Poker is a high stakes game – there’s no doubt about that. However, when you allow yourself to be caught up in the rush of emotions of bluffs and bad calls, you’re playing with what’s called a tilt. Maintaining a calm, cool composure when you’re playing poker can be difficult, but it’s this rational thought that will allow you succeed when other players falter.
So what’s the problem with being on tilt? After all, isn’t a little passion and excitement what makes the game of poker so much fun? Well, succeeding at poker requires calculated risk and clear thinking, and you can’t do that if you’re on edge. Think about the last time you got into a fight with a friend or family member. Did you say things you didn’t mean to, or things that you wish you could have taken back after the argument is over? In fact, some scientists have estimated that your IQ drops as much as 10 points when you’re agitated or upset – and this can definitely have a negative impact on your poker game.
The following are some instances when you might experience tilt during a poker game:
- if you’ve lost a few hands in a row – especially if you’ve lost due to mistakes you’ve made. It’s natural to get upset after losing repeatedly, so try to remember that even the best poker players have bad days. If you let yourself get upset over a few bad hands, you’ll fall deeper and deeper into a tilted state of mind, making it less likely that you’ll be able to recover your composure and get back on track.
- if you’ve lost more money than you intended to - let’s face it – we all go into poker games expecting to wind up the triumphant player with towering stacks of chips. But if you’ve dropped a few hands, you could be out quite a bit of cash or even your entire bankroll. If you find yourself in this situation, leave the game immediately – don’t throw more cash at a bad situation. You won’t be able to make good decisions, so the odds of recovering the money you’ve lost are pretty bad.
- if you find yourself getting frustrated with one player in particular - if you’ve ever played against someone on a lucky streak, you know how irritating this can be. It’s tough to watch someone else get all the good hands, and even more painful when that player seems to be immune to your bluffs. If you find yourself singling out another player as your nemesis, take a step back from the situation. If you’re able to bring your focus back to the game as a whole, that’s great. But if not, it may be time to call it quits for the day.
Of course, tilt isn’t always so clear-cut. You might notice an increase in your blood pressure or in your frustration level after just one off hand or after a single bluff of yours is called. Or it could be that you’ve had a stressful day at work and you’re letting your feelings bleed over into your poker game. Try to remember how you feel when you’re playing at your best – you’re cool, calm and in control of the game. Work on getting back to this rational state of mind when you’re on tilt and you’ll be well on your way to winning at the game of poker.
