Avoid
Going On Tilt
What is tilt?
When
a player is on tilt they loose site of all the basic
principles that make poker a game of skill. They
abandon patience and common sense to pursue the
instant gratification of winning the next pot. For
comparisons sake, let’s say being on tilt is the
poker equivalent to having one to many drinks at the
bar. In
other words you may think you know what your doing,
but you don’t!
Know your
triggers
Everyone
has been on tilt. From wet behind the ear - newbies,
to seasoned pros. No one is immune. Tilt always
begins with a trigger, some unexplainable injustice
that sets you off into a betting rage. Triggers are
different for everyone. For some, it’s a run of bad
luck. For others, it’s losing a pot to a horrible
player who rivers you with a gutshot.
The best way to avoid going on tilt is to know your
own personal triggers.
Recognize them, and make a conscious effort not
to let these things effect your play. To be a great
poker player you must be able to keep your emotions in
check. There’s no way around it, emotion is key in a
poker game or any game that involves even the
slightest bit of luck. Much like life, poker is not
always fair. The sooner you accept that fact, the
sooner you can move on to what is important in poker
self control.
Take a breather
One
of the first things I tell new players is to never be
chained to the table. It is perfectly acceptable to
stand up, go get a drink (not alcohol), or if your
online to sit out a few hands. This helpful hint
applies not only to avoiding tilt, but also when you
win a big pot. Anytime a huge emotional swing takes
place, it is a good idea to step back and gather
yourself before re-entering the game. It’s human
nature to want to come out firing after a big win or
to try and gain instant revenge after a bad lose. The
bottom line is this… Emotion clouds your judgement
and will ultimately cost you money at the poker table.
Gradual tilt
Sometimes
going on tilt is not like hitting a light switch. In
many instances you are heading down the slippery slop
to being on tilt and not even realize it. This is why
it is important to always monitor your play. If you
notice you are taking more and more bad beats don’t
just dismiss it to bad luck. Think about the starting
hands you’ve been playing. Are they looser then
normal? Are you losing with a lot of lower kickers
because you are playing hands you normally wouldn’t
play? If
you do notice you are playing differently,
then usually there’s a good chance you are
heading towards full blown tilt. When you see this
happen, make
an effort to play extremely tight until you find a
rhythm again or quit for the night. There will always
be another game tomorrow.
Last word on
tilt.
You
may notice this article never really tells you how to
stop from going on tilt or how to break out of it once
you’re already there. The truth of the matter is,
avoiding tilt means actively taking preventative
measures. There are no magic tricks or special phrases
to snap yourself out of being on tilt. It takes
discipline. You have to know your game. Understand
what situations could set you off and recognize when
your emotions are getting the best of you. If you can
master these elements you will greatly reduce the
amount of times you look back on a session and
attribute your lose to being on tilt.
