Learn to play through emotion or learn to walk away?

[jmgurgeh]

Two possible thought processes on a situation I was in a month ago at the Wynn. I had lost my $100 buy-in at the IP's $2-$4 game earlier in the day due to some nasty beats and second-best hands, and was plainly unhappy about it. Hit the hot tub upstairs, went to dinner with the guys, and then we went to the Wynn where most of us played $4-$8.

I was initially winning, but had my approximately 10BB profit whittled down to just about break-even. Then started tilting, and in a hand that I should have continued I ended up folding because I was playing scared. I take a walk and talk to some of my friends at $15-$30, one of whom mentions that part of playing good poker is being able to play through emotion.

So what do people think: I'm on tilt, I know I'm on tilt, and I can either stand up and watch my high-stakes buddies, or I can work through the difficulty and try to play good poker. What do you do, and why?

[Al Schoonmaker]

Unless you plan to play tournaments, you are MUCH better off just quitting. The downside risk is too great.

Tilt tends to be progressive. You can pass what Mike Caro calls "The threshold of pain." Once you do so, there is hardly any limit to the amount you can lose. Some people have gone on tilt for long periods and blown their entire bankrolls.

I excluded tournament players because they have no choice. Since they must keep playing, it's better to learn how to play through tilt.

Regards,

Al

[FieryJustice]

Well, I mainly play sngs on party, so I dont know fi this applies to you but through a series of huge up and downswings, I have basically become numb to both winning and losing a lot of money. I recently took a vacation and when I came back, I had a nice 6k downswing but i kept on playing as if nothing had happened and I am now back on my way. I think the way I became like this was by one really nasty 10k downswing that basically made me break even over 500 sngs. Ever since then, I have been basically emotionless while playing. I have a friend who gets very into the game and I am trying to break him of this because I know how brutal the bad side can be when things get bad. I hope this helps. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[AnyTwoCanLose]

You don't need to purposefully place yourself in situations that test your patience... believe me, these situations will find you.

If you have the ability to walk away when upset (very few do) you won't ever need to learn how to play when upset.

[CaptSensible]

Walk Away. DO NOT PLAY if your emotions are controlling your actions at the table. This is a typical example for me: I get a few big bad beats, my frustration starts taking over. The second I sense that happening I get up, go outside, take a few deep breaths, have a smoke, talk to some people, etc...I basically get in a mindset of walking into the cardroom from scratch. Meaning the entire previous session doesn't exist and I'm coming into the cardroom for the fresh for first time that night. If I can't get my head there I leave. It's WAY too easy to lose a lot of money quickly when on tilt or when my emotions get in the way of playing solid poker. Sometimes I'll switch tables to help me with feeling that I'm walking in for the first time. Do whatever you need to to get your head on straight. If you can't do that, just call it a night.
Hope this helps, Good Luck [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

P.S. I think you CAN learn to keep your emotions in check when playing poker but it shouldn't be learned at the table while your playing. For me it was learned away from the card table. Thinking about playing, coming to grips with the concept of bad beats, accepting them way before I ever sit down at a table. There's a book that was instrumental in getting me to that point. It's called "Zen and the Art of Poker". I think it's a fantastic book that puts the nature of the game into a great perspective. I can't recommend this book enough to you. I assure you that this book directly addresses this particullar problem.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

I agree in large part with Dr. Al. Once you realize you are on tilt, its best to walk.

I also believe that by the time most people realize they are on tilt, they have been on tilt for some time. Players need to learn to recognize early awarning signs of tilt, and change their behavior in order to prevent it from progressing. They also need to recognize BEFORE sitting down what, if any, stressors they are experiencing that might make tilr more likley to develop. These are huge challenges, but once learned, it is easier to prevent tilt than to cope with it.

[USGrant]

I was SNG four-tabling last night and I got AA, AA and KK cracked simultaneously. I never have been more emotionally calm with being sucked out in such a fashion, but that was a warning sign, because I usually get very calm and fatalistic before the heavy tilt storm blows in. I finished up the last game and shut down for the night.

[SNOWBALL138]

good job!

Three days ago, I decided to play a NL cash game for the first time in a while. I usually play limit cash or NL tourneys. I had a feeling within the first hands that I should NOT be playing at that moment. Well, within about 30 minutes, I was down 1.6 buyins from 2 hands where I put my money in totally dead.
After the second hand, I ran terrified away from the table, and didn't play for the rest of the day. I am soooooo glad that I've "been there, done that" and am good at quitting. I hope some day to be able leave the table before I start tilting like you did.
Bravo sir!

[krimson]

I don't like the idea of "learning to play through tilt". It's not your goal to learn to play through tilt, it's your goal to learn not to tilt in the first place. Once you reach that magical "tilt" point it's time to leave because you are not in control of your game, even if you are concsiously trying to be.

[Dave H.]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a book that was instrumental in getting me to that point. It's called "Zen and the Art of Poker". I think it's a fantastic book that puts the nature of the game into a great perspective.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have recommended that very book in a number of my posts. It truly is great for this problem. I second CaptSensible's recommendation.

Another one that is very good is "Inside the Poker Mind"...