advice for tilt

Hey guys how do you deal with tilt??? im finding out in most of my sessions ill go up around 2 buy ins and then a total donk will hit like 4 outers and crap on me. Of course after this happens i spew for about an hour and loose like 3 buy ins. How do you guys deal with tilt and avoid the spew sessions afterwords?

There are several good tilt-related posts in the Golden Archive, check the 'Psychology and Self-improvement' section in this topic.

cool thanks man

This is actually the main focus of my game ATM. And not just the tilt you are speaking about, but all forms of tilt, and there are soooo many.

I find that if a loose/bad player sucks out on me, I have to concentrate hard to not play any different that I was vs him b4 the suck out. I knew he was bad already, so he is stil the same player, BUT I am now seeing him as having "my" money in his stack. So, I target him differently that I had been doing, and this is not good. If you find yourself opening/calling wider vs this playerto get "your" money back, your best bet is to leave the table cause you are playing a lesser game, and that is bad. If you are getting in more pots vs this player, BUT are playing controlled and folding/calling/raising/3-4 betting/ shoving where you should, then stay and reap the reward. As long as you can differentiate.

If you find you are playing with ANY emotion whatsoever, quit. Easy. Go for a walk, have a cup of tee, kiss your GF, whatever. If you find you are tired and not paying attention, quit. If you are nodding off, quit. If you are thinking about a work problem and the timer calls you back to the action, quit.

I struggle to keep my cool when things are going bad, but I am developing a new poker skill. I am learning to quit good. I lose, and have lost, a lot due to tilt. If you know that you are tilting, try to recognize when you are playing with emotion and QUIT. Then review, and learn to recognize, and see the signs before they arrive.

Its a long road, keep trying to get there.

good stuff fletchdad thats what happens i start calling wider to the guy that took my money. good stuff here guys. Think im gonna take a few days off and read about tilt relax and give it another go.

rodgbaby said:

Think im gonna take a few days off and read about tilt relax and give it another go.

Click to expand...

See?? That was easy!!!!

1st step done!!!

Tommy Angelo had helped me a great deal - not personally, just through vids and books.. He had videos on training sites, I think his website is tommyangelo.com,. He has a GREAT book called Elements of Poker. Try to google him, some free articles I am guessing. I bought his EOP book and a great investment IMO.

Have a supply of something inexpensive near your computer that you can break . I have issues......

Once I notice that I let one suckout interfere with the way I play, I will just close out of all my games. I will go eat or something to take my mind off of it, come back fresh and playing my usual style. I think it just comes with practice and enough tilt sessions.

rodgbaby said:

Hey guys how do you deal with tilt??? im finding out in most of my sessions ill go up around 2 buy ins and then a total donk will hit like 4 outers and crap on me. Of course after this happens i spew for about an hour and loose like 3 buy ins. How do you guys deal with tilt and avoid the spew sessions afterwords?

Click to expand...

Never chase your losses and dont play higher when u are experiencing "negative variance" .

If you are seriously concerned about tilt and really want to do something about it, you must read,
The Mental Game of Poker by Jared Tendler.
It addresses just about every version of tilt you can imagine and then some. Tilt comes in all shapes and sizes and at different times, some you notice, some you dont. This book helps you to recognise some of these areas where tilt is a factor and gives you sound advice on what you can do about it.

Dealing with tilt gets easier as you become a more experienced player, at least it has for me. Here are a few things I do which help:

1) Have a stop-loss - If you lose 4 buy-ins in one day then stop for the day, even if you think you are still capable of playing well. Losing can affect your play in very subtle ways, that you might not even notice. Much better just to accept the loss and come back the next day refreshed.

2) Don't play for too long - I set time limits for my sessions now, I wont play longer than about 2 hours to avoid losing my concentration because losing concentration -> bad play -> frustration -> tilt. Another 2 hour session later in the day is fine, as long as there is a decent break inbetween and you aren't tired (or drunk).

3) Conservative BR management - Have enough of a bankroll so that even losing up to 10 buy-ins during an extended downswing wont tilt you too much.

There are quite a few aspects to the issue of tilt, more than enough so that I won't even try to cover them all. That said, here are some that may not be talked about as much as others, but still warrant consideration.

IMO, it's much more valuable (although it can also be much harder depending on one's personality) to learn how to avoid tilting, or at least how not to tilt as badly, than to focus on dealing with tilt after it has already happened. Taking a break, etc. will keep you from losing more, but that's not as good as losing less in the first place.

In terms of getting away from the table, the sooner you can do so, the better. This relates to recognizing when you're headed toward tilting rather than not seeing it until it has already happened.

Don't look for any magic pills. I suspect nothing works well for everyone. To play off of micromachine's first point, I think there's a substantial difference between being down 4 buyins at a weak table when you're still on your A game vs. having lost the same amount and only being able to play your B game (or worse) at a table where that leaves you at a disadvantage. Of course, if you haven't learned to make the necessary judgments about your table and your emotional state, you're probably better off adopting a set stop-loss.

I keep playing.
Its the only way I think.
And hopefully it doesnt last for too long

I tend to go in with the rest of my Bankroll in HU and either i'm happy as anything or depressed see how it works for you!! Ha but all jokes aside play with less than 10% of your roll

I usually just say a few good cuss words after taking a bad beat, play a little while longer, if I notice I'm still to emotional an not concentrating along the lines that I know I should, I quit, I'll sit back and think about what I did, so's not to do it again, an not play till the next day,and I make it a point not to dwell on it!!!

Max, Ya stole my old sig line! No worries I changed mine to an even older one! :cheers:

k, Back to the topic...

Rod, the first thing is to play at stakes where a few losses won't bother you. If 3 or 4 losses cause tilt then it's a fair wager to think you may be playing above a solid BR management practice. (Not judging, just saying)

Next is to get enough hands under your belt where you see such a thing just happens now and then. Luck comes and goes and I surely wouldn't call what you've been through to be a seriously bad cooler. Lord knows all of us have been through far worse runs.

Lastly if things get to heavy take a day to totally unplug. I mean computers, cell phones and everything digital! Go enjoy something you love with no prior plans, no timeline set and no one to interfere & change what ever it may be happens. I know it's a big thing to attempt esp. if one has a spouse, children or just in a relationship but it can be done. Trust me, you'll feel all the better for some stress free time!

Then come back to CC, relax and have some fun in the lounge and read up on a few threads from some of the notable and very talented players here. They enjoy teaching nearly as much as the love playing....

Keep your stick on the ice, we're all pulling for ya!

everyone makes valid pts....just get up if you feel you arent making your best decisions then just get up...simple and easy and best of all its free!! haha

I just received a poker strategy newsletter from the makers of Leak Buster with an article addressing tilt. Thought it was really good so I figured I'd post it here.

Check it out

Just sit out for abit

Sorry adventurebound, wasn't trying to steal your sig ,I seen it on a sign ( the business puts up a new saying every week) when I was driving to work, I lmao when I seen it, didn't know u used it

i know how to play right so i just keep on playing well. after i get sucked out on a few times, even though I know i was doing the right thing, i might get frustrated. if i think it is affecting my play, like im too loose or making loose calls, i leave. i try to just make the right play and accept my fate. try not to be emotional about it.

read the poker mindset by taylor

here is one nice video about self control, avoiding tilts and controling emotions... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnu2Onn0NGU&feature=player_embedded#

when i feel that am tilting i turn of my computer instant and go out, mby some excerssises will help