Running Bad

Sometimes, you just can't win a pot. However, after losing pot after pot to poor players who make bad plays, poker can be frustrating. This May, I had the worst month I had in about 20 months. I wasn't playing bad; the cards were just not cooperating with me. While I am still in process of getting out of this funk, I have found a few methods that can be helpful.

• Don't play. It sounds simple enough, but take some time away from the table to clear your head.
• Avoid fancy play. Go back to a more basic, ABC approach to the game. You might not win as much, but you should be able to right the ship and book a win.
• Play a different game. After taking a brutal beat in a $1/$2 no limit hold 'em game, I hopped into a $1-$5 stud game and ended up a small winner. It wasn't much, but it was a win.

The purpose of having a bankroll is to be able to make it through the times when you run bad. As long as you are playing well and getting your money in with the best of it, you will win in the long run. Short run variances are just a part of the game. The best advice if you keep getting knocked down, is to get back up again and keep playing. As long as you are not letting your emotions take over, you will eventually start running better.