How do you deal with losing streaks online?

[richrf]

May I ask which site you normally play on? Thanks.

[waffle]

There is no such thing as withdrawing to protect your winnings unless you give up poker forever. The only thing that matters is your hourly rate multiplied by hours played.

[adamstewart]

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How do you deal with losing streaks online?


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Answer: question your play.


I would say this to anyone. In your case, I think it's especially applicable, though.

First, you seem to be "expecting" to lose now, and that type of mentality will not show profitable results in poker.

Second, if you don't even know the basics of bankroll management, I think you must have many, many, many areas of your *game* that need improvement. Like all of us, you aren't as good a player as you think you are. (Don't take this the wrong way, I'm only trying to offer objective advice).


That said, if you're just playing "for fun," so be it. If you'd like to improve, however, ...... start listening.

Adam

[bigmac366]

what your not understanding is that poker is a long term game. the whole concept of "protecting" your winnings is silly. sure you could apply it to craps or slots, but you cant beat those games, so walking away ahead is good. you never hear a stock broker talk about protecting his winnings do you? of course not, if he sells shares that have done well for him, he immediately reinvests in the next profitable opportunity. you need to look at poker the same way. also consider that the 6-max games are by nature a high variance game, and you should probably have more than 200bb's to play them without a high ROR. consider not letting your bankroll drop below 1K. i think you will have better results. good luck at the tables.

[lefty rosen]

One word of advice have more than 200 in your account, especially if you multitable. Bad beats come in waves. Don't cashout on hot streaks, cold streaks sneakup on you over night. Other than that play solid and beat the dufuses...... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[lefty rosen]

Damn your wife has your ass whipped! [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[mcozzy1]

Invest a little cash in PokerTracker. That gives you a great basis to examine your game.

Like Greke said, the long run is a long time. I'm in the midst of my worst run ever. It's less than 175 BBs, but it's over a period of 8 tabling every day for 10 days for 8 hours a day. I just keep thinking it has to end soon, but it keeps going on.

One of the things that gives me the confidence to play through the streak is that I've used PokerTracker (as well as posting hands in the small stakes forum) during past losing streaks. I know that I'm playing very good poker now. There's just nothing you can do about people turning 2 outers or rivering 5 outers.

You need to commit some money to poker. Deposit an amount of money that you won't ever need to withdraw. If you're playing $1/2, let your bankroll get over $2000 before you think about a withdrawal.

Don't get too emotionally high over the good sessions and don't get too low over the bad sessions. It's all one big, long session.

[Go Blue]

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May I ask which site you normally play on? Thanks.


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Yep, I play on party mostly, but occassionally on stars. This is for two reasons: First, that my credit cards don't actually get declined there and second, that most of my deposits come from transfers (from people who only play on party).

Anyway, that's why I can't really switch stakes, they have to be gay and only offer 6 max tables at the $1/2 level.

(By the way, Go Blue is not my ID on party.)

[Rudbaeck]

Later on you mention that you play 6-max alot. This means you need an even bigger bankroll than for full ring.

Now there are alot of misconceptions about bankroll sizing floating around in this thread. A static roll of 300BB isn't enough. A static roll of 500BB isn't enough. If you play long enough a static roll of 1000BB isn't going to be enough.

The fact of the matter is that your bankroll has to grow. The old rule of thumb that 300BB is a decent roll is almost correct. What's actually meant is that 300BB is a good starting roll for a solidly winning player who reinvests every single penny won in his roll.

Here you can read about how to calculate your bankroll requirements. Notice that win rate isn't your true win rate, but the amount of your winnings that is continously reinvested in your roll.

The idea is that the roll will grow fat enough before you have one of the horrible massive downswings that happens to us all before or later.

'Every player goes broke' probably comes from lots and lots of professionals having a static roll of 300BB.

[latz]

havent read other posts because i am sleepy.
I do this for a living.
You do it for fun.
You play like ur having fun, u indulge tilt, u don't study, u don't build a bankroll, u play limits ie 1-2 without the right amount of money behing u- at least $500 to handle the swings.
Im sure someone told u to read the pokermind book by the guy that writes here. U should. It will help, but imo recreational players never can really understand or learn to deal with the swings, that is THE BIGGEST thing that makes a pro a pro. I played online 2 wks ago in about a $300-600 game and lost over 200 BB in 3 days. I felt sick, but nothing compared to when i lost my first $1000 playing 5-10 when it was my whole "bankroll".
My cure for u- and i wish someone gave me this advice 5yrs ago and i followed it- is to start with a full bankroll- 300BB. Play whatever limit u can afford. Study. Track ur results. Pay attention to how u are playing and learn to recognize when ur making mistakes. Leave the money on site and move up in limits when u have the money to do it.
You like poker as a hobby, u sound intelligent, if u work on tilt issues and stay bankrolled there is no reason poker couldn't be a very lucrative part time hobby. But u have to treat it seriously.
If ur not going to, then just play with money u can afford to lose and try to enjoy the ride.