How do I stop tilting after bad beats in tournaments?

Kpaprince · Dec 15, 2025

Hello CardsChat members,
Bad beats can be very frustrating, especially in tournaments.
What methods do you use to control tilt and stay focused after losing a big hand?
Do you take breaks or continue playing normally?
Any advice would be appreciated.

martinoni · Dec 15, 2025

When you study and realise that you took a bad beat but did the right decision, then you don't get angry because you know that in the long term you are profitable.

Kpaprince · Dec 15, 2025

martinoni said:
When you study and realise that you took a bad beat but did the right decision, then you don't get angry because you know that in the long term you are profitable.

thank you

austral · Dec 16, 2025

Tilt is like another enemy to overcome, just like reading an opponent or calculating odds. It’s a technical and psychological problem, not just bad runs. You can take a walk, do breathing exercises, or a short meditation. Writing in a poker journal, noting key decisions and emotions, also helps.

Matt_Burns88 · Dec 16, 2025

I always review my last hand (or the hand that effectively knocks me out), whether I consider it a bad beat or not. That way I know whether I played the hand correctly or not. If I did - great! I will keep playing the same way. If I didn't - great! I just learned something new that I can put into practice and become a better player the next time.

Rmi · Dec 16, 2025

Kpaprince said:
Hola miembros de CardsChat,
Las malas rachas pueden ser muy frustrantes, especialmente en los torneos.
¿Qué métodos utilizas para controlar la inclinación y mantenerte concentrado después de perder una mano importante?
¿Tomas descansos o continúas jugando normalmente?
Cualquier consejo sería apreciado.

The main thing is consistency and always playing your game, whether things go wrong or not, that doesn't depend on you, but with a good game you'll go far.

Omar.Imrane · Dec 16, 2025

Bad beats are part of the game. Even if you’re playing “perfect poker,” suddenly someone shows up with 7-2 offsuit and turns everything upside down 😅
Personally, the first thing I do is remind myself that the opponent didn’t steal my money… the odds did.
If I feel tilt starting to take over, I take a short break: I breathe, drink some water, and light up a cigarette (even if it doesn’t improve my play, it definitely helps calm the nerves 😂).
Sometimes I keep playing, but more carefully, without revenge plays or the “I must win it back right now” mindset.
In the end, if you can’t accept bad beats, poker might not be for you — maybe chess is a better choice 😉

Mazembe · Dec 16, 2025

You have to understand that it's part of the game, the same way you cooler your opponents and celebrate is the same way they do when the roles are reversed. Just have to pick yourself up and go again
If you got knocked out and you feel that you aren't in the right mind state, it's okay to let it be and listen to some music or go out and clear your head first before playing again

odonob · Dec 16, 2025

Experience, the more times you lose the more you will get used to it. It comes with time, eventually it gets easier.

ebazynski · Dec 16, 2025

odonob said:
Experience, the more times you lose the more you will get used to it. It comes with time, eventually it gets easier.

Exactly.

When I first started playing regularly I would get frustrated, but over time came to realize this was just part of the game. Now I just look at what happened to see if I could have played the hand differently, or was it just variance at play? It also helps to remember the many times I have been on the "lucky to hit my card" side of things.

SPANKYSN · Dec 16, 2025

Kpaprince said:
Hello CardsChat members,
Bad beats can be very frustrating, especially in tournaments.
What methods do you use to control tilt and stay focused after losing a big hand?
Do you take breaks or continue playing normally?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Bad beats will happen...you always remember when it happens TO YOU, but you tend to forget the hands you win that you shouldn't have won via a bad beat. Just know that this will come up from time to time...the more you play, the more bad beats...knowing this will help settle down after a bad beat...if you are still in the game or tournament after a bad beat, you need to take a deep breath and focus...like a previous post says...no revenge or MUST get it back immediately...just continue to play your game style...cool, calm, collected in order to collect money!

Igor Popadyk · Dec 20, 2025

There are books and videos on how to work on psychology and tilt, you can take sedatives and exercise helps

Chebchoub · Dec 20, 2025

Kpaprince said:
Hello CardsChat members,
Bad beats can be very frustrating, especially in tournaments.
What methods do you use to control tilt and stay focused after losing a big hand?
Do you take breaks or continue playing normally?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Hello

When you feel frustrated and stressed, try to stop playing until those feelings subside. Most importantly, don't return to playing during this difficult period; instead, enjoy something else you love.

Mastering poker also depends on maintaining a calm demeanor and high concentration. These two elements are essential for achieving good results. Good luck!

sibkaz · Dec 20, 2025

Here you have to learn from your mistakes... Listening to the opinions of others)))

TheniT · Dec 21, 2025

I think tilt in poker is inevitable, but over time it won't affect the rest of the day anymore, since an experienced player has already been through many similar situations and knows it's part of the game.

Happy Bobi · Dec 21, 2025

Kpaprince said:
Hello CardsChat members,
Bad beats can be very frustrating, especially in tournaments.
What methods do you use to control tilt and stay focused after losing a big hand?
Do you take breaks or continue playing normally?
Any advice would be appreciated.

I continue to play as usual and ignore such situations. I simply don't pay attention to them and continue doing what I have to do. If you pay attention to such situations, poker will only bring you negative emotions. Try not to pay attention to it and enjoy the game.

KeyPatience · Dec 21, 2025

Kpaprince said:
Hello CardsChat members,
Bad beats can be very frustrating, especially in tournaments.
What methods do you use to control tilt and stay focused after losing a big hand?
Do you take breaks or continue playing normally?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Get up immediately, take deep breaths, have some water, walk away from the screen or table for sometime, consciously talk to yourself in a positive manner and then return to restart again!

fundiver199 · Dec 21, 2025

Poker is a long term game, where results are measured over 1.000`s or 10.000`s of tournaments. So the first step is to realise this and not get overly emotionally invested in the outcome of a single hand or tournament. If you lose several tournaments in a row, its often a good idea to take a break. End your session early, maybe take a day or two off if needed.

The main thing is to only play, when you enjoy it. Poker will always be there tomorrow, so there is no rush. And then of course bankroll management. If its really devastating to bust from that one tournament, then most likely you were not probably bankrolled for it in the first place. These are the minimum numbers for, what can be considered reasonable bankroll management:

Cash games or Heads-Up SnGs: 30 BIs
Single table SnGs: 50 BIs
Multi table tournaments: 100 BIs.

tuitui · Dec 23, 2025

In order to avoid tilts, I prefer playing multiple tables at once. So I can turn my focus away immediately if something bad happens and avoid dwelling in my loosing. I have found it helpful. When playing multiple games, probably at least one is going well and one bad beat does not feel so big.

pltelles · Dec 23, 2025

I think it's impossible not to experience frustration, as it's inherent to being human. What we need to learn is how to deal with frustration. In my case, I think I should study how to truly play and move on to the next games, knowing that bad experiences will happen.

BillyR23 · Dec 23, 2025

I recommend the books- The mental game of poker 1 & 2 by Jared Tendler(an internationally recognized mental game coach and author known for his work in poker, trading, golf, esports...), a great way to learn of different methods to control tilt and other emotions that can influence your game, ways to keep you stay focused/play your A game for longer periods of time etc...

Goggelheimer · Dec 24, 2025

Kpaprince said:
Hello CardsChat members,
Bad beats can be very frustrating, especially in tournaments.
What methods do you use to control tilt and stay focused after losing a big hand?
Do you take breaks or continue playing normally?
Any advice would be appreciated.

You can work on your tilt, you can´t remove it.
The only way is to work on the goal that it does not overwhelm you rational process of thinking.
Acceptance that you can´t win every hand even if you did everthing right.
Directly take a short break, perhaps by reviewing the hand and making a note on the player.
Try to develop a routine that keeps your mental state stable, mantras, yoga and so on.

Stringy · Dec 24, 2025

take a break, learn and asses where you've gone wrong, some back stronger

cassimiro · Dec 24, 2025

For me, it always helps to think about whether it was the best decision, and knowing that it was and that in the long run I will be profitable/successful, I try to use that with myself so I don't go on tilt. I believe it can work for you too.

EvoSlike · Dec 24, 2025

I have one easy and very effective method against Tilt.
Whenever I play Allin I stop looking at the cards.
I put my hand over them so I don't see any of it. No opponent cards, no Flop cards, no Turn card, no River card.
No Tilt.
Try it for yourself.
For me, it works beautifully

How do I stop tilting after bad beats in tournaments?

Kpaprince

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martinoni

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Kpaprince

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austral

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Matt_Burns88

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Rmi

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Omar.Imrane

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Mazembe

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odonob

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ebazynski

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SPANKYSN

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Igor Popadyk

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Chebchoub

Poker is one of life's mysteries

sibkaz

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TheniT

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Happy Bobi

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KeyPatience

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fundiver199

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tuitui

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pltelles

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BillyR23

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Goggelheimer

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Stringy

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cassimiro

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EvoSlike

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