What to do when it is all going wrong ?

I am having one of those runs, when everything I do seems to fail. I consider myself to be a good player at the limit I play at, which was $30 sng, although I have been higher and lower than that over time.

I have made money consistantly over the past 2 years playing these games, of course I have had bad runs, but this one seems to be worse, I am getting out drawn all the time. I am not moaning, I realise it happens to everyone, and I also realise my play has probably changed due to this happening.

My Bankroll currently stands at $700 dollars, I have made much more than that, but have always made a big withdrawal when i got up to a certain amount, not really because that is what i wanted to do, but because the money came in handy for something or another at the time.

Anyway, It is clear that I no longer have the amount I need to play $30 sng at the moment, I am thinking back to $10 for now, is that about right for that kind of BR ?

I have written down a list of things I want to work on in my play each time i play now, have you guys got any other advice for when things are going wrong ?

Another factor is , I always played 9 seat sng, on a site with a good structure so I could play solid poker, hope to hit a big hand and double up, and start pushing when the blinds got to 50/100, but a while back I started playing 6 seater sng, these have been much more fun, and I have made profit at them. I am thinking maybe go back to the 9 seaters and get back to basics ? which do you prefer out of the two, I think the thing with 6 seaters is you need to cash in at first a fair amount of the time, where as 9 you can drop the odd third and a few seconds and keep your br moving up.

Interested in your thoughts

It's down to whatever you feel your comfortable at. Whenever I've hit a bad run in SnG's I would transfer from 9-seat to 6 seat just to mix it up a bit. But I always return to the 9-seat option. I think your probably experienced enough to go to $20 SnG's until you get your confidence. However if you feel it has to be $10 so be it. Why not try a new site? Sometimes you can become a little stale playing the same site. I was in the same boat as you, continuously finishing in the bubble at the $30 SnG's on stars, so I decided to give the ring games a go. GL with your decision.

personally, Id take $30 ,sit at a cash table and patiently grind it out to $90.

the change will do you some good and with out the pressure of the rising blinds ,let you refocus.

you'll have 3 buyins, go back at it and try again. If you find youre still running bad it may be that you need to find the holes in your game.

I know, easier said then done. Of course this is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions,

good luck and bad runs do pass.

Could copy/paste this and set up my own thread. I'm in exactly the same position as you, played for 2 and half years, pretty much a consistent winner, not huge amounts maybe $2-3K a year playing $10-30 SnG's mostly. Last 3 months (especially the last month) it's been all one way traffic. I haven't been able to buy a win the last 3 weeks, played a bit last night for the first time in a while, played a Pot Limit Omaha H2H SnG yesterday on FT and lost all of the 7 hands it lasted for, sucked out on 2, dealt big hand against bigger on 2 more. Played 2 HORSE SnG's on Pokerstars, first one lost without winning a single hand in the 4 rounds I played. 2nd one, made a good start, then took a couple of beats (including 2 outer for huge pot) before being dealt AxA in Stud level. Took a few raises and reraises to become apparent that opponent had been dealt three fours against my pair of aces (which he then improved to a full house, the 3rd against me in the 3 stud levels).

Forums like this are always full of "i'm on a bad run..." posts, but the last month i've seen loads on the UK forums from proper, decent players. Since US poker ban, Americans cant reload their account easily (if at all). Non-Americans can. It seems insane to suggest that Pokersites can conspire with each other to tilt the games away from us, but i know what i've seen night after night, game after game, players from one nation sucking out on players from different nations over and over and over.

Personally i've hung up the Poker boots. I'm playing the H2H challenge here til i'm out, and a league game Tuesday nights, and that's it. I'm not enjoying the game at all anymore, keep waiting for a break, but it doesn't look like it's coming now.

There are lots of things you can do, the important thing is to do one of them. If nothing changes, then nothing changes. Here are a couple suggestions.

(1) sit down and review your hands after every SNG. I find that the odd suckout here and there doesn't bother me, but a big string of them and I start playing poorly.

(2) Take a break.

(3) Read a book, and don't play at all until you are through it.

(4) Learn a new game, like Stud, Stud8, Omaha, O8, Razz.

(5) Try Limit

(6) Play a bunch of $1 games and totally donk it up, then play one like a maniac, then play one with your cards covered up, then play one TAG, then play one LAG, etc. The important thing is to pick a style and stay with it for the entire time. The 45 person and larger $1 tournys are great for this.

Keep you chin up Rob, it will turn around for you. You are a great (o.k.... a good....jk) player so it will all even out in the end. Take a couple weeks off and all will be forgotten.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Like I said, I am not complaining about it, I realise that actually my play has a lot to do with it, it is a fact I am sure my play has probably not been anywhere near 100% after having some awful outdraws, I mean bad ones too! I know this happens though.

I have actually got a book to read, got Harringtons vol 3, Started it last night, it is a lot different to the other ones he did really, and I think from what I have read so far he actually contradicts some of the things he said in Vol 1, but all the same it is a great read, gets your brain working.

I think if I could choose one thing that would improve my game, it would be putting tags on other players, I really struggle to label them in my notes, not yet worked out how to get the best out of PT for this either, so that is something to work on.

Also calling ranges on the bubble, think maybe I am a little bit to tight at times. I prefer to shove all in with 75 than call with AJ, which in theory is probably correct, it is something I am looking in to.

All good advice heed this player!!

I did many of the things you listed when I get into a.... "rut"