Moving Down / Time Off
10K downswings will do that to you.
My largest downswing previous to this was about 3 K and lasted only a few weeks.
Im currently on like a 10K downer, over about 12 weeks. It started typical where I just couldnt win when I got it in good / win flips. After about 6-7K I noticed I started playing really bad. Calling wayyyyyyy too light, open shoving 2nd pairs into the obvious nuts, and such.
Also - Im really not enjoying it (would you?). Im burnt out. I tilt more.
It's funny, I really enjoyed playing online when I had no bankroll, building it and moving up levels was fun. Once I got to the point where the buyin was irrelevant vs. my bankroll I noticed I started to become kind of removed from the game.
So. My current ABI is about $75. Im pulling everything out of my account with the exception of ~3K (YAY shopping spree) and Im going back to dreamcrushing the low limits, mostly, to regain confidence. I plan to get my ABI back down to the $20 range.
/Rant.
In before Busto.
My largest downswing previous to this was about 3 K and lasted only a few weeks.
Im currently on like a 10K downer, over about 12 weeks. It started typical where I just couldnt win when I got it in good / win flips. After about 6-7K I noticed I started playing really bad. Calling wayyyyyyy too light, open shoving 2nd pairs into the obvious nuts, and such.
Also - Im really not enjoying it (would you?). Im burnt out. I tilt more.
It's funny, I really enjoyed playing online when I had no bankroll, building it and moving up levels was fun. Once I got to the point where the buyin was irrelevant vs. my bankroll I noticed I started to become kind of removed from the game.
So. My current ABI is about $75. Im pulling everything out of my account with the exception of ~3K (YAY shopping spree) and Im going back to dreamcrushing the low limits, mostly, to regain confidence. I plan to get my ABI back down to the $20 range.
/Rant.
In before Busto.
Comments
i hate it when that happens....
curious if a coach helped you finalize this decision...
Like, 99% NLHE, I do enjoy the occasional HA.
But know how you feel except at a lower scale.:)
I am "homeschooled".
No, just need to get back to having fun again.
ummmmm wetts is the coach!:)
thought i heard him touting p pownage before.
Definately. But I just watch the vids. Never dealt with any of the pros.
+1
From my experience it will never happen though. You will go mad after playing for 5+ hours and then look at the payout structure and realize you just cashed $28.50 for a $20 buyin and either start to play bad because the money is meaningless or jump back to the higher buyins without the roll to back you up and end up busto or reloading.
I dropped down in limits as well, told myself I would not play $100+ unless I sattied, though I haven't followed that too well.
Perhaps also try another site with smaller player pools, regain confidence by winning a 200 player tourney. Personally I'm getting sick of finishing top 100 out of 5000+ and winning garbage. UB has some great $20 range nightlys.
You remind me of my buddy. He was a frequent reg at 50NL-200NL, 12 tabling (Kablooey is his name, maybe you know him)
He got so sick of running bad and hitting massive downswings; 300K hand break even points etc. he went on self exclusion for like 6 months and traveled around India for 3 of them. He learned to paraglide, went on some buddist retreats, was all zen and hit the cards again.
THis guy si the peaceful, most disciplined guy i know. Won't touch caffine or alcohol, never swears, never gets angry until he hits a card game. I was shocked the amount he swore and yelled at the screen playing cards. After a series of bad runs he was on self exclusion again.
He came back and started learning / teaching me razz. Together we've had a few nice scores but shortly after he was on self exclusion again. He loves the game, but can't take the swings of playing full time.
Now the guy plays about 15 hours a month, the occasional mini FTOPS in razz, won't even touch holdem, and tutors math from grade 7 to 1st year calc. full time. He is much much happier now.
The point of my story is that:
1. I got too much time on my hands at work
2. The psycology of poker can REALLY fuck you up. Takign breaks/vacations is CRUCIAL just like any other job to stay sane. If you're not having fun or pissing away money, just quit. There will ALLWAYS be a game anytime you want.
Also when you feel like you want to come back, go try playing a live donkament. Get yourself a few beers and just have fun. This is what I usually do for a confidence boost. Make fun of the ballers wearing sun-glasses and fancy t-shirts, laugh at the overcall 3 way all in with K-Js etc., just have a good time.
This pretty much sums up how I've felt from the end of last year till now, except you're a much better and more experienced player than I am.
I think your plan is great and you'll have a tonne of fun grinding up a roll at stakes where there is less stress involved.
+1, it's so refreshing to play tournies with small field sizes where I actually feel I have a realistic chance of winning.
Most of the world is immature compared to compuease.
(and yes I am calling you old)
I'm bored to tears with online.
I think it's because I work with computers all day.
I play for a bit and then I go play live.
Young @ heart
I have been using these small fields to do just the same...and they were great..playing less than 100 players for a 1200-1600 prize, learning the ropes of r/a.
It was fantastic until Merge got the influx of players from Cake...my first thoughts were "sweet, more fish". But...now the minefields are bigger and the payouts go deeper so the finish isn't as great as it once was.. You (I) don't finish in the top ten near as much due to beats...when you are getting it in good the majority of the time it is all fine and dandy..except when you are doing it consistently..eventually you lose.
Obviously my swings aren't near as big as yours Daryl, but damn, I know how you feel right now..been playing at Tilt and Gr88 and been nothing but beat after beat for these last few weeks..
It has seriously been a run of these...
You Were Dealt (Ah, 9h)
MetsFan4Life Folds
kashkang Folds
azcardfan11 Raised to 600
abbey19 Folds
billionaire3 Folds
SimonRed Folds
festoon Folds
dirtcheap1 Folds
newWave27 Folds
DennisBSPT Calls 400
Dealing Flop (Ac,7h,Qs)
DennisBSPT Checks
azcardfan11 All In
DennisBSPT All In
DennisBSPT Shows (Ah, 9h)
azcardfan11 Shows (8c, Kc)
Dealing Turn (Tc)
Dealing River (3c)
I am hoping to burn the last of my roll (that I didn't cash out) off tonight so I can break for awhile myself..really work on my live game.
I was shocked when shaundeeb, timex & other 6-digit+ winners at 2+2 posted that they were basically burnt out, but I now have those same feelings of burnout and lack of motivation. Even though I realize many poker players would love to be a winning online grinder, I sometimes get the grinding blues and feel shitty while playing. Fortunately, I still make +EV decisions but even after I win, I don't feel as happy as before. :baffled:
I lost more than 1/2 of my live broll over a year ago and took a break for a few months then slowly grinded it back by moving down a limit and regaining some confidence. It was my first sustained bad run in 8 years...made me sick.
Anyhoo, if you aren't enjoying the game stop playing and be thankful you don't have to do it for a living...start playing again when you really feel like playing and you'll get it all back.
Control Yourself, Control Your Game | PartTimePoker Strategy
Pretty sure I owe you something for this......
Full Tilt Poker Tournament Summary $6,500 Guarantee (Rebuy) (163879179) Omaha Hi Pot Limit
Buy-In: $10 + $1
Add-On: $10
Rebuy: $10
Wetts1012 performed 1 Add-On
Wetts1012 performed 1 Rebuy
Buy-In Chips: 1500
Add-On Chips: 2000
Rebuy Chips: 1500
330 Entries
Total Add-Ons: 129
Total Rebuys: 519
Total Prize Pool: $9,780
Tournament started: 2010/06/01 13:31:00 ET
Tournament finished: 2010/06/01 19:18:46 ET
1: Wetts1012, $2,107.33
2: CologneC, $1,902.47
3: snarlcakes, $1,173.60
4: lucalaura, $904.65
5: TheBeebler, $684.60
woooot!:)
You're welcome . . .
feel free to contribute to the Milo fund for the rehabilitation of injured donkeys at your convenience.
I do feel obligated to remind you this is merely one result . . .