Toot toot

One of the aspects I love about poker is that it forces self awareness. In a game where you're constantly being tested and trying to make correct decisions, you need to recognise when you're decision making is affected. The more obvious aspect of this is tilt.


What causes it?
If I take a single bad beat it's an irritation but not a big deal. If I play a hand really badly it's a little more irritating. If I get caught in a storm of losing hands through coolers, bad play and bad beats then I eventually steam.


How does it affect my play?
I don't become over aggressive or a preflop call station. I basically drop to first level thinking and refuse to make moderately tough lay downs. If I have an over-pair against a tight player, there's no way I'm folding it. I believe the difference between average and above-average players is being able to fold big hands when required.


How do I fix it?
Two options.
a) I get up from the computer and take a break for 10 minutes. Easy to say, hard to do - even when I know I'm steaming. I'm slowly getting better at it though.
b) I hit something. Hard. It might sound weird but it releases the tension in a split second. I have discovered though that replacing keyboards is hurting my bottom line and I'm seriously considering buying a punching bag.


In live freerolls at my local pub/club
I don't steam. Ever. I used to when I first started until I realised how stupid that is. These game are a fun, social night out. If I make a final tale and win some money its a bonus. More often than not I'm rooting for the other guy when we're allin though.


Best words of advice.
I remember Chip Reese saying he was one of the worst steamers in the game. Before long he realized that even the best players might only win 70% of their sessions, so 30% of the time they're going to be angry or upset. So he stopped beating himself up and became one of the coolest heads in the game.




FG