When on a downswing, do you...

I`ve been going through a bad patch as some of you will know after reading some of my recent posts.

So, when things are going real crap, what do u do???

I am in the same stop. I haven't played for a day, but I am getting that itch to jump back in. It is a compulsion... . I chose sit out a day, even though many times I can't stay away that long. I feel like taking the time off isn't as important as keeping to your game. Don't let your mind start to stray from proven tactics. That is the toughest battle for me...it's a mind game

I stab myself in the ear with an icepick.

You'd be surprised at how effective this is to take your mind completely off your poker troubles.


Ok, enough goofing around.

Being a new player, I have my share of heavy downswings. The ONLY thing to do is relax and understand that that's all in the past and nothing you can do about it now. Concentrate on making the right decisions and keep playing. That's what I do.

You gotta find out what is causing your downswing. As I've read in the book "The Poker Mindset", there are 3 causes of a downswing:

1. Tilt
2. Poor skill
3. Poor luck

You can't do much about #3 except identify it as bad luck by analyzing your play (hand histories) and making sure you made the correct plays.

But the first 2 are what we all need to work on continuously. Always analyze your play and keep track of your stats. Then when you hit a bad patch, compare those stats to those from when you ran good. You may pick up on something that is easily changed.

And a breather is always good to get rid of tilt. Heck, a beer usually helps me. I also like to drop down in stakes while I cool off so I can still keep my head in the game while I take some of the pressure off. I fact, I am also in the midst of a bad spell right now and I think I'm going to drop from 50NL to 25NL for next month. Build both the BR and my confidence before I step up again.

So analyze your stats AND your tilt. You will be glad you did.

For me, it's all about being on tilt. If I get a few bad beats, and lose some tourneys or money, I just take some time off and get my mind off of it. Sometimes I wait an hour, sometimes 5 hours, sometimes a day or 2. As long as I'm not sitting there thinking about how bad my luck is or how bad I played, I'm fine.

I go running. Try to recognize im tilting and get up before i tilt more.

I answered a day off but in the past I chose to battle through. That didn't work out so well. Now when I downswing more than 8 buy-ins i take a full 24hrs off to evaluate my play and try to figure out what is going on.

You need a 4th option of take shot at bigger limits, since that what i do

A couple of days off fits the bill for me. Bad beats, poor luck, leads to poor play... way too fast. Nothing wrong with a day to reflect and start fresh with a better attitude and more confidence.

Usualy when Im on a downswing I get mad at some point and play bad. I should work on that.

Otherwize I battle it through, playing more hands and trying to find my zone of comfort.

take min 1 day better a few days out of the pokerroom.

Usually when im losing its the result of bad luck, money is going in good and opponent gets there. The first beat doesnt bother me much, but its the 3rd and 4th++ that can occasionally happen in 1 day will tilt me hard. Those multiple session my kk vs aa encounters are always so awesome too.

So I know when im tilted, I get up and find something, anything, to get my mind off it and I can cool off usually in 20-30 mins or so. Then Ill sit back down and play my best again, well thats the intention anyway....