How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

Running into my first serious streak of cold cards and a 106BB downswing, all online. Not sure how to handle it. Do you change your play? I have dropped down in limits and tightened up a little but still nothing hits. I'll go 4-5 orbits before getting a playable hand that bricks on the flop.

I seriously just want to quit. It's boring, it's no fun to see that Kh hit and then hope for the best only to see the 4s hit. Time and time again.

No this isn't a whining thread, I would like feedback on how people handle these kinds of things? I want to throw my monitor out the window the next time I see J5o. Like I said I've dropped limits to try and put the fire out, but it's like someone turned a switch somewhere.

Do you just keep playing like normal? Keep hoping for the best, or do you change your game at all and tighten up trying to lose less money during this streak?

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

screaming obscenties at the monitor and throwing things across the room seems to help

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Running into my first serious streak of cold cards and a 106BB downswing, all online. Not sure how to handle it. Do you change your play? I have dropped down in limits and tightened up a little but still nothing hits. I'll go 4-5 orbits before getting a playable hand that bricks on the flop.

I seriously just want to quit. It's boring, it's no fun to see that Kh hit and then hope for the best only to see the 4s hit. Time and time again.

No this isn't a whining thread, I would like feedback on how people handle these kinds of things? I want to throw my monitor out the window the next time I see J5o. Like I said I've dropped limits to try and put the fire out, but it's like someone turned a switch somewhere.

Do you just keep playing like normal? Keep hoping for the best, or do you change your game at all and tighten up trying to lose less money during this streak?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a lame little girl because I've hit my first downswing (only about 70BB in the last couple days)and I'm taking the rest of the week off to clear my mind and make sure I get off tilt.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

You need to realize that -100BBs is at worst a moderate downswing. It's going to happen many many times during your poker career...

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

I understand that, so that's why I'd like to learn ASAP how to deal with such a swing. I plan on playing for a long time and I need to know how to deal with this. Do I drop several limits and wait it out? Do I play the same limits, just playing tighter?

In Pokertracker I went from semi-loose/aggressive (TLA-Eagle) to semi-loose/passive (unhappy face) during this downswing. I can't be as aggressive postflop because I never hit anything. At least when I was aggressive post flop I caught something so I wasn't completely spewing. It seemed to work in the lower limits for me. But now I am bricking left and right so I've check/folded when I hit nothing on the flop anymore trying to conserve chips.

Is this a wrong approach?

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

I know how you feel, when going through these downswings the money lost seems like a ton, and you feel that no matter how well you play you can't win. However, 100BBs is not a big downswing in the grand scheme of things. If 100BBs feels like a huge ammount, you may be playing beyond your bankroll and/or comfort level. I do something unconventional when I go through a big downswing, I like to buy myself something nice, it makes my previous winnings real, and motivates me to play more. This doesn't work for everyone though, because for some they start thinking "I've lost a big screen TV, month's rent, etc. on this downswing" and it makes it worse. The important thing is to remind yourself of the good times during the bad times so that you stay motivated and play yourself through it. If you feel that the downswing is hurting your play (tilt) then take a break and don't come back until you want to play for playing's sake (not because you want to make money).

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

I don't think you quite understand... 100BB swings are NORMAL. Why would you change anything?

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

100BB happens weekly...almost

not worth a post.

-SFWUSC

200 ish.... you can whine

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

"My advice to you would be to start drinking heavily" -- John Blutarsky.

100BB downswings happen. To everyone. If you feel like you are on tilt, get away from it. Play another type of ring game (stud, O8, etc.) or some NL SNGs.

The key is to not tilt and extend the downswing. It does not matter how good a player on is. Everyone gets hit with a 100 BB downswing periodically. Just play your best, good results WILL come.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

Ask Jason Giambi.

Seriously, everyone goes through downswings. You have to put the past behind you, pretending nothing has changed. If your downswing is actually changing your playing style out of fear, you need a break, or dive down to the nano-limits where money doesn't matter to you, and just play fearless, strong poker without worrying about getting sucked out for the hundredth time in a row. Just clear your mind, however you can.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

i 2nd temet's advice. it seems to come up weekly and i always hear this advice of playing other, maybe new games. This helps one concentrate on the learning aspects of the game, rather than the bad luck one's been facing. NL sngs will kill your bankroll if you're tilting and multitabling, but in terms of learning patience and knowing when to turn up the aggression, I love these things. Just play one table (if you aren't already) and stick it out. I have a 100bb downswing every other week now.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

Just went through (a worse) one myself. Took the time to find some leaks. Dropped to one table, took time to think each click. Dropped limits, tightened up.

When didn't feel like playing, took the opportunity to whore some blackjack. Cleared some bonii, played some S&G. Just got a little variety.

Got my mojo back, back to normal.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

One thing to realize is that there is no such thing as "being in the middle of a downswing".
All you can know for sure is that you have had a downswing up til now. Just keep playing your best game and you will be up again. (if you are in fact a winning player)

I had a 100BB downswing last week and it made me want to puke. To make matters worse it was only a week after I stepped up to 2/4 so it felt like A LOT of money to me. In the end I almost hated seeing AK, QQ or other premium hands because they "never" held up, or made very little money when they did.
But things turn around and sooner or later you will get hot decked or at least normal.

Also try to pay attention to your pot/implied-odds estimations. I believe that one of my major leaks was not to discount draws when I held middle or bottom pair enough, and also that I bet AK and the likes too hard when they missed the flop. I didn't pay enough attention to the fact that several of my opponents would call me down with mottom or middle pair.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

Raise more. Play more.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

100BB is becoming so commonplace, the same thing happened to me and I've been doing nothing but bonus whoring lately after dropping 2k at 5/10 6max. And now I'm down over $200 playing 1-2 6max.

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

If you created a computer program that played perfect/winning poker 24/7, and you randomly logged on and checked it...it of course would be making money in the long run, but it was in a 100BB downswing would you worry? would you change it to start playing less perfect? Bankroll permitting, would you drop down if you didnt have to?

this is why I like to try and think of myself as a machine, TRYING to make the proper decision for every situation I find myself in....start thinking of it as one LONG session (month, year, lifelong)

Thats how I deal

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

[ QUOTE ]
If you created a computer program that played perfect/winning poker 24/7, and you randomly logged on and checked it...it of course would be making money in the long run, but it was in a 100BB downswing would you worry? would you change it to start playing less perfect? Bankroll permitting, would you drop down if you didnt have to?

this is why I like to try and think of myself as a machine, TRYING to make the proper decision for every situation I find myself in....start thinking of it as one LONG session (month, year, lifelong)

Thats how I deal

[/ QUOTE ]

no need to say more after this great post!! play on just like you used to, if u start changing things while on a loosing streak - the changes might look smart at the time but actually be errors and mistakes ruining your game

GL

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

This reply is for SFWUSC:

Seriously? I 8-table and wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one...

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

I has been happening to me lately (pay back for the 8K hands that won like 300-400BB maybe). It would be worse, but I have found some people that I could read perfectly allowing me to win some pots that I shouldn't have.

I was up 30BB Tuesday night before dinner. After dinner I lost like 55BB. Yesterday, I lost like 20 BB.

That is a 75 BB downswing in like 36 hours. If you play a lot of hands....that will happen. I got AA like 3 times in 1200 hands and lost all three times. Sets lost. No hit on draws. KK and QQ win blinds or lose big pots.

This stuff happens. 100BB isnt worth a post.

That 200BB swing I had two weeks ago...it was worth posts. I had a lot over in the SS forum. I was trying to find leaks.

-SFWUSC

Re: How do you handle cold cards/downswings?
 

This LINK is very applicable.


Adam