Online Poker Forum - What to do on a SUPER losing Streak?

latestwsop

As some of you must have read my last few posts ...I have been on a HUGE downturn.....officially erasing most of my September to Oct 3rd Profits for the last three days. That put me on a negative with the losses in tournaments.

So, what do you people during such phases? how to come out of the abyss. Do you do something different than what you were doing during and before the run? Or do you just keep playing and then there's one hand which turns it around??

Is a positive session going to tell me that I've seen the back of the Losing streak?

I'm a little passive now in the ring games.....I want to get out of this mind set. I've just noticed I'm playing it safe with speculative hands like AT, AJ, and KQ... Gotta change that mentality.

AwesomePowers · High Card Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 2

Well personally I think that is what bankroll management is all about, is being able to battle through these long droughts of either lousy hands or plain bad luck. Like Chris F. and many others have done, I have limited myself to never buying in a cash game with more than 5% of my total bankroll FOR cash games. If you are a decent player you should be able to cash/final table/win a tourney within 20-25 tries. So you could set aside the money that you want to specifically invest in tournaments and divide that by 20-25 and that number is the amount you can buy into a MTT. So even if you do have a super long streak of losing you will still have enough money to survive it and start winning consistently again. This is what has helped me keep above the water when I go through one of those. I wish you good luck. Smile

Riddim · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:11 am Post subject:

Moved to general strategy discussion.

OP,

If you want some of my thoughts on downswings I think I started a thread about it in this forum (GSD, not NL/PL). There are plenty of other threads/posts about it as well.

AwesomePowers,

20-25 buy-ins for MTTs is a pretty good way to go broke if they're your main game. If you think a super long losing streak is less than that you haven't played many MTTs.

MPMTL · Message Board Junkie Joined: 07 Oct 2008 Posts: 1823

Whenever Im going through a serious losing streak, I always find it helps to move down to a lower limit and work my confidence back up (which usually takes a hit during a bad run of cards)

As for the 20-25 buy-ins for MTTs, I'm gonna agree with Riddim. I'm pretty sure that I would have gone absolutely bust if I followed those guidelines (obv assuming that MTTs is your main game). Personally I feel comfortable with 70-75 buy-ins for my favorite MTT, it may seem like a lot ... but it sort of ensures that I won't lose my bankroll during a bad run.

mapp888 · Flush Joined: 01 Jun 2008 Posts: 131

i hate moving down limits, but if u dont move down then u ll just go broke (ive just experienced it). if u play higher than the bankroll u have, then u do hav a chance of increasing ur bankroll very quickly, but eventually, when u catch bad runs again u ll go broke.

MPMTL · Message Board Junkie Joined: 07 Oct 2008 Posts: 1823

AND on a SUPER SUPER SUPER losing streak (much like the one I'm experiencing now - I went from $50 initial up to $1850 or so in about a week and then slipped all the way back down to $1150-$1200) I just completely withdraw and take some time off. Honestly sometimes it takes more than moving down limits or doing something else, sometimes you just need a break and you gotta refocus.

Be back soon,
-MPMTL

robbywasabi · Pair Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 25

theskipirate · Pair Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 41

If your on a super down swing the only thing I would suggest is taking a week off to clear you head, you must have other hobbies/pastimes outside poker which could entertain you for at least a week! (probably not what you want to hear lol). But I find if you continue playing it will almost defaintely effect your overall game and any decisions you make.

latestwsop · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:22 pm Post subject:

alright alright ...now talk about me .. .the OP Razz

Peepers_au · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:07 am Post subject:

Until you learn to play within your bankroll, any other advice you get will be near useless.

It is your greatest problem and until you accept that I'd argue there's no helping you.

tito_lays · Two Pair Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 64

Is $50 your bankroll? I hear all this negative commentary on your bankroll management...but I'd like to know why depositing $50 equals your complete bankroll?

...if I have $500 on Poker Stars, and $50 on Full Tilt... and $1000 sitting at home waiting to be deposited or used live....wouldn't my bankroll be 1750?...I mean, if you say "I'm saving $50 out of my check every week to play poker, and that's my bankroll"...wouldn't your yearly bankroll be $2600? And 2% - 5% of that would be near $100, so playing $50 each week would be well within your bankroll...and you are thus rolled for any action you decide on.

furthermore, I think the emphasis on bankroll here is from a "poker pro" perspective, where they rely on only poker income. But most of us are employed...but still want to get some poker action in. So I got to figure my bankroll is made out of my living when I start playing. I don't see the difference between putting $50 on and playing it all in one day...knowing my job is going to help supply the rest of my "bankroll", or saving up 3k to put on all at one time.

Certainly there need to be limits...but it doesn't have to be these cut and dry bankroll methods developed by the pro's. If you're just starting out and are employed, your "bankroll" should just be a limit you put on yourself per week...month...or year, whatever you can responsibly afford.

AllInDrawinDead · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:46 am Post subject:

If you are on a prolonged losing streak and it won't stop you should probably evaluate your play carefully. This is not to say you are a bad player, but you may be playing bad at the time. It's possible that you are playing fast trying to make your money back after losing some tough hands and playing more marginal gambling situations. It's also possible that you might have some leaks in your game that you need to plug that you may not have noticed before. No one plays every hand perfect every time so be honest with yourself and work towards fixing those leaks and becoming a profitable player again. Good luck at the tables!

Riddim · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject:

Bump since this is bound to happen again. OP, a good way to not have losing streaks that completely decimate your bankroll is to not play in games where you're not a winning player and for which you probably aren't rolled. These assumptions are both based on the thread you started in NL/PL recently btw, as well as your overall body of posts here on the forums.

LostOstrich · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject:

bigpairde · Moderator Joined: 26 Apr 2008 Posts: 10100

I usually switch games: from sit and goes to cash game,....from omaha to holdem,...things like that. I also play lower limits (even if the bankroll would still allow more) just to built up confidence.
And I also play more satellites with FT Points entry, to avoid any further damage to my bankroll

Online Poker Forum at Full Tilt Poker