When does it end?

[Bhzrd588]

I am referring to the so called Variance, I play on 4 different sites, on three of them I have reasonable results win some etc, however on the 4th site, PokerStars I suffer from a long continuous losing streak, I mean I cannot win a race a flip or catch a draw, even with 15 outs on the flop, I just cannot catch, cannot win. This has been going on for approximately 37 days and that is playing 5 or more MTTs $1.50 buy ins daily. When I do catch AA or very good starting cards either no one calls or I get out drawn by garbage. I have read I should be patient and keep playing, however, when this goes on for such a long time and only on one site I am beginning to believe that the site in question uses algorithms to identify winners and losers prior to cards being dealt and if you are on the losing end of the algorithm there is no way out except to not play. Thoughts?

The same suffer here. The worst is that it's never going to change!

 

[franken222]

The answer to this is pretty simple: If you're losing on pokerstars, don't play there. Stick with the ones's that are good for you.

You can get yourself into a rut, by thinking that you lose there all the time, so in effect, that what's happening to you because you expect to, so you do. It's all a matter of attitude going in.

 

[tihomir_kula]

Just stop playing for a week to pass the bad period and than try again.

 

[vnnby]

When does it end?
1. When your balance is zero.
2. When you start to win.

I advise you to start winning.

 

[1984]

I am referring to the so called Variance, I play on 4 different sites, on three of them I have reasonable results win some etc, however on the 4th site, PokerStars I suffer from a long continuous losing streak, I mean I cannot win a race a flip or catch a draw, even with 15 outs on the flop, I just cannot catch, cannot win. This has been going on for approximately 37 days and that is playing 5 or more MTTs $1.50 buy ins daily. When I do catch AA or very good starting cards either no one calls or I get out drawn by garbage. I have read I should be patient and keep playing, however, when this goes on for such a long time and only on one site I am beginning to believe that the site in question uses algorithms to identify winners and losers prior to cards being dealt and if you are on the losing end of the algorithm there is no way out except to not play. Thoughts?

2 guys who I followed, checked their blogs had useful opinion about it. 1 of them was a mid/high stake reg on ps. After a year downswing, he said, probably the variance online is much wilder then he thought before. Took a break, after started to play again there, had some good results in the first month after half year insane bad beat again, so he left the ps forever - and he is still profitable everywhere else, live, online.

The other one says the similar things are going on for him 2-4 weeks usually playing 40-50 tourneys everyday with max 1 dayoff/week, but his longest one was 3 month. He is also that kind of guy, who doesnt agree anything in the mainstream poker world, like 100BI bankroll, he use 400, because the variance is wilder compare to what they say about it in most of the places.

Personally, i left ps long time ago, exactly for the same reason (not only but one of the main). still have not experienced similar things anywhere else. Even in other rooms the longest one was around 400k hands, played almost everyday 20-30 tourneys, it was nearly half year.... i think, that was the once in a decade, maybe lifetime. Otherwise for week(s), it happens several times in a year.

You can stop and take a break, it doesnt necessary mean it will go when you restart. However, definitely put you on tilt less times, if you dont face with it everyday.

gl

 

[fundiver199]

Personally, i left ps long time ago, exactly for the same reason (not only but one of the main). still have not experienced similar things anywhere else.

As I wrote in this thread already, turbo SnGs are a high variance and very low edge format. Which is not surpricing, if you understand, how edge is generated in poker. This year to date I am up 2.450$ on PokerStars with an average ROI or around 15%. However the majority of this profit comes from MTTs including some SnG MTTs with slow blind intervals like the 4,5$ 36-180 man "on demand".

But when it comes to turbo SnGs, there are lots of buyin levels, where I am breakeven or down over samples of houndreds of these. Like the 5$ KO 9-man SnG. Down 107$ over 183 events. So why then do I still play turbo SnGs, you may ask? And the main reason is, that I dont always have time to commit those 4-7 hours, which it takes to play an MTT, and regular speed SnGs tend to run less and less frequently.

 

[GRIN281289]

I think in this case it is worth taking a break from the poker stars for a few days, maybe weeks. In the meantime, play on the other three sites. I do this in such situations when I see that it is impossible to win !! There are also good days, then I advise you to play as much as possible, I wish you good luck

 

[1984]

As I wrote in this thread already, turbo SnGs are a high variance and very low edge format. Which is not surpricing, if you understand, how edge is generated in poker. This year to date I am up 2.450$ on PokerStars with an average ROI or around 15%. However the majority of this profit comes from MTTs including some SnG MTTs with slow blind intervals like the 4,5$ 36-180 man "on demand".

But when it comes to turbo SnGs, there are lots of buyin levels, where I am breakeven or down over samples of houndreds of these. Like the 5$ KO 9-man SnG. Down 107$ over 183 events. So why then do I still play turbo SnGs, you may ask? And the main reason is, that I dont always have time to commit those 4-7 hours, which it takes to play an MTT, and regular speed SnGs tend to run less and less frequently.

I never really was in sng, sometimes play msng, on demand. However nowadays I really think about that, turbo and hyper single table sng or double up. (I just tried some, i think there are many players whose play is loose, play for fun, especially the turbo, hyper. Could be great to pick a room for that and fill the gaps when not enough tourney run.) Can you recommend any books, videos, regs, what are not about basics and useful on micro/low level?

Otherwise, i didnt check ps since years, but their fees were far the most expensive. I think it didnt change + they didnt have any real rakeback.

Just mention what i have tried and looked good:

the WPN has a good sng weekly leaderboard, where even from micro/low the first ladder with on demand easily doable, and they basically pay back the 9-10% fee.

The partypoker have low 10$ sngs, the turbo fee is 8%, the hyper is 6% + they have daily sng leaderboard what also pays back the fee, sometimes even more, if you play enough. (played around 40 one day, took 3-4 hours, and i was in the top 20 on the leaderboard - of course weekdays.)

 

[Plut41]

Take a break and play some cash poker. I use all in cash out on pokerstars. It does have a 1% fee but if you are really tired of bad beats its worth it.

 

[fundiver199]

Otherwise, i didnt check ps since years, but their fees were far the most expensive. I think it didnt change + they didnt have any real rakeback.

Just mention what i have tried and looked good:

the WPN has a good sng weekly leaderboard, where even from micro/low the first ladder with on demand easily doable, and they basically pay back the 9-10% fee.

The partypoker have low 10$ sngs, the turbo fee is 8%, the hyper is 6% + they have daily sng leaderboard what also pays back the fee, sometimes even more, if you play enough. (played around 40 one day, took 3-4 hours, and i was in the top 20 on the leaderboard - of course weekdays.)

For SnGs PokerStars have a ridiculously high rake for the 1,5$ buyin, a high rake for the 3,5$ buyin and a pretty reasonable rake from the 7$ buyin and up. But as you say, there is essentially no rakeback. So I certainly think, it can make sense to look for other sites to play on, and those two, you mention, have also struck me as interesting options. However I think, one has to be prepared for way less volume and therefore more waiting time getting into games, and some type of games only running during peak hours. And most likely this is why, so many regulars still play on Stars.

 

[1984]

For SnGs PokerStars have a ridiculously high rake for the 1,5$ buyin, a high rake for the 3,5$ buyin and a pretty reasonable rake from the 7$ buyin and up. But as you say, there is essentially no rakeback. So I certainly think, it can make sense to look for other sites to play on, and those two, you mention, have also struck me as interesting options. However I think, one has to be prepared for way less volume and therefore more waiting time getting into games, and some type of games only running during peak hours. And most likely this is why, so many regulars still play on Stars.

That's partly true, especially on acr/wpn on demand. Played it out with the 6,6$ on demand, had to play around 90 of those in a week, but the rebuy counts in too, i made 12, so it was 78 on demand tourney, those mostly run in US peak hours, but then it starts often. The fee i paid: 90x0,6= 54$ and i got back 50$ because of leaderboard + the elite program 2-3$ so it is almost the hole fee.
On partypoker, as those just single sngs, don't have to wait too much even in the dead hours.

As you play more sng like me, any idea what to check out for double or nothing turbo/hyper sng? Because of leaderboards, rakebacks, on the 10$ ones, even won 50-55% of them in long run could bring averagely 40-100$/per day, so i don't have to be the best, don't have to win 60%+ of games.

?????

 

[theANMATOR]

times for SnGs on ACR/WPN

However I think, one has to be prepared for way less volume and therefore more waiting time getting into games, and some type of games only running during peak hours. And most likely this is why, so many regulars still play on Stars.

The on demand turbo SnGs on WPN/ACR run about every 15 minutes up to 10.00 buyin - all day long, as far as I can tell. High variance though.

The regular 9man SnGs run roughly about every 30 minutes at peak hours. Lower variance - more like a final table event with everyone starting with 100bb.

 

[theANMATOR]

I am not a fan of tournament poker. Television has made tournament poker look glamorous and like a competition where skill prevails. However, the truth of the matter is that lucks plays a much larger factor in tournaments than in ring games.

I see your point and understand why cash players have this point, but tournament poker is much more dependent upon skill compared to cash tables. As opposed to a cash game - where all you have to do is sit around and wait for your big hands - top off whenever you want, in a tourney you have to be conscious of your opponents and their tendencies - which are always changing with table changes, and how best to take advantage - even when the cards aren't coming. That is all skill - not luck. Additionally - it's pretty easy to play 100bb stack vs 6+ players who are at the same table for 2+ hours. Lose a pot - top off - back to 100bb. Compared to playing constant varying stack sizes vs different opponents at different stages of events and different speeds, cash games on the other hand - are the same every day of the week.

Lastly a strong draw to tourneys is the fact you pay one rake - and can play as many hands of poker as you can before busting or winning, compared to cash games which are raked every time you hit the flop, which in my opinion is highway robbery, but is the cost of being allowed to play an easier game that requires less skill to play.

Just my opinion though - from a player who prefers tourneys over cash games.