Article #7 - Tilt-a-whirl

Tilt-a-whirl

By: Erica R. Nelson (October 2008)

Lately I've been reading a lot of "bad beat" stories and tilt problems, not only here but in other forums as well. I have to say that Tilt is a bad beat in and of itself. If you cannot vanquish this demon, you're damned to an eternity of Hell at the poker tables.

I'd like to review a few of the many issues that can send players on tilt, and offer a few insights on how to get around this problem and over time, completely do away with this urge.

Issue #1: The "I'm better than they are" mentality

We all would like to believe that we are wonderful poker players. And, true enough, some of us may very well be. BUT...we must always remember that the game of poker is a game that can never truly be mastered. If it were, the same individuals would win year after year, and we would never see a new fresh face holding a bracelet.

That being said, there is always more to learn. We cannot assume that just because our hand was best before the flop that it will always be the best by the river. We cannot assume that just because we've read a few books and played exactly as the pros said we should that we should automatically be respected and given the win.

Continue to think that everything you do is right and that others are simply "donks" and you will wallow in a sea of tilt...

Humble yourself and accept the fact that you are not perfect and you will find tilt less of a problem...

Issue #2: Being too predictable

Being too predictable is something many of us overlook. We spend so much time figuring out our own odds, percentages, and implementing our own strategy that we sometimes forget to take into consideration how the other player(s) may view our play. Something as simple as raising 3xBB whenever you have a big hand can ultimately end in an epic fail when someone who was paying attention to your play hits a lucky draw against you.

Switching gears is not only important to your long term profitability, but it's also a wonderful way to decrease your chances of tilt. The more you are able to pay closer attention to the table and less attention to yourself, the more often you will win against dodgy play. The more often you win, the happier you'll be and the tilt will go out the window.

So before you go spewing profanity because someone drew out on you, think about your own play and how it could have affected the outcome of the hand. Thinking people are calmer people...

Issue #3: Playing beyond your means

This is a very common issue for online poker players because many people have no concept of bankroll management or how to implement it. The main reason is because online poker is so affordable...most sites have a minimum deposit of only $50 (some even less)...so people who are even still learning the basics of the game can play with the click of a deposit button.

Tilt becomes a problem for people who buy in with too much of their bankroll and lose a great deal of it in a short period of time. They get below a certain amount of money and go into what I like to call "panic mode." Basically they go into an all or nothing desperate mentality trying to get their lost money back.

These are the people that really need to stop playing until they have read every bit of information they can find pertaining to bankroll management, because if they continue on this downward spiral, their tilt will break them in short order...both in spirit and in wallet.

Issue #4: The over-use of the words: "Bad Beat"

You see these words scattered all over every poker forum..."Bad Beat." There are thousands of sad stories attached to these two words, but only a tiny percentage of those stories would actually classify as a real bad beat. Understanding the true meaning of a bad beat, and tossing aside any other assumptions or tags is a must to avoid tilt.

As an example, if you are the type of person who believes that AK should never lose against a smaller pair, and consider this a bad beat, then you are likely to become a heavy tilter. Why? Because misconception results in anger and frustration in someone who believes something to be true.

If you are unsure of what a real bad beat is, look on any poker site that advertises a bad beat jackpot. Their requirement for paying out this jackpot is typically something truly horrific like quad kings losing to quad aces (just as an example-most sites have a more lenient structure).

My main point is this: Once you get it out of your mind that every big pot lost is a bad beat, you will find that you will tilt much less often. You've got to learn to take the bad with the good and take it all in stride. Bad beats are very few and far between...probably even rarer than getting a royal flush! Remember this and you'll keep your cool...

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Before this gets too long and drawn out, I'll stop here for now. I hope that this little bit of information help you re-evaluate the reasons for your tilt problem. I'm sure that anyone can defeat the tilt demons...it just takes time, will power, and the ability to say "I am not perfect, and of everything I know - I know nothing."

Lou Krieger once said: "The majority of the money you'll win at poker comes not from your brilliant play, but from the ineptitude of your opponents."

While many times this is true, I'd like to also add this: "The majority of money you'll lose at poker comes not from the ineptitude of your opponents, but from your own misguided mistakes."

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~LL~