I know it isn’t the prettiest topic to discuss in the world but it is one that needs to be addressed nonetheless. Running bad and getting cold decked are two of the worst situations a poker player can find themselves in. How well you play the game has nothing to do with it. When variance hits you the wrong way and the cards do not fall in your favor it can set a number of bad things in motion if you are not careful. I am going to talk about how to cope with a bad run and recognize it before you begin to develop bad habits that make it worse.
Recognition
If you are new to the game of poker this will be the most difficult task for you to understand. Knowing when you are running bad is essential for a number of reasons such as:
- Bankroll management
- Emotional control
- Stave off developing bad habits
Those are just a few of the reasons you need to be capable of recognizing when things are not going your way.
In order to understand what a bad run is you can simply examine what it looks and feels like when you are running good. You are hitting all of your outs and even doing it when you are not a favorite. You seem to pick up better hands and more of them when you are in a session. Your mindset is balanced and you “know” you are going to make a profit. The tempo and rhythm of the game seem to fit perfectly with how you are playing. Conversely, the polar opposite takes place when you are running bad. No matter how well you play you always seem to lose the one outer or miss the draw even when you are 50/50in the hand. Things seem to be going against you at every turn. You begin to lose confidence in your game. Second guessing your play also begins to set it. Nothing you do seems to be enough to win a pot.
Control
As I stated earlier, running bad has nothing to do with your skill as a poker player. However, understanding what to do when you hit a bad run of cards separates the good players from the broke ones. You need to have a great deal of emotional and self-control to even play the game of poker let alone win a tournament or have consistent session that are profitable. That means when things are not going your way you do not begin to force the action. Many players will start to play more hands when they run bad. Others will begin making moves in the wrong spots opening themselves up to easily be picked off in Texas Holdem poker tournaments or giving up maximum profit in cash games. This is why controlling your emotional state is important when you are running bad and in most cases keep you from losing more than you should.
What to Do?
So now that we have defined what to look for and what can happen when you are dealing with a bad run we can discuss what you need to do. I realize that everyone is different. Personalities, styles of play and approaches to the game all make up who we are as poker players. One solutions doesn’t necessarily fit everyone so we will discuss a few that may help you get your game back on track.
- Understand Variance – over and over again I hear poker players talk about how there is no way they should lose with Aces heads-up. What they do not seem to understand is that being a favorite does not mean you are an automatic winner. This is where understanding variance comes into play. All we can do is get our chips in the middle with the best hand and hope it works out. By studying how variance works and some of the math behind it things become clearer for us to understand when our favorite doesn’t work out.
- Take a Break – taking a break from the game always helps when things are not going quite right for you. Sometimes a bad run will last a couple of days and other times it can last for weeks, months or even a year. Only you know how much time you need to recalibrate your thinking.
- Cards come in waves – cards tend to come in waves both good and bad. Knowing this can help you adjust your game. When you are running good you play more. The same rules apply when you are running bad only in the opposite direction. When things are not going your way slow down for a while until the tide turns.
- Don’t second guess – second guessing is not your friend in the game of poker. If you feel you are not making the correct decisions then by all means step away from the game. However, if you know you are making the correct decisions but continue to get poor outcomes you cannot allow it to change your game. Remember, making the correct decisions will benefit you MOST of the time sans variance striking at the most in-opportune time.
Great poker players and good play are measured over the long term. Don’t allow a bad run of cards to destroy your confidence. Use it as an opportunity to learn and improve when you have some down time. I prefer to read strategy when I am running bad and re-think my approach as I analyze what has happened. Use that down time constructively and not only will you survive but you will thrive!
Curtis Mayfield III