Tilt - O - Rama

[AlienBoy]

I'm tilting. At least, I've *been* tilting. Maybe I'm on permatilt.

But I'm tilting.


How did I get here? After being up, and playing solid, I've slid down over the last few weeks, down beyond where I ever thought I'd be.

My roll is replenishable, but I'm half way to the point I promised myself I'd quit.


Here's an example session (live 4/8 Hustler):


Start at a table with some fairly tight people and one or two fish. Don't get cards, and when I do I get sucked out on - am down $300 or so (1.5 hours). Move to another table, and play a good tight game and get back the $300, plus another $300 (2 hours). Now, with $600 in front of me I make no progress for about 2 hours. It is now 3AM, and now it all starts to go away. By 7AM I bust out and leave.

At 4am I thought I should leave - but didn't. The game was still pretty juicy and I thought I still had money to make.


But in reality, I started to tilt around 2 AM. Just slightly, then progressively tilting more and more, making more and bigger mistakes. The biggest mistake being not standing up and walking.


In another example, 2 tabling 1/2NL on Party - up $1200 in 2 hours. Next two hours? Poof.




The pattern:


Play strong, make money, then tilt it all away.




Unfortunately, I am now far behind, having tilted away much more than I've won.


My plan is to take a break and come up with a new game plan.


Thoughts for the plan:


1) Maybe limit all sessions to 4 hours?

2) Only take $500 with me to a casino, and never ever go to the ATM.

Not sure what else.



What do you do to combat tilt? How do you recognize that you're tilting? Do you just stand up?

Thoughts?

Thanks for your input.


AB

[helloimcdog]

i like the ideas, although you have the right thought in staying in a juicy game, maybe you need to start limiting your sessions to begin with and as you get more accustomed to this, raise the time limits you can play for. Take a little break, you might be on a downswing and this could be affecting your confidence, wait a couple of days to the point where poker starts feeling like fun again, your just enjoying yourself playing poker, or should be.

[Mllndllrmn]

For me, there is always a certain amount I know I can win in a game without getting just flat out lucky. in a 4/8, it's prolly around 3-400. Maybe you can make more, but once I get up around 250-300, I say "ok just a few more hands, protect the chips, then I'm walking". IMO, +300 is a very good night for 4/8, especially with only 1-2 fish. I can consistintley make about 200-220 playing live 4/8, but any more than that is a very good, somewhat lucky night. Maybe you can make more, but find out that quota, and when you're around it, just quit.

[calc]

you sound like a very loose and aggressive player so its no wonder you're getting some swings. You don't win $1200 at 1/2NL in 2hours without gambling. If you don't like the swings play more conservatively.

[Don_Keehaawtee]

[ QUOTE ]
At 4am I thought I should leave - but didn't . The game was still pretty juicy and I thought I still had money to make.


But in reality, I started to tilt around 2 AM. Just slightly, then progressively tilting more and more, making more and bigger mistakes. The biggest mistake being not standing up and walking.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems you lack discipline. Learn to listen and follow that inner-voice. I know, easier said than done.

GL

[Myst]

I ask myself an honest question:

Am I playing my best possible game?

If the answer is no, I get up and do something else.

[AlienBoy]

[ QUOTE ]
you sound like a very loose and aggressive player so its no wonder you're getting some swings. You don't win $1200 at 1/2NL in 2hours without gambling. If you don't like the swings play more conservatively.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes, I think you are right - though in this case, I got that "Party Poker introductory Hot Run". Got *unbelievable* cards when I first started, hitting flops so hard I could slowplay and trap and stack - and I did this about 8 or 9 times.


But yea, I'm probably too loose when I start to tilt.



AB

[AlienBoy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
At 4am I thought I should leave - but didn't . The game was still pretty juicy and I thought I still had money to make.


But in reality, I started to tilt around 2 AM. Just slightly, then progressively tilting more and more, making more and bigger mistakes. The biggest mistake being not standing up and walking.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems you lack discipline. Learn to listen and follow that inner-voice. I know, easier said than done.

GL

[/ QUOTE ]


Lol. Yea, I have two inner voices:


Devil: Look! You can stack that guy! STAY!

Angel: You're playing like a [censored] FISH. GET up!

Devil: Stay!

Angel: Leave!



The Devil then clobbers the Angel over the head with a mallet, and you know the rest...


AB

[Ignignokt]

There are two factors to any decision to stay/leave:

1. Is the game good?

2. Am I playing well?

You're just flat-out ignoring #2.

It may be an indicator of a gambling problem.

[Man of Means]

Until you prove to yourself that you CAN stop at will, you need to set an arbitrary limit to the session. You have to set a time cut-off and stick to it. Otherwise, the only cut-off you have is when you lose your roll for the night.

Later, when you learn some control, you can look for a less arbitrary time to quit.
"My eyes are starting to close...I can feel myself fading." It's NOT time to reach down deep for the little extra it takes to be a champion. It's time to call it a night and get some late-night breakfast with your winnings and bask in the glory instead of continuing to play until you lose.
Even if you're losing when your stamina starts to fade, cash out your remaining chips and get something to eat. And always remember there's more to life...