K hands, then won 5 buy ins in 400 hands.

[KowCiller]

Be thankful that your worst downswing is 3 buyins.

As for advice on how not to strive to "get even", try being realistic with yourself as to whether or not the table dynamic is such that you have a good shot of actually recouping your money. If you feel like you're still playing your A game and there are players you know are long-term donators, then stay in the game. Otherwise go find a game that does have donators in it and play there. No one said you have to get the money back from the same table you lost it. We're talking about SSNL after all, there are plenty of soft games somewhere. Just find them.

KoW

[pokerjoker]

[ QUOTE ]
Be thankful that your worst downswing is 3 buyins.

As for advice on how not to strive to "get even", try being realistic with yourself as to whether or not the table dynamic is such that you have a good shot of actually recouping your money. If you feel like you're still playing your A game and there are players you know are long-term donators, then stay in the game. Otherwise go find a game that does have donators in it and play there. No one said you have to get the money back from the same table you lost it. We're talking about SSNL after all, there are plenty of soft games somewhere. Just find them.

KoW

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I also live in the middle of nowhere IL (Decatur) are u close?

[KowCiller]

PM Sent.

[IamLeach]

I recomend you read this. http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/favlinker.php?Cat=&Entry=132287&F_Board=begin&Thre ad=3197520&partnumber=&postmarker= It has helped me in the past and is pretty damn useful. As for my advice, you "KNOW" when you get into that mood that you shouldn't be playing. Tired...pissed...tilt...when this happens. Try your damnedest to get away from the computer for at least an hour. Go for a walk...do a shitload of pushups...listen to a cd all the way through that is mellow. You have to get away at those crucial times, whatever means possible.

[IamLeach]

[ QUOTE ]
Otherwise go find a game that does have donators in it and play there.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is so true. So many times I will sit down and just not like my image after five or so orbits. I won't even be losing, just won't like my image or somthing. I leave and find another table. With so many fish and so many tables why play at one your not comfortable with?

Can't be bothered to find the post, but I think I read it here somewhere...

It was along the lines of go down to the micro tables and work off any tilt you have where it doesn't cost you. Play loose and feel free to abuse anybody you draw out on. It's a lot cheaper and I can tell you it works. I'm doing it as I type.

[JaBlue]

Losing three buy ins is like a normal day at the office for me

But so is winning 6 or 7 /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ryanghall]

3 buyins? That's really nothing. You will have losing *months*.

There's nothing wrong with playing to make the money back as long as you're playing in a profitable game.

I've been down $800 in a day. I would probably usually stop after that. You shouldn't quit unless you're tilting or the game isn't profitable.

Ryan

[amoeba]

I dropped 350 today.

first losing day in 2.5 weeks.

oh well. take a break. then come back strong.