My confidence is now shot.

It's ironic, after the thread I posted yesterday and everyone replying that I didn't a have a good enough bankroll to play the 4/8, warning me that I'd bust out with a significant downswing that was bound to come. That downswing came and I did in fact bustout. It was the combination of two things, not playing my A game but my C- game combined with a night long dryspell of few playable
cards and terrible flops. I got that empty feeling you get when you bustout, felt like I never wanted to play cards again, even threw my poker book I brought along in the trash. I spent the trainride home thinking about how my dreams were dead, I'd never be a good enough poker player, how those first three days of great playing meant nothing if I was just going to lose it all back.

I woke up the next morning with a whole lot more perspective . I don't want to quit playing poker. I love playing too much. But my confidence and enthusiasm have taken major hits. Maybe I was getting overconfident, I was convinced I was now too good player to bust out.

So what now? I'm trying to figure out what to do now. I don't want to take another long break from poker. Maybe I should focus on online poker until I have a big enough bankroll to play the 4/8. Maybe I should start to build my way back up playing sit&go's, smaller ring games (not offered at my casino only online), and a tournament or two with a small buyin fee.

[vexvelour]

I think sng's are a great BR builder.

[ QUOTE ]
I'd never be a good enough poker player

[/ QUOTE ]

..to do what? Try to set realistic goals for yourself.

Sorry about the bust. Take some time off to cool down before you head back. Good luck dude.

I still think I'm a good poker player, just last night I got into a really negative train of thought. Just because I have alot of room for improvement, shouldn't mean that I'll never be a good enough poker player. That's just where my head was at, I was so down on myself that I even threw away the poker book I just bought.

[vexvelour]

I didn't mean that you're not a good enough poker player by my comment. There are lots of people out there, and probably lots on this forum, that set lofty goals for themselves. I just try to keep my playing in perspective and it helps me cope with stuff like this.

It sounds like a discipline problem

[bernie]

Just read the initial thread that was referenced.

[ QUOTE ]
So what now? I'm trying to figure out what to do now

[/ QUOTE ]

You suck it up. You put away the 'tell' books and get some basic books and start at the beginning and learn how the game is really played. Not the TV version.

You have a ways to go if you're thinking of having this as a consistent source of income. So get a book, get involved in the strategy discussions on here, and listen and read what others will try and tell you. Your goal is attainable, but it's time to start out on the right track. The fact that you mentioned your more into the 'tell' part of plays in a cardroom 4-8 game given your experience actually says alot about where you're at. Especially if you haven't really got any other books on the game.

There aren't really any shortcuts. It's hard work. Many good and better players have started where you're at.

b

[krubban]

Get SSH by Ed Miller. Scrape together 300$ to play 05/1 at the party network under an affiliate with rakeback.
Consider this a lesson and NEVER play with an insuffiecient bankroll again.
You said you only started with 65$ so consider it a cheap lesson at that.
If you can't get 300$ to play with then there are other sites with much smaller limits but I'll let others elaborate on that.

[gavrilo]

I just skimmed the other thread, but you need to realize that three days of poker and $400 at 4/8 is really just a drop in the bucket. Losing 50bb is common, every single poster on this forum has these downswings many times over in their lifetime.

I would reccomend reading some books and this forum to get a better understanding of poker(variance and bankroll especially) because no offense it doesn't sound like you really understand it at all.

Once you've done that you could probably start with very little online and do quite well.

I know the below link is a little old, but the content is what is useful, you may have to research a bit in case it's not up to date, but it gets the point across.

building a bankroll

[Jorge10]

[ QUOTE ]
I just skimmed the other thread, but you need to realize that three days of poker and $400 at 4/8 is really just a drop in the bucket. Losing 50bb is common, every single poster on this forum has these downswings many times over in their lifetime.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this 100%.

I think he thought he would just read a book go to the casino and clean house and make as much as he wanted from day 1. Its not that easy, if it was everyone would be a pro. Also 4/8? Seems a little high for a beginner, how about starting at .50/1 online or at least 1/2 online, if you really must play live how about 2/4 or 3/6?

Also everyone goes broke at one point and everyone experiences downswings, its how you handle adversity that separates the long term winners from the long term donators.

[Poldi]

[ QUOTE ]

Also everyone goes broke at one point.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bullshit. No offense.