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Online Poker - Lyve Games

The Blog showcases various Online Poker theories and strategies in order to learn the intricacies of the game.Explore cutting edge Poker Strategies from Beginner to Professional to ensure you always top the game.

How to deal with Poker Downswings?

Poker downswings are extremely demoralising, especially when you are doing everything according to books, no mischiefs, not taking chances on flips and everything that poker experts ask players to do. Any player who has played poker seriously for a considerable amount of time has to hit by a downswing. However, a good player knows how to deal with a downswing. Poker is a game of mind where your psychology affects your playing style, assessing your opponents and overall performance. 

In some rare cases, players experience lengthy swings. It sometimes happens things are not working for more than ten long seasons and now you are suddenly asking questions about yourself. You start wondering whether you can really beat the game or it is just an illusion. It is actually you are just a few cards to get your rhythm back in the game. Now, the question is how to get back to those magical winning cards?

 
The answer is there is no magical way to get cards that fetch you some lucrative pots. Nevertheless, you can always control your mind and that will eventually help you overcome the mental block that you have acquired through a long streak of a bad patch.

Know your Variance

Understanding variance is the most important thing in poker. It is arguably the best way to keep your track noted down systematically. Without data, you just have a selective memory bias. If you have enough data and look down your past record carefully, you can understand where you run below EV in critical spots in cash table or tourneys. 

Take your Time Off

Treat poker like a game. You play, you win, you lose but you should never be addicted to it. There are certain points when poker pros also do not want to look at it. That aversion is good because you will be surprised how much life you have apart from playing poker. Take a long break and think about what you can do apart from playing poker. This break is most essential when you are experiencing downswings.

Evaluate yourself very carefully

It is important to see things in perspective. Ask yourself some fundamental questions whether you are really such a good player or just an average who wants to tussle with pros in high stakes. Poker is not gambling that is why blackjack, roulette or any other casino games does not have any pros. If you are a good player and most of the time a winner, your downswing is just a stroke of short-term bad luck. In poker long-term skill is always ahead of short-term luck. Just control yourself and take a break!

Play at Lower Stakes

Downswings can crush your bankroll, so if you continuously play at higher stakes with a negative mental state, you are sure to torture yourself with more loses. It is always better to take a break but if are a compulsive player then it is a good way to down your playing stakes and grind. Sometimes it is difficult to play at lower stakes, especially if you are a high stake poker player. You will find more noobs, fishes and calling stations, but if you stick to your gameplay you will surely win back some money as well as your confidence.

Never Think about Recovery

 

The most important thing in poker is not to win pots but to take correct decisions. While playing a single hand or multiple hands think closely because that decision actually matters. The single decision will affect your bankroll and overall psychology. If you sit on the table with a stiff mindset to recover your lost money, it will never work. If are continuously thinking about recovery, DO NOT PLAY POKER. Take a break and sit with a calm mind to play.

Conclusion

Poker is a highly psychological game and filled with ego. The competitiveness is good but things go wrong when things are getting personal. The success of the mental side of the game demands lots of opposite reactions. We need to understand poker from an objective viewpoint. The ability to? let go? is the hallmark of life, same for poker.