Downswing question

This is not a whine, just a question.

Is a 100BB downswing in two days normal?
Is it normal to not win one single hand in 4 hours play?
It's not like I play marginal hands, I wait for the premium ones. I'm even more tight than usual due to the downswing.

If I flop a set someone gets a straight, you know, the usual stuff. Quad just busted a boat. Nothing hits.

Like I said, this is not a whine or a bad beat post, just a question if this is all normal or would it be considered exreme bad luck?

I guess the mainquestion is, 100BB in 2 days, is that a lot?

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]
Is a 100BB downswing in two days normal?


[/ QUOTE ]

You can expect to see several 100BB downswings over the course of your playing career. You may even see bigger swings. Post some hands on the appropriate forums if you want to get any feedback on how you are currently playing.

Regards,

T

[donkeyradish]

what game are you playing

I agree that a 100BB downswing is not a lot, and especially not a lot shorthanded.

But if you have a 400BB downswing then you really have a problem.

Playing .10/.20 nano limit and 10 player tables.

I seem to have these somewhat large downswings every 2 or 3 weeks. I'd like to figure out if it's me or just variance.

I'd post some hands if I could, but the prima skin I use isn't compatible with bison afaik.

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]

I seem to have these somewhat large downswings every 2 or 3 weeks. I'd like to figure out if it's me or just variance.


[/ QUOTE ]

I woudn't think swings like this should happen that often. Are they accompanied by upswings? I'm guessing these nano limit games are very loose, which will contribute to swings.

Without some questionable hands, it's hard to offer much advice. I have played maybe 50 hands on Prima nanos, so I'm not really familiar with the games there.

Regards,

T

It's not something out of the ordinary, most players if not all, at one point in their poker career have losing streaks, it's all part of the game. You just learn to see through it and continue playing your "A" game and brighter days will follow. /images/graemlins/spade.gif

I just came off one of my worst downwings, probably lost close to a grand playing 2/4 limit over the course of a week.

Broke the downswing this past weekend, start out with $200 and tripled up.

[donkeyradish]

U should try the 2/4 party bad beat jackpot tables, I been having a seriously good 'upswing' in there this month /images/graemlins/wink.gif

My first question would be whether your fear of the downswing is not just making you play tighter, but making you play more passively, thus allowing weaker hands to draw out on you.

[ QUOTE ]
My first question would be whether your fear of the downswing is not just making you play tighter, but making you play more passively, thus allowing weaker hands to draw out on you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think i play more passively. I wait for premium hands.

Let's say I have AKo. The flop never hits these days. It can look something like JQ3 rainbow and I'm bet in to. WHat do I do? I usually call the bet to see the turn but it doesn't hit either.

After that I fold.

Maybe I should raise the flop? Maybe I AM playing too passively. It's that sad feeling that if I hit QQ I just know I'm going to lose the hand anyway. I do keep playing by the book though.

I also know this will change, my main question was and still is: is 100 BB a lot over 1-2 days?

[Pov]

[ QUOTE ]
. . . my main question was and still is: is 100 BB a lot over 1-2 days?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, of course it's a lot. It can also be perfectly normal. But since you're a beginner there is a great chance a big part of it isn't just bad luck so you should examine your play very closely.

Your example hand could be interesting and very helpful, but you need to post the actual hand history. With only the details you provide it's not possible to give solid advice. Post in the micro forum (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=micro) and do *not* tell them you're in a downswing, etc. - just post the hand and ask for respectfully ask for comments. Listen to what people say. Draw some conclusions.

Read some other hands - especially those that are similar to situations you find yourself in. Ask questions in other people's threads. Questions like: Would someone please explain why xyz wouldn't be a good idea? As long as you take the tone of genuinely looking for input most posters will be very helpful. Some will be rude. You should still listen to them and evaluate their advice - rude != wrong.

You'll get bad advice too so you have to evaluate the entirety of the answers and critically think about what you've read. Being able to apply disparate strategies and ideas from one hand correctly to another is what poker is all about. There are very few "by the book" plays, particularly after the flop.

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]
Your example hand could be interesting and very helpful, but you need to post the actual hand history. With only the details you provide it's not possible to give solid advice.

[/ QUOTE ]

And just post the raw history since there's no converter. It would be polite to X out the players' names, however.

Regards,

T

I think I read somewhere there was a way to convert, I'll look in to it so I can post hands in the future.

[ QUOTE ]
I think I read somewhere there was a way to convert, I'll look in to it so I can post hands in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

Moster

If you do find it then please post it here or message me with it. I play on the Prima skins and would have posted hands for analysis before now except that they look terrible in raw format. If there is an easy way to make them presentable I'd love to know.

Thanks

[theben]

if you play lots of tables, or a few SH, no. but it still is bad

[TaoTe]

I wouldn't say it was normal to lose so much in so short of time unless playing a high flux form of poker or are just getting mauled at NL. I'm also in the midst of a 100BB decline but mine has been more like a slow death by disease than a swift kick in the nuts. Couldn't say which one was worse. Try to figure out exactly why it's happening. Mine is variance+bad play. I usually just read more, play less, and drop down in limits. One of the biggest problem with a large downswing is the lack of confidence that goes with it. You've been losing, so you begin to tell yourself that you're going to lose. You shouldn't raise with your aces because they'll just get cracked, you'll miss your 100th draw in a row. This is self-defeating thinking and is something that I've been having a terrible time getting around. I'm trying to find something confidence building to help cope with the this learned helplessness. Does anyone have any good ideas for confidence boosting?

Definately going to post that question in Psy. forum.