Malmuth's article: On Tilt

[captZEEbo]

I just glanced at this article and I have to say it's completely terrible.

the summary:
[ QUOTE ]
In conclusion, the answer should be simple. Always work on improving your game. Think about the hands you play, read and study the best books — yes this means many of our books, discuss poker with others, and always be willing to examine alternate strategies. This is the way to stop yourself from steaming. It has worked well for me and it has worked well for the best players I know.

[/ QUOTE ]
or paraphrased: please continue to buy 2+2 books!!!111

What do you have to say to some high stakes players who have won a ton of money dominating the cash games but still tilt? It's very possible to be playing well within your bankroll, have a great understanding of poker, and still not be in control of your emotions.

This article discusses none of the real causes of tilt, and how to overcome them and offers no real advice.

One obvious piece of advice I can offer is to try to recognize WHEN you are tilting, and when you do to quit out as fast as possible.

[Off Duty]

"quit out"?

[tsrcess]

it strikes me as somewhat odd that practical advice is so easily discarded (a little like when my worst boss ever went to boss school and came back claiming there was not a thing to be learned for him). tilt for me was always a problem. yet, tons of experience (i.e. 4 aces on board will counterfeit a lot of nice hands!) and a deepening understanding of the game have worked to eliminate (almost) that old Nemesis...

[bilyin]

Don't be so quick to defend Malmuth. Tilt is an emotional state which is not rational. You canot deal with the irrational by improving your technique. captZEEbo is right.......awareness and the discipline to quit for now....... is the way to deal with tilt.
It is fascinating how Malmuth is worshipped by most 2+2ers to the point they cannot even think independently.

[jfk]

[ QUOTE ]
One obvious piece of advice I can offer is to try to recognize WHEN you are tilting, and when you do to quit out as fast as possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't agree with the OP's bit of advice. The trick is to try to control tilt and that starts with recognition. I don't know of anyone who has eliminated tilt. By this, I don't mean tilt as experienced by the guy Mason described. Almost no one good tilts this way. Controlling tilt is trying to reign in the impulse to open raise with KTo UTG+2 because you haven't won a pot in an hour and a half and the last couple of quality hands you pushed were beaten by absurd holdings.

Letting these subtle lapses in good poker judgement result in bad play and predictably result to losses. Letting the emotion of being in the cooler dictate or sponsor your playing choices is the tilt seen in good players.

If a good player can recognize this he or she can still stay in the game while battling the emotional tug of tilt. A good player can still have an edge in a good game despite the onset of tilt. Being able to fight tilt and dig out from behind can be immensely rewarding, much like an athlete battling through an injury to stay on the field.

From what I've read, Mason's writings tend to focus on the more exaggerated manifestations of tilt. It is one area of gaming where he doesn't seem to have the sort of unassailable grasp of the subject matter as the topics on which he's built his deserved reputation.

[bernie]

So, based on your response to the part you quoted, you think there's no remedy to tilting? No way of learning how to control tilt? If so, how? One shouldn't just assume one's 'tilt' level will always be at the same threshold. There are ways to counteract it and make it less of a problem. One way to do that is by studying the game as Mason suggests.

b

[captZEEbo]

[ QUOTE ]
So, based on your response to the part you quoted, you think there's no remedy to tilting? No way of learning how to control tilt? If so, how? One shouldn't just assume one's 'tilt' level will always be at the same threshold. There are ways to counteract it and make it less of a problem. One way to do that is by studying the game as Mason suggests.

b

[/ QUOTE ]ummm no...I think if you find yourself tilting, the best option isn't to continue playing through the tilt though. Even stopping for 30 minutes while you regain your cool is better than playing tilted.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So, based on your response to the part you quoted, you think there's no remedy to tilting? No way of learning how to control tilt? If so, how? One shouldn't just assume one's 'tilt' level will always be at the same threshold. There are ways to counteract it and make it less of a problem. One way to do that is by studying the game as Mason suggests.

b

[/ QUOTE ]ummm no...I think if you find yourself tilting, the best option isn't to continue playing through the tilt though. Even stopping for 30 minutes while you regain your cool is better than playing tilted.

[/ QUOTE ]

It can depend somewhat on what level of tilting you're on. Obviously if it's bad enough one should stop playing.

You're missing my point though. There are ways, like learning more about the game, that will help remedy tilting to some degree. It's almost like a pain threshold. That threshold isn't a constant/unchangeable. It's a variable that can be raised so one doesn't experience it nearly as often. Alot of that also involves understanding why you're tilting. Which Mason gives some ideas on(though he does seem to leave one big factor out). Once you learn how to recognize it, control that, or change it, your game improves in that area.

Not sure what exactly you were looking for in the article. Imo, the article is a good starting point for someone wanting to get get better at not going on tilt. It shows a direction to start at.

b

[SlantNGo]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't be so quick to defend Malmuth. Tilt is an emotional state which is not rational. You canot deal with the irrational by improving your technique. captZEEbo is right.......awareness and the discipline to quit for now....... is the way to deal with tilt.
It is fascinating how Malmuth is worshipped by most 2+2ers to the point they cannot even think independently.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is tilting because (1) you're pissed off that you got unlucky, and there's tilting because (2) you're pissed off that you made a mistake which then cost you a lot of money. You are referring to (1). That is difficult to suppress, and no amount of poker knowledge will help you with that--only exercising discipline and keeping your emotions "in check" may benefit you.

The advice Mason gives avoids (2), tilting because you realized you just made a mistake that cost you money. Often, a player who is determined to improve may find it difficult getting a past mistake out of his head, just like a cornerback finds it difficult "forgetting" that he just got burned deep for a touchdown. If a player is able to improve his game and eliminate these types of mistakes, he is less likely to be tilting in the second sense.

[mornelth]

Not to mention that if you are in the middle of the tourney - you have no choice but to continue (or blow the stack and leave).