Downswing - Page 3

MaxPower · #21 08-18-2005, 05:05 PM

It sounds like you are reading my mail.

The ones I find most interesting are
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6) I feel uninspired to play poker and seek companionship outside of poker in terms of spending time with loved ones.
7) I engage in other non-poker playing activities that I used to enjoy before playing poker.

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Its amazing how satisfying my life was before I played poker online.

Danenania · #22 08-18-2005, 05:07 PM

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Its amazing how satisfying my life was before I played poker online.

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If you aren't joking then you should quit. No amount of money is worth an unhappy life.

MAxx · #23 08-18-2005, 05:30 PM

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So, I am on a downswing right now, not a huge downswing but it is still one.

Here is what is happening to me psychologically:

1) I feel reluctant to play the game I usually play which is at the edge of my comfort bankroll. i start to feel this but I fight it...sometimes I might get a little later start via procrastination but i try and fight this feeling as i realize its garbage 
2) I am apt to become frustrated more quickly when playing, both when simply losing money or when losing money I have won in a session. I start to feel this way and then I try and beat back with a stick and remind myself what is really going on. It rarely effects my play. 
3) I am more likely to quit a good game just to book a win to avoid feeling bad. Ive done this before, but I feel quilty for being a bitch if I do...so I rarely do it. I stop playing mainly because its time to goto bed, or I am tired of playing, or have some other stuff to do. I try not to quit if I am mopping it up or getting beat silly. I am almost always playing equally well (relative to my own skill level). 
4) I am much more aware of how other players who play better than me are playing, and I am much more open and receptive to making changes in my game based on how I see the players I view as the better players are playing. I mostly see how certain players do certain things really well and some things really poorly. Most players are not that well-rounded IMO. 
5) I am feel humbled and not as if I am one of the best poker players on 2+2. On an upswing, I feel as if I am one of the best players on here. I feel like I pretty damn good reguardless of shortterm results, but I cannot say 2+2 elite. 
6) I feel uninspired to play poker and seek companionship outside of poker in terms of spending time with loved ones. I always feel like I need to maintain a health dose of companionship, and try and leave the table at the table. Works very well most of the time. 
7) I engage in other non-poker playing activities that I used to enjoy before playing poker. Not so much here. It's still poker. I havent played videogames or watched TV regularly since I started playing. No change wether I run goot or bad. 
8) I consider multitabling a smaller limit but never actually do it. Funny, I actually thought about this last night. I won't do this b/c the comparable winrates are not close enough to the true winrates (because of sample size issues) to really get a good comparison. I also know that, provided the right bankroll... the money is up the limits and not down....longterm anyway. 
9) I play lower stakes games which are not my main game, including omaha hi/lo, stud and no-limit hold 'em. Used to play tourneys, but this wasn't the reason. I stick to my main game. 
10) I am more likely to seriously review my hands after a session to see where I felt like I made mistakes, rather than give a cursory examination. Not really so much here, more of what kind of time I have available and my ambition level....not really related to recent results. 
11) I write in my poker journal more. I started taking some notes when moving up to 10/20, but I find I take better notes early on than towards the end of a session. Results don't really dictate, more about laziness.
12) I play very short hit and run sessions, and only play when I am feeling completely amped up and ready to attack the table. I almost always am looking forward to playing, becuase i enjoy it and i like money. I am pretty evenkeeled anyway, but I don't really get amped up that often. 
13) I philosophize about poker more. I do this alot reguardless 
14) I feel bad for myself. Not really, sometimes I admit that I start to question that I am a good player... but then I remind myself that I am and I base that on what I see from my opponents, how much I have improved since day one, and my longer term results... then I tell myself that I am money and quit being silly...and then I am soon OK with that 
15) I am more likely to speak to people at the table when playing live, I think for a sense of comraderie. Losing is lonely. I don't play live, but I suspect that I wouldnt say that much at the table because I dont talk all that much in general anyway. 
16) I pursue my spiritual practices more intensely.
 No effect 
I'm not sure what the point of this post is.
 you are trying to deal with a downswing in a positive way, rather than being irrational 
I think the best thing that happens to my poker game is going through a downswing.

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 Downswings come, I just remind myself they are part of the deal. Continue being positive and proud fight valiently and not succumb to tilt or bitchen. That's the aim, but everyone slips at least occasionally. Somthing to shoot for with great effort though.

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It's a Cold World, Baby Girl

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-MAxx

arkady · #24 08-18-2005, 05:32 PM

good stuff rory.

I do #3 and #12 ALL THE TIME now. It's actually horrible, but I can't stop it.

Oh it just occured to me now, that the primary reason for that happening is another very important reason you listed. My resilience is way done...call it poker stamina. I would guess that it is at its all time low now so a few bad beats and I am down for the count. Think of it as a prized fighter after a huge fight, swollen and bruised. Not bleeding yet, but one more hit and that cut will open.