Tilt

[mr_perry84]

Just a discussion topic...
What's the longest you've been on tilt and most you've lost on a bad spell?

When I was first starting I didn't tilt at all.

After about six months of playing, when I started realizing what I was doing, I started tilting during bad sessions. I once blew 600 dollars playing 2/4 in about 3 hours.

Now I hardly find myself tilting, and if I ever do (which does happen, I'm human) I start learning other games. For example last time I had a terrible session I played .5/1 Omaha for about two days. It kept me focused with very little risk and helped me take my mind off holdem for a bit.

[mr_perry84]

When you all realise you are tilting, how do you cope with it and how long do you leave it before you play again? I tend to take a deep breath and keep playing. Not wise me thinks.

I take a 15 minute break. You'd be suprised, actually shocked, how much that helps.

I also do Yoga. Laugh if you want, but it helps. Four rotations of Salutation to the Sun and I feel like I new person.

[mike4bmp]

The first few chapters in the book Zen and the Art of Poker helped me....gets you in the right mind frame.
I think having read and studied philosophies of confrontations...such as: The Book of the Five Rings, The Art of War and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms(which is a classic Chinese story) helped me learn mental discipline and self control.
But I still lose it once in awhile...just my cool though. I'm too stingy with money to go steaming. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I usually get up, rack my chips and go home.... [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Bodhi]

As soon as you realize that you're angry and your emotions might affect your decisions, you should take a short break (as pointed out above).

It's also really difficult to tell whether I was tilting or not during a bad session. I remember a 125BB downswing that made me angry because it consisted of many hands where the villain would raise me with a gutshot, or backdoor flush-draw, or [insert worse hand here], and then magically hit their miracle card on the river. It was like everyone thought I was bluffing and I was playing ABC poker. Anyway, downswings happen. If you're like me, then you get angry because you like winning more than money.

[mr_perry84]

[ QUOTE ]
If you're like me, then you get angry because you like winning more than money.

[/ QUOTE ]

I love the money and the winning is a bonus that goes along with it! id gladly finish 2nd in every tournament i play from this moment on if it brought in enough $$$!

[Bodhi]

Right, but do you see the contradiction inherent in liking money and going on tilt? The bad players who hit their insanely lucky (and unprofitable) draws are the only reason you ever make money at poker, so why do we get mad?