If you are anyone but a total newcomer to the game of poker, you’ve probably heard the term “downswing” a fair share of times. Chances are, you’ve even experienced it on your own. The downswing is one of the most feared among all poker terms.
Why is that? Let’s take a closer look at it.
What is a downswing in poker?
Among the poker community, the downswing is referred to as a prolonged streak of bad luck. It can manifest itself as a series of poor placements in poker tournaments, a period of losing cash game sessions, or really cold streaks in the jackpot SnG’s.
How do we quantify a downswing? Well, here’s the thing – we don’t. Different poker players will have different perceptions of what a downswing is. It’s a matter of multiple variables: experience, self-awareness, and poker skills – to name a few.
A losing month might be considered a downswing by an inexperienced player, while a long-time grinder will be aware that’s to be expected in many poker formats. You may play your best game and still lose money for quite some time.
It’s also worth remembering that the outcomes of prior poker tournaments, cash game sessions, or Spins do not affect those that follow them unless they make you change some principles in your game. In other words, the poker “coin flips” (which are the bread and butter of every poker player) work just like the actual ones – the result of one toss does not influence the outcome of the consecutive one.
Perception is the key to understanding your poker results
If you’re playing poker for more than a few months, you’ve probably had some really hot and really cold streaks. That’s normal for a game with that much luck involved. What is most important, you need to embrace this fact, rather than try to fight it.
So whenever you feel like complaining about your luck in any given situation, remember that you can’t influence it. Therefore complaining about it is just a waste of your time. Accept the random outcomes and focus on things that you can control: your decision-making, your level of preparedness for the game, and your overall condition.
The tricky thing about downswings is that different poker players have different ways of coping with them. What works for one person will not necessarily work for others. Let’s look at a few things that might help you when you feel a streak of bad luck got you on a downswing.
Do a poker reality check of the basics
Another important thing with downswings is, that they’re the go-to excuse for bad players. Almost every poker player knows that there’s no way to influence luck, so it’s way easier to blame bad results on running bad.
If you want to be a winning player you have to break with that mentality. While the spots where you got sucked out on the bubble of a big tournament’s final table or you lose a big spin multiplier on a coin flip are definitely the most spectacular ones, you have to remember that you can’t control them.
These situations can be especially painful as they do not come up that often and every time they do, there’s a lot of money at stake. However, it’s worth acknowledging that there is a lot more in poker than those flashy moments.
If you feel stuck at your current stakes due to a streak of bad luck, a review of your current game will be a good idea. Running bad in crucial spots is one thing, but you may find out that you lose money in some more common situations which are easy to fix with the mindful approach after you realize what you do wrong or too automatically.
The more solid your fundamentals are, the higher your win rate will be. And the higher your win rate, the less frequent the downswings. Find out more by reading the article about variance and poker reality.
The best poker players study constantly
There’s a reason for that. Poker, in pretty much every format, is a constantly evolving game. The optimal strategy from last year may not be the correct one now, especially in the online poker environment. Therefore if you want to play poker for a living you have to be constantly up to date with the current trends.
Read the article on how to approach poker coaching: Approach Poker Coaching Effectively.
The good news is that solid study is a great boost of confidence, especially during bad times. Whether you play tournaments, cash games, or Spins there’s no better way than studying to reassure yourself of your competence during losing streaks.
Asking better players for help is also a very helpful way of recovering from downswings. If you have friends who play poker on a similar level or are even better than you, that’s great, you’re lucky. If you don’t, we suggest you find such people. Look for poker study groups or communities around the poker schools – they are usually really helpful if you are willing to put in some work.
Smart Spin community is a great place to learn how to play poker and become a better player. Find out how to join us here: Be part of the Smart Spin community.
There is no shame in playing lower limits
Bankroll management is one of the most important skills for anyone who plays poker professionally or at least semi-professionally. As a poker player, you might feel that dropping to lower than usual limits is a failure. Well, it might not be an ideal situation but there’s no shame in that.
Playing games with lower buy-in is another good way to regain confidence and rebuild your bankroll. You’d be surprised how many world-class players struggled with their bankrolls at some point in their career, so don’t be too harsh to yourself.