Are You in the Right “Poker State of Mind”?
I’m sure the word TILT is nothing that you haven’t heard before even if you are new to poker. In a nutshell, being on TILT means that you are no longer thinking clearly or that something occurred at the table that has upset you. A few things that could set someone on TILT are :
1. Taking a Bad Beat – Getting your money in the pot with the best hand only to be outdrawn by a worse hand
2. Being shown a Bluff – Sometimes after you fold your opponent will show his terrible hand which can trigger emotions of anger and frustration
3. Drunk Players at the Table – Although it’s fun to play against people when they are drinking as they tend to make errors, listening to them yap away is enough to upset anyone
4. Trash Talker at the Table – Many players use this strategy to get you upset. They constantly berate you at the table hoping to get an edge and make you do something stupid to lose all of your chips. (I’m really not a big fan of this approach, but it is effective for some)
These are just a few examples of things that can put you TILT. If for any reason you find yourself TILTING it’s best to take a break and walk away from the table. Poker is a game of incomplete information where we try to make the correct decisions. By not making good decisions and not thinking straight you can really lose a lot of money. If you want to have long term poker success then being in the right “Poker State of Mind” is crucial. Here are some other examples of things to avoid:
1. Avoid playing if you are Tired
2. If you are drinking or have been drinking you really shouldn’t play
3. Don’t play if you want to watch TV
4. If you are surfing the web or answering emails, you really shouldn’t be playing
I know sometimes poker can be long in between hands to play so we tend to do other things. If you find yourself getting bored and looking for things to do, my suggestion would be to play a few tables at the same time if you are playing on line. By playing more than 1 table it increases you chances of playing more hands and eliminating the possibilities of getting bored. If you still find yourself drifting then maybe you should just quit for the day. You really shouldn’t worry about it, you know you will always be able to play again tomorrow.
If you are interested in learning more about being a Winning Poker Player, You can sign up for my FREE SNG Poker Training Course “From Fish to SNG Pro in Only 17 Days” by visiting http://www.sngtrainer.com
