Downswing

In poker, the term downswing is used by players to describe prolonged losing stretches in cash games or tournaments. When a player says they’re on a downswing, it means they’ve consistently failed to make a profit in the games they regularly play.

There is no hard definition as to what time period constitutes a downswing, as the number of games or hands played during the period is just as important. If someone plays 100,000 cash game hands over a week with a net loss (despite being a proven winner in these games), they’re on a downswing.

On the other hand, someone playing five tournaments over the course of six months and not making a profit isn’t on a downswing despite the length of time. The number of games is so small that results are not indicative one way or the other.

Downswings are very common in poker, even for the best players, and are tied to the natural variance of the game. Downswings for big-field tournaments are usually much longer than those experienced in cash games.

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