When do you realize that you are an underdog?

Is it normal for a "pretty good" player to have a -200 session in a 3-6 game with a bunch of rivered 2nd place hands or is said "pretty good" player kidding himself and needs to reevaluate whether or not HE is the live one at the table. Played a very tight aggressive game with sklansky starting hand requirements. Ran into a lot of made str8's and flushes on the river (correct play about 75% of the time). Flop was 6-7 handed many times (is this the problem, raising the big pairs in the multi-way pots? - lots of cold calling 2 bets with hands like j6d in early position) I know not every session is going to be a winning one, but at what point in a game like this do you pick up the checks and wish everyone the best? - even when you think that you have the best of it - according to what you see at the table.


Thanks

Is it normal for a "pretty good" player to have a -200 session in a 3-6 game


definitely. There is a lot of luck in the very short term in poker. you will have losses of $500 in 4 hour sessions. That's just how it goes sometime.


Flop was 6-7 handed many times (is this the problem, raising the big pairs in the multi-way pots? - lots of cold calling 2 bets with hands like j6d in early position)


more players in the pot will result in you winning less often but winning bigger pots when you do actually win. In the long run this results in more money earned. however, in the short run you will experience bigger swings from this.


I know not every session is going to be a winning one, but at what point in a game like this do you pick up the checks and wish everyone the best? - even when you think that you have the best of it - according to what you see at the table.


if you believe you have the best of it, it depends on your own psychological and emotional thresholds. some people lose focus after playing for a certain amount of time. some people stop having fun when they lose a certain amount of money. Figure out when these points exist for you and just stop. you're playing to have fun after all.


Rob

Anon


I hope its normal! I'm a 'pretty good 3-6 player and have had a couple of sessions like you describe, though my overall win rate is over 1BB /hour these losing sessions really hurt the confidence. I would try to stay in the game as long as you think you are a favorite to win, but reeveluate that thought every time the blinds approach, if you can't identify at least 4 weaker players then you are one of them, time to go...