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anonymous's picture
2.5K+ game downswing, how to cope, and whether I should quit while i have something left

I know better people have lost much more than me, but a 2.5K+ game downswing at the 110s has literally spanned over 5 months and counting. And I apologize in advance if this post is excessively long, but I just had to let it out somewhere. If people ridicule me and criticize me and jump on me, so be it. At least I let it out.Everyone I know in this game seems to have a nice big upswing after a "sick" 500-1k game downswing. but mine just doesn't seem to be coming.It's the same story every single time. I'd have a nice block of 50 or so games one day where I managed to bolster the roll by 10 buy-ins.Then the doomswitch hits. And it hits hard. I can't win a flip. I play better but my luck is horrible. When my opponents steam and tilt, they have the luxury of hitting their A4  vs overpair all in every time to bail them out. When all the smoke clears, I'm just a little bit lower than before I had a winning day.I think to myself, "I just have to stick through it. That's part of the game"This up-and-down process has probably happened around 50 times or more in the span of 5 months. I'd make 2200, then lose 800, then make 600, then lose 1900, then lose 1300. Rinse and repeat. I feel like I'm losing my mind, and I feel absolutely helpless. Looking at my SS graph and looking at the nice uphill graphs of worse players makes me question whether my success in this game is really up to me.I've tried everything I can think of.-Stop-loss doesn't work, I take a good break and go right back to horrid luck while the fishy spewtards have an aura of invincibility, and every euro's floats/MRs every paired board with an infinite range and end up winning when they suckout when caught pulling stupid bluffs-Playing when winning and feeling my best? I do this, but inevitably the luck comes around, steals my buy-ins, and boom right back where I started.-I've tried positive thinking, I've even tried applying "The Secret". But it doesn't do a damn thing to help my Luck-o-meter score of 3% out of 100 of my 2.5K game sample.-I even had a coach here to make a video for me. He said verbatim "I think you have an overall good grasp of the game, and all we need to do is just fine-tune some things to increase your value in certain spots." So it's not like I'm even playing horrible and being a fish.I feel like my poker story is a brick wall that is slowly closing in. The way my graph looks, it seems like I'm slowly headed to busto, with just enough false mirages of victoryto keep me playing.I just feel so alone. If I ask my family for help, they're just going to tell me that gambling is bad and I should quit. I'm probably just wasting my time making this post b/c everyone will just say "oh you're just exaggerating blah blah, happens to everyone blah blah". So go have a 2.5K game downswing at the 110s while playing your best against fishes who have lost thousands without any respite. See if you can go months without gaining any ground even though you get in good. See if you don't feel vulnerable enough where you're dreading the suckout when all the money is in, and watching it happen. See if you're still feeling oh-so-optimistic after that.I know it's pathetic to whine and complain about it but I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how much longer me and my funds can keep going. I don't know how much mentally I have left in the tank. I envy all of you who have a 500 game downswing and think you have it "rough".In any event, I have just enough money to pay back my credit card and all my debts. But if I do, I won't have a roll to play with anymore and my poker career of over 5 years would come to an end.Should I just stop, knowing that I may never reach the end of the tunnel?

bubi's picture
Hey, I have been on the edge

Hey,I have been on the edge a few times as well, so I can feel your pain. It sounds like you put in decent volume, how about dropping down in stakes for a bit? You could still make enough to get by until your luck turns around and you get out of this hole. If your endgame is strong, you could even consider playing super turbos on a $20, $35 or $50 level. It will be easier to cope with the swings in these lower stakes, and you can put in really good volume, grinding your way back in a few weaks or months.Gl 

RyPac13's picture
My first thoughts reading

My first thoughts reading this were the same: You should try moving down.I had something like a 1-3% ROI for over 1,000 games when I first reached the $110s a few years ago.  It was frustrating, especially since I didn't play a ton of volume.  So I can start to understand where you're coming from, albeit only to an extent.  I was too stubborn to move down, thought I was too good.  In reality, all I needed to do was open up my mind to some adjustments and improvement, but if I had done that I'd of moved down a level or even two first probably.  Either way, it would've been much better and less stressful.If I'm the coach you had worked with, shoot me a message please.  If it's somebody else, shoot them a message for some personalized advice, I'm sure any coach on this site will chat with you about this for free.  If that doesn't work, email or message me and we'll talk.I'm out of town tomorrow until Wednesday, but I will get back to you when I can.

ITRIED2WARNU's picture
I agree with Ryan and am

I agree with Ryan and am definitely willing to do what I can to help.  And if I was the coach definitely PM me!

Brent
ITRIED2WARNU

My Coaching Page

kaiserzozz's picture
hi mate,I already felt

hi mate,I already felt something similar (not so bad, luckily) in the past:

  • move down in stakes (30 or 50): it's much better to take a "small" profit of 1K USD in a month playing 300 HU at 30$ level than losing 2K USD playing 100 HU at 100$ level; at the end of the month u'll be satisfied of your "small" profit and u'll feel good.
  • AVOID multitabling: focus on one game at once, u'll take a big benefit...u'll definitely play better!
  • try the double stake HUs format: it allows u to take a bigger advantage from your edge and limits the luck relevance
  • improve your game (videos, forums, blogs, coaching)

hope u come back to the heaven!Paolo