Questions on downswings

[sourbeaver]

I'm in the midst of a solid downswing these days, but one thing gets to my nerve more than the downswing itself.

I'm not losing money because of bad beats, or little at that.

The bad run seems more subtle, and I wonder if others have also experienced this for a relatively extended period of time.

Basically, my big hands never get called (never get to showdown anyway). Be it flopped nuts or sets, even in raised pots. I haven't taken someone's stack, literally, when I was ahead in a long while (I'd approx that to 5-7k hands).

On the other side of things, when I get action, it seems I always have the 2nd best hand (those of you who know me a little will agree that I'm not used to doing that, lol [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]).

There are some luck factors I have already isolated in my PT database, which I know are variance. I'd just like to know if the other stuff can also be counted in as variance. This particular kind of downswing has not happened to me for more than a few hours in a day at once, but now it's going on for a while, so I thought, why not do a check-up on that, y'know how it goes [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Thanks in advance

[-Skeme-]

Yeah. I went through a long period where if I ever got action on Aces or Kings, I was crushed. I also repeatedly got Aces or Kings in one of the blinds or UTG, always OOP. It sucked. I'm running meh right now, so it seems to have gone away.

I'd attribute this to variance.

[AllIn3High]

That's a downswing for ya. Big hands winning small pots, making 2nd best hands all the time, not hitting flops, continuation bets seem to always get called etc.... These streches are variance, keep playing your normal game and it'll end.

During periods like this I sometimes drop down / switch to full / play PLO for some time. It doesn't help but it takes my mind somewhat off it.

Just play through it.
Good luck.

Post some stats? Maybe you're tightening up too much since you've been running bad, which would naturally lead to your monsters losing a lot of value.

Another tactic that I've found helpful is table hopping relatively frequently, based on a couple considerations. If you've been getting crap cards for several orbits, people are going to notice you suddenly waking up, so leave. If the average pot starts plummeting, leave, etc etc. I've found that people give you less credit for what you have if they don't know your style of play very well and it has lead to many of my double ups. However this tactic may not be correct if used with any real frequency, it's just another option to take if you're running out of ideas.

Hope this helps,

[TheWorstPlayer]

When I'm on a downswing, I find myself paying off way too much, particularly large bets. Even if it's heads up, they rarely make moves. You can usually still safely fold TPTK to a big raise. I have been stacked so much by sets heads up lately it's sick. Which I know is variance. But I shouldn't be paying them off. Make sure you're not calling more than you used to.

[sourbeaver]

I'd say the problem (problem might not be the right term here) lies more in the fact that I'm raising more than I used to, and not getting called [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

And there's no way these guys have me pegged as uber-tight in the first 2-3 orbits .. not guys w 50-80 VPIP anyway [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

edit: I can recall a few loose calls though, you are right, playing sheriff isn't good.

[jjb108]

Does this sound familiar. Called in 3 places with QQ or JJ or KK. An A flops...

Premium pair hand in position...flop gives flush draw. Turn brings str8 draw. River completes both. Opponent wakes up on river.

Your stack just continues to bleed away.

review your play - if you played OK and just got unlucky then do not worry - it is a game of variance - upswings and downsings - when I moved up from 25 to 50 NL I hit a run of bad luck and lost 19 Buy-ins in a week and half.......
in that time I got my money in when I had at least a 5% advantage 85% of the time!!!
I had every sort of bad beat possible... Ace high flush beat by str8 flush or runner runner boat - boats beat by quads...
at one stage there was a run where i hit a str8 and then got flushed 7 times in a row (str8s that is)...
and so on....
if you are playing well - it means it is just 'variance' play good and it will swing the other way ....
(I had 10 winning sessions in a row on PP after that bad run.....)

[sourbeaver]

That's the thing, it's hard to determine whether I'm playing well or not. I'll be behind on big hands which turn out to be 2nd best hands, and since I'm playing aggro, I'm usually the one putting the money in. Or a seamingly harmless card falls off (not a str8 or flush card) and I bet my good hand and that card has somehow helped the opponent and I find myself giving my stack away once again.

[Kirkrrr]

A lot ot times when I take a beat that makes me yell out loud "You gotta be [censored] shitting me!!!" I will not rebuy or top off, just play a short stack until I'm sure that the beat (or miserably failed bluff) did not effect my game. There's also the "switch" phenomenon: you're playing your 'A' game, steadily accumulating chips like usual... then all of a sudden someone flips a switch, and everything goes wrong at once on every table... know what I'm talking about? ...when that happens, I'm done with the session as I know that there's no way I can maintain my normal focus after dropping 150BB in >10 minutes.

My point is, play for as long as you think you're playing well. If you notice yourself getting frustrated and then trying to overcome yourself as well as your opponents, go on break for an hour or two. That may help.

Kirk