Quote Originally Posted by aokrongly
This is a good example of what some call the newbie circle of death. I call it accumulated toxins.

Someone plays strong, consistent poker. Then they have a string of bad luck or even just flat cards or no callers with their good cards. Anyway their expectations of CONTINUED AND UNHINDERED improvements are dashed. In return they question their basic game, get frustrated, and lose patience. This loss of paitience comes in 3 ways:
1. They get overly agressive even with good cards
2. They start calling with good hands that are probably beat (like a pp with an overcard on the board).
3. They loosen their preflop requriements or start bluffing more.

This accelerates their loses and then they lose HOPE, lose INTERST, totally lose PATIENCE. And in essence lose FAITH. all because they had a bad string of suckouts or a bad string of flat cards.

TAKE 3 DAYS OFF. No poker. Clear the toxins. Only play stakes and games where you can play unhindered by emotional bullshit. If you can't do that after 3 days. I fyou have thoughts of fear, worry, impatience, etc. Then take the rest of the week off. You're only going to lose money if you play. ... You are ONLY going to LOSE MONEY if you play with this emotional state. Regardless of stakes or playing conditions.

Take a break. You don't need to play tighter. You need to take a break.
Ah, my mentor.

Of course, you're correct Mr. O'Krongly.

Just now, what happened? lost two more buy-ins. My KK, which I played quite normally, loses to some sap who called my PF raise with TQ suited. He flopped two pair and it stood up. Next hand, some other dude gets KK, and that stands up on a board of rags and he takes down 170 BB's.

Then in the BB, my shitty 52 off flops two pair. "Cool", think I. And bet. I bet again. Some moron keeps calling and lo and behold, he he's holding a straight 'cause he's one of those types who playe ANY goddamn ace.

I am now on the nearing 400 bucks and this has been the worst downswing of my poker career.

Tony, the only thing I haven't done is loosen my pre-flop starting requirements, and I don't feel I've lost my patience, however, I do feel that whatever I do, I'll lose, so this can't be good.

Play tighter? Man, you know that I play tight so I don't think I can get any tighter without becoming obvious.

But I will take a break, analyse my game and read more on this site. I've not been dropping by here enough of late, and this is a good chance to make ammends. Then maybe I'll play a bit of the old $2 game just for old times sake.

Jigs

P.S. I think it should just be called the "Circle of Death" since it seems to come up no matter how many hands one has played.