Thursday, February 19, 2009
On the subject of Tilt
So
Today I shattered some personal misconceptions about tilt.
Old Paradigm: Tilt is when I'm pissed off and not thinking clearly!!! HOW COULD I LOSE WITH A STRAIGHT FLUSH DRAW VS TOP PAIR TOP KICKER!!! RAAAAR.
New Paradigm: Tilt is when I've ceased analyzing myself or my opponents.
Here's the difference: prior to recognizing this, I would set out a 3 hour block to play. Let's do this. 3 hours. I can handle this, I can focus this long. This is the time I've set up to play, and I'm GETTING THESE HOURS IN.
Well, at some point, tilt happens. Maybe a fish that I've been setting up stacks me. Maybe I'm getting 3-bet relentlessly by a LAG on my immediate left. Maybe I'm tired and my best poker is behind me, but I'm not ready to quit.
POW. Here we are again.
The surprising part: it has NOTHING TO DO with my currently emotional state (happy/sad/angry). Nor is it entirely dependent on my win/loss for the session. It's a state of mind, determining process, not outcome.
We can easily recognize extremely negative tilt: My ears are red and flushed. My face feels hot, and my neck is tense. That's difficult, but not impossible to get away from, because I have physical tells on being upset. What I didn't recognize before the relationship between emotional state and logical state!
So when I was winning pots through a combination of skill/luck, with a positive mental state, yet not thinking analytically....I was never aware of the situation.
Of course, I would lose a huge pot, and point to THAT MOMENT, as when I Tilted. No. Not at all. Actually, half an hour earlier, I removed my proverbial seatbelt, and then complained when a car hit me out of nowhere.
If I'm not tilting, I recognize that I got my money in as a favorite with the straight flush draw, shrug it off, and keep on playing. If not, my emotional state drops out in addition to my lack of logical thought. Bankroll bloodbath.
Next:
How best to recognize the absence of analytical thought? Penny Arcade, as always, is best here. I'll have to work on a solution of my own.
more later
-OGC
Today I shattered some personal misconceptions about tilt.
Old Paradigm: Tilt is when I'm pissed off and not thinking clearly!!! HOW COULD I LOSE WITH A STRAIGHT FLUSH DRAW VS TOP PAIR TOP KICKER!!! RAAAAR.
New Paradigm: Tilt is when I've ceased analyzing myself or my opponents.
Here's the difference: prior to recognizing this, I would set out a 3 hour block to play. Let's do this. 3 hours. I can handle this, I can focus this long. This is the time I've set up to play, and I'm GETTING THESE HOURS IN.
Well, at some point, tilt happens. Maybe a fish that I've been setting up stacks me. Maybe I'm getting 3-bet relentlessly by a LAG on my immediate left. Maybe I'm tired and my best poker is behind me, but I'm not ready to quit.
POW. Here we are again.
The surprising part: it has NOTHING TO DO with my currently emotional state (happy/sad/angry). Nor is it entirely dependent on my win/loss for the session. It's a state of mind, determining process, not outcome.
We can easily recognize extremely negative tilt: My ears are red and flushed. My face feels hot, and my neck is tense. That's difficult, but not impossible to get away from, because I have physical tells on being upset. What I didn't recognize before the relationship between emotional state and logical state!
So when I was winning pots through a combination of skill/luck, with a positive mental state, yet not thinking analytically....I was never aware of the situation.
Of course, I would lose a huge pot, and point to THAT MOMENT, as when I Tilted. No. Not at all. Actually, half an hour earlier, I removed my proverbial seatbelt, and then complained when a car hit me out of nowhere.
If I'm not tilting, I recognize that I got my money in as a favorite with the straight flush draw, shrug it off, and keep on playing. If not, my emotional state drops out in addition to my lack of logical thought. Bankroll bloodbath.
Next:
How best to recognize the absence of analytical thought? Penny Arcade, as always, is best here. I'll have to work on a solution of my own.
more later
-OGC
# posted by OneGreenChip : 10:48 PM
Comments:
<< Home
1. holy fuck -- he's BACK
2. did you go to pokerstars yet?
3. good post; never thought of it that way
4. what are you doing about coaching?
2. did you go to pokerstars yet?
3. good post; never thought of it that way
4. what are you doing about coaching?
1. O HAI
2. No poker until _____ is finished.
3. Thanks. I realized that I have a lot of good ideas, but I need caffeine or friends to pry them out of riverbed before cutting + polishing them. I went to a number of psychology forms on 2p2/Leggo to cross-reference after I finished the post.
Was amazed at how many people talked about THE POLAR OPPOSITE. "tilt is when i'm overthinking. tilt is when i'm overanalyzing. etc"
It helps to keep in mind that this answer makes sense and feels right to me. doesn't matter how many forum droolers feel about their tilting. For me, it's removing the restraint of logic and playing emotionally, whether I'm feeling good about it or feeling bad.
4. Nothing until ______ is finished.
Post a Comment
2. No poker until _____ is finished.
3. Thanks. I realized that I have a lot of good ideas, but I need caffeine or friends to pry them out of riverbed before cutting + polishing them. I went to a number of psychology forms on 2p2/Leggo to cross-reference after I finished the post.
Was amazed at how many people talked about THE POLAR OPPOSITE. "tilt is when i'm overthinking. tilt is when i'm overanalyzing. etc"
It helps to keep in mind that this answer makes sense and feels right to me. doesn't matter how many forum droolers feel about their tilting. For me, it's removing the restraint of logic and playing emotionally, whether I'm feeling good about it or feeling bad.
4. Nothing until ______ is finished.
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]