Long Session V Short Session

Buttonoli · February 2015

I have been playing on Sky 3 years nearly all £11 DYM. I win consistently over time. I generally get to play 4-5 games a session. Recently I have been playing a lot more averaging maybe 7 games a weekday, but at weekends I have been playing approx 20 games a session. During these long sessions I am losing consistently big numbers relative to my stack which take me a long time to recoup at my usual pace. Why am I unable to replicate my winning percentage from the short sessions over the longer ones?

Is there a there a reason for this? Is this common? Is there something I may be doing differently? I don't feel like I am but something is going on.

Open to help and ideas.

Thanks

Nuggy962 · February 2015

Could be that at weekends is a different pool of players so find it harder to compete?

Matt237 · February 2015

Games are generally reg heavier on Sundays.

Buttonoli · February 2015

Playing a long session today and am starting to think that it might be something to do with weekend crazies. Just lost with QQ with a pre flop raise of 4.5x BB as the blinds were only 25/50 so thought this would close down the hand. Got called flop was Jack 8 6 with 2 clubs so bet the pot to protect. Get a caller from a player I don't know. Turn is a dud so I bet shove all in and get called by 8 6 off and lose. This sort of play could be the answer. I had 345 chips left he had 4k+ but he was the first one out (with my chips!). THoughts/Comments please

ladyalbion · February 2015

You'd expect higher variance playing against loose fishy players in these DYMs, but that shouldn't cause you to have a trend of losing longer sessions but not shorter ones. I'd look at whether you have some concentration or focus issues going on. I find it quite hard to stack up game after game without my concentration dipping, so sometimes I play in short bursts, eg 5 games, then take a break, then another few games a couple of hours later. I find this combats the boredom that can creep in with DYMs cos they are quite formulaic.

You could just be running bad too. I had a massive downswing just over a week ago which had me seriously questioning my DYM play, but I've bounced back easy enough without changing anything.

Jac35 · February 2015

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session:

You'd expect higher variance playing against loose fishy players in these DYMs, but that shouldn't cause you to have a trend of losing longer sessions but not shorter ones. I'd look at whether you have some concentration or focus issues going on. I find it quite hard to stack up game after game without my concentration dipping, so sometimes I play in short bursts, eg 5 games, then take a break, then another few games a couple of hours later. I find this combats the boredom that can creep in with DYMs cos they are quite formulaic. You could just be running bad too. I had a massive downswing just over a week ago which had me seriously questioning my DYM play, but I've bounced back easy enough without changing anything.
Posted by ladyalbion

What do you consider to be a massive downswing, volume wise?

Buttonoli · February 2015

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session:

You'd expect higher variance playing against loose fishy players in these DYMs, but that shouldn't cause you to have a trend of losing longer sessions but not shorter ones. I'd look at whether you have some concentration or focus issues going on. I find it quite hard to stack up game after game without my concentration dipping, so sometimes I play in short bursts, eg 5 games, then take a break, then another few games a couple of hours later. I find this combats the boredom that can creep in with DYMs cos they are quite formulaic. You could just be running bad too. I had a massive downswing just over a week ago which had me seriously questioning my DYM play, but I've bounced back easy enough without changing anything.
Posted by ladyalbion

Hi Lady, we have played today and you might be right. I am trying to take a short break just 5-10 mins for pee and pat the dogs. I'll let you know if this helps. Thanks

ladyalbion · February 2015

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session:

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session : What do you consider to be a massive downswing, volume wise?
Posted by Jac35

Not sure in terms of number of games, but I lost around 20% of my bankroll, including 5 losing sessions in a row. Probably not that massive a downswing I suppose, but it came on top of several break even weeks and so felt particularly rough!

Jac35 · February 2015

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session:

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session : Not sure in terms of number of games, but I lost around 20% of my bankroll, including 5 losing sessions in a row. Probably not that massive a downswing I suppose, but it came on top of several break even weeks and so felt particularly rough!
Posted by ladyalbion

Yeah, it can hurt. Losing 20% of bankroll stings. I'd just advise putting in the volume and if your gsmes decent then you'll be fine

With all respect you didn't really have a downswing. Just looking at scope you had a bad run of about 30 games.

To give a bit of context.

I've played approx 9.5k Dyms. Up to November last year my ROI was 8.9% and I'd made a tidy profit. For the last 3 months and approx 500 games I've been losing and my roi is -2.2%. Just got to grind through it.

P.S. I'd kill for just a 30 game downswing

Buttonoli · February 2015

Just finished todays session with 3 losing games when I had been comfortable all the way. Summary 7 from 16 down £36. Having just come off a 40+ downswing losing £200 which is about one 7th of my bankroll, I recouped £50 and have now lost another £100 in the last 3 days playing 40 games. Finding it hard at the moment as I feel like I am playing OK. Help please.

ladyalbion · February 2015

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session:

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session : Yeah, it can hurt. Losing 20% of bankroll stings. I'd just advise putting in the volume and if your gsmes decent then you'll be fine With all respect you didn't really have a downswing. Just looking at scope you had a bad run of about 30 games. To give a bit of context. I've played approx 9.5k Dyms. Up to November last year my ROI was 8.9% and I'd made a tidy profit. For the last 3 months and approx 500 games I've been losing and my roi is -2.2%. Just got to grind through it. P.S. I'd kill for just a 30 game downswing
Posted by Jac35

Yeah I know you're right, it was just a bad few days at the end of a frustrating month. I haven't played anywhere near enough games yet to hit any really bad (or good) runs. Still new to this DYM lark

I would like to put more volume in, but I'm still on a learning curve when it comes to multitabling (more than 3 and I start to make mistakes), and life keeps me busy enough before poker gets a look in.

Buttonoli · February 2015

For those of you that are interested, I think I may have figured out my dilema. I used to play 4-5 games a session mostly win 2 or 3 occassionally 4 but I hardly ever lost 5 so any losses were small. I used to get a bit annoyed with say a £12 loss but it didn't r eally matter.

Now that I am playing 4 times the games per session the same performance can result in a £48 loss or more so I get more annoyed and frustrated and think things are worse when really they are the same. What I have not experienced yet is the 15 wins from 20 games thus increasing giving me 4 times the profit. Hopefully I will soon!

Also when playing 4 games and suffer a bad beat you can swaer at the PC and kick the cat and forget about it, it happens we all know that and I can deal with it. However when playing longer sessions, you obviously are exposed to say 4 times the number of bad beats which really effects your mental state. The world is against me and the software is rigged become your thoughts.

I lost tonight with AA to 99 and then again with AA to KJ and 3 hands later lost with KK to AK. These meant 2 failures to win and meant my 4 from 9 was a losing evening. I remember all 3 and feel hard done by, but would I remember each one over a 3 day period? Probably not.

One guy I play against on nearly all my tables as we play at the same time was having an absolute howler Dialbli4 tonight and I could see it happening so I do know it is not just me.

Does any of this make sense?

Jac35 · February 2015

Yes, it does make sense.
You've kind of hit the nail on the head there. You just have to find a way of dealing with tilt or go back to playing less games in a session.
I know it can feel like no one else can run as badly as you're doing at times but that just isn't the case. One game popped up and before we started you wrote in the chatbox that you were running badly. I wouldn't do that. Don't let on that you're struggling. i'm sorry but your comment did make me smile a bit. I played 15 games in the session and bust 2 games with Aces myself and ran into aces and lost and had a few other bad beats as well. It's just going to happen. By putting in the volume you overcome this. if you're mostly getting it in good then you're going to win over the longterm.

Btw, don't fret too much for Dialb4. He does ok out of dyms

Mayhem357 · February 2015

If it helps Oli I had the same problem, would normally log on play 3-4 sessions (roughly 18-24 tables) and find I'd made a reasonable profit. On a Sunday I'd play a longer session 60-90 tables and sometimes find I'm down and it would tilt me.

I looked at everything and I think it was a combination of training my brain to retain concentration (thanks Mental Game of poker) and not dealing with tilt when variance hit (shorter sessions I could just walk away). Last few weekends I've played I've crushed so feel like I have the hang of it now.

Buttonoli · February 2015

In Response to Re: Long Session V Short Session:

If it helps Oli I had the same problem, would normally log on play 3-4 sessions (roughly 18-24 tables) and find I'd made a reasonable profit. On a Sunday I'd play a longer session 60-90 tables and sometimes find I'm down and it would tilt me. I looked at everything and I think it was a combination of training my brain to retain concentration (thanks Mental Game of poker) and not dealing with tilt when variance hit (shorter sessions I could just walk away). Last few weekends I've played I've crushed so feel like I have the hang of it now.
Posted by Mayhem357

Thanks mayhem, its good to hear that you feel you've conquered it. I have just played a 2 table session while killing time at work and cashed both - best day I ghave had in nearly 2 months! Cheers and good luck.