Finally happened

[melioris]

You have posted numerous times that you play for the money. From what you have written here it seems like if you were winning this wouldn't be a problem for you. If money is your primary motivation for playing, withdrawing your roll and rebuilding wouldn't be the best thing to do, as it doesn't maximize your $/hr rate.

I suggest that you leave your roll in place and take a break. You have just moved and are starting a new job. The job is a major step towards your professional goal. Focus on getting settled and the new job for a bit. When you have the time, come back to it and see if you can get back to the winning ways.

Although you location is ideal, are B&M games right for you right now? They will require a large time commitment (not to mention how does your school feel about the new coach spending lots of time in the casinos?) and get you out of the house. One of the major perks of online play is that for a family man like yourself, you can do it at home.

[ChipFish]

$200/$400 Short-Handed.
All-or-nothing Baby!

[omahilo]

just go to a 50/100 NLHE table and go allin every hand and double up or bust out.

[Reel Deal]

I may just do this.

[Talking Poker]

bdawg? How many screen names do you have here?

I'm honestly not even sure how to respond to this, since this is such an individual thing. For some people, taking a break is best. For others, moving down is best. And for others, just keeping on grinding away is best.

I've had a pretty bad year myself (online). For the most part, I don't think I'm playing badly, but my win rate (lose rate) is much worse than previous years. This has left kind of a bad taste in my mouth for poker, so I've really all but stopped playing. Well, I say that, but I still play - the difference is instead of grinding out thousands and thousands of hands every month (which really is what you need to do, especially as a limit player, to establish and maintain your win rate), now I just play what I want to play in. I'll play in some big satellites for trips and some fairly big buy in tourneys, I'll play NL instead of my usual limit for cash games - hell, lately, I've been playing HORSE. I don't know... I guess for me, losing consistently when I know I am playing ok really bugs me... so I need to mix it up. If I don't, I start playing worse.

For you pshabi.... honestly... I don't think moving down in stakes is THAT horrible of an idea. You say that's going to get you mauled by the Rake.... but so what? The lower games are soft(er) enough to make up for the rake AND THEN SOME - assuming you are talking about playing online. If you are talking about playing 1/2 in a casino, yeah, GL beating the rake. But I say move down (try some 2/4 or 3/6 before going all the way down), get your groove back, and you'll be back at your usual games in no time.

[bdawg31]

I sent pshabi a long, rambing PM - but yeah, i feel his (and everyone else on this string's) pain. I had to do the whole 'start from scratch' thing and so far its been one of the best decisions i have made in poker for some time.

I had to get into the mindset of starting over. I sort of tried to do that one or two times before, but i found myself buying into big MTTs or playing higher-than-i-should NL cash games. I had to clean out and totally commit to starting over.

So, I cashed out a decent amount and i have put what i have lost from my winnings behind me. That was a big step. The last 2-3 weeks i am back to the grinding machine. I mix my games up quite a bit and i am back to having fun again (winning definitely helps).

I talked a bit with TP about this - but i am a big fan of mixing up your games to keep you fresh. Especially for the limit grinders out there. Even if its a game where you might have a small -EV - just play it at a low limit for a night. Get some experience at a new game and get recharged to go back to what you specialize in.

This has worked out nicely for me - as i have played a fair amount of Razz, both Studs and both Omahas. This is translating well for HORSE - and it also gives some other tourney options.

[ChipFish]

That's a HUGE understatement.
It is the BIGGEST Step. And hard to do.

[bdawg31]

Definitely hard to do. I think i FINALLY have myself looking at it like "Okay, stage one is done - i made $x amount overall - not too shabby. Close the book on that chapter and start again."

I know TP always talks about how once that money is in your pocket - its yours to lose. Its not 'house' money. And that is 100% true. But, once that money is gone, its gone. I can't play with the only thought in my mind is to make that back (which i did for a while). It drives you crazy - and makes it so easy to go on tilt. I just play each session as its own. Again - easier said than done.