You get AA UTG. You raise 3x, the SB calls. You think to yourself “Yes I got AA I am gonna bust this donkey and take all his money” Flop comes K-6-2 rainbow…Villain checks. You c-bet and villain re-raises all in. You snap call right away, you’ve got AA right, nothing can beat me…Villain turns up K6 suited and you don’t improve, and end up losing your stack INSTANTLY that rage floods your head.Your thinking is clouded. You go off on a rant on, how can this guy play K6 suited, you call him a donkey and re-buy back into the cash game. Your mind is still clouded with rage and revenge. The villain who just took your stack raises. It’s folded to you. You look at J5 suited. ”I need my money back, I am suited I can hit a flush here» You call. Flop comes J-8-3 “Yes top pair” That is all you can think about is busting this guy and you got top pair, you check to trap. Villain bets, and you shove. He insta calls with KJ, you lose again. By the end of the night you end up losing your whole bankroll and you’re wondering why you were so unlucky. Were you really unlucky??Or was this the evil within called TILT.
The single greatest key to winning is knowing thy enemy… Yourself. (Andy Glazer)
Tilt is a poker term used when a poker player lets their emotions take over and play the game for them, instead of using there wits to play there optimal “A” game.
Tilt is one of the biggest leaks a poker player has. You can lose a bankroll to tilt, a computer keyboard (even though that is probably better, because a keyboard is cheaper than all the money your going to lose tilting).And it can even affect your outside life away from poker.
Most poker players do not even recognize or know that they are on some kind of tilt. The most common factor of people going on tilt is a bad beat. There are many other factors that can contribute to us tilting or making us tilt.
Some of these factors are:
• Alcohol
• Life outside of poker (Life Tilt)
• Boredom
• Fatigue
• Being bluffed
What is your definition of tilt?
Is it you take a bad beat or you get shown a bluff, and you start to spew money and play hands your not suppose to. Sure that’s a form of tilt. But that’s the worst tilt you can be on. (Super monkey tilt).You have no control at all, your just robot mouse button pushing away.
What about playing a hand when you’re bored, just because it’s suited? Is that tilt? Sure it is, your spewing money and playing a hand that your not suppose to, but you still do it anyways. This is a light form of tilt, but it will lead to bigger and worst tilt in the end.
What about this. You get in a fight with your girlfriend. So you leave and go play some poker. You don’t think of being mad and I shouldn’t be playing. Your thinking you want to play poker because you can be with the boys and get away from your girl. You end up taking your madness to the table in the form of aggression and lose your first buy-in (life tilt), in the first 5 hands. And then all hell breaks loose (Life tilt +Super monkey tilt).You tilting hard, and move up limits to chase your losses. BOOOM you lose your bankroll. What a bad feeling. All because you took your life problems to the table.
Tilt is really just not playing your “A” game, and not making the decisions to fix it at hand.
How can we stop tilt or not go on tilt?
Every time before you play poker ask yourself this question? How am I Feeling? Am I mad – Am I bored – Am I drunk? Just know how your feeling, and have the discipline to say no, if your not at your best. If you’re not serious about poker then play away. Ill be happy to play with you anytime.
Poker is a game of decisions. Have a valid reason for every decision you make. I mean every decision. Trust me you will know what a valid reason is. What helps a lot here is, take your hand off of your mouse or chips, and put your hands on your lap. Think about the decision you are going to make, then put your hand back on the mouse or chips and go forward with that decision. (Do not become an insta-mouse clicker or caller).
If you have just suffered a bad beat, and feel that rage coming forth .DO NOT play the next hand. Hit sit out or get up from your chair, go for a walk and take a couple deep breaths. Even yell (if you can yell at the time) Stay away until you know, you’re tiltless and ready to play your “A” game again.
I could write forever on this subject. As everyone suffers from the tilt monster. You will find your own ways to stop tilt and how to play your game better, and how to suffer those bad beats. As the suck-outs is a way of poker. You will need a lot of discipline to be a better poker player. The best advice I can give you on this subject is: YOU – YOURSELF is the only thing that can stop this tilt monster in its tracks. Make the right decisions even knowing how hard it is and you will see yourself grow to be a great poker player.
There’s nobody to blame but yourself…
Fellow poker player
Jeremy Shupack .
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I was reading your article again and thinking…
Is alcohol allways a “bad” thing?
Are there some times alcohol helps to relax?
I mean … let’s say after a couple of drinks you have less clear mind to think and play your “A” game, but you are -for sure- really calm and focused and sometimes more “brave” (Is this good or bad?)
hmmm….. what do you think?
It could prob be good for the relaxing and getting a clear mind thats for sure.Just as long as your not getting loaded and super aggro making bad calls that you normally wouldnt.
The alcohol making you brave could be good and bad I think.It will be good for you if your a weak-tight player,and playing passive.It could be bad if your already a LAG I think it might make you go hyper LAG??
But I do know some people have a drink before every session also.Iam kinda of a lush and drink a little playing poker myself,but I will never play if Iam drunk lol or I will quit as soon as I make a decision that I normally wouldnt.