What do you do

when you run bad for almost two weeks. i won't lie and say I've been playing perfect poker, but everytime I've taken a big hit, I have had my opponent dominated.

The most recent example: (no hand history since i was so upset, i just shut my pc off and went out)

.25/.50 no limit holdem.

I get aces UTG. I make it 2.50 some BB calls. flop was something like Q J 7 all different suits.

BB checks, I bet 6.50. He calls.

Turn was a 3. He checks, and I bet 15. (I am down to like 3 bucks at this point) the guy calls.

River was a 4. He bets 5 bucks. I call.

He shows pocket fours. I lost 20 something bucks this hand.

ANOTHER example, earlier today.

I get AK as BB. One limper plus the SB I raise it to 2.50

Flop A K 10. SB checks, I bet around 7, limper calls, SB folds

Turn crap card. I bet the pot, he moves all in (again, I was down to around 5 bucks) and I call.

He shows Q5.

Turn is a jack. Another good 20 bucks down the drain to a three outer.

I feel so discouraged right now. Becuase of the bad run, I have made some plays (like chasing) that I know I shouldn't have. But those hands cost me a few dollars here and there. It just seems that everytime I know i have a great hand, I seem to lose to two - four outters.

I am down about 150 this week.

How do you guys put up with this. I am thinking of just taking about a week off. I have beat myself up way too much this week. I feel that I cannot win. Like, at all.

Any tips? Thanks.

I've actually had the same problem the last week - I was getting destroyed on FT, so I stopped palying there and have been playing UB. Because I play 95% of the time at FT, playing at UB seems like a very leisurely activity where I am not hypersensitive about my BR and potential bad beats, but rather can just enjoy the game. If you can't turn to another poker site (even if its just for superstitious change of luck or soemthing) I suggest you take at least a day off, maybe this weekend, and then come back fresh and prepared to go donk-hunting on monday. Don't let the tilt get to you!

Luck like this recently happened to me too, a few weeks ago i was down about 20$ on Pstars, and then, like you my aces got beat by a lower pp on the river and i lost about 30$ that hand. Then after that I started tilting a little, and chasing bad hands with few outs and before I knew it I was down 160$. After that i was done, and i decided i needed to take a break for a couple of days and cool down. So I took the weekend off and then on Monday came back and played some good poker and won about 50$ of it back, and I broke even again on Wed. I would just recommend taking a short break just to cool off and get your mind off of it for a little bit. and then when you come back you will have a fresh mind and should be on the top of your game.

-V

Thanks guys. I was speaking with my wife earlier and she told me something that helped me get over it a little. She said I am good at reading situations and have a knack for figuring out a range of hands the other guy can be holding. Then she told me the one thing I am always preaching about myself.

Luck. That 90 percent have will lose 10 percent of the time. June was a very good month for me. I finished up +$350. I guess the percentages are just coming through.

Regardless, I will take the weekend off. I had 175 after my latest withdrawl. I am down to a measly 14 or so dollars. I think I'll just play freerolls this coming week and see how that goes. Then I'm gonna hit the micro stakes with a vengence.

Been there done that. We all have rough streaks. Just take a break and regroup. Don't chase money lost on a bad day.

Yes to taking a break for a few days. Go somewhere and take your mind off the game completely. I think anyone that's played enough poker has gone through similar runs. Maybe the losses are different, but it's all relative when your confidence is so low you think your royal flush could lose on the river.

taking a break can really help. clear your mind and play again when it doesn't bother you. poker is not an emotional game....its math and luck.

what happend to skill? The game does require some skill otherwise u might as well be play'n slot machines for the rest of ur natural born life.

definitely take a couple days off, and come back with a clear head.

Monday has been a bit better already I have not played cash games becuase I am still reeling a bit. I made 2nd in a 5.50 18 player SNG and won a 90 FTP sattelite to the Midnight Madness tonight. I just played a 5.50 SNG buy busted out very first hand. (AK, flopped top pair but my opponent flopped a set and played it to perfection.)

I'm a bit more optimstic. Let's see how the midnight tourney treats me.