what do i do now?

playing 1c/2c or 2 NL 9 handed. in november i won 80 dollars, december 150 dollars. so far, in january, well, here are my sesions

323 hands -2.43$
1232 hands +2.62
4223 hands +7.94
946 hands +1.64
38 hands -3.92
2132 hands +0.78
2747 hands +1.79

as you can see things are going wrong, very wrong. 8,42$ profit in 11641 hands. don't even feel like playing anymore. afraid of going all in with AA. i mean, it's still me, i haven't change, why am i running so bad? it's been almost 2 weeks now, last couple of days of 2009 ware bad, so far, 2010 has been awfull.

what do you guys suggest? take a bit of break? change the game? if you have been through this tell me what did you do.

forsakenone said:

why am i running so bad? it's been almost 2 weeks now

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Because its poker, and its just like that. Any game is going to have variance, and you're experiencing it.

forsakenone said:

what do you guys suggest? take a bit of break? change the game? if you have been through this tell me what did you do.

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Definitely slow things down, and changing games never hurt. Play less, and shorter sessions. Have a friend analyze your game, or sweat you. Really check that you're playing optimally, and do your best to control the things you can control. And then realize that the cards are just going to fall where they may, and if you're rolled for the games you're playing, things should even out in the long run.

10,000 hands is not the long run, btw.

if you are playing well then I think you should play more, volume will bring better results if you are playing optimally.

2 weeks really is not alot, i play MTTs so i am not really sure how many hands = good volume but just play as much as you can and play well and it will turn around.

Also is it possible after running bad you are a little tilted and do not play your best and maybe spew off some chips towards the end oy your session?

gl tho man hope you can turn it around soon

IMHO, I think that you are sweating over nothing. We are 8 days into the new year, and while you are not playing as hot as you had been playing, you are still showing profit. Showing profit while you feel that you are running bad is never a bad thing. Most people would feel blessed to run bad and still be churning out a profit.

I would recommend setting realistic expectations for yourself. And take heed to the advice that variance will inevitably catch up to all of us. If you are scared to play, that is never a good position to be in. If that is the case, then I would recommend taking a couple of days off to clear your head and get yourself mentally back to playing your best game.

Focus on making the right plays. If you do that, inevitably the results and the money will take care of itself.

I was thinking that you are 'on tilt' also. If you need to, take a break from the game entirely. Otherwise, you may just be throwing your money away. Remember why you played the game in the first place...didn't you love playing the game? Also, go into each one with a more positive attitude...if you think you're a loser, you probably will be. Read alot of the articles here on 'tilt', variance, and anything else that may apply to you. I hope you find that this feeling you're having is just normal & begin on an upswing again. GL!:angel:

Take a few days off then go back to grinding it out, sometimes the brain just gets overstressed and you make plays that at the time you think are good, really aren't in the least.

id say take some time off and come back when ur in a better mindset. Dont be too upset as this is a small sample and as you know variance is a bitch and is bound to come around sometime.

i lost 5 buy ins today....immediately quit...came back later and won 9 buy ins

I'd respectfully disagree with C9 about game changing in the case of a newer player. I think this can be dangerous counterproductive when you're still forming your game. Especially when it might be about time to move up stakes, which it would seem by those profits he's ready for.

And I wouldn't stop for a while, you're still profiting. Profit is a good thing, as long as you're playing your c or d game profitably, then keep playing, but work on ironing out the issues, go over past sessions, see what you've changed.

Also variance is a bitch, and it happens, and you'll just have to deal with it. Just hope the slump is the variance, and not the winning.

hey guys, thank you for the good tips, i think i know what the problem is, or better to say, the problems. i thought that since in november i managed 80$ and december 150$ than in january i should do 300$ and go higher in the stakes in february, i think i set a goal that maybe is a little too high for a beginner like me, and when i realized i might not achive the 300$ a month goal in january i got a little tilted, all this adding up to the fact that i am trying to quit smoking after 8 years and a pack and a half a day.

Play those limits and games what to you it is comfortable... If you will lose - anything terrible, it will make you more strongly))) in due course you will understand as as to you to play

I'd agree with the others, that you are a little tilted because you are not making as much profit as you had hoped for.

That you are making a steady profit, even if small, is better than most players out there. One simply does not stay on heaters all the time, and you are actually lucky that, despite feeling shaky, you have not posted big losses. Lengthy downswings happen, too -- and you are not on one of those, fortunately, at this time. You need to accept that you will not win all the time.

Take a break and clear your head. You are actually doing fine.

Patience is huge in poker, not just the waiting-for-a-hand patience, but also the waiting-to-move-up and waiting-to-profit-big areas. When you are playing micros, these latter two can try your patience sorely. But patience is necessary.

I also would advise sticking with the game you know, for now. Perhaps you might want to play other sorts of games for a bit with play money, both to learn them (disregarding the play of others who might simply be blowing off steam) and to relax into having fun. I like Razz for a nice break from Holdem. Switching to the lowball mindset is refreshing, and Razz is pretty easy to win at if you play tight. For one thing, you can almost always see if you have a lock on the win, or if someone else can beat you. This is nice.

Whatever you do, remember that poker is a game, and is supposed to be fun. When you can laugh at hands that surprisingly don't work out for you, rather than steam, you will know that your mindset is starting to get into the necessary mode for consistent winning. You need to be able to roll with the punches, and stay clear.

forsakenone said:

hey guys, thank you for the good tips, i think i know what the problem is, or better to say, the problems. i thought that since in november i managed 80$ and december 150$ than in january i should do 300$ and go higher in the stakes in february, i think i set a goal that maybe is a little too high for a beginner like me, and when i realized i might not achive the 300$ a month goal in january i got a little tilted, all this adding up to the fact that i am trying to quit smoking after 8 years and a pack and a half a day.

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Quitting smoking does have a tendency to put one on edge.

I'd suggest not playing poker when you are jonesing -- do something completely distracting. I like vacuuming, which I do not associate with smoking. Each time you get that strong yen for a cig, know that if you can tough it out for 5 minutes, that urge passes. Five minutes -- you can do that. Distract yourself. I say don't play poker, because your concentration needs to be on poker fully when you play.

forsakenone said:

playing 1c/2c or 2 NL 9 handed. in november i won 80 dollars, december 150 dollars. so far, in january, well, here are my sesions

323 hands -2.43$
1232 hands +2.62
4223 hands +7.94
946 hands +1.64
38 hands -3.92
2132 hands +0.78
2747 hands +1.79

as you can see things are going wrong, very wrong. 8,42$ profit in 11641 hands. don't even feel like playing anymore. afraid of going all in with AA. i mean, it's still me, i haven't change, why am i running so bad? it's been almost 2 weeks now, last couple of days of 2009 ware bad, so far, 2010 has been awfull.

what do you guys suggest? take a bit of break? change the game? if you have been through this tell me what did you do.

Click to expand...

Yeah I felt this feeling a few weeks ago. Playing with the same style but with completely different (bad) results.There are ups and downs in poker and there is time when you just CANT win whatever you do.
Moreover if this last for long, you can lose your courage and start to feel that the opponent must have better cards...but poker can only be played with optimism.
All you can do is to quit playing poker for a few days or just play in freerolls. You can change poker room too.

i have won 20 dollars in 2 days, still got some bad beats but at 2000 hands per day i expect it, so 10$/day, good win rate, it's what i wanted for the month, looks like i am back on the track, is just that i got a bit scared because i have never been through a bit long bad period.

cheers for the advice people.

Take some time off, analyze your game, look for leaks, plug them, and get back in it