Poker is a game of skill and luck, but it is also a mental game. Tilt is a form of mental turmoil that can completely derail your poker career.
Tilt is triggered by several things, including bad beats and bad cards. Other triggers include obnoxious opponents and excessive winning.
1. Know Your Limits
Tilt is a common problem that can cause a player to lose focus in the game. It is one of the most dangerous things a player can experience, because it can lead to bad decisions based on emotion instead of knowledge.
Tilt tends to come on gradually, and it takes some time for a player to progress up the tilt spectrum. Generally, it starts with bad beats that trigger anger or long spells of being card dead that trigger frustration.
These things are called trigger events, and each player has his or her own set of triggers.
Besides bad beats, some of the most common triggers include stress at home, financial worries, and lack of sleep. These factors can all create a perfect storm that sets the stage for tilt to take over.
If you can recognize when your emotions start to get the best of you, you can take steps to keep them under control. It is also important to know your limits and play within them.
2. Keep Your Head Up
If you find yourself losing your focus and getting tripped up by your emotions, take a break from the game and do something to clear your head. This could be fixing a snack, cleaning the dishes or even just getting some fresh air.
Poker tilt can be one of the most frustrating and dangerous situations a poker player can find themselves in. It can lead to a huge loss of time, money and energy.
To avoid tilt, first identify your personal tilt triggers. These are those things in the game that make you so upset and frustrated that you begin to lose control of your emotions.
For example, a bad beat or bluff that goes awry can put you on tilt, as can long stretches of being card dead. Other triggers can include blaming luck for your bad beats, believing that you run worse than others and reacting badly to someone else’s bad play.
3. Keep Your Eyes on the Game
When you play poker, it is important to keep your eyes on the game. If you lose focus and start to tilt, this will ruin your chances of winning money.
Tilt comes in many forms and is one of the most common poker problems a player can have. It can be difficult to spot at first but, once you become aware of it, it is much easier to avoid and mitigate its effects.
If you feel like you are on tilt, walk away for a while and take some time to do something else. It can be as simple as fixing yourself a snack or taking out the trash, but it will help you clear your mind and get back to the game fresh.
The key is to identify the triggers that can cause you to tilt. Bad beats are a big one, but so are bad cards and obnoxious opponents.
4. Take a Break
Tilt is a state of mental frustration that can lead to a cascade of bad decisions that ultimately cost you the game. You can avoid tilt by staying focused on the present moment, making logical decisions and taking a break from poker when you need to.
Tilt can also be caused by outside factors such as a bad day at work, financial worries or lack of sleep. These pre-triggers make you more vulnerable to it, so it’s important to know them and deal with them before they affect your ability to focus and play well.
When you are feeling frustrated and emotionally agitated, it’s best to take a breather from the game and get some fresh air, talk to a friend or listen to music on your mobile phone. This will help to clear your mind and refocus your thoughts on the game. Eventually, you’ll be able to come back to the table refocused and ready to go.
