how do you "reset" your brain when on a dowswing?

[|~|ypermegachi]

this hand explains it all:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $1 BB (6 handed) Hand History Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

CO ($101.25)
Button ($125.80)
SB ($78.20)
Hero ($96.95)
UTG ($120)
MP ($1.90)

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, Q.
1 fold, MP calls $1, CO raises to $4, Button calls $4, 1 fold, Hero raises to $18.5, MP folds, CO raises to $47, Button folds, Hero raises to $87, CO raises to $148.25 (All-In), Hero calls $28.45 (All-In).

i can quite confidently say that that hand is probably the worst played hand i have ever played. and if not, it'd be top 2 or 3. i even paused after the 4bet, thinking i'm probably beat, yet i still 5bet.

the 15 buyin upswing i enjoyed on stars is now almost all gone from playing on other sites. part of it is bad runs/luck. the other part is just bad play. some just slightly -EV, and a couple blatantly burning money EV like the hand above.

[bigspenda73]

You're doing this on Full Tilt?

[|~|ypermegachi]

You're doing this on Full Tilt?

i don't get it.

[silu73]

I was hardly playing but still stayed abreast with Poker by watching videos, browsing forums etc. I play way less hands than I used to do but the winrate has finally gone up again.

Most importantly, if you have the slightest doubt that you are not playing your best then I would turn of the PC.

[I Like Pie]

I think he wants to know that because he wants to sit at your table.

[IowaSkinsFan]

This hand isn't that bad, whether it's bad at all is debatable.

[bigspenda73]

You're doing this on Full Tilt?

i don't get it.

Then you haven't been paying attention

Or it's changed 2 months after I left it

[euphoricism]

I drop down a level, get my vpip as low as it can go, and play 10k hands and prove that I CAN do this.

[ShowMeAtlas]

I find that playing a lot of extra tables helps me as you don't have as much time to get "creative".

[euphoricism]

That too. I 6 table whereas I usually 3-4, force myself tighter and less creative.

[Galapogos]

I drop down to a level where buy-ins don't hurt and beat the snot out of fish to get my confidence back.

Sometime's I'll also play a low stakes alternative game. 25PL Omaha often brings my sanity back for some reason.

Basically, my key is drop down super low until you're a confident winner again. I don't mean if you lose 5 buy-ins drop down or anything. There's just times where I've felt like you're probably feeling, where you're just uncomfortable and/or scared of every hand you're playing, and no matter what, shit just never works.

[|~|ypermegachi]

This hand isn't that bad, whether it's bad at all is debatable.

are you serious? i can't imagine any 4bet preflop in 100NL not being AK/AA/KK. anyways, i regret not having HUD while i was playing. when i was reviewing my session this guy had a PFR of 3%

oh, and to reply to a couple of the suggestions:
i already 6 table all the time, and that's a steady pace for me. i can't imagine adding 2 more...8 tables of 6max is too crazy! and my stats are around 20-23/14-16.

i also have over 40 buyins for 100NL, so playing scared isn't the issue. you guys have probably seen some of my spew hands i've posted recently.

but confidence is a definite issue...i'm on a 4 or 5 losing session streak now. my buddy suggested i take a break from poker for a couple days. i think i'm gonna do that.

[Galapogos]

I actually didn't mean "scared" as in losing money specifically. I just meant scared that you're beat. Even if bankroll isn't an issue, there's just something refreshing about dropping tp the 25NL games and having fun again.

[jyms]

If i'm having a bad run I do the same thing, drop a level for a session. About 500 hands is all it takes to play "poker" and get it all back now. I grind a buy in or two by just using position and running over guys. Most of my problems come when I start to lose I stop betting aggressively enough. This lets me adjust my betting to keep up the pressure while not worrying at all about the money.

[Genitruc]

I play fewer tables and try to get lots of sick reads

[zook]

This hand isn't that bad, whether it's bad at all is debatable.

are you serious? i can't imagine any 4bet preflop in 100NL not being AK/AA/KK.

I agree with ISF. I don't play 100nl at FT, but at 200 & 400 I play this the same (besides 5-bet pushing rather than raising to $87).

You're only a 1.5:1 dog vs. KK+/AK and you're 5-bet pushing $78 to win $118, so pot odds are 1.47:1... a very small mistake.

[|~|ypermegachi]

hmmm....odd...i would expect stacking off preflop with QQ to be a huge leak....so you're saying i should move up to 200NL?

[zook]

You gotta move up to where the donks are From my terrible session today...

Full Tilt Poker - No Limit Holdem Ring game - Blinds: $2/$4 - 5 players - Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: $400
Hero: $400
Button: $480
SB: $156
BB: $714.50

Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is CO with A K
UTG raises to $14, Hero raises to $44, 3 folds, UTG raises to $152, Hero raises all-in $400, UTG calls all-in $262.

Flop: Q K 5 (2 all-in - Main pot: $806)

Turn: K (2 all-in - Main pot: $806)

River: Q (2 all-in - Main pot: $806)

Results:
Final pot: $806
Hero showed Ac Kd
UTG showed Qd Qc

[silu73]

Against the right opponent pushing QQ preflop is quite good.

[sauce123]

pushing QQ preflop oop=good usually

pushing QQ preflop in position= not as good usually

its just about getting max value, if by 4betting QQ u get all worse hands to fold at ur stakes- dont 4bet

if u call a 3bet with QQ or make a 3bet which they call light and then outplay them postflop- max value

[mixchange]

I think what hasn't been mentioned is to do something you enjoy that is totally unrelated to poker. That resets my brain the best. Get back into mountain biking or something physical that isn't on the pc

If you just need confidence, drop a buy in or even two to just clean up.