Am I "On Tilt"

Sandsifter · #1 10-02-2004, 06:41 PM

The last 3 nights I've won 2/95, 3/90, and 1/50 hands. I've been playing fairly tight (20 VP$IP)and trying to raise pre-flop when I should, which is always hard for me. I'm getting my Ace high flushes beat by Full Houses, and my Full Houses beat by higher ones.

Now I find that I'm starting to punk out to post-flop raises, folding JJ or 99 if there's an overcard on the board. I've been playing about 6 months at Empire .50/1 Limit, and have never felt this frustrated. Are these bad streaks that common?

I guess I just needed to step away from the table a bit...I feel better already. I guess a 5/1 tourney will help me settle down. Wish me luck folks.

milesdyson · #2 10-02-2004, 06:46 PM

Keep playing and post your win % when you have played 10k games.

Sidekick · #3 10-02-2004, 06:53 PM

Yes, such streaks are normal. It is not unusual to have a streak of bad cards run for 5-10k hands. Bad runs hit EVERYONE... you, me, top pros, etc. They are just a part of the game.

Find a way of dealing with them that fits your personality. Different folks handle the bad runs in different ways, but believe me... what you have posted isn't a bad run, it is just normal variance.

Sandsifter · #4 10-02-2004, 07:08 PM

A 5-10K bad streak! I guess I should feel lucky then.

I guess it's just because I had gotten to the point where I thought I was improving, and actually starting to understand the game a bit. Then I hit this wall, and start questioning whether I actually know anything about the game.

The funny thing is I'll drop $50 on a PC game and not even blink, but when I lose $50 at a Hold'em session...I feel devastated. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

Thanks for the support.

DEvice · #5 10-02-2004, 08:43 PM

I know where you are coming from, I did the OGP 900% bonus deal and I built up $25 into $525 in just a few days killing .5/$1 game on Paradise and doubling up my envestment on Pacific then I decide to throw a few hundred on Party for the .5/$1 games and everything is going wrong. I am only down about 40BB in about 4 long days of play but it still feels shitty to come off of such a rush when you think nothing can go wrong and you are stuck in a rut the next days.

I guess thats what bankrolls are for.

DocMartin · #6 10-02-2004, 08:59 PM

I was in a similar situation just starting. In my first 1k hands at .5/1 big hands just kept running into bigger hands, flops wouldnt hit me and I was down 125BB. (Welcome to Poker!!) My stats on Pokertracker were all fairly on track with everything except Win% at Showdown. My game needed (and still needs) plenty of work but knowing about variance and after doing a lot of lurking here I was confident things would turn around if I maintained some discipline and kept playing. I am happy to be well into the plus side now after 2k more hands.

A little story to drive home the point that as long as you are playing well, dont sweat it, things will change. Keep analyzing your play, use the hell out of these forums and get back to the table!

Cosimo · #7 10-02-2004, 09:07 PM

A couple weeks ago, I had a bad day where I lost almost 80 BB over 1200 hands. Fifty to ninety-five hands a day is nothing. Swings in poker are usually in the several-hundred hand range, and can go on for thousands of hands. Out of every ten hours, one of those hours will go by where I'll win no more than one hand (if that).

So, keep playing. The variance that you're seeing is precisely what keeps bad players at the tables.

detruncate · #8 10-02-2004, 09:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Am I on tilt?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Playing a hand incorrectly when you know better is tilting.

[ QUOTE ]
A 5-10K bad streak! I guess I should feel lucky then.

I guess it's just because I had gotten to the point where I thought I was improving, and actually starting to understand the game a bit. Then I hit this wall, and start questioning whether I actually know anything about the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

The mental aspect of the game is at least as difficult to learn as the technical asptect. In most activiites, there's a clear relationship between skillful execution and short term success. Even then it can be hard to keep your confidence up. Think having a bad game or two in your sport of choice. Add a random element and things are that much more difficult.

If you think you're improving (and your reasons for this include things increased experience, better understanding of the concepts that are disucessed around here, books read, etc.), you probably are.

If you're tilting, get up. Go for a walk. Get a bite to eat. Watch a movie. Snuggle with someone. Whatever you need to do.

The bad days are never going to be fun, but part of poker is getting better at dealing with them so you can minimize their effect on your roll.