Losing confidence in your game

I wasn't sure where to post this, but figured any discussion on the topic might be able to help out some of the other beginners out there.

Does anyone ever get this feeling? Anyone have any ideas how to play through it? Is it best to just take a break from the game and reevaluate things before jumping onto another table?

The reason I ask this is simple, lately my post flop game has become a real mess, I think in large part due to the fact that my head just isn't into "it". What I mean by this is, I've been making horrific calls when I know I'm beat 9.5 times out of 10 and I've been bumbling and stumbling around with the nuts and not getting any value from those hands.

As I'm sitting here thinking about this, I think that part of the reason I'm making some of these stupid plays is because perhaps I feel like I "deserve" to win a hand at this point. I don't feel like that at the time, but perhaps it's a subconscience thing? I've played just over 18k hands at $10NL on Stars since I've started to keep records of my poker progress and vowed not to move up like some people I know until I have the proper roll(even over-rolled). Pre flop I'm 18.1/8.2 over these 18K hands with my post flop aggression sitting at 2.7. I tell myself that patience is the key and I'm in it for the long haul before everytime I login and play a session. I was wondering if anyone else gets into this kind of a funk when things aren't going their way? It seems as though, one big mistake leads to another big mistake for me.

I know a monkey should be able to beat $10NL without to much difficulty and there shouldn't be much of a problem for myself, but as I've stated, at this point I've lost the confidence in my game that up until recently I've had. I'm not worried about going broke or anything, but I feel that if I don't get my act together, I'm going to pull my hair out(don't think the wife would like that).

Anyways, sorry to ramble, just figured I'd throw this out there and maybe get some ideas to try and get my head back in the game.

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ght=downswings

we all go trough this when variance kicks in. take a few days off poker, read a book, review your game and post hands and questions. stay cool, better days will come

also

noob circle of death:
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...poker-9214.htm

I'm not that good:
http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...oker-28841.htm

Thanks for the replies, somehow I missed salsa's thread, all are very good reads.

Originally Posted by Trashcona

Thanks for the replies, somehow I missed salsa's thread, all are very good reads.

I meant to say this in the first post, but I got side-tracked. I'm totally in the "salsa state" right now. I feel like I only make money when I get great cards and my opponents get good cards. I don't really play good as much as I don't play that bad. So ya, everyone goes through it.

i realised that number 4. man that sucks if you do that and you lose everything and replay the hand and go "doh!"

It seems like every month I go through a 10 day period where all I do is lose. I think I am entering one now. I suggest looking over your game, I tend to make more mistakes in this period I think because things were going well before and I think I loosen up too much. I read very basic books and articles for beginners again to brush up on the basics which I am probably cheating on a little and variance is killing me. I just got stacked with KK to AA and while I should have lost some money I think I should have gotten out when he went all in on the flop, a very basic concept I try to follow now unless I know the guy is capable of doing that with less a hand than I have. At the micro stakes I play, I find they don't bluff that often. Good luck.

I had this problem all weekend...losing a good portion of my bankroll...I kept trying to walk away from the computer and say "it's a bad day and it's not going to get better" but kept finding myself sitting down again trying to make things happen with bad hands instead of being patient. I'm going to take a day or two off and hope that it turns around and I'm sure it will...it always does.

You're looking at it from the wrong way. You must look for reasons to FOLD.

Let's say you make a good bet with a pair. if he raises you there's already a big reason to fold since 1pair normally sucks.

But you probably go oooo and aaaa and boom, there goes your money.

This works for the other way around as well. If you got a big hand you probably bet too much out of proportion and give the opponent an easy reason to fold --> leading to you not winning big pots with nuts.

just my opinion. i go through the same thing.

Thanks again for the replies in this thread. I have to say that after reading/rereading the stickies mentioned above along with others I definately have my head back on straight. Just writing things down in a thread like this or jotting down some notes as reminders has also helped in the process of staying focused and making good decisions. Thanks again