1st heavy hit at bankroll, advice requested

ChicagoTroy · #1 09-08-2004, 05:06 PM

While I won't go into the bad beat stories, a series of big live kill pots along with a bad PP run knocked out about 50% of my bankroll in the last 48 hours. The total hands was something well under 400. One live session accounted for most of it, which was the over double my previous biggest losing session. I am not tilting (I have no problem leaving if I feel like I'm playing badly), but it definitely shook up my confidence a little. I'm wondering from those who've experienced their first real bad hit what the best option is:

1. Get back on the horse right away. This happens to everybody who plays long enough, and as long as you aren't in meltdown mode the sooner you start booking some wins the better.

2. Take a few days off, forget about poker, and come back when you've got your head screwed on very straight.

Any advice, along with what folks here did the first time they took heavy hits very quickly would be appreciated.

toots · #2 09-08-2004, 05:17 PM

I wouldn't call it advice, but:

I'd loudly declare to everyone: "I hate this game; I'm never going to play again for as long as I live." They'll normally reply "Yeah, fine, see you tomorrow."

Of course, I will see them tomorrow.

TripleH68 · #3 09-08-2004, 05:21 PM

I vote for taking a little break and coming back fresher. Your post sounds focused in on the negative run...and this could hinder your play. Don't let that happen. Best.

Sundevils21 · #4 09-08-2004, 06:06 PM

I vote for take a little time off and when you get back drop down a limit or two. Not permanently, just for a session. Jump back up your next session, regardless if you won/lost at the lower stakes(of course assuming your bankroll is big enough to jump back up).

cockandbull · #5 09-08-2004, 07:18 PM

i'd make an effort to play more, but id also drop down a few limits. imo there is nothing better than beating a few people to get back in the grove.

Blarg · #6 09-09-2004, 12:58 AM

Playing through is something not everyone can do, but everyone can take time off and get a lot of benefit from it.

There's some real value to stepping down a limit for just a little bit, too. If you are capable of booking a short string of wins in a lower limit, it will do a miracle for your confidence level very quickly, even if you wish the money won was bigger. You probably know that you know how to play already, so that's not the problem or the reason for stepping down a limit or two; you probably just need to feel better, not think better. Heck, winning any game will do in that regard - -it doesn't have to be big. It's more important just to win anything at all when you're feeling down or doubtful.

fnord_too · #7 09-09-2004, 09:51 AM

50% of your bankroll in 400 hands is a lot. How many BB does that constitute? It sounds like you may be playing a bit beyond your bankroll, which may or may not be fine.

As far as when to come back, come back when you feel like you can play your best and you want to play. If that is immediately, come back immediately; if you have a sick feeling over the loss, wait until it passes.

Before I built up my bankroll, I lost 50-100% of it in short bursts on several occasions. My BR was quite small, and completely inadquate for the limits I was playing, but on the other hand, the amount of money in my BR was pretty inconsequential to me. I usually went right back, but I am ultra competitive I still have a minor problem with quitting while I am down any appreciable amount and with having the last day I played a net losing one.

Michael Davis · #8 09-09-2004, 09:54 AM

Drop down in stakes and rebuild.

-Michael

cardspeak · #9 09-09-2004, 11:01 AM

Hi, ChicagoTroy:

"shook up my confidence.." "when you've got your head screwed on very straight." These references in your post suggest that you are tilting. I don't mean losing all control, but bothered, shocked, disturbed enough to affect your play. Nearly anyone can tilt given the right circumstances.

I would be especially concerned if the next session you have is an ugly one, full of bad beats and lousy cards. The problem with tilt is that the tilter doesn't believe he's tilting.

My advice, for what's it's worth, is to make your priority to play your next session with absolute discipline, so even if it doesn't go well you can at least walk away knowing you didn't compound the loss with bad play. If that means dropping down in limits or taking time away, so be it.

BTW, I think the question about how many BB's 50% of your bankroll represents is important. Is it 150? Well, that would be huge over only 400 hands, but 30-50 not that unusual, depending on the game. Knowing what is a normal fluctuation also helps psychological stability.

ChicagoTroy · #10 09-09-2004, 11:59 AM

Thanks guys,

I will drop to $5-10 and book a few wins there before moving back to $10-20. The reason for the huge dollar drop was partly because of the unusually high number of big kill pots where I was in them with big hands that got chased down. While the number of BBs wouldn't be ginormous if you counted the kill BBs as 1 BB, the sheer dollar loss stunned me a little bit. Follow that day with another big loss on PP, and it's time to ask some questions.

Sounds like I know how to proceed, thanks for the advice.