On a serious downswing. What should I do?

[teepack]

I play on ACR and have been on a serious downswing the last month. I've posting losing numbers at MTTs, SNGs and Blitz. Usually I am a slight winner at Blitz, do really well at SNGs and break even on MTTs but lately I've been getting bad beats galore and developing bad habits, like donking off big parts of my stack chasing flushes and straights, defending my blinds to 3-bets and playing cards at the bottom of my range from early position, only to get re-raised and then either fold and waste chips I shouldn't have bet in the first place, or throw in more chips than I should to play 10-8 suited.

Any advice on how to turn around a downswing? Lay off the tables a few days? Only concentrate on one discipline? Cash out while I'm still ahead?

 

[mina271]

It's always annoying when you're in a down swing and it's not easy to get out of there. But what you shouldn't do at all is that you start playing bad poker and start chasing after what you've lost and then make lots of wrong decisions. You've already said that you've adapted your game to your down swing in a negative sense. By playing hands that you wouldn't otherwise play. You should go back to your A game and maybe just play lower buy-ins until your down swing is over again, because I can guarantee that something like that will be over again. You shouldn't lose your patience and just start playing your best in poker again. I myself know it all too well what it is like to run constantly in bad beats, but that is a state that is only temporary. There's not much you can do when you're in a down swing other than sit it out and wait until it's over again. If you tend to play bad poker or run the risk of tiling out then you might want to take a break

 

[AzdajaD]

Breathe and take a break! Few days/weeks and then "start small"...

 

[jaymfc]

I play on ACR and have been on a serious downswing the last month. I've posting losing numbers at MTTs, SNGs and Blitz. Usually I am a slight winner at Blitz, do really well at SNGs and break even on MTTs but lately I've been getting bad beats galore and developing bad habits, like donking off big parts of my stack chasing flushes and straights, defending my blinds to 3-bets and playing cards at the bottom of my range from early position, only to get re-raised and then either fold and waste chips I shouldn't have bet in the first place, or throw in more chips than I should to play 10-8 suited.

Any advice on how to turn around a downswing? Lay off the tables a few days? Only concentrate on one discipline? Cash out while I'm still ahead?

you said it yourself, stop those things immediately no matter the results.
don't know her but good advice below. it's scary when these swings can last so long but just stay solid and switch to other sites here and there at
low limits.

It's always annoying when you're in a down swing and it's not easy to get out of there. But what you shouldn't do at all is that you start playing bad poker and start chasing after what you've lost and then make lots of wrong decisions. You've already said that you've adapted your game to your down swing in a negative sense. By playing hands that you wouldn't otherwise play. You should go back to your A game and maybe just play lower buy-ins until your down swing is over again, because I can guarantee that something like that will be over again. You shouldn't lose your patience and just start playing your best in poker again. I myself know it all too well what it is like to run constantly in bad beats, but that is a state that is only temporary. There's not much you can do when you're in a down swing other than sit it out and wait until it's over again. If you tend to play bad poker or run the risk of tiling out then you might want to take a break

👍😃

 

[fundiver199]

Take a break, and when you start again, move down and focus on one type of game instead of playing a little bit of everything.

 

[darkvick]

the better way is take a break, or if you really want to play, try some play money.

 

[Cooking]

I'm also in a bad run and it's so difficult. In the last days I'm playing less cash game (I've set a more restrict limit than usual to play) and more freerolls or micro buy in tournaments.

 

[Poker Orifice]

I play on ACR and have been on a serious downswing the last month. I've posting losing numbers at MTTs, SNGs and Blitz. Usually I am a slight winner at Blitz, do really well at SNGs and break even on MTTs but lately I've been getting bad beats galore and developing bad habits, like donking off big parts of my stack chasing flushes and straights, defending my blinds to 3-bets and playing cards at the bottom of my range from early position, only to get re-raised and then either fold and waste chips I shouldn't have bet in the first place, or throw in more chips than I should to play 10-8 suited.

Any advice on how to turn around a downswing? Lay off the tables a few days? Only concentrate on one discipline? Cash out while I'm still ahead?

These are forms of TILT... & I can relate. I predominantly play FastFold Cash tables. Some sessions during times of the day when tables are juiciest and I can't seem to win vs. the players who are most easily exploited & once it happens over & over & over... I have found myself at times becoming looser or more passive (hey.. they never fold to 3Bets.. they don't fold to C-bets... or double barrels with Bottom pair on wet boards... so why not just 'call' instead? ). I KNOW I'm not playing optimally... but I continue on hoping to 'get lucky'? 'hit a set and stack one of those donks off'? etc. etc.
Better off to kick back for a moment, decide if I want to 'play my best poker' and if I do choose this... 'then do it'.

I'd also suggest sticking to one format. I've been focused on cash games for years now but I still like to fire up MTT's on the weekend... and later in the session as my screen opens up with more space and more MTT's disappear, I've been adding in some SNG's to fill up space (& time). But honestly at this point if I'm actually deep in a few of my remaining MTT's, I'm probably better off to just give them some extra focus.

I'm actually transitioning back to MTT's and I've been looking at new & different methods for studying. Today I was online and bumped into a guy who was going over some spots and I found it quite intriguing. Immediately it helped me to see spots where I need to focus a lot more attention. It also gave me an entirely new avenue to accomplish some studying goals & some motivation to open up some material I already own but have barely even looked at (ie. BBZ & RYE stuff).

I'm going to start up a new challenge soon, with MTT play. I'll be posting a few hands in it and my progress (or lack of). Hope you can join in.

 

[makisaa]

Take a break from the game, in order to refresh your self, and your way of playing. And play with more patient and do not chase your loses, just play your game.

 

[niphon56]

I play on many poker sites , if i keep on losing on ACR, i will change to another poker site.

The best poker skill still can't fight luck.

And bad luck, for normal, will keep on a period of time.

 

[Bricxjo]

Lots of great advice here. I think based on your op, you already know; but I would just get back to my core game, whatever that would be for you.

 

[wavetune]

I've had a downturn that lasted more than 6 months, I'm not a poker expert, but I recommend everyone to change the site or take a break for a few months, because in addition to money, this whole situation is also stressful, you don't have to continue playing where the game doesn't go, this is a mistake, professionals say you need to start playing more and win back as many hands as possible to make it go away, but this advice is only for serious players, they will then play for zero at a distance and will be in the black from the return of the rake, and a simple player will go into a big minus

 

[xaj9x]

Hello😀 The best and easiest way in this situation is to give yourself a break and review your mistakes during this break, you must understand for yourself by looking at all this from the outside, and ask yourself why I did this, understanding this you will gain confidence and will play right poker again😀

 

[Joe]

I play on ACR and have been on a serious downswing the last month. I've posting losing numbers at MTTs, SNGs and Blitz. Usually I am a slight winner at Blitz, do really well at SNGs and break even on MTTs but lately I've been getting bad beats galore and developing bad habits, like donking off big parts of my stack chasing flushes and straights, defending my blinds to 3-bets and playing cards at the bottom of my range from early position, only to get re-raised and then either fold and waste chips I shouldn't have bet in the first place, or throw in more chips than I should to play 10-8 suited.

Any advice on how to turn around a downswing? Lay off the tables a few days? Only concentrate on one discipline? Cash out while I'm still ahead?

You should really go back and reread your own post here Teepack...

As others have alluded, you already know the most important thing you need to do and have answered the majority of your own question.

One of my favourite poker proverbs is 'never fold on a heater', reading your post made me think we should perhaps create the antonym, something along the lines of 'never call in a downswing' maybe..? 🙂

Downswings can really get in your head and for poker the only thing we want in our head (with regards to decision making) is good strategy, cold, emotionless logic and positivity.

Pockets of negative variance are a poker 'fact of life' which detrimentally affect expectations of everyone who puts in any kind of significant volume.

Reacting to a downswing in the way you describe is only going to exponentially increase our (otherwise unavoidable) losses and serve to further compact negative mindsets.

Go in the opposite direction. 😉

Tighten up, take more breaks, study away from the felts and analyse your play (especially in crucial spots).

Remember your best results and great plays. Remind yourself about the nature of probability and reaffirm beneficial thought patterns.

If all else fails, hunker down, weather the storm and just wait for it to blow over...

Just please, please, please (for both our sakes) try your best not to throw good money (chips) after bad! ☹️

Here's wishing you sunnier running very soon Teepack! 🙏🏾

 

[fundiver199]

About game selection maybe its fine for everyone to play some MTTs during weekends for fun and the chance of a big score. But for the daily grind I will really advice against moving back and forth between SnGs and cash games and especially fast fold cash games. They are completely different games, which require a different mindset and different strategies.

If you play fast fold cash games, you need to become really good at 100BB+ poker and at developing GTO or population based lines for most situations, since you are largely playing against unknowns, and you have few individual reads. You also have to be very aggressive preflop, because there is a big incentive to not see a flop and have rake taken out of the pot, and also be able to put in as many hands per hour as possible.

In SnGs on the other hand you need to become good at playing with different but mostly shorter stack sizes, understand ICM and play shorthanded and heads-up poker, because this is, where a lot of the money are won or lost. You also need to get good at reading people and understand table dynamics, since you sit down with 5-8 other people and play with them until the end.

I have personally chosen SnGs, because I enjoy them more, and I think, they give better practice for MTTs, which is where, I have made the most money in poker. But to be honest about it cash games have more upside potential, and you can play them live as well. So if you want to get rich from poker, maybe that is ultimately the way to go.

SnGs are kind of capped these days, since action tend to die out above 10$, and even at 5-10$ its difficult to achieve a good ROI. But that being said online cash games are certainly also not soft these days, and they can be a bit of a rake trap as well. So as someone not depending on poker for a living, we can just play, what we enjoy most.

 

[dreamer13]

The period of bad luck does not last forever, but to reduce it and not aggravate the situation is within the power of the player himself. It's important to learn how to deal with downswings without going into depressive extremes. Take a break from the game. A change of environment and occupation will have a positive effect on the emotional state of the player, help to relax and think about the current situation.

 

[VGShaa]

Get a hobby or a few, it will give you time to take off stress and negativity. If you have a family spend more time with them, you can't avoid downswing, then if you want to play poker, lower the limits.

 

[MAGICUZ]

Patience and only patience will put everything in its place!

 

[Matt_Burns88]

I play on ACR and have been on a serious downswing the last month. I've posting losing numbers at MTTs, SNGs and Blitz. Usually I am a slight winner at Blitz, do really well at SNGs and break even on MTTs but lately I've been getting bad beats galore and developing bad habits, like donking off big parts of my stack chasing flushes and straights, defending my blinds to 3-bets and playing cards at the bottom of my range from early position, only to get re-raised and then either fold and waste chips I shouldn't have bet in the first place, or throw in more chips than I should to play 10-8 suited.

Any advice on how to turn around a downswing? Lay off the tables a few days? Only concentrate on one discipline? Cash out while I'm still ahead?

This is actually a surprisingly easy thing to fix so long as you have the right mindset. It's simple, but it does take time and effort.

The simple solution is to study your game. Identify those pots where you have lost large pots first. Share them on the forums, or discuss with friends. Normally hands fall into one of these categories:
Too aggressive
Too passive
Bad beat
Cooler

Being too aggressive can be a danger particularly at the lower stakes where players often don't fold enough. Aggression is great, but you have to pick your hands and your opponents carefully. There's very little point trying to semi-bluff a calling station with a draw and nothing to back it up, because very often you're going to miss and they're going to carry on calling with 3rd pair

Being too passive means you're likely the calling station, or, your not doing a great job of getting value from your best hands, while allowing your opponents cheap, or free looks at the next card, giving them a chance to out draw you.

This is where the mindset really comes into play:
Bad beats happen all the time - get over it! No hand is unbeatable preflop and very rarely on the flop. Your Aces WILL get cracked. You will flop the nut flush and villain hits runner runner for a boat or quads. Coolers are similar to bad beats, where neither player made a mistake; it's just a set up where you're both destined to get it all in and there has to be a winner and there has to be a loser, like AA vs KK or set over set.

Remember that the outcome of the hand is not important, it's the way that you played it that counts. If you played the hand correctly then you should have no complaints and more importantly no regrets. If that idiot called your all in with 56o and rivered a straight, who cares? You got it in good and he made a horrible call. I just make a note against him and will look for more spots in the future where I can get it all in against him.

 

[fundiver199]

This is where the mindset really comes into play:
Bad beats happen all the time - get over it! No hand is unbeatable preflop and very rarely on the flop. Your Aces WILL get cracked. You will flop the nut flush and villain hits runner runner for a boat or quads. Coolers are similar to bad beats, where neither player made a mistake; it's just a set up where you're both destined to get it all in and there has to be a winner and there has to be a loser, like AA vs KK or set over set.

Absolutely agree. Poker forums and Youtube channels are full of hands, that someone posted for review, that are just bad beats or coolers. And its human nature, because lets be honest, losing sucks. But losing is part of the game, and as Doyle Brunson said many years ago "poker is not about losing or winning, its about making the right decisions".

This hand is from my last session, and its not like, my opponent did anything wrong here. He was just unlucky to run a very strong hand into an even better one. And I was lucky to be on the good side of the cooler and also get my hold. If the river had been a king or a club, he would have cracked my aces, which would suck. But there is no point in getting upset about it, as many people will. As you say, we were both destined to get it all in, and there has to be a winner and a loser.

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[P86]

In these kinds of situations I usually take a break from the game walk away from poker for a week or more then go back with a fresh mind set.

 

[BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch]

You would have find out if you're a bad player or actually a suitable to play whatever level you're playing but if you don't know your skill level then you can't make that assessment. And that "I've been playing for 5 years and I don't know starting hands" isn't a reliable assessment of your skills either lol.

Ask someone that you KNOW has a clue or use one of those simulators that might help find where you are.

And I'm not calling anyone a bad player but it might be time for some self reflection on your previous sessions to see if they were luck or skill.

A general rule is the more aggressive you are then the more bankroll you will need to cover the more variance that comes from you putting yourself in chasing situations.

 

[Pindiez]

I think that the best option is take a break, analyze your mistakes and when you start again, play with patience 😃

 

[iwont20]

Well once you come into the field you can play as you want, and benefit a little from how much your game differentiates from the average player's game. But then be prepared that some people will catch up with your style and will adjust. Also, you won't be able to play high-variance style and always expect to be on the good side of the variance. You will have to deal with huge swings. If you can handle them -fine, otherwise you will have to adopt more leveled game style at least at some stages.

And playing different formats of game also increases the variance. because in addition to the basic variance you add the mistakes you make in each specific game format, since you jump from one to another, and they have their own specifics.

Usually the downswings are beaten with more discipline, game selection, looking closer at your game. But in you case it looks like you know what your directions for improvement are based on your first post.