Routine Losses

In January last year I posted a blog entitled January Blues. The weather here was cold and miserable and my poker form wasn't much better. A year later these now routine January weather and poker issues have resurfaced. I am cold, running real bad poker wise and getting a little frustrated.

 

As part of my poker plan to improve my win rate I have been experimenting with my evening routine, playing more games at once in one session rather than two smaller ones. Certainly this is more time efficient but I have yet to see the real potential due to a significant downturn in fortune. My coin toss win rate feels like 25%. A significant thought for me right now is how badly am I running really compared to how well am I playing. I am certainly not playing my A game. I have reviewed quite a few hands to give me confidence that it is really my luck rather than my play that is the problem. I understand that Holdem Manager software can help here in that it can show you how well you are running compared to all-in equity expectation. I may well give the thirty day trial a go to see if it is of benefit.

 

Half way through January a particular game has really helped me, given me the inspiration to write this blog and hopefully turn my luck around. As part of an inevitably losing session, one game stood out. Before it even started Serhar was complaining about a previous game in which no doubt he had been robbed of victory. He spent the game complaining about his luck and the bad play of others. Never an endearing quality but usually of interest. Meanwhile, I combined some bad play with some bad luck of my own to leave myself with fifty chips. The next ten minutes were unexpected and thought provoking. Sehar when second in chips was knocked out AK v A7 by his only serious opponent. He was not happy, especially then seeing me double and treble up a few times to become a contender. I was called some names that I can assure you are entirely unjustified. Eventually I finished a wonderful and uplifting second for $15. What did I learn from this game? One, that there is always someone having worse luck than you and letting it get to them more. On examination Serhar is a winning player which emphasised the situation even more. Secondly and more importantly following an outrageous series of misfortunes, lost coin flips and bad beats, it reminded me that Luck Avenue is not a one way street in Runningbadsville, Tennessee. Only a few weeks ago I was posting about a hot streak. My luck will turn. I just need to be there, ready to capitalise when it does.

 

So, in the second half of January I will play well and run good. You never know the sun might even pop out at some point.

 

 

Good Luck