Multi-tabling loosing streak - Page 4

BigBaitsim (milo) · #31 08-09-2004, 09:35 AM

For the most part, I agree with you, but having looked at a graph randomly generated based on my mean and SD, it is possible to drop 200+BB by chance alone. That having been said, most of my downswings have been a combination of random chance and poor play. Anytime I'm down 75BB or more, I assume it's me and start looking for holes. Sometimes I find 'em and sometimes it is just random chance.

boring chris · #32 08-09-2004, 11:51 AM

right now I'm in the midst of a 167BB downswing on party poker (this is my worst downswing ever). i've been 4 tabling at 3/6. It has been a huge hit to my BR, so im gonna take a break for a few days and move down to 2/4 again till I regain my footing. is this the best way to deal with a huge downswing?? can anyone offer other advice?

-chris

BigBaitsim (milo) · #33 08-09-2004, 12:18 PM

If your BR will no longer support 3/6, then yes, you should move down. If not, stay at 3/6, but either way you need to look at your play and try to find holes/leaks. It may just be random variance, but you may also be losing because of bad play. Are you playing scared? Are you trying to win it back and chasing?

The Psychology forum has lots of info on dealing with downswings.

boring chris · #34 08-09-2004, 01:29 PM

A lot of it has been random variance, but I am sure that has resulted in my play becoming slightly worse. Yes, I am playing scared. And in some instances, I am trying to "win it back." I have noticed these flaws and that's why I'm going to take a break.

What is a good BR to support 3/6?

BigBaitsim (milo) · #35 08-09-2004, 01:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
A lot of it has been random variance, but I am sure that has resulted in my play becoming slightly worse. Yes, I am playing scared. And in some instances, I am trying to "win it back." I have noticed these flaws and that's why I'm going to take a break.

What is a good BR to support 3/6?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you are playing often or multitabling, conventional wisdom is that you need 300 BB in your BR, whatever the limit. It is my understanding that pros often keep BRs of more like 500 BB.

Most importantly, you say you are both "playing scared" and "trying to win it back." If this is the case, no BR is sufficient and you need to stop immediately, or drop to a level at which you feel comfortable. I got creamed at the 3/6 and took two weeks off. I've since returned, but play the 2/4 and in a much more healthy manner.

Post in the Psychology forum.

boring chris · #36 08-09-2004, 02:05 PM

cool, thanks for the advice. that's exactly what I was thinking, actually. I started off with a bang at 3/6. my first 15 hours or so were phenomenal (up about 150 BB), and then I had a terrible 5 hour run, and I'm down 50 BB from where I started. I'm going to go back down to 2/4 for a while, and play tight and smart. Thanks again.

-chris

wayabvpar · #37 08-09-2004, 03:10 PM

Review your play. I recently came out of a two month funk where I lost almost every session I played. At first, I wrote it off as a run of bad cards, but it continued. I started playing less often, and was at a loss as to what to do.

Then I got SSHE. After reading the first 50 pages or so, I played again. And starting beating games again. It wasn't so much that SSHE changed my life (it is a great book, but not the focus of my post)- it was just that I had slipped into some bad habits, and a refresher course got me thinking again.

Take a night or two and reread your favorite poker book. Think about how you are playing each hand. If you multi-table, cut back to one table and really pay attention to the decisions you are making. It doesn't take long for a couple of bad habits (ie leaks) to steal any advantage you may have an turn you into a break even or losing player.

stealthcow · #38 08-09-2004, 04:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
cool, thanks for the advice. that's exactly what I was thinking, actually. I started off with a bang at 3/6. my first 15 hours or so were phenomenal (up about 150 BB), and then I had a terrible 5 hour run, and I'm down 50 BB from where I started. I'm going to go back down to 2/4 for a while, and play tight and smart. Thanks again.

-chris

[/ QUOTE ]

This is going to be a total newbie question but what does BB stand for?

BigBaitsim (milo) · #39 08-09-2004, 05:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]

This is going to be a total newbie question but what does BB stand for?

[/ QUOTE ]

Welcome to the boards. Check out the Beginners Forum for these answers (and boatloads of others).

BB = Big Bet (the bets on the turn and river) or Big Blind, depending on context. In this context, it means Big Bet.

Boopotts · #40 08-09-2004, 10:20 PM

"It doesn't take long for a couple of bad habits (ie leaks) to steal any advantage you may have an turn you into a break even or losing player."

I'm not sure I agree with this. Of course, it depends on what the leaks are, but as long as the leak isn't pre-flop it can--and usually does-- take a long, long time for the leak to manifest itself. I've known players who have holes in their post-flop game that have been beating the game for years. They'll eventually come back to Earth, but it could take a while.

The reason most people on these boards suffer through these dramatic downswings is because they overplay their hands. Or at least that's my position. If you insist on three betting early position raisers with pocket 8's, or AJo, I think you can expect to take it in the shorts to the tune of 300-400 BB's every now and then. In the end, limit hold 'em is basically about showing your opponents' the best hand at the showdown. All the rest of it-- the tricky pre-flop manuevers, the semil bluff check raises on the turn, etc.-- ends up wildly increasing your variance while perhaps adding a marginal increase to your profits.