I have a problem and need some advise.

[tilting_again]

For the last 1 year I have been playing poker professionally (as in this is my job) and I have had a few problems along the way and was wondering how others handle this issues.

As you can see from my name I have a tilting problem. When I was playing ring games and winning it was all great and life was awesome. But as soon as I would suffer some bad sessions I would try and "recover my losses" and jump limits. Much of the time this worked and I made it back but there were other times when I was just throwing money away. I actually start playing badly and trying to make too much happen. I just couldnt accept the fact that no matter how good we are we are going to have bad days, weeks or even months. The only times I do realize this is when my head is on straight like now and I get really down on myself for what I did the night before. I actually get in to a state of mind where I am not "me" anymore. I am someone else. I completly go off the deep end and often break anything thats in my path. (I have gone through lots of computer related stuff) I dont mind a few badbeats here and there because thats poker but sometimes I really feel that the site I play on is somehow cheating me. I say to myself "there is no f*cking way that that 2 outter just hit again tonight"

Now I dont want to go in to badbeat stories and what not but I do want to know what you guys do to not lose confidence in your game or the site you play on? How can I avoid these spaz outs when I am getting the beat down? What do you guys do when this is all happening to calm down so you dont toss your bankroll away?

Please dont reply to this if you are going to insult me. I am being sincere and really need some advise.

Ty

[FieryJustice]

Well,
I am just comming off a 36 buyin losing streak at the $215 sngs. I basically took a vacation of one day and came back and everything was fine. I guess you have to realize that people are going to draw out on you. I used to get furious and berate the fish when they won with a 2 outer on me but if they didnt make horrible plays, you would not be making a living. Also, it helps to realize that the cards DO even out in the long run. I guess what I am saying is to be patient and to look at the results over the long run. Looking at the results of one day and being down 5K can be depressing but then look at the results for the month and realize that you are still up 20K. I hope this helps.

[Stuey]

Take my advice lightly I am not a good poker player.

[ QUOTE ]
I really feel that the site I play on is somehow cheating me.

[/ QUOTE ]

A form of denial? You are a pro so you have to be making lots of money when you look at the long run. So thinking the site is rigged is easier to believe than the chance you are not playing correctly.

If you feel you played correctly and still lost then your anger is due to one of the following reasons.

You are playing at too high of a limit or in a game with a structure that makes for a higher variance than you are comfortable with or prepared for. Mason says it in several of his books. The right limit is not just about the size of your bankroll and your skill level. You have to feel comfortable at the limit. If you are getting this mad the games you play in might have too high of variance for you to handle emotionally.

GTAOT explains all of this and more. After reading this book and seriously looking at SD and the swings that WILL happen even to the best players I looked at poker totally different.

But I assume you have read it and more.

[ QUOTE ]
I actually get in to a state of mind where I am not "me" anymore. I am someone else. I completly go off the deep end and often break anything thats in my path. (I have gone through lots of computer related stuff)

[/ QUOTE ]

This is scary bro. Good chance this is not a poker related problem. Not much in this world is worth getting this mad about. Do you get this mad at other things? Traffic jams ect.

I used to hate my job also, I never got this mad, but I used to blame all my problems on work. I finally faced my real problems and after I fixed them work was easy, everything was easy.

Find whatever is putting so much stress in your life that you need to break things and STOP doing it. I don't think it is poker but if it is you are very lucky. Just quit playing. It is that easy once you find what the true problem is. gl

I didn't want to come off like a jerk but after reading the preview I sure sound like one. All I know for sure is anger is a waste of energy it used to run my life. And I never got mad enough to break stuff so I was worried you might be really suffering.

[purnell]

This is not an insult.

Professional poker requires better self-control than this. Word: Quit, or at least take a break and get some balance in your life. Your post is disturbing and I'm worried for you.

[sisyphus]

I have posted this before...i will post it again.
"chase your losses. double the stakes, if you get a bad beat again, double the stakes further..if you still have bad beats (which you will) play in a game which uses your whole bankroll for the buy-in. start to loosen up your play. out of position with bad cards is a good technique..it will really throw the opposition, and could win all your losses back in one go. However, the inevitable bad beat will come. you will feel sick in your stomach, will be disgusted with poker, will give up forever...play again the next day, and propably loose all your life savings.
then u will start again at the micro-limits, forgetting the dizzy heights you used to play at, and slowly build up a small bankroll, with which you can repeat the whole process again.
or..................
you can be cool like the fonse, have a break for a couple of days, catch up with some mates, get drunk, go watch a good movie....play again next week, with new focus and determination, and keep griding it out like a pro."

[KaBoom]

No worries mate, nobody wins every day.

If you have been playing for a year, open pokertracker and check what your winning rate in dollars per hour is over the last year. This is approximately your hourly wage being paid to you on days you win and on days you lose.

Just play your best and forget daily results.

[PocketJokers72]

Two words....

Zen and the Art of Poker

wait...thats 6 words...

This book helped me immensely with expectations, acceptance of consequences, and centering myself in the knowledge that +EV plays are long term winners, regardless of what just happened. The odds reset every time the dealer shuffles.

[mindflayer]

you need advice not advise..

GTAOT gamboling theory and other topics..
Zen of poker.
Have not read those, but I would strongly recommend
you take a break, and by some "text books" to study

1) POP Psychology of POker
(Dr. Al the author frequently post here in this forum)
2) INside the Poker Mind (Feeney)

If you are a professional player and still are able to go on tilt, you are going to lose more that you should when you go on your "manditory" downswings of 100,200 and 300BB.

Just dont turn the 100 into 150, the 200 into 300 and 300 into losing your bankroll.

[Beerfund]

[ QUOTE ]
Please dont reply to this if you are going to insult me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would you say this? It only makes me wanna do it more. I'll try to refrain.......... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[PairTheBoard]

Phil Helmuth talks about experimenting. Maybe you should try this experiment. Play one entire session totally weak tight. Make every conceivable laydown possible. When you hear that voice telling you they are FOS and pushing you around, lay it down anyway.

If you really want to get pissed off, read this:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...;o=14&vc=1

PairTheBoard