Struggling =(

[95Aero]

I started playing online poker about 9 months ago and up until two months ago I steadily went plus with minor downswings every now and then, won about $3500 - up until 2 months ago when I hit the biggest downswing ever of close to 200 BB in 3/6 and 2/4, I understand that this happen so I keep playing but it never seem to turn around. I've dropped all the way back to 1/2 from 3/6 because my bankroll is fading away and my downswing is following me.

I even struggle _more_ in 1/2 than I did in 2/4 because even though we all love people calling with just about anything - they still seem to snitch every pot from me. And when I do hit a set, someone catches a better set on the river and so forth.

How do you deal with this in the best way? I try to tell myself to just keep plugging away and that things will turn around - but 2 months feels like a very long time.

Regards,
95

[blaze666]

yeah, me too. i hate that. i have been doing that recently, down, and i keep saying it will turn around soon. in my case it probabaly will, i have only been down for 2 weeks.

[steamboatin]

The problem is, just because you have won for 7 months in a row, doesn't mean you are a winning player. It makes me think you might be a winning player but it is highly possible that you just ran good in the beginning.

In the short term your results have little to do with, wether or not you play winning poker. There is just too much variance in the short term.

I have been playing poker for about three years and I just finished losing eight out of my last nine sessions of live play. I am in the middle of taking two weeks off from live poker. I am using this time to study and to analyze my play and to make sure that I am playing properly.

I would suggest that a couple weeks off and some serious study might be good for your game also.

[purnell]

My evolving standard answer:

It sounds like you have been "running bad".

It happens. There is nothing you can do to "change your luck".

You will play better if you feel good (but not intoxicated). Do something that makes you feel good.

[95Aero]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I am aware that there is a chance that I'm not playing winning poker and it is the feeling of knowing that which is making me struggle through this session. I am doing what I can to ensure that I do play sensible and I review my statistics in PT quite often.

I play tight and agressive and I try not to chase few outs when odds aren't right, I've got Ed Millers book that I've read a couple of times for small stakes play (along with a couple of other books).

What do you recommend I study, any suggestions? I am open for all suggestions - I'd also like to find a good read about the psychology of poker, how to deal mentally with the game not to get too affected by short term luck and bad luck.

Finally, how many hands could be considered a decent long term period? I've logged around 50K hands so far.

Regards,
95

[steamboatin]

You should read The Psychology of Poker by DR. Al Shoonmaker, buy it right here on two plus two and Inside the Poker Mind by John Feeney also available here.

50,000 hands should be a good sample so if Poker Tracker says you are a winner after 50K hands, odds are good that you are a winner.

[95Aero]

Thanks for the advice, I'll get that one - title sounds like what I'm after =)

My figures are 62287 logged hands including 0.5/1 --> 3/6 (but I only did about 1500 hands at 3/6 which is just when it started to go down hill)

BB/100 = 2.19 (with a total profit of $2486)

Are 20K hands "downswings" common? I'd be interested to hear how other players deal with downswings of this sort and how it has affected their play - good and bad.

Regards,
95

[steamboatin]

If you are on a 20K downswing and still beating the game for more than 2 BB per 100, then you were maintaining a very high (probably unsustainable win rate) and this just might be your win rate approaching a more normal and hopefully sustainable rate.