When Poker Makes You Physically and Mentally Sick

Jeffage · #1 05-18-2005, 09:34 AM

Ok,

This isn't gonna be another whining post...well I'll try not to make it one. But last night, I had the most horrendous night I've EVER had playing poker. I won't bore you with numbers, but this happened at nosebleed limits, limits I wouldn't normally play but have been bc I've ran good at them. It is a pretty solid five figure loss. The thing is, I'm still up a bunch for the year, but I was up TONS before this and the amt of money I blew is making me physically sick this morning. Like, I don't want to work, I just want to get it straight. But I know that's stupid. I just don't know why I persist on [censored] hitting a hammer into a wall when its so obvious it's gonna be a horrendous night. Why not stop before that? It's like...I hate poker today, but I don't. I love it. I mean, it's been good to me. But I feel so horrendous right now. Like...I want to just scream or break a plate or something. Not over getting beat. Been there, done that. Just over my own goddamned stupidity for making a bad night into a catastrophic one when after FIVE MOTHERF**CKING YEARS I SHOULD KNOW BETTER. I DO KNOW BETTER. SO WHY CANT I DO WHAT I KNOW? I'm on 4 hrs sleep, I feel like I'm getting a cold and I'm miserable. I don't think the nosebleed limits are for me. But now going back down is gonna be hard. 30-60 instead of 100-200. But I gotta do it. My sanity is more valuable then money. Any advice? Arg.

Jeff

Rasputin · #2 05-18-2005, 10:08 AM

I'm guessing you should probably take the day off eh?

And next time, don't overreach.

krishanleong · #3 05-18-2005, 10:46 AM

Get a bigger bankroll. Don't take shots unless you can handle the loss.

Krishan

Jeffage · #4 05-18-2005, 10:54 AM

I can handle it financially, just not psychologically. Something about the number. It's more like...why can't I stop for the night when getting killed? This isn't the first time I've done it. But yea, playing that high limit was stupid even though I was doing well at it.

Jeff

deacsoft · #5 05-18-2005, 12:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
It's more like...why can't I stop for the night when getting killed?

[/ QUOTE ]

You're not alone. This is surely one of the main reasons most people are not winning players. They take small wins and huge losses. Why? Beacuse no one wants to be a loser. If even for one night or day. They want to leave the table a winner. So, they play and play and lose more and more. They fail to look at poker as they should. Poker must be thought of and looked at as ONE BIG GAME. It's long-term. It's an anual game or a monthly game or even a lifetime game. The longer the game the more accurate the results. Too many players think of it only as short-term and end up losing players at the end of the year because they're risking hundreds or thousands of dollars to chase a small loss. Losing for a day does not make you a losing player. Manage your bankroll properly and do not chase losses. Good luck to you. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers,

deacsoft

Jeffage · #6 05-18-2005, 12:06 PM

TY Deac. I'm definitely down with what you're saying, I think it's when the loss gets beyond my comfort level that I go off like this. For example, if I drop a few grand at 30-60, I can just go to bed. But this loss was much larger and I couldn't divorce myself from it even in the short term. I think I hit my psychological threshold of no return. I'm not planning brushing that number again anytime soon.

Jeff

Klepton · #7 05-18-2005, 01:02 PM

careful, don't pull a kurosh

or is it pull a leeroy?

at least it's not as bad as this beat:

Hero dealt AA:

ZZZ · #8 05-18-2005, 01:12 PM

Thank you for posting. Seriously. I've been having a career year, and needed a reminder that it can go south quickly if I start chasing loses. No turning 4 digit downswings into 5 digit disasters.

As for your situation, I find going to gym helps after a big loss.

ZZZ

BigBaitsim (milo) · #9 05-18-2005, 01:52 PM

Play within your psychological bankroll. I'm rolled for the 15/30, but stay at 5/10 and a little 10/20. I can drop $500-1000 and be okay, but more than that freaks me out. At 10/20 SH online, a 2K drop will happen, and I'm not ready for that yet, so I stay away.

onegymrat · #10 05-18-2005, 04:11 PM

Hi Jeff,

You experience is uncanny to my experience, except mine was last Saturday night and the limits were MUCH less. You do what you do best, keep your head together and chip away again. Let us not let it get this bad again and learn from it.

If you let it affect you emotionally anymore, then you haven't learned a thing. As for me, I'm ready to get back in it. Good luck. We're all with you.