Anyone have days when he/she just plays REALLY REALLY bad poker?

[PLAYINBIG]

I think every player has days or even weeks like that.When I get like that (playing weak cards from positions that I know I shouldn't be) It's usually because that I've been running bad and try to make a miracle hand out of nothing.Or simply because I have played too much poker & need a break from it.I think after so many hours of playing poker your mind isn't focused.I notice that after taking time away from poker, I play better because my mind is more focused.To me it seems like every time that I win a nice cash out in a MTT,I will start running bad for 2 days or even 2 weeks after that.I do not know why.All that does is leads to making bad plays or decisions trying to force my way to get back on the winning track.Instead of riding out the storm and using my patience, until the cards start to come back together again for me.The best thing that helps me the most is just taking a break from poker.

 

[alext9000]

Ihave pokertracker unfortunately leakbuster only works for cash games and I don't play many cash games. But in all honesty, when i get this way I ALREADY KNOW what i'm doing wrong.....problem is, I just keep making those mistakes anyways....i am convinced it is psychological

I have the same problem.. I know I shouldn t call in hand..because I'm not winning but still.. I call and lose..I can t understand why .. but like you said.. it s psychological .. anyone knows any exersices or things to get this problem off my head ? should I go to a psychiatrist?

 

[Sneaky Feet]

The other day I read an interesting article on Bayesian Probability and general laws of probability. Basically what it was saying was if X happens 1000 times the probability of Y happening is better than if X has happened only 100 times. However it is still possible that Y may never happen... Gotta love that eh? The article was specific to problem gamblers and the idea that they get further and further in debt because Y is "owed" to them.

I've had shitty days and played poorly as well. I think my worst was being down 10BI and I kept playing completely tilted and doing dumber and dumber things.

There are a couple of things that have helped me. One is reminding myself the cards don't owe me shit. Two is to visualize a lion lying in the grasses waiting for an antelope to venture to near. Be the lion brother, be the lion

 

[ChipsOwnerRO]

Yesterday I have a very bad day in poker and I noticed that I have 1-2 day a week when nothing goes right. Definitely I must be more patient at poker tables in those days, but I can't. For example, if I finish in top 10 in a big tournament, the next day I can't wait to start over again in the same type of tournament. Anyway, I consider that these bad days are normally for any poker players, but we have to learn how to get over them.

 

[estefanetti]

Sometimes i have too unlucky days.
I play with premium hand only in that moments, and i loose i cann;t believe it

 

[hardin]

I think impatience is something a lot of poker players deal with. If we play tight and aggressive, poker is really a boring game because most of the time we are sitting around not playing and just observing.

When you are feeling impatient or if you feel the urge to play badly, take a step away from the table, clear your mind, stretch, etc. to revamp yourself. If you are playing cash online, take a 15-30 minute break or call it a day.

 

[PapaC]

I know exactly how you feel. I do the same things all the time. Like last night in one of the Shark Week tournys at Carbon. I have 35,000 chips when I catch 99 and it is late in tourny and I bet the pot and another player goes all in and without thinking I call and he has 1010 and and knocks me out. I ask myself why but I don't have any answers. I posted here some other times I done the same. And I'm like you, I want to win and build my bankroll quick. Some of the things that has caused me problems is being depressed, tired and sleepy, no patience, even being hungry and won't stop long enough even to eat.

 

[Martinez]

Not so much bad poker, but some days just like to blow off a bit of steam and play/bet differently to my normal play.
Going card dead half way thru a tourney and watching the blinds slowly eat away at my chips tends at times to make me somewhat play hands that I know I should steer away from but find myself playing them anyway. Then the usual happens, I get blown out of the tourney.

 

[davem86]

we all have days like this im sure. I try to take a few days off from poker and regroup. The worst thing to do is continue playing when u are running bad or playing hands u normally dont play.

 

[stevenright]

I do one particular thing that i HATE MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD and i just can't seem to help it :S

I win some tournament... usually the 2,50 sng with the prize $123.00 then i put in my mind i gotta go bigger faster to play some bigger tournaments... then i enter some heads up cash tables... and i usually start well.. winning 50 or more... then i feel the need to open more tables... then i get one bad beat (it always happens heads up) and just lose it, start to call of my chips with garbage and end up going broke

 

[madsquirrel]

oh yeah like today . it doesnt matter what hands I have it just is not going well today .. hate days like this..

 

[Steves22]

Unfortunately playing fast is so fun but usually will make you go broke. You have to win little by little to build up a bankroll.

 

[WeenieSVK]

Ofcourse when you are tired, that you almost fall asleep you cant play your best poker. Or when I get deep into tournament and I really dont want to play anymore but I am still in, I just lose interest (If its not like VERY deep like FT ) and start to do million other things.

 

[somersetlad9]

Anyone saying they never had a bad day of poker is a player I would like to face sometime

 

[Uniqunik]

I just had one of those days. It was like I watched myself from the outside make stupid moves but I didn't care and played like crap. It's not about not playing your A game. I find if you're not at your peak emotionally in life at the moment, money, winning, and patience lose their value.

 

[Tosh_67]

Yes I think there are periods we all go thru sometimes. I'm in one now, playing very poor coupled with losing vital hands then overplaying and tilting... I have lost a bit of interest lately too due to the poor run... Maybe a break to recharge the batteries is a good idea ?