Poker is sick

Well, it was bound to come to an end. My run good is officially over, and downswingaments are in it's place. I know I'd already lost a bunch this month, but with a big positive night, most would still be healed. Monday night was fairly fruitless getting up a BI, down a BI repeated over and over, to finish up barely.

Well last night looked much the same. The tables were OK, and I was playing OK, was up a bit. I took a break when a couple of fish left, and came back to a pretty dry scene. No tables with decent VPIP's, so I headed to HU. Nothin dramatic happened there, but I checked back to the 6 max, and tables were OK again. Once more things dryed up, and at one point when a fish left, I noticed all three tables were officially full of TAG's. This is really bad news. OnGame has been so lively, now it's back to grinding againt a bunch of TAG's. I'd have to say I won't be upset about leaving OnGame if it stays like this for much longer. I closed down my tables, and saw just one table with a VPIP over 40, which was a Nl200 table, so I joined, to one table it.

I had great position on the fish and the TAG's, so it was a good table, but I couldn't win a pot. I was the LAG in the end beating up on the 55/0, but whenever I made a hand, he made one better. J3o is always worth a 5BB isolation raise OOP, and of course it hits 2 pair. I donked off about $250 before hitting a couple of hands and reducing the pain to around $160, then the fish left. I insta quit at that point as 3 NL200 TAG's and a semi fish don't appeal.

I left for NL50 HU, and was up a BI shortly after. Then IT happened. Most bad nights involve an it, and in this case, a very 3 bet happy guy 3 bet me holding A2s. I decided to flat it for once, and flopped the nut flush FTW. Only when we shipped it in, his 97o was drawing oh so live with 2 pair, and got there. At this point this was for 150BB pot too, so I was down after being up a BI and stacking off with nut flush vs 2 pair. I lost the rest, probably playing some C game, and decided to up the ante and play NL100.

Down another BI there, I couldn't really stop, and suddenly starting running good for once. I stacked a guy who left, then was up another BI on the next guy, and things were looking up. That didn't last thought, and sickness prevailed, bringing me down to $0 against that guy and getitng stacked by another. There was certainly some bad play, but overall, I just can't get a hand to hold on, and so often I am force to fold TPTK on the river, and depending on how I feel and who I'm playing I either do or I don't.

I have to say, this was over several hours of session too long. At 11pm I should have just quit, but kept going until 2am for some insane reason. This is a sickness similar to drugs, drinking or degen gambling, and is not good for my mental state or health. I have to set session time limits, especially when I'm running bad, and maybe play big mega session when I'm running good (sounds sensible).

But that's OK. I can just keep trying to play my best, and I know that the thousands of winning players have battled through these streaks just fine and I will too, there is no problem there. Actually it's very satisfying having this happen, as it will give me strength when I realise I am up for the month by Feb 28. That isn't necessarily my goal, but my goal of playing my best for the rest of the month will hopefully see that happen at least in part.

That said, I may take a break from NL100 for a little bit. Or maybe just table select a little better, and if tables are too tight, maybe then move down to NL50 for some carnage. I have to make sure I'm not too proud to play lower stakes, as my bankroll is dwindling, and if I keep going on this sick streak, my bankroll will be too low to grind NL100 and I'll be forced to play NL50, which is far beyond what I want right now.