What tilts you?

Off topic: So I’ve really been enjoying a few of the threads here. Catching up on the past drama on the “Journey” thread for the staking team has been particularly interesting as well as the “Do you implement a stop loss?” thread…

Though it may be a bit off the specific topic of the thread, I think this second thread is missing a couple of important questions that those being staked should account for:

What tilts you?
How do you combat it? (or at least plan to try)

Tilt has a lot of moving parts based on the individual. Outside the experience of sitting on my computer and my own personal expertise with the experience-I’ve witnessed tilt in the flesh. Red necks, spastic eyelids, nails dug into the felt. I’m sure all live players have…

A person should know specifically-or at least try and understand what tilts them. I’ve seen players that had way more talent than myself (which wouldn’t be hard to achieve) crack under stress.

This is why in my humble opinion tilt should be combated. I’m not just talking about playing through. I’m talking about combating it before it becomes full blown. For me this might be possible and I’m going to work on it. I love poker too much not to. Maybe for some it might not be possible. That said it might be good to vent as well as share each other’s insight. Imitation being a form of flattery might keep some of us at the tables a bit longer…

Since I’m the OP I’ll start…

What tilts you?

I’m certain it’s the speed of internet poker. The hands occur right on top of one another that dropping 2-3 buy-ins in less than ten minutes (though rare) while playing 8+ tables can happen… After these beats, being equally frustrating because of a general feeling of injustice…

Situations that might trigger tilt for me are a losing a flip and a couple of spots where you’re a 70%+ favorite and lose. One on top of the others. My personal favorite is getting K’s or Q’s and all the money in pre with some button mashing monkey with a 3bet of like 20+ and he’s got A’s. This times 2 or 3 and my thinking for the session might be well on its way to twinkly twee-fairy land… “Oh… The injustice…”

Off topic:

Part of this has to do with the fact that when I play live it’s very rare that I drop three buy-ins in a day. The funny part is I don’t care about the money online. Frankly, it’s rather paltry in comparison for what I play for live. Not caring about the money is a strength live but online when a high limit is just a couple of button clicks away it can be maddening…

Also in regards to live no matter what the beat, it’s very rare I speak out about it to the table and never specifically the player… If I can get away with it I won’t even show my hand. About the only thing that gets even close to tilting me live are drunk (slow) players or players who belay each decision like their Tom Dwan or something…
Yet on my computer… Here I am talking to my opponents icons like some sort of wierdo…

Live my attitude is different when I take a beat, I mean who cares!?!
Why would I show anything to my opponents. I’m there for the money. If someone live thinks you’re off your game-they will start making plays to get you further off it…


How do you combat it?

I’ve been actively doing a couple of things which seem to help.

First is that when I start getting frustrated rather than listen to music (which I always have on while I play) I youtube some stand-up… So far this is working pretty good… In fact my warm up has been to watch something funny before I start a session…

I have also been more focused on table selection. That 3betting monkey that’s sitting directly behind you… Get the F#@! out of there…!?! Let that monkey 3bet some other poor bastard… Unless you stack this monkey with your first involvement forget it, find some easier spots…

Corny Conclusion: It goes without saying but worse come to worse I have to quit. However, I don’t decide to play a hand pre and assume folding will be the best option without seeing the flop…