6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

last 2 nites prior to today's session I had 2 80 big bet days at $5-10 6MAX one up the next down- I was very frustrated yesterday feeling as thu I was well on my way to 2.00bb/100-Land at $5-10 6MAX I've played about 30K hands. I smashed a plate yesterday while washing dishes I was so pissed. Yesterday was a bloodbath, I lost like $850 in 1300 hands then just gave up after trying 3 different rooms and a bunch of breaks.

Well today I decided to burn off some of my $250 pending bonus at Paradise. I decided to chill and 3-table $3-6 6MAX. Whoa I won 136 bets ($817) in 1,200 hands...WTF?

I am completely committed to pretty much playing LHE 6MAX as my default game rather than LHE Full but I am still blown away by the swings I have to go thru every hour and every session.

Funny thing is the variance never stops no matter what..it never will [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] I'm just starting to get used to it but god damnit it is really tough. One day every is cool the next day is a nightmare.

I'm a very solid and profitable full ring game LHE player up to $5-10 Full-havent really tried playing anything higher consistently
yet.

Any other solid players have the same experience ?

How do you deal with these swings emotionally?

I guess one way to condition yourself is just to say ok every session I'm gonna be stuck 75 big bets-now deal with it and fuggin play you wussy.


I tend to play 1 long session during my playing days usually 1700-2300 hands. Should I break my sessions up a bit?

I think this is a mjaor factor why so few players(even very good players) grind out 6MAX every day.

My feeling is once you have a solid base winrate say ~2.00bb+/100 on 50K hands and you've experienced 3-4 up 100 bigbet days and 3-4 down 100 bigbet days then just maybe you may be used to the swingage. Problem for me at $5-10 6MAX is I'm in 1.25-1.75 bb/100 purgatory. With a winrate of less than 1.50 bb/100 and a standard deviation of 15bb/100 the swings are brutal. Unless you can get your winrate to above at a minimum 1.75 bb/100 the game is tortuous ..and this is only at $5-10 haha even if you net good money overall ..I'm such a wuss..gotta get that winrate to 1.75-2.25bb/100 range. That's my goal not 2.50-3.00 bb/100 thats not realistic for me at this time.
All my other 6MAX results $1-2,$2-4 and $3-6 on big samples
are all very good:3.25bb/100,2.25bb/100,2.75 bb/100 respectively.

I've layed down the gauntlet to challenge myself to DEAL with this but to tell you the truth honestly I'm only doing fair so far.

Any feedback welcome

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

I play up to 5/10 full along with 5/10 6max. 6max is a better game (largely because of hands/hr + rakeback), and if you enjoy it more than full you should stay there.

The swings can be large (this is not always true) at 6max, but as long as you feel comfortable with your play, chalk it up to variance. You have to learn to take hits with a clear head and keep playing your game. At 10/20 it'll be worse, at 15/30..., etc. Keep playing.

Posts like yours aren't uncommon - it's the nature of 6max. If you want others' stories, you can try a search.

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

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I've played about 30K hands

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Problem for me at $5-10 6MAX is I'm in 1.25-1.75 bb/100 purgatory

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so with rake back thats something like $6,000 ?

suck it up

stripsqueez - chickenhawk

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

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Funny thing is the variance never stops no matter what..it never will I'm just starting to get used to it but god damnit it is really tough. One day every is cool the next day is a nightmare.


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How do you deal with these swings emotionally?


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This is the $64000. Not finding the the answer to do this will cause you a bigger dent in your winrate then anything. Everybody deals with it in there own way. I play down a level form where I probably should, thats gives me the confidence that I am a better player then what I am up against so any down turn is temporary
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tend to play 1 long session during my playing days usually 1700-2300 hands. Should I break my sessions up a bit?

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You know the answer. Personaly I try to break at 500. Thats about the time I lose my focus. Try cutting back to 3 tables. I find the difference between 3 and 4 is huge. The 4th table almost doubles my mental effort.

You seem to know most of answers that you seek already. Act on what you know is the right thing.

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

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so with rake back thats something like $6,000 ?

suck it up

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indeed

yes I make 7.70 cents per hand(32% rakeback) @95 hph -that is $7.31 per table-hour.

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

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Personaly I try to break at 500. Thats about the time I lose my focus. Try cutting back to 3 tables. I find the difference between 3 and 4 is huge. The 4th table almost doubles my mental effort.

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yea I still usually play more than 3 tables. Sometimes I'll play 3-4 6MAX's with 2-4 Full tables. I always feel more relaxed just playing 3 6MAX's but it is very difficult when you see 5 or 6 good full games or short games with chunky pot averages...I like to be in all of them. El Diablo told me to take this tack and cut back on the number of tables but I really have not done that.

I also like the 500 hand and take a break idea.

One problem I have is I play multiple limits and not just short but full games also. I guess in a way I need to quarantine myself just to 6MAX if that is what I decide to play and just play 3 tables.

I will try to implement some of these suggestions thnx

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

how big is your bankroll?

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

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This is the $64000 question. Not finding the the answer to do this will cause you a bigger dent in your winrate then anything. Everybody deals with it in there own way

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yes I agree but you cant always step down just because you are having some nasty swings.surely repeated poor sessions I understand but you gotta make a stand and it seems like almost every other day 75+ bigbet intraday swings are the norm. I guess you need to make the proverbial leap of faith and just stay put thru thick and thin.

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

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how big is your bankroll?


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my bankroll is a joke I tallied it up late last week including ING Direct,Neteller and most of my money on EuroBet it's ~54K. I was talking to my Dad early in the week and told how big it had gotten.

I know that's ridiculous I have no excuses I'm just used to winning w/o large dollar swings.

Re: 6MAX Variance -I\'m becoming a manic depressive schizo!
 

With that roll, why aren't you playing 10/20 short yet?

Get over the swings, its part of poker.

If I drop 75BB's in one sitting (which has happened multiple times), I take a break.