About four years ago, I wrote an article about tilt. I said that, "When you abuse a pinball machine it will go on "tilt" and stop playing. The same thing will happen with many poker players. If they feel abused, they will go on 'tilt' and stop playing their best game" What I didn't realize until lately was that other players don't cause tilts. We do it to ourselves. What I didn't say was that we often tilt our own poker games. No one can put you on tilt without your consent. So I thought it would be worth while to re-visit the land of tilt and see how we put ourselves on tilt. Here are a few examples:
Have you ever had the experience of just not playing very good poker when certain dealers show up? It happens, and you will hear players complain when certain dealers come into the game. However, it's not the dealer but your state of mind that tilts you when certain dealers show up. I noticed that with one dealer, I might as well go take a half-hour break when she shows up. One time I did just that. While on this break it occurred to me that I was giving her a lot of power in my life.
Actually, it wasn't how she was dealing the cards. All the dealers have a routine way of shuffling, cutting, and dealing. No, what I realized was that this dealer made a lot of mistakes, like burning and turning too soon-before everyone had called or folded. She also would be constantly carrying on a conversation with other players and not paying attention as other dealers would. In short, she wasn't a very good dealer and I tilted as soon as she showed up.
I gave her the power to put me on tilt, to shake my pinball machine and to get me to start playing poorly- not that I needed her help for that. Now, when she shows up, I welcome her to the game, I stay and practice self-control. She's now my chance to become a better player. I no longer give her the power to switch my tilt button.
How often have you been beaten by a loose player who sucked out on the river? It's part of the game and without these players, you wouldn't win as much because their good luck is no better than anyone else's, and their play is worse. Now you could go on tilt, but why give poor players the power to control your emotions? Again, it's a chance to practice the tolerance and discipline required to be a good player. I have often said that when you play low-limit poker games you are inviting suckouts. Players in such games will stay longer and reason that it doesn't cost them that much to stay in. You literally lose your whining rights when you play lower-limit games. That doesn't mean that it isn't any more fun. It's just part of what happens in such games.
When the stakes are higher, loose play is limited. Although, you will find it in the higher limit games- consider it a chance to practice patience. If you do go on tilt, it's still a good idea to give yourself a break while you are upset. Once you have calmed down, ask yourself what did you do to allow someone else's actions to get to you.
So, the next time that you are invited to go on tilt, it's a good idea to ask yourself who's tilting whom. Since, in the final analysis, no one can tilt you without your consent. Also, ask yourself, "What benefit do I get out of letting others have such power over me?"
