P
ph_il
...
Silver Level
I keep playing my game. I've proven to myself that I am more than capable to do well at the limits I play and I know downswings are inevitable. It's just a waiting game until things improve.
In the meantime, I do things like dropping down in stakes, playing more games I have an edge in, and try to focus on cushioning my bankroll loses as much as possible. For example, I will try to make as many cashes and money ladders as possible unless put in a situation where I should go for a final table run.
In the last 48/49 mtts, I've been on a downswing without a significant mtt cash. However, since I made adjustments to counter my potential losses, I was only down ~$22 with average buy-in of $1.11 for mtts. I could have been down much worse had I not made any adjustments. During my downswing, my ITM percentage increased to 40% from my normal 27% and I managed to make 4 final tables. So, there wasn't a lack of trying to get out of it.
Then I took 2nd place on the 49th mtt and practically broke even with a small profit. Everything I did to set myself up and minimizing my losses paid off. Profiting is, obviously, more ideal but minimizing losses is just as important.
F
fundiver199
Legend
Loyaler
Pretty much this. Also if you are a tournament player move towards smaller field games. Its a lot easier to win a 9-man SnG than a 900-man MTT, and even a small win can help in getting your confidence back.
F
fundiver199
Legend
Loyaler
True especially if we are talking about a format like high stakes live tournaments, where reaching "the long term" can literally take more than a life-time. The truth is, that several of the most successfull live tournament players basically got lucky and started their career with a sunshine run.
Noroma
Rock Star
Silver Level
I think dealing with downswings is something that never gets easy, but will at some point get easier. Most important thing is to not let the downswing result in you losing all your confidence. More often than not a downswing negative reinforces bad play which in turn worsens your downswing. If this happens, the best course of action is to either
a) take a break for a day or two, reset your poker brain, get away from the lust of trying to get back to where you once was
or b) Look over your hands. Find your leaks. Try to better understand how you play. Your play doesn't neccessarily have to be bad for this to be a good thing, but try to better understand your own game. This reinforces good behavior, and maybe you will come to some realisations that you would otherwise have missed. Usually just thinking out load and trying to reason with downswings / upswings will enlighten you and make your game more focused.
a) take a break for a day or two, reset your poker brain, get away from the lust of trying to get back to where you once was
or b) Look over your hands. Find your leaks. Try to better understand how you play. Your play doesn't neccessarily have to be bad for this to be a good thing, but try to better understand your own game. This reinforces good behavior, and maybe you will come to some realisations that you would otherwise have missed. Usually just thinking out load and trying to reason with downswings / upswings will enlighten you and make your game more focused.
D
DS3
Legend
Loyaler
This so much.
I remember a few years ago when the British UK/HK player Danny Tang sprang onto the scene and did really well. One thing which endeared me to him was the fact he said he got unbelievably lucky when he got backed to play some high rollers and bagged some instant results. He was then set to proceed career wise at the high stakes.
But, he knew there were literally countless other players who could play as well, but either never got the opportunity or got a chance but then failed to capitalize on it - it was all so much down to luck.
D
DS3
Legend
Loyaler
Regarding downswings. You have to develop resilience, period, to face the inevitable.
The fact is downswings will occur.
A while ago I decided no matter if I was up or down, if feasible, I would play some poker everyday. If I had a bad session, but knew I was playing fundamentally well, I allow myself some serious irritation and then learn to let it go quickly.
The flip side being, when I had a great session, to enjoy it but keep my head screwed on because I understood it was down to luck and running well. If my game play did not radically alter from one session to another but results did, then you need to step outside of yourself and gain enough perspective to keep level with the ups and downs.
However (and I know many will always say take a break) I think if you can persevere through a downswing and keep committing to play, you will grow stronger and be able to cope better.
I always remind myself (and the wsop is underlining it perfectly at the moment) that all players are going to face bad sessions, bad tourneys and bad events....but every time you see a bracelet winner remember each and every one have endured downswings.
The fact is downswings will occur.
A while ago I decided no matter if I was up or down, if feasible, I would play some poker everyday. If I had a bad session, but knew I was playing fundamentally well, I allow myself some serious irritation and then learn to let it go quickly.
The flip side being, when I had a great session, to enjoy it but keep my head screwed on because I understood it was down to luck and running well. If my game play did not radically alter from one session to another but results did, then you need to step outside of yourself and gain enough perspective to keep level with the ups and downs.
However (and I know many will always say take a break) I think if you can persevere through a downswing and keep committing to play, you will grow stronger and be able to cope better.
I always remind myself (and the wsop is underlining it perfectly at the moment) that all players are going to face bad sessions, bad tourneys and bad events....but every time you see a bracelet winner remember each and every one have endured downswings.
F
fundiver199
Legend
Loyaler
When people are new to poker, its very common, that they make their winning sessions short and their losing sessions long. If they win, they want to "lock it up", but if they lose, then they sit there for hours "trying to get unstuck". And often they just end up digging themselfes into an even deeper hole, because they are not playing their A-game.
So I prefer to do the exact opposite. Sure I will typically stop, if I get a huge MTT score, but typically I have then also played for many hours, so it would be time to stop soon anyway. But I will also stop, if I bust from a number of tournaments very quickly and start to feel annoyed about it. I do this, because I dont want to play, if I am not enjoying it, and it also protect me from playing, when I am not able to deliver my A-game.
But after a good nights sleep, its all forgotten the next day, and I am ready to sit down and play again. I am never at a point, where I need to take a whole week off, just because I suffered some bad beats or whatever. This has not happened except once, which was right in the beginning of my poker "career".
D
DS3
Legend
Loyaler
Like many things in life, it's always a question of balance.
As I noted, if I can play on successive days, I do so. However, as you mention, if the session is bad I'll drop it...I never force the issue. But it does all come down to a true acceptance of variance and that is what I continuously work on.
I do not try and kid myself a bad beat (or several) is not infuriating, it is, but I have put a lot of effort into genuinely letting things go...the quicker the better. And that is why I do not get carried away on the good days, either. I enjoy the hell out of it but regard them as something like surfing - the perfect conditions to catch and ride a good wave, but you can't expect that swell day in and out.
Matt_Burns88
Legend
Loyaler
Do you play cash, SnG's or MTT's?
How often do you play and how many tables are you playing at the same time?
The reason I ask, is that I often hear someone (normally one of my friends) say they're on the worst downswing EVER. They haven't won in months and never seem to catch a break, but when I scratch beneath the surface, they're playing one or two games week when they get in from the pub and playing huge 8,000+ fields and I'm like "well duh!". Assuming he's an average sort of player (which he definitely isn't after stumbling home at 2am) he'd be doing well to win one of these tournaments once every 5 years.
My point is that lots of (amateur) players expect to cash every other tournament even with astronomical fields and think the world has conspired against them when they join the other 85% of the field that didn't cash and put losing down to bad luck rather than natural variance.
Give this video a watch and see what you think - https://jonathanlittlepoker.com/how...ittle-coffee-with-jonathan-little-12-18-2019/
How often do you play and how many tables are you playing at the same time?
The reason I ask, is that I often hear someone (normally one of my friends) say they're on the worst downswing EVER. They haven't won in months and never seem to catch a break, but when I scratch beneath the surface, they're playing one or two games week when they get in from the pub and playing huge 8,000+ fields and I'm like "well duh!". Assuming he's an average sort of player (which he definitely isn't after stumbling home at 2am) he'd be doing well to win one of these tournaments once every 5 years.
My point is that lots of (amateur) players expect to cash every other tournament even with astronomical fields and think the world has conspired against them when they join the other 85% of the field that didn't cash and put losing down to bad luck rather than natural variance.
Give this video a watch and see what you think - https://jonathanlittlepoker.com/how...ittle-coffee-with-jonathan-little-12-18-2019/
