How do you cope with a downswing?

14.01.2009, 20:51 0

Well first, I'll share my story with you. I've been playing fixed limit poker for about a month now when I was first discovered PokerStrategy. My first 2 weeks were quite satisfying for the most part. I had a decent upswing of about 80BB and I was slowly developing my bankroll on the micro limits. I took a break during the holidays because I was sick with the flu for about a week and I was in no condition to play poker (or do anything for that matter.)

After I returned, things went to the worst. It was as if my break upset my upswing rhythm or that I had forgotten something crucial to my strategy. It's been about a week now where my bankroll has slowly declined. Currently I have lost over 90BB and I feel that my commitment during my first 2 weeks was worthless (at least in a financial aspect because I have a little bit of experience now.) I know there are many of you who have it much worse than I do, but it's still a significant loss and it still hurts.

My problem is that a downswing is something completely new to me and I'm starting to get anxious because of the fear of losing more. I don't really know how to deal with this problem and I need some advice. Hopefully some experienced players can share their situations and how they went through it.

Anyways, I wish better luck to all the downswing victims, unless of course you're playing against me - in that case I want my money back ♦

Thanks for your help.

10 replies

bkbart

Joined: 01.04.2007

Posts: 340

14.01.2009, 22:14 0

maybe post some hands that you are unsure about, if you can find some.

Also step down to the lowest level you want to play at and grind it out until you get your confidence back

Jaime001254

Joined: 02.07.2008

Posts: 298

15.01.2009, 04:54 0

Originally posted by bkbart
maybe post some hands that you are unsure about, if you can find some.

Also step down to the lowest level you want to play at and grind it out until you get your confidence back

+1...

90bb... not much, if you are playing right then its variance

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Waiboy

Joined: 18.09.2008

Posts: 4,877

15.01.2009, 06:32 0

Hi Calron

I've gone through these drops at every limit I've played since $.25/$.50 FR LHE.

You just need to keep trying to apply the strategy correctly.

As the previous folks have said, if you are playing correctly the bank roll movement is just variance. If you are not, then you need to work harder on trying to apply the strategy.

In all likelihood your current results are a combination of the two.

Keep posting your hands, take the advice on board and you'll get through it.

And you'll look back at this thread in 3 months time playing at much higher limits and wonder what you were worried about! ♦

"...and then I was like "?", and they were like "..." and then it all came down to the cheese making method. Needless to say

cindy1985

Joined: 13.11.2007

Posts: 353

15.01.2009, 09:41 0

also I will recommend to play a lot less than you used to. Natural tendencies is to play more during downswing, this is not a good idea since the downswing does affect your game (you either become too tight because you're frightened or loosen up too much in order to recover your loss). In the extra time you have by not playing poker, watch videos and read articles.

andyb43

Joined: 23.07.2008

Posts: 902

15.01.2009, 09:43 0

Just keep doing what you did to get to +80BB.

Variance is a fact of poker life, learn not to let it get you down and send you into a tilt. This happens to all of us and we all are convinced we are not tilting at the time.
That is how downswings seem to gather momentum so quickly.

I spent most of my bankroll on woman and beer.................
the rest I wasted

RockEye

Joined: 12.08.2008

Posts: 416

15.01.2009, 15:10 0

Watch some SSS videos, post some hands, try to use stats (Elephant), attend to coachings for a few days and it will get better. It helped me. I had a 1000bb downswing and it's getting better now. I found out i played totally wrong and didn't stick to strategy. And yea i played a lot more then normally.

My Skype: rockeye75

_Anonymous_

15.01.2009, 16:31 0

Shrug while you say the magic words: Waa waaa waaaaaa.

I'm serious.

_Anonymous_

15.01.2009, 23:40 0

I've decided to take a little break from poker. In response to some of the earlier posts I've been always playing at the lowest limit and I do post hands regularly. My problem with this is that I get information for specific hands but I have difficulty applying it to my game because it's so situational. During my break I'm going to reread some articles and maybe I'll pick up some mistakes. Hopefully I'll be in a better mood in a few days and I'll be looking forward to playing poker again. Thanks everyone for your responses.

_Anonymous_

16.01.2009, 02:00 0

dont tell me about this pls, this period I just can hold AA and any two random cards beat me every time.

Another example i have A 10 against JJ , flop comes an ace I say woo hoo, turn J. This happened to me tons of time this period + I just cant win my ace superior against an opponent's ace rag. WHY ?

I can have QK but KJ beats me 9 times out of 10. I can have 10 10 and lower pocket pair beats me 9/10. Why ? :rolleyes:

I can have AK hit K on the flop but someone other hits runner runner to make three of a kind, why ?

I hope this will end soon

finchybg

Joined: 16.12.2007

Posts: 594

16.01.2009, 17:18 0

Constantly persuade yourself that an upswing will come ♦:D:D

As a friend jokes with me, because after each horrible session I say "Tommorow is my upswing" ♦

[Closed] How do you cope with a downswing?