Running Bad, Are You?

Since I started writing this column a little over a year ago, I've received a lot of E-mail from "wannabe" pros and others who have been having problems with the game. Often, I receive E-mail from different people that asks the same question. One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is: What should I do when I'm running bad?

Rather than continue to answer each E-mail separately, I thought I'd devote a column to how to get through those periods when the cards are frowning upon you. Every poker player goes through periods when he thinks he has to be the unluckiest player in the world. I know at least 10 poker players personally who all claim to hold the title of the unluckiest poker player alive. My good friend Mike Matusow refers to himself as "the biggest joke in poker," as well as the "unluckiest player in the world." Well, he's half right! Just kidding, Mike.

The first thing you'll have to realize is that you aren't the only person in the world who has gone through a bad run of cards. Also, you just aren't the unluckiest player in the world – Mike is! Believing that you were just born unlucky is a cop-out. There are many reasons why people go through losing streaks, and ultimately, luck isn't the main reason, in my opinion.

I believe that the negative mindset that losing causes likely affects decision-making so much that it can turn a winning player into a losing player. Lack of confidence is your biggest enemy when you are running bad. So, what can you do about it?

Many things. The best thing to do, obviously, is take a break for a while and re-evaluate your play during the losing streak. Try to analyze without "overanalyzing." By overanalyzing your play, you could lose your feel for the game and continually second-guess every move you make. You have to be comfortable to win in poker – confident and comfortable, not insecure and paranoid.

All right, even after you do all that (take a break, analyze your play, and so on), sometimes the cards still frown upon you. So, what now?

Well, if the break didn't help, and you still think you are playing your best game, maybe it's time to step down one limit to try to rebuild some confidence (there's that word again). At a lower limit, the game should be just a little easier for you, which should present fewer opportunities to make mistakes. You won't any longer be intimidated or annoyed by those same players who have been beating your brains out with runner-runner gutshots and two-outers. Now there will be a new set of players to put all of those bad beats on you! Just kidding.

In a past column I wrote about "playing hours, not results." I tried to explain why it's important not to get into the habit of hitting and running, as well as playing all night to get even. By taking the scientific approach and playing a set number of hours, you'll avoid the pitfalls that destroy the majority of poker players.

There is one exception, though. If you are running so bad that it's really getting to you, it might not be such a bad idea to book a few small wins to build on. Winning begets winning, whatever the amount. Hopefully, stringing together a few wins will help you look at the game in a more positive light, and that can only help your results.

So, what else can you do to change your luck? Try playing a different form of poker for a while, or even at a different casino. Don't do it for superstitious reasons, as that would be silly. Do it simply for a change of pace – anything to get you out of a negative mindset.

I remember when I was in the midst of a very bad streak at Bellagio a couple of years ago. I could almost sense negative energy when I walked into the room. It was like I knew I was going to lose. So, I hopped in my car and drove to L.A. for a week. I think the drive, coupled with the different environment, helped me get out of my funk. I had a good week in L.A., and went back to Bellagio fresh, confident, and with a clean slate. That isn't always going to work, of course, but it helped me break the monotony of losing every day at Bellagio.

Here's one last piece of advice: Don't tell your opponents how bad you have been running. First of all, they really don't care and don't want to hear it, and more importantly, you'll be giving them a psychological edge over you. You'll be giving them the recipe to beat you. They'll likely play much more confidently against you if they know you have been suffering from bad luck, and they'll make winning even tougher for you.

The real problem with trying to become the perfect poker player is that we are human, and we have to deal with our emotions. Try as we may not to let things at the poker table bother us, everyone has his own threshold of pain, and it's lower for some than others. How you handle your losing streaks will ultimately determine how well you do in poker over the long haul. Being the best player in your game when you're winning and the worst player when you're losing is still a recipe for disaster.

To read all of my past columns, go to www.fullcontactpoker.com.