Online Poker Guide - Texas Holdem Strategies
Texas Holdem Strategies: Avoiding Tilt
Every experienced, and some novice, poker players will have felt the red mist, known as tilt, descend on them once in a while. Tilt can occur when you have experienced a bad beat, when you are on a long losing run, when it seems like you can never win a “coin flip” or simply if you’re having a bad day in your personal life and try to take it out on your poker opponents.
Tilt is the destroyer of bankrolls and, therefore, it is paramount that you try to avoid tilting at all times. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can stay calm and in control when you feel hard done by at the poker table and you want to vent your anger out at the higher stakes tables:
- Stop playing as soon as possible when you feel angry. When you are angry you are not in control and that can lead to making poor decisions at the table, costing you money in the long term.
- Try to calculate what went wrong if you suffered a bad beat and ask yourself some questions. Did you do everything you could to get your money in the pot while you were ahead? Just how bad was the bad beat? - losing a hand where you were a 60% favourite is going to happen once in a while after all.
- If you must keep playing, then step down from your usual stakes. If you play poorly and too aggressively then you are very likely to lose. Losing at the 1c/2c No Limit tables will make you feel much better than the $100/$200 No Limit.
- If you are prone to regular tilting then simply limit how much money you have in your poker account. Make regular withdrawals and stick to a deposit limit.
- Remember there is always another day. Chasing your losses following a bad beat is very likely to lead to bigger losses. Walk away for an hour or even a day or two. When you’re calmer and ready to play again you’ll be much more focused on the game.
So, as soon as you feel the onset of that red-mist, where you start throwing caution to the wind with 2h5s, it's time to take a break from online poker for a while. With that in mind, join us at the tables at 32Red Poker!
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Online Poker Guide: Avoiding Tilt
It can be so tempting to become hyper aggressive after a few unlucky hands but it can be the undoing of a bankroll, a tournament or cash game. Your opponents will read it and play you until you bust. Becoming aggresive at the felt may only win you the blinds as everyone backs out...until they have a good hand and take you to cleaners. So, stay cool, stay your hand and stay in the game. If that doesn't help then log off and live to fight another day. Remember: always play responsibly - never chase losses.
