I can bet that you have heard the term TILT if you have been around the game of poker for some time. Basically being on TILT means that you aren’t thinking clearly or you are upset at something that occurred at the poker table. A few things that could set someone on TILT are :
1. Taking a Bad Beat - Getting your money in the pot with the best hand only to be outdrawn by a worse hand
2. Being shown a Bluff – Sometimes after you fold your opponent will show his terrible hand which can trigger emotions of anger and frustration
3. Drunk Players at the Table – Although it’s fun to play against people when they have been drinking as they tend to make errors, listening to them yap away is enough to upset anyone
4. Trash Talker at the Table – This is a tactic some players use to get under your skin. They constantly berate you at the table hoping to get an edge and make you do something stupid to lose all of your chips. (I’m really not a big fan of this approach, but it is effective for some)
That was just a few examples of things that can put you TILT. At any point that you don’t feel like you are making good decisions then it’s probably for the best that you take a break. Poker is all about trying to make good decisions based on the incomplete information that we have in front of us. By not making good decisions and not thinking straight you can really lose a lot of money. Having the right “Poker State of Mind” is critical to your long term poker success. Here are some other examples of things to avoid:
1. Avoid playing if you are Tired
2. Don’t play if you are drinking or have been drinking
3. Don’t play if you want to watch TV
4. Don’t answer emails or surf the web
I know sometimes poker can be long in between hands to play so we tend to do other things. If you are an onine player and find yourself getting bored, my suggestion would be to play a few tables at the same time. This will increase your chances of getting good starting hands to play and eliminating boredom. If you still find yourself drifting then maybe you should just quit for the day. You really shouldn’t worry about it, you know you will always be able to play again tomorrow.
If you are interested in learning more about being a Winning Poker Player, You can sign up for my FREE SNG Poker Training Course “From Fish to SNG Pro in Only 17 Days” by visiting http://www.sngtrainer.com