Ways to deal with tilt?

[ceegee]

I have a horrible tilt problem. When I get bored of stagnate play and don't move up at all for days, I tend to take shots which my bankroll can't handle. I lose once or twice then I hit tilt and jump stakes ridiculously.
Last night I had 70$. I reached 105$ a few days before, and since then have been stuck at 70, so I took a shot at a 10$ SNG and lost. Then my mental state was affected and I went on tilt trying to win it back in a 2/4$ razz heads up game. Needless to say I lost it all but 10$, and now I'm back at square one grinding the lower limits like I should still be doing anyway. I started with 7$ so It's not a big deal, better than depositing 50 and losing it all. I would like to better my BR management though, and idea with sticking with rules?

I also didn't have rake or a bonus so it was hard trying to beat low stakes without any bonus or rake.

[numbnuts007]

Make a plan and stick to it, it's that simple. Find some trusted guidelines 300bb for limit, 20 buy-ins for nl cash games. I'm not sure what the rule of thumb is for sit n go's but find one and don't stray from it. Move up and take shots at higher levels when your bankroll is above your required minimum and if you loose it, move back down. Building a bankroll and becoming a better player takes time. If you don't have the br to move up, it probably means you're not ready, despite what the little gremlins in your head are telling you. Don't mean to be harsh but bankroll management is very important and it's vital that you have a set of rules to strictly follow. good luck.

[SmartBugger]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a horrible tilt problem. When I get bored of stagnate play and don't move up at all for days, I tend to take shots which my bankroll can't handle. I lose once or twice then I hit tilt and jump stakes ridiculously.
Last night I had 70$. I reached 105$ a few days before, and since then have been stuck at 70, so I took a shot at a 10$ SNG and lost. Then my mental state was affected and I went on tilt trying to win it back in a 2/4$ razz heads up game. Needless to say I lost it all but 10$, and now I'm back at square one grinding the lower limits like I should still be doing anyway. I started with 7$ so It's not a big deal, better than depositing 50 and losing it all. I would like to better my BR management though, and idea with sticking with rules?

I also didn't have rake or a bonus so it was hard trying to beat low stakes without any bonus or rake.

[/ QUOTE ]




Beating low stakes is really easy if you do it right. Suggestion.... keep bluffing to a minimal. People at low-stakes LOVE digging themselves into holes. Also, most aren't aware enough to understand your playing tight. You are bound to find 1-2 action junkies in most low stakes games.





But when you find yourself going on tilt... take a break. Here is a list of things I do.
--> Quick Jog around the park
--> Painting
--> Shooting guns (might not be the best idea if your on some psyco-rampage tilt... but its just another hobby of mine).
--> Bowling
--> Movie

[Baby Mantis]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have a horrible tilt problem. When I get bored of stagnate play and don't move up at all for days, I tend to take shots which my bankroll can't handle. I lose once or twice then I hit tilt and jump stakes ridiculously.
Last night I had 70$. I reached 105$ a few days before, and since then have been stuck at 70, so I took a shot at a 10$ SNG and lost. Then my mental state was affected and I went on tilt trying to win it back in a 2/4$ razz heads up game. Needless to say I lost it all but 10$, and now I'm back at square one grinding the lower limits like I should still be doing anyway. I started with 7$ so It's not a big deal, better than depositing 50 and losing it all. I would like to better my BR management though, and idea with sticking with rules?

I also didn't have rake or a bonus so it was hard trying to beat low stakes without any bonus or rake.

[/ QUOTE ]




Beating low stakes is really easy if you do it right. Suggestion.... keep bluffing to a minimal. People at low-stakes LOVE digging themselves into holes. Also, most aren't aware enough to understand your playing tight. You are bound to find 1-2 action junkies in most low stakes games.





But when you find yourself going on tilt... take a break. Here is a list of things I do.
--> Quick Jog around the park
--> Painting
--> Shooting guns (might not be the best idea if your on some psyco-rampage tilt... but its just another hobby of mine).
--> Bowling
--> Movie

[/ QUOTE ]

Even though I am not the OP I want to say this response helped because I have a similar problem I am trying to work though. I am what I feel to be a solid player for awhile. Then if I make one wrong call/raise I start to decline in my play. I do this by either doubting myself on later hands, and sometimes but more rarely by getting too aggressive and trying to get what I lost back. I will sometimes also do like OP and move up in stakes before I am ready. I am now going to seriously grind it out and stick to a plan.
Thx again for the post OP and for the good advice from the repliers.

[Gen Sterling]

Tilt is a big problem with me, as well. I tend to get upset after making the proper laydown preflop with rags like J4o and watching the board come 244KJ - which actually happened. And another, Q7o, and the board comes 27A6Q, which would have made a winning two-pair.

Now, I know that I did the right thing, but I just get so darn strssed out when it happens, and it does alot! The above are only two examples. There are many more.

So, rationally, I KNOW that I can't play the trash hands, not EVEN for $3 (in 3-6). But it doesn't seem to help when I've missed a good pot.

Another titler for me is folding on the turn to a single $6 bet, after having called both streets, and watching the river bring a winner. Example, I'm holding AJ [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] in the BB, and the flop comes 3 rags - two [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 1 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], a bet, and a couple calls, and I call, the turn brings another rag, not a [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], there's a $6 bet, and I fold. The river brings the J, again, not a [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], and I would have won w/ JJ A-high. Boy was I upset. Had to get up, go to the restroom and kick a couple urinals.

I could use some suggestions. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

[Matt Williams]

If I'm at a casino, I like to play slots for $.01. I put in $5, and play for 15-20 mins. Online, I like to play the fake money tournies, and I go all in on the first hand everytime. I keep rebuying until I win a hand. Then I play the tourny until I win/ get knocked out. You will find it funny as hell when you go all in w/ 9-3o and catch runner runner for a straight. It relieves the tension for me and I calm down.

[aaokwitme]

[ QUOTE ]
If I'm at a casino, I like to play slots for $.01. I put in $5, and play for 15-20 mins. Online, I like to play the fake money tournies, and I go all in on the first hand everytime. I keep rebuying until I win a hand. Then I play the tourny until I win/ get knocked out. You will find it funny as hell when you go all in w/ 9-3o and catch runner runner for a straight. It relieves the tension for me and I calm down.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is the best tilt bloww off idea I hear on here.

[Matt Williams]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If I'm at a casino, I like to play slots for $.01. I put in $5, and play for 15-20 mins. Online, I like to play the fake money tournies, and I go all in on the first hand everytime. I keep rebuying until I win a hand. Then I play the tourny until I win/ get knocked out. You will find it funny as hell when you go all in w/ 9-3o and catch runner runner for a straight. It relieves the tension for me and I calm down.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is the best tilt bloww off idea I hear on here.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't take credit for it, I heard the idea on here a few years ago. It was probably the best advice I ever got.

[Baby Mantis]

i heard something similar except it was playing for micro stakes like 1/2 cent and going all in with the first hand.
If you are a high stakes guy then this might work.

[SmartBugger]

The best thing to do is get away from the PC for awhile .... joining another game to "blow-off-steam" doesn't work for me.... I need to get away from it all and get my mind off of poker.



But honestly, since a month ago... I rarely play with more than 1/30 of my BR at a time in any cash game. Simple bankroll management and not playing over your limit will prevent tilt. If I loose 1 buy in... not such a big deal. I now only get fed up when I loose 3+ buy-ins.... which is hard to do.