Horrible Losing Streak

[AtlBrvs4Life]

What does everyone here do when they can't seem to win a SNG? I am on the worst losing streak I have ever been on. Bad beat after bad beat, cards not falling my way, and I think I'm winning something like 20% of coin flips. During my last 20 games, I have one 1st, one 2nd place finish, and 8 4th place finishes. I have lost 13 games in a row. The frustration is beyond belief and I am at the point where I am doubting my own play. One quarter of my bankroll is gone. Has anybody else had such a bad streak?

Edit: Sorry if this seems like I am whining about a bad beat, but after losing a quarter of my bankroll, I had to post about this.

[threeonefour]

Do you play on Pstars? If so I think I have played with you before and from what I have seen you seem like a good player, I have written something to that affect in your notes.

I don't know how big your bankroll is but I have had 10+ straight losses in SNG's as well. it's pretty frustrating, eventually you get the point where you just *know* an Ace will hit everytime you hold KK.

The only advice I can give is to move to a lower limit for awhile until you get your confidence and maybe a bit of your bankroll back too.

good luck to you.

Regards

[durron597]

Stop playing for a while. Last night I couldn't seem to do anything right, made a bunch of stupid mistakes. I wrote down exactly what I think I did wrong and then slept it off. I awoke feeling confident, and took 1 first and 1 second in 3 games.

[AtlBrvs4Life]

I have an account on Poker Stars, but have only played a couple of SNGs there. I play on Party mostly.

[threeonefour]

Maybe I played you at Party.... I dunno... at anyrate streaks happen and they are killer, I suggest changing limits or perhaps even taking a break.

When hold'em goes bad for me I sometimes move to stud or even just chess... It seems to help me seperate my current play from my previous frame of mind

[Eder]

I've just lately been getting out of a prolonged losing streak...my normal ROI of 40-50% had dropped to around 10% for last month or so.

Same as you I was losing all the coin flips,getting bad beats etc. Last week or so I've tightened up like a drum to where I never enter a pot without betting min 3xBB, often seeing only a couple of blinds till level 4. Then I loosen up trying to steal blinds aggresively, pushing over the top with my good hands etc...

Seems to be working as my ROI is back to normal...I think all the bad beats that are inevitable had affected my game to the point I began to play poorly and prolonged my bad streak....getting back to basics has me back on track

[woodguy]

When I went through what you are going through, I printed out a bunch of my hand histories and went through them with a fine tooth comb.

Found my most common mistakes and put "sticky notes" on my computer screen to remind me of my common leaks and the pitfalls that I like to jump into.

Really helped.

I also tighten up to rock-like status and made a pile of 3rds in a row (hitting the $$$ with no stack), then I seemed to get back on track better than ever.

Also, with 43,000 a night on Party, some of the play is down right horrid in the levels I play ($30/$50). This can cause some of the bad beats to seem worse.

When you get sucked out by a so-so play it hurts a little, when you get sucked out by an abomination of humanity play it hurts alot.

Take breaks when you feel anger, poker is a social/science, and sometimes it helps to play more like scientist and leave the emotions in the drawer. (way easier said than done)

It will improve.

regards,
woodguy

[eastbay]

I am going through something similar right now. I've been shown more aces in the past week than I usually see in six months. Every time I come up with a hand, I run up against AA. It's uncanny.

You are not alone. Play tight. Play straightforwardly. Don't be impulsive or start switching it up to try to break out, because it will likely just make things worse.

Move down if your bankroll needs it.

eastbay

[Cosimo]

[ QUOTE ]
During my last 20 games, I have one 1st, one 2nd place finish, and 8 4th place finishes. I have lost 13 games in a row.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had 13 out-of-money in a row, and a string of seven games, 1 2nd, 1 out, and 5 3rds. +ROI, but it sucked to get 3rd so much. I also hate blowing big chip leads on 2-outers. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Playing about 25 hours a week 3-tabling broke me of frustration over bad beats, though. I go to bed when I'm tired, and each day I can't wait to get home and try again. However, I do think that I'm a bad player. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] My holes are obvious, too: I'm playing weak-tight and too passive, as a result of getting sucked out on too much. Knowing that, I still sometimes make the same mistakes.

Do, indeed, doubt your play--just don't play scared. Spend time reviewing hands. After some discipline, I grab the HH from every hand that I play poorly, then spend the next day reviewing those hands.

As AleoMagus has pointed out in a recent thread, it takes a huge amount of SNGs before your results starts to settle down around your expectation.

[AtlBrvs4Life]

Well I just finished the day down 13 total buy-ins. I should have quit when the bullshit started happening just like it was yesterday. I think I will be taking a break for a few days to cool down from this.