Pros, what's your biggest downswing?

[Peter_rus]

I have one swing of 350BB at 15/30 full, one around 250BB at 15/30 6max, and a couple of 100-150 swings after 340K of my lifetime online hands. Both big streaks have length of around 10K hands.

[Lestat]

<font color="red"> I don't think it's possible to have a 600BB downswing with a VPIP&lt;19ish </font>

Did you mix your signs up? You don't think it's possible to have a 600BB downswing with a vpip GREATER than 19%?

I've been reading through some past posts and I'm pretty astounded that some people on here seem to be are more opposed to playing too tightly than too loose. Why is that? I understand that if you're opponents are really bad you can and should play a few more hands, but I've never in my life heard or read anything which implies that you can't beat a game by playing too tight (before the flop! I know several live game players who can't beat a game because they are too weak/tight after the flop). I'm a very tight preflop player, but believe I play competently after the flop. My vpip is a little over 15%. Am I supposed to believe that this is my major malfuntion?

600 BB downswing from a good player with a 3/100 edge? I have a real hard time getting that to compute. Then again, I'm having a hard time getting my 300BB downswing to compute. Edge must drop like a rock online while standard deviation goes through the roof. A good live player could play his whole life without ever coming close to a 600 big bet downswing. I can tell you that I am thoroughly humbled.

[Lestat]

Thank you for sharing. Can I ask what your standard deviation is per 100 hands? I believe mine is awfully low at around 13.5 big bets per 100. My live game standard deviation is also low at less than 9 big bets per hour. But I attribute this to my hand reading abilities. I do NOT read hands nearly as good online so I can't figure out why my SD is so low.

[Lestat]

<font color="red"> No matter what I did, I couldn't log a winning session. No good feeling to know that you're gonna loose when you start a game. </font>

You have described my current state in a nutshell. It's not entirely foreign to me. I've had nightmare stretches in live games that I wouldn't wish on a dog. But I've never seen a stretch of such brutal beats both in their nature and sheer frequency as I am currently experiencing online. Before this, I thought I'd seen it all. But I am humbled. I honestly did this was mathematically possible.

[Tommy Angelo]

To assume that your winning results at live poker would carry over to online is like a champion tennis player assuming he would be great at ping-pong.

[Peter_rus]

My variance around 18.5 at 15/30 full and was around 20.5 at 15/30 6 max.

Please note that variance isn't only parameter that influences length and deep of swing. More meaningfull parameter is your bb/100. If you have variance of 13 and ev of 0.5 you can face more tremendous downstreak that i would with higher both EV and variance.

[Lestat]

Thanks for responding. I hope I didn't give the impression that I'm some sort of snob. Even in live play, I don't take anything for granted. However, I don't quite get (read: agree), with your analogy.

While tennis and table tennis seem similar, there are different physical properties at work. So not only are there adjustments to be made from one game to the other, there is also the need to understand two distinct theories of how physics affect each game differently.

While it's plainly obvious there are many adjustments needed to go from successful live poker play to online, I don't quite get how the theory is any different. In theory, poker theory should not change just because your opponents are now online instead of live. So you have to adjust, yes. But do I also need to learn a new form of poker theory? Of course, much of this is tongue-in-cheek. I do understand what you're trying to say.

[hogger]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a buddy that beats the games for around 3BB/100 for over 500k hands. He once had a 600 BB downswing.


[/ QUOTE ]

This may sound odd to some people, but this makes sense. He is obviously a good player, and is probably playing more hands than the average 2+2er (but turning them into winners). This increases both his EV and his fluctuations. I'd be curious to see what his VPIP is. I bet it is 21+.

I don't think it's possible to have a 600BB downswing with a VPIP&lt;19ish (assuming the person is beating the game pretty well).

Anyone have thoughts on this? - Jags

[/ QUOTE ]

less variance doesn't mean it won't happen. My vp is 17 - I am on a bad swing

[URMeowed]

As George Carlin puts it, tennis is ping pong while standing on the court.

Meow.

[Turning Stone Pro]

I suffered a 450BB losing streak last summer, and am trying to work my way out of a 350BB losing streak now. Maybe tonight it will all turn around for me.

TSP