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View Full Version : Anti-tilt, poker's great counter punch


07-22-2002, 12:07 PM
I had a very tough session yesterday. Actually more like the last 3 sessions. The first two I played for five hours or so an only lost a few big bets. Last night I spent six hours of agony of missed flops and draws. I do not want to make this a negative post as many have lost a dozen or so hands with AA, KK, QQ, AK, I’m sure.


I was down about 19 BB and every time I’d get a run going, I’d get a big hand pounded. I had been playing well (for the situation) so I bought in for another 25 BB vs. a loose/aggressive line-up. I went after one pot very aggressively with AKs that cost me about $40 and I was heads-up the whole way. I just kept thinking “happy thoughts” and played my normal tight game and waited. In the sixth hour I caught a couple flops with top pair/top kicker that held up. Hit a monster flush draw that made up tons of ground. I made a horribly weak inside straight draw to the nuts against what I thought was nothing more than bottom or middle pair that made up even more ground. After hitting a six-way pot with a set of tens that filled up on the river I was up 6 BB and called it a night. I made up all that ground over all that time and left a winner. I felt great knowing that 90% of the players that would have played all those cards would have lost hundreds while I patiently hung in there.


I guess the morale of my night is that no matter how well you play your cards you still might lose. Also, no mater how poor your opponents play they will eventually lose their money. And finally, patience and an anti-tilt attitude will eventually help make you a winning player.


My state of mind for getting through this torrid night (and previous couple sessions) has made me a better player, I’m sure. I resisted tilt and saved my bankroll in spite of the odds seemingly against me. Thank you for listening – comments welcome

07-22-2002, 01:00 PM
Having resisted tilt after all that happened is a good thing. I am wondering what would happen after you will have made this good thing even better. I'm certainly looking forward to the post in which you described how well you managed to do so. Good post, Speedy.

07-22-2002, 01:28 PM
I’m not certain that I understand what your question is, but here was my thought process as the cold deck continued to slap me in the face. I reminded myself that it was normal to experience losing or break-even sessions for some time. I reminded myself as I missed the eight straight nut flush draws that I’m sure I had forgotten about the time that I hit four in a row. I reminded myself that this is why I am playing at the limit that I am so I could handle several losing sessions in a row. I reminded myself that I have enjoyed seven straight winning sessions at this limit for a total of 102 BB. I reminded myself that he who tilts least wins. I reminded myself that if the pros and experts go through this, I must also. Most of all I reminded myself that I am stronger than the other players at the table to not play K5o from EP vs. my AKo just to catch a 5 on the river to beat me.


I was expecting to leave this game down 25+ BB, but it was more important to prove that I could continue to play sound poker no matter what happened to me. This is the first time that I can remember thwarting tilt. I have blown through my bankroll three times previously. I would lose a couple sessions, step up a limit or two and tilt my way to broke. I read Inside the Poker Mind and tilted my way to broke again. I read the books again and I started with a $50 bankroll and worked it up to about $700 and I was committed to play correctly regardless of how much I lost. I was rewarded by my play and can see how in the past, a few hands out of position or a couple misplayed hands can send me into ruin. I just hope I am well enough to recognize the warning signs again and play correctly.

07-22-2002, 01:48 PM
I know that you know that things can only get better for you now that you have had a new major thing - your important personal breakthrough of having resisted tilt in a major way - that you can recall having done to remind yourself of once a bad run once again occurs. Once you've done something once, you can do it again and again and again especially if you know precisely how you did it that one time. I hope you never look back from here on out, Speedy. Good luck.

07-23-2002, 02:54 AM
What a great post.Quick question -were you playing live or on the internet?I find that this is much easier done playing live than online.I find live it is much slower and beats are easier to handle.But on the internet (especially playing multiple tables)hands come at least 3 times as fast per table and bad beats coming several times in a min or two are much harder to handle.But you attitude is definatley the way to go but sometimes extremely hard.Guess that is what separates great and so so players.

07-23-2002, 01:41 PM
I play $2-4 on the Internet. I think it is much tougher to stay off tilt online as the hands come at you so much faster and there is much less time to evaluate your hand or other important factors. This is even truer on multiple tables. I actually *almost* never play more than one table. I know that I'm not good enough to play two tables so I just don't. I have before, but over two years can count the number of times I have played at multiple tables on one hand. I like to scan the lobby and find player playing 3+ tables. I cannot see any but the best online players able to play multiple tables and not make a mistake. I think most experts agree and I have read it from the authors on this site that it probably is not enough to play your best game 90% or 95% of the time. Playing at more than one table can only be worth 50-75% of one’s best in my amateur estimation.

07-23-2002, 02:07 PM
"But on the internet (especially playing multiple tables) hands come at least 3 times as fast per table..."


This alone should be reason enough to play at only one table. You already have a leg up if you are playing good poker by getting twice as many hands that you would at a B&M card room. Many of the good players are trying to increase their earnings by playing at two or more tables, but I’m sure their game must suffer and their bankroll variance must suffer as well for many of the reasons already stated. If you can expect to get 60+ hands per hour at one table instead of 30 or so, you should be able to increase your expected earnings without changing your already winning strategy (this assumes that you are actually playing a winning strategy for online poker). As soon as you add another table you are asked to make too many critical decisions in too short a period of time and there are very few people who definitely get close to that “100% best game all the time,” I’m sure.


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By the way, thank you for the compliments on my post.

07-23-2002, 10:23 PM
I was on tilt tonight. My big hands only cost me big. The junk I mucked would have won me many big pots. This combo is hard to handle emotionally.

08-01-2002, 01:03 AM
I do not think these nights you have had are all that bad. My last 4 sessions at the highest limit I play have been much much worse. Not short sessions either. I've won maybe 15 hands and 10 pots over the last 40 or so hours of play.


You said: "and every time I’d get a run going"


What if you never get a run going? What if every single hand you play either misses or gets pounded?


How long can you tolerate that?


It is very unlikely for a poor player to go for such long stretches without winning hands. These long bad streaks are evidence that we are good players.


I'm not trying to cut you up or make it sound like your run of cards was a tip-toe through the tullip patch..


..just be prepared. It can go on for hours and hours and hours and hours and...


muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck pounded muck pounded muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck pounded muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck pounded pounded muck muck muck muck muck muck muck muck.......


if you are certain you are a winning player than these things certainly wont bother you.