A downswing refers to a prolonged negative trend in a person's bankroll. That is, a period of time in which the player is consistently losing money.

Unlike the generic term swing, downstring tends only to refer to a bankroll swing, and the logical counterpart upswing is rather uncommon.

Given the random element in poker it is possible for a very good player to experience a downswing even playing a solid game. Should this downward trend continue for an abnormal period of time however it is usually not just bad luck and is called an extended downswing.

Extended Downswing

Players who are experiencing a significantly prolonged loss in their bankroll are having an extended downswing. This implies that their bankroll is suffering significant damage and limiting the games in which they can play.

Extended downswings are generally not the result of simple bad luck and either result from playing beyond one's bankroll or being out of one's element. Quite often it is simply a natural downswing that reduces a player's motivation and leads into the extended downswing.