How do you handle a cold streak?

We all know one is coming, but do we handle it properly?
Some might want to push a cold streak, not excepting that
they are in one. Buying your way out of a cold streak is a gamblers worst
nightmare. Accepting your cold streak is the 1st thing to do when you are a
poker player. Lowering limits until your luck changes, is one way to get through it. The best way I have found is to not play for 2 days.
I have found that through many years, cold streaks only last 2-5 days.
Recognize a cold streak and don't go throwing money away when you can't win with any 2 cards.

Cold streaks last MONTHS man. Well, occasionally.

Its different for what games your playing.

Cash game wise drop down, have a break, go on holiday.
SnG - Plough through.
MTT - Ignore it.

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Originally Posted by eejit101

Cold streaks last MONTHS man. Well, occasionally.

Its different for what games your playing.

Cash game wise drop down, have a break, go on holiday.
SnG - Plough through.
MTT - Ignore it.

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I knew I was super fortunate and lucky.
I have never been unlucky for very long.
Did I ever tell you about my great Karma?
well......................................

yea i imagine the longer you've played the longer the cold streaks will be. Ive been on some for a month or two, and find that i dont handle it too well either. I mean, what else can you do aside from lower the stakes you're playing at. The only thing that i could think of is to just take a break altogether. Just enough where your game wont suffer, but just long enough that you dont play the next tourneys or cash games or whatever with the streak in mind. MTT's are the toughest though. It take you more games to even place, so the amount of tournaments you can play without finishing in the significant money is ridiculous. If youre playing on a site like stars or something and are suffering a cold streak in MTT's I imagine only play ones that have a certain amount of players, not the usual 10k plus they have sometimes. But taking a break and lowering stakes are really the only thing you can do, other than that you have to accept it, its part of poker, just like the hot streaks. I wish i had better abilities in recognizing it though, far to often i just keep at the same stakes and play the same way i always do, when every now again you need to shake things up a bit.

I think I'm starting to come out of a 3 month plus cold streak. I've tried every thing possible to change the streak to no avail. I've taken time off, dropped limits, tried to play through it. Some times you just have to mix the different ideas together and hope for a better outcome next time you play. I've taken about 2 of the 3 months off in small short streaks. Usually around a week at a time and then play a few days. The other night was the first time I made a profit in a session in 3 months. I'm hoping the long cold streak is over.

wait ...R u saying that there are hot streaks in poker? never had one...there is only cold and frozen with me

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Originally Posted by woohoo sue

wait ...R u saying that there are hot streaks in poker? never had one...there is only cold and frozen with me

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PLEASE! You are about as frozen as an ice pick

the only warm streak i get is when the calender tells me it's june or july other wise it"s g d cold. or it could be i just cannot play well

I'm on a terrible streak all month, but just on fulltilt. The other sites I play at have been normal. I've lost about 30% of my fulltilt roll this month. The sick thing is that I'm playing the same way. I just can't win many showdowns:roll:

I'm stuck playing through it because I want to have ironman status for every month in order to unlock the bonuses I'll receive in July. I'm counting on that free 300+ bucks, but it is costing me to play for it.

A good thing to realise is there is a difference between a "Cold Streak" and "Playing Bad".

The trick is realising which one is occuring. Or realising if your as good as you think you are.

Take a bath with candles and then put on fuzzy pink slippers!

For cash games, like eejit said, a break is ALWAYS necessary, as it is more difficult to put the blame on any certain 60/40 or 4:1 situation like the one that snapped you off in a MTT. I have found that it is only a measure of time and will that fix that stress bubble expanding in your chest. Sometimes, when i've been on the ice for multiple sessions, weeks, even months, I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack. Another thing, is it is easy to fall into such a slump that your mind only thinks of deficit and loss, which can really bad on your social life. Take that break for sure. I'm out for the night though, hope this was helpful.

well ill be honest i think it only affects me when playing for cash games. as for tourneys i take them withn a grain of salt. usually i just stop playing for a few days. gather my thoughts. then get back together mentally then play. play starting slow then rmaps up from there. a few good bad beat hands to someone usually helps. gets your mind off of your losses.

a cold streak hmmmmm,well i have had many cold streaks some lasting 5-8
weeks yuck.i just try to stay away as much as posable.but usualy try to play one tourny a day.a tourney that you have cashed good in the past.when that dont work then try a freeroll.if that dont work then come here and make long posts about your cold streaks some that you can try again lol never give up and keep your head held high

Sometimes it is helpful to just take a couple days off by the pool and throw back some coronas. On breaks sometimes though I need a mental stimulus, as that is what I am accustomed too, and brainless social activity just won't take my mind off it, so try taking a turn to an interesting movie or book, or a long run is great all around.

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Originally Posted by Hydrotrip

Sometimes it is helpful to just take a couple days off by the pool and throw back some coronas. On breaks sometimes though I need a mental stimulus, as that is what I am accustomed too, and brainless social activity just won't take my mind off it, so try taking a turn to an interesting movie or book, or a long run is great all around.

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I think that's really good advice Hydrotrip. Sometimes it's just good to get out and enjoy the weather and life with your friends and family.