Poker Downswings - How to Handle Big Downswings

Downswings are perhaps the most unfortunate reality in all of poker. They can be extremely difficult to deal with, and are impossible to prevent. Downswings will fill players with feelings of helplessness that are hard to explain. Even the best players will lose confidence in their game when they go on downswings. Most players realize that downswings are not purely the fault of bad luck or bad play, and that they are a combination of the two. The problem, however, is that players like to blame a downswing entirely on bad luck. After all, it is much easier to think that a downswing is completely out of your control and that you are just the victim of the worst bad luck ever. The fact is that downswings, at least 99% of the time, are the product of continued bad play. While downswings often start with an unlucky hand, they are prolonged by bad play.

Bad luck

Bad luck is a reality of the game in and of itself. Even when you are not in a downswing you will be getting unlucky from time to time. The question that most players struggle with is what to do when these rough hands happen. The perfect poker player would let unlucky hands roll off their back, but there is virtually no one who can actually do this. The solution to this is simply dealing with them in the best way possible. This then leads to an entirely new set of problems. Sometimes poker can seem like a never ending cycle of torture.

There is good news… you can deal with the bad luck if you want to. It will take a great amount of self discipline to endure the inevitable bad luck. Anger is the most common reaction to bad luck, but just like in real life, anger can be monitored. The easiest thing to do is just quit. This takes no judgment, just step away from the table (or computer) and you will be able to effectively cut your losses.

Another option is to either cut down the amount of tables you are playing, or move down in limits. Doing this will cut losses, but the only way it really benefits anyone is if they are able to play profitably. If you are still going to be playing while angry it is definitely in your best interest to simply quit for a little while.

Bad play

Have you ever gotten infuriated with a hand? Maybe you got AA all in pre flop vs KK and a K flopped. You brick the turn and river, and you have lost a hand where you were a huge favorite. Obviously you are angry, but what do you do to tame this anger? Often times nothing, it is much easier to spew a bunch of chips on the next hand. Maybe you make a huge open raise pre flop for no reason, or check raise the turn purely out of spite. This is how bad luck turns into bad play which then evolves into an all out downswing. The key is to eliminate the aspect you have control over, bad play. You will never stop a downswing on command, but you can help to limit the damage it inflicts.