Poker Articles

If You Are Going Through Hell, Keep Going

By Al Spath

It was Sir Winston Churchill, one of Great Britain's greatest leaders, whom history attributes to coining the phrase, "If you are going through hell, keep going." He couldn't know that generations later poker players the world over would apply its relevance to their game. Poker can be brutal on ones psyche, so the quicker you can get out of a "funk" or away from your "losing ways" at the tables, the sooner you can feel your feet are out of the fire.

The "burning" question remains and it fills poker forums from Seattle to Singapore: "What should I do when everything is going so poorly for me at the tables and I've tried everything?" Tough question, but I would reply, what have you tried? And are you willing to really change your ways?

For example, when you play sit n go's, do you drop "down" a notch and instead of playing $100 sits, do you try $50 events? Or those with a smaller bankroll who presently struggle at a $10 sit n go, do you drop "down" to $5 events or even lower? For those of you who play cash games (also referred to as ring games), do you drop "down" a level or several levels when it gets tough sledding at the higher limits?

If your not, but doing quite the opposite, moving "up" in limits to recapture your losses, you might find your bankroll being depleted, right along with your enthusiasm for the game we both love to play. Making a move in the wrong direction to compensate for poor play, a run of bad luck, or inconsistent results is not the "prescription" to fix your problem.

Sometimes, we don't realize we have indeed picked up a few bad habits along the way and play too many hands that when we are "on our game," would discard in an instant. Occasionally, we may feel our skills are superior to our opponents and underestimate their skills and their ability to detect our erratic or beatable play. At times we think we can win pots on reputation or past performances and miscalculate our opponents' ability to read our hands.

There are many factors that can cause a sustained losing streak, but let's discuss useful remedies and how can we stop the bleeding. First and foremost, if you are reeling, it's time to "step" away from the tables. Take a break. Trust me, it won't kill you to spend some time with a loved one (you remember them; they were around when you did not play poker all the time). Surprise, they still are around (well, most of them), so catch up on activities that both of you, or the entire family liked to do. Relax, catch a nap, see a movie, read a book (not necessarily a poker book, but that's okay too) and clear the mind. That means forget about any impending bankroll issues, forget about the recent bad losing streak or bad beat, and above all, forget about the pressures of having to win each time you sit down, whether live or online.

When you return to poker, start out slow. Play in games you can "afford" and don't put financial pressure on your self. Play solid-aggressive poker, remembering how you became so successful in the first place when you did not play too many hands. When you feel you have the best hand, make sure you extract the maximum amounts of money from your opponent(s). Cut down on being the one in the hand who is constantly "drawing" while falling far behind your opponent. Make steady progress daily and don't be in a hurry to jump up in limits. Take the time to replenish your poker soul, as well as your bankroll.

Once you have established a return to good poker habits and play, make the move back to a comfortable level again. If the competition, or overall going gets tough, sense it early and return to a lower level and once again, regain your confidence and the money needed to make yet another attempt moving up to a higher level. Keep in mind, as most players move up, the level of play (should) improves and more skills and experience are needed, so expect better play and at times, slower win rates, but don't get impatient.

It might seem like hell when you are in the midst of a losing streak and it might seem like there is nothing you can do, but that is so wrong. You can take charge of your situation and make some changes to relieve the "stress" and "heat" associated with this purgatory and trust me, it's a lot cooler out of the "kitchen!"

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About the Author:
Al Spath is the "Dean" at PokerSchoolOnline and has authored the "Poker Journal." In addition to having one place for all your poker records, you'll get advice and tips on reading hands, playing live, reading tells and so much more (www.alspath.com). Al's poker expertise, coupled with his insight and ability to communicate effectively to both large and smaller sized audiences, make him an ideal speaker for any company, convention, college, or organizational group venue.

Comments to: AlSpath@pokerschoolonline.com

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