Frustration
 

Im in the middle of some kind of funk and would like some ideas of what to do.

About 6-8 weeks ago I started playing $5/$10 NL full time. I played for about a month and did ok. I was playing the best poker of my life but got very unlucky in several big hands. For example...I lost 5 set over sets in 3 days. So my win rate was only so so but I was playing very well.

I wasnt happy with the fact that I had to search high and low to get 3-4 $5/$10 full rging tables going, so I went back to $2/$4 for a while.

At that point, I went on a run of playing horribly. I dont know what came over me but I was bluffing like a maniac and it wasnt working. It was like someone had taken control of my mouse hand. I would raise all in knowing full well I was behind but I couldnt stop myself.

So I took a short break and decided to move all the way back down to $1/$2NL until I got back to form. I won 5-6 buy ins in about 3 days and I was just about to move back to $2/$4 when the next streak started. This time it was a one of those streaks where nothing happens.

I cant get a hand, and when I do, nobody had anything. Its been the most boring streak of my life. Nothing but small pots and breaking even for days on end.

Im now at about 6500 hands of break even poker. Since re-starting back at $1/$2, Ive got 10K hands with a win rate of 4.3PTBBs which is not much more than half my normal win rate for those stakes.

I have no idea how Ive gone from playing $5/$10NL and playing great to being in a total funk playing $1/$2 NL.

This is the 1st time that I havent even felt like playing. Any ideas? Loosen up and play more hands to create action? Tighten up and play more aggressively (not sure thats possible).

Change games for a while? I'll take any idea you can throw at me. Im bankrolled to play anything up to $10/$20NL so thats not an issue.

Re: Frustration
 

Maybe the problem is with your thinking. Maybe you are too eager to pull a profit and move up. Maybe you just need some patience.

Play a limit you are comfortorable, that you can afford, and that is meaningful to you. Slow down, take it one hand at a time and try to play your best game. See if maybe you're not playing as well as you think you are either.

In poker sometimes you're going to lose. Just... let it be what it is. Don't worry about the money, worry about playing good poker.

I play very well when Im not concerned with the money, but as soon as I get attached to it I drop in skill levels badly.

Answers lay in your mind and heart more then anywhere else.

And, sorry for the "Zennish" post. But I think its the best advice I can give.

Re: Frustration
 

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe the problem is with your thinking. Maybe you are too eager to pull a profit and move up. Maybe you just need some patience.

Play a limit you are comfortorable, that you can afford, and that is meaningful to you. Slow down, take it one hand at a time and try to play your best game. See if maybe you're not playing as well as you think you are either.

In poker sometimes you're going to lose. Just... let it be what it is. Don't worry about the money, worry about playing good poker.

I play very well when Im not concerned with the money, but as soon as I get attached to it I drop in skill levels badly.

Answers lay in your mind and heart more then anywhere else.

And, sorry for the "Zennish" post. But I think its the best advice I can give.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I was eager to just make a profit and move up, I wouldnt be playing $1/$2 NL with a $52,000 bankroll would I?

Re: Frustration
 

be happy you aren't losing.

and maybe find a new job if winning less or breaking even for a little while is causing you this much concern.

Re: Frustration
 

[ QUOTE ]
be happy you aren't losing.

and maybe find a new job if winning less or breaking even for a little while is causing you this much concern.

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont play for a living. I have a real job.

Since I started playing about 3 years ago, Ive won 77% of every day Ive played.

Before this bad streak that Ive described started, I had had 2 losing weeks in the past year and I had never had a losing month..EVER....so I cant be happy that Im not losing. Im used to winning. I get your point though.

This all may just be variance. I have had a 10K hand breakeven streak before so maybe this is just another one. Its tough to take when you used to winning consistently though.

The winning stats I just listed are mostly from $200NL where my edge over the other players is quite big. I know I cant win that consistently in bigger games when my edgde is smaller (or even dissappears), but I would think I should be winning again fairly easily since I moved back down to get back on track. Thats what worries me. Im not winning like I used to, even down here.

Re: Frustration
 

Well, you've passed one test. You're able to drop down when things arent going great. That puts you ahead of a lot of players (many skillful ones) who'll just move up to get it back and go broke.

Be proud of your discipline. Stop whining. Keep your chin up. Stick your chest out. Handle it.

Re: Frustration
 

Playing well through a horrible downswing is the biggest skill test a poker player can face.

Play through it. I WILL end! Keep doing what you are doing and make sure that every hand you play is played exactly the way it should.

Re: Frustration
 

The biggest mistake you have made so far was thinking 6500 hands of break-even was a huge cause for concern.

There will be stretches like this. Grind through them. Taking a day or two off to play a different game might help.

Re: Frustration
 

do you play any poker games beside NLHE?
just play something else... there are a zillion lower/middle limit poker games on the net all the time...
if you dont know how to other games/structure, learn... playing 10handed NLHE games gets very very boring sometimes.

Re: Frustration
 

[ QUOTE ]
The biggest mistake you have made so far was thinking 6500 hands of break-even was a huge cause for concern.

There will be stretches like this. Grind through them. Taking a day or two off to play a different game might help.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree for the most part. Its just that this streak is coming off the other streak where I played like a moron in the $2/$4 game which is what caused me to move down to $1/$2 to get back on track.

Im grinding away and hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel soon. I got set over setted in a raised pot last night and then flopped the wrong end of a str8 with 87s in a raised pot today...UGH!

I was able to get the money back and broke even for the sessions, but it just added another severla 100 hands of break even play. Blah