Playing less during a down swing, smart or stupid?

[steamboatin]

I am in a minor down swing at the B&M (33 BB at $5-10 holdem over two sessions)pretty sure it is normal variance and I am noticing a lot more suckouts while playing online. I am not on a down swing online, not running great but just average.

I noticed I am playing less online today and tonight and I was curious if you feel that you are running bad, is limiting your play time smart or stupid?

[Gatts]

I see no point in stopping if it isn't affecting your play.

If it is, of course, it's a different story.

[jimymat]

You cant run from it. Do what ever feels right. As far as the suck outs it seems like you want to be in games where there chasing your made hands. I had some guy tonight call my all in bet with a flush draw, he hit it, I cried, and moved on. Theres an abundance of dumb asses that draw out on anything online now. I hate it but what can you do? Flop your hand pump the pot to knock out the smarter players and let the drawers chase it. Over time they will lose. For now it seems like they beat you every time and we cant get our draws to hit for anything. I just cashed out $5000 today on my $50 investment from 2 months ago so I figure Im doing something right. Sucks when your running bad though. If I were you Id keep playing. Work through it. No other choice as far as Im concerned.

[the_rookie]

I agree that if the downswing is effecting your game you should quit. But if the cards are just [censored] you over, and your calm enough to play winning poker then continue on.

I'm going to have to quit for a day after having 2-3 bad sessions in a row. Down about 100BB total. I know it wasn't my bad play, but bad cards. The last straw was when my set got crushed by a rivered quads. (1-outer) [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] Profanites were flying every which way, but hey it happens. Damn variance [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

Good luck on digging yourself out of your downswing.

[steamboatin]

Maybe I should have mentioned that I am primarily a recreational player.

[CountDuckula]

If it really is variance, there's no reason to quit. It will even out. If it's tilt, it's time to step back and take a break.

-Mike

[Irishfly]

Yesterday, QQ vs slowplayed KK twice in a row, two stacks gone in NL. Spent 2 hours reading here and came back to about $60 ahead for the day (from -$300). Those beats threw me off and I was playing poorly until I spent some time here.

Today, KK sucked out by A2s flopped straight, overset....twice, and someone's overcards that turned a gutshot and caught (to beat a set). Analyzed my play and was still playing correctly. Grabbed a Diet Dr. Pepper, sat down and grinded it out. Went from -$225 to +$361 when three guys didn't catch. One thing that I have learned from this Psy-ops forum is to play right and let nothing affect you. If you do, be smart enough to notice it and take a break. If I am still playing well and in a good game, I have no problem staying with it. If the rotten luck is affecting my play, I have no problem getting up. Key is noticing.

Your mileage may vary,

D

[bigfishead]

Hell I went down about 85 Big bets 4 tabling today. Tons of suckouts, sets crushed etc. It's at times like these I back off. It is too easy to think one is playing well when they in fact start missing cues and throw 1-2 bets into pots when they normally wouldnt.

More often I think we begin making bad plays when we have been run down a bunch over a short period of time. Step back away. Re-examine. take a day off.

[MicroBob]

i agree fishhead.
If you feel you are off your game then take a break.
But there's a very fine line between doing that and trying to run-away from variance so one needs to be careful imo.


we have threads on whether to stop when one is running bad....and we have threads on whether to stop when one is running good (to 'book' a win).

If you do both (which I have been known to do on occasion) you are essentially just making excuses and are only succeeding in limiting the amount of hands you play.

Sometimes these excuses/reasons are good ones. Other times they are not.

[steamboatin]

I drove about seven hours through really crappy weather yesterday and in hindsight, that probably had more to do with not playing and this post than the downsing.

Normally, I congratulate the other players for hitting their miracle card on the river, because I want to encourage that behavior. If you suck at poker and you are sitting at my table, I am your friend.

Last session at the B&M I sat down short stacked, only $120 at $4-8. I had finished my Christmas shopping and for some reason didn't get any more cash from the ATM. The normal ebb and flow of chips can eat up $120 at $4-8, downswing or not and when I hit the felt, I didn't buy more chips to complete my standard buyin (20 BB minimum). I just went home. It was late and I thought the weather was going to get bad.

I have a million excuses for leaving but the bottom line was, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

(I didn't drive 7 hours through crappy weather and then play cards, my most recent live session was Tuesday, before the weather hit.) Parts of Southern Indiana are under a state of emergency and many of the roads and some sections of the Interstate are closed.