No tilt part 2

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No Tilt part 2

from MiiWiin

Last week (to the article) we confronted "tilting", and how to prevent it. We focused primarily on preparation, attitude, and table selection. Today we are going address the ‘down-rule', bankroll management and how it relates to tilting, as well as some other factors.

If you think you're in danger of tilting, it's advisable to set a limit on your losses, and simply leave the tables if you reach them. This doesn't have anything to do with swings: "Its not my day today, I am very unlucky..." doesn't apply. As long as you're capable of controlling and avoiding tilt, then it's fine to continue. But realistically, is it possible to avoid tilting after a series of losses and horrendous bad beats? Can you honestly say, you're still playing to your full potential?

It may sound conservative, but I usually keep to a ‘3-stack' down-rule. Although I don't tilt easily, I quit the session if I loose more than 3 stacks, just to be on the safe side.

It's quite possible that I was very unlucky to lose my first couple of stacks, as I entered several cooler situations. My kings could run into aces first hand, I could face a set over set situation, or have top two pair in an un-raised pot against a straight. I could be absolutely convinced I played the hands correctly, I just found myself in tough situations. But how did I lose my fourth and fifth stack? Did the earlier losses have a negative impact on my game? Was I overplaying marginal hands and forcing my luck? What's wrong with ending the session prematurely in order to analyze hands, and resuming later with a clear head?

It's difficult to play your A-game after suffering such beats - your more likely to gamble in an attempt to recover your losses. It's sometimes hard to recognize when you're on tilt - you could just be making marginal, pre-flop decisions. Suddenly you find yourself in more tricky situations, and your stack is once again depleted.

It's not enough to bombard forums with examples of your misfortunes. Players should analyze sessions, and be able to judge by the number of misplayed hands how much money was accounted for through being on-tilt. It's therefore easy to calculate how being on-tilt is affecting your winrate.

I can't adhere to the notion that a 10 stack downswing is purely down to bad luck, because a player inevitably loses his concentration after losing several stacks. Quitting after losing just three stacks stops this problem manifesting, and prevents a large dent being made in my bankroll. Once I've lost two stacks, I'm pressured to play my A-game in order to avoid the session ending prematurely.

Bankroll management (BRM) is a prerequisite to becoming a professional poker player. There are talented players, who even after losing a coin flip, are prone to going on tilt and putting their bankroll in jeopardy. The more prone you are to tilting, the more conservative your bankroll management should be. Obviously losing a stack with conservative BRM is less painful than losing one with an aggressive BRM. The question you must pose yourself is - does my BRM influence my decisions on at the table?

With an aggressive BRM you can move up the limits rapidly if you run good, but have to move down just as fast if you lose a couple of stacks. Many players find moving down limits mentally challenging, viewing themselves as failures. With conservative BRM it takes more time to move up limits, but it's easier to survive a downswing and remain on the same limit. Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. It requires a lot more discipline to maintain aggressive BRM, an attribute that many people lack, however you're more likely to appreciate each stack. Arguably, if we combine aggressive BRM with the ‘down-rule' (ending a session after you lose 3 stacks) it reduces the risk of tilting, as we realize the true value of each stack. At the end of the day, you need to select a kind of management that minimizes your chances of going on-tilt, and potentially going broke. You should aim to rise through the limits smoothly, and not let your bankroll dictate your decision making on the tables. There is no concrete answer to this topic, it's down to personal preference.

Unfortunately, many players resort to flaming and cursing after an opponent hands out a series of bad beats and makes continuous insults and jibes. Players exchange insults in attempt to impress others at the table, and try and compare win-rates. Isn't it very naïve though to disclose if you're a winning player? Your only encouraging the fish to leave the table, and thus make room for a potential TAG. It's hardly +EV to tilt in  the chat, it simply serves as no advantage.

It's impossible to keep concentration and play our A-game if we are heavily engaged in chat, especially if we're multi-tabling. Anyone who is flaming is tilting, as they've lost focus and are wasting time that could be spent on processing stats and forming reads. Turning chat off completely is the easy solution, maybe just pausing to say ‘nh' or a friendly ‘hello'. Our aim is to play good poker, not rile our opponents.

As long as you maintain you're A-game and full concentration, you'll be able to deal with significant swings without tilting. How can we be certain, though, that we're playing to our full potential?

• 1. Hand evaluation

Scrutinize your hands intensely, and let others evaluate your hands if you're unsure. You could even save your ‘tilt hands' and upload them on the forum, letting others judge how many dubious calls you made. The level of criticism you receive hopefully deters you from going on tilt!

There's no shame in letting other players witness your bad hands - it's all part of the learning process. You don't have to prove anything to anyone.

• 2. Recording videos

Record videos and upload them online - there are plenty of sites that offer this feature. Take notice of any constructive criticism.

• 3. Let someone watch you playing

Having someone else analyze your every move can be very helpful. The fact that you have to explain your every move and thought processes to someone can help extinguish leaks and prevent tilt. Also, you're more likely to maintain you're A-game if you're trying to impress someone.

Cashing out sums of money can also prevent tilting. People can feel soul-destroyed if they go broke and hours of time and effort are put to waste. All the theory you've developed will feel meaningless if your bankroll evaporates. Feel free to cash out some money and treat yourself, preferably something that can help you with poker, such as a new monitor. There's great psychological satisfaction in cashing out poker profits.