Overcoming a loosing streak

If you play poker on a regular basis, eventually you’ll hit a losing streak. It happens frequently, even to great poker players. A lot of people will tell you to just take a break. They assume that you’ve been playing too much and that you are simply tired. While that may be a possibility, it’s often more than simply being physically and emotionally tired.

I certainly don’t deny that fatigue can have an impact on your game. But while being fatigued, something else can happen: we make stupid basic mistakes without even realizing it. A good indicator of this is the luck factor, or in the case, the bad luck factor. If you are loosing frequently, and it seems like you’re just unlucky, it’s probably because you’re putting your money in situations where luck is too much of a factor, and the risks are too great. People who are chasing flushes constantly, even when pot odds don’t warrant such actions, are a prime example. You’re not loosing because you’re unlucky (i.e. not catching that spade you needed), you’re loosing because you play hands you shouldn’t play. Hey, if you can chase a flush for free, of for little money, go nuts. If it’s going to cost half your stack to win double that amount, well… give it up already!

Don’t forget that humans are creatures of habit. We tend to create a routine, and stick with that comfort zone. In poker, that isn’t a good thing. Mixing up your game to keep everyone on their toes is a good thing. Being unpredictable is a good thing. I find that a lot of players that have been playing poker regularly for a long time eventually end up creating a mold for themselves. They become comfortable with a particular style, or tend to repeat the same patterns. A typical example of that is someone who ALWAYS raises 3 times the big blind when they start with a good hand like A-K, or always limp in when they have a small pair in hopes of catching a cheap flop. I’m not saying those are bad plays, I’m just saying you shouldn’t ALWAYS play those hands the exact same way.

So if you’ve been having a bad streak lately, do take a break. But also think about how you’ve been playing. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

• Have I been calling often while pot odds weren’t in my favor? If so, then consider bluffing. Come out with a significant raise instead of simply calling. OR, consider folding earlier if your stack is low, or if you feel you can’t get away with a bluff.
• Do I tend to play a lot of hands? If so, then you are probably throwing a lot of money in the pot and you probably fold by the time the river card comes. Guess what, that’s wasting your money in hopes of getting lucky. Don’t rely on luck. Spend more time learning about pot odds.
• Does it feel like other players tend to read me easily? Maybe you’re just predictable. Mix things up a little. Send signals by showing cards and establish a table image that you can abuse later.
• Do I loose a lot of money because I fold too often? Maybe you are you a push over at the poker table. Maybe people know it’s easy to make you fold when they raise. OR, maybe you’re just playing too many hands.
• Do I loose a lot of money because I bluff and get caught (If so, work on establishing a more conservative table image, try not to bluff those who have more chips than you do, and tone down the aggressiveness)

There are a lot of different game elements you can examine, and the questions from a above are a good start. Take some time to assess where you’ve been going wrong. Take time to reinvent your style. Good luck at the tables!

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Overcoming a Loosing Streak

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