Whiffing for a complete session

[Analyst]

I recently played a short session at the local club while waiting to get my car fixed. Turned out to be the most expensive brake job I'll ever get.

The session went for about 1 and an quarter hours, or roughly 50 hands, and I didn't win a single pot. If I win an average share of pots, assuming an 8-handed game then the odds of this are

0.875^50=0.126%, or about 1 in 800

Granted, this was a very short run (would have been longer if I'd been carrying more cash - it was a very soft game) but anyone else have a session with zero pots?

[Lost Wages]

I recently had a 6 hour live stretch without winning a pot. I've had many online sessions where my first pot came after 100+ hands. Concentrate on playing correctly and don't worry about the short run.

Lost Wages

[worm33]

I had a 5 hour live stretch once where I didnt win a pot

[bonanz]

1.5 hours is not that bad, although any noticable stretch of time without winning a pot is rough. I've been through some long stretches and it sucks! when i begin to notice the amount of time its been usually means time to go eat.

bonanz

[Garland]

If you're playing tight and aggressive, like I imagine you are, you may not even play a hand in 1 and a half hours, especially if there are preflop raises. Trust me, it happens to me all the time.

Garland

[Analyst]

[ QUOTE ]
If you're playing tight and aggressive, like I imagine you are, you may not even play a hand in 1 and a half hours, especially if there are preflop raises. Trust me, it happens to me all the time.

Garland

[/ QUOTE ]

If only that had been the problem - you won't win with 72o, but you won't lose much either. I've had sessions as you describe, where I've only seen the turn twice in 2 1/2 hours but came out a winner.

This time, though - I had AQo, AKs and 99 in the first orbit alone, and a number of other premium hands after that, making for a very expensive session. Flopped a lot of solid draws that kept me in the pot, yet only made one (broadway on the turn, losing to a runner-runner 1 card flush). It was a great table, and I had probably the worst 20-40 player in the club to my immediate right, but it was just one of those days.

[Analyst]

What made it particularly bad is that earlier in the week I went close to 2 hours before winning my first pot - in my last orbit at the table. Left in grand style, though still well behind, holding KTs, flopping KKT, turn was the case K. And 2 people ahead of me bet the turn!

[Analyst]

[ QUOTE ]
I recently had a 6 hour live stretch without winning a pot. I've had many online sessions where my first pot came after 100+ hands. Concentrate on playing correctly and don't worry about the short run.

Lost Wages

[/ QUOTE ]

6 hours?!? Yikes! How'd you hold out that long?

[Lost Wages]

I actually didn't lose much more than the blinds. I didn't take a single hand to the river and only made it to the turn a couple of times. Nothing but junk cards and then when I did get a decent hand, I missed the flop. Mostly, it was just boring.

Much worse is when you flop a lot of good draws and keep missing. You can be down a bunch in a hurry.

The important thing in either case is to not let it affect your play. Be objective, if you know that you played correctly but the cards just didn't fall then no worries.

Lost Wages

[GuyOnTilt]

Hey Analyst,

Forget about short-term fluctuations like this. I had a live session once where I went over 2 downs without seeing a flop, played one hand, and then went another 2+ downs without getting a playable situation. Things like this simply don't matter at all. You don't lose money when you play a good session and end up down; get that out of your head. You make your hourly rate for whatever game you're in every hour you're being dealt in. Learn to think of your wins and losses and profit that way and you'll be able to focus more of your attention and energy on your game and, as a result, you'll be a better player.

GoT