How do you manage tilt when poker is your main source of income?
primrose
Visionary
Bronze Level
If you were playing live, I'd say only take a limited amount of money to the casino . Since you're playing online, I'd try to do an equivalent. Set yourself a hard limit of X buyins per session.
If you don't have the discipline to actually stick to that, you could keep your on-site money limited to enforce it. This will work better if the site has a depositing delay. (Of course GG does not, wouldn't want to help players avoid tilt.) But maybe the extra barrier of needing to deposit more will still help.
In any case, I recommend some kind of hard quantitative rule. "Suppress your emotions" is not exactly operationalizable. Taking breaks is good if you'll actually do it.
If you don't have the discipline to actually stick to that, you could keep your on-site money limited to enforce it. This will work better if the site has a depositing delay. (Of course GG does not, wouldn't want to help players avoid tilt.) But maybe the extra barrier of needing to deposit more will still help.
In any case, I recommend some kind of hard quantitative rule. "Suppress your emotions" is not exactly operationalizable. Taking breaks is good if you'll actually do it.
eetenor
Legend
Loyaler
The key to tilt is not reacting to it after it happens because tilting means we are no longer rational. To tilt less we have to identify our tilt triggers and develop skills to stop the tilt from happening.
" The Mental Game of Poker" a book by Jared Tendler helps us to do the above. Get it- read it over and over and implement the strategies. It costs less than 1 bad day of poker.
anasslaaleg
Rock Star
Platinum Level
For my part, when tilt hits me, I immediately feel my game going haywire: I force moves, I play faster, I want to win back what I've lost.
Over time, I've realized that it's absolutely essential to establish discipline.
- When I feel anger rising, I take an immediate break, even if it means closing all the tables.
- I try to transform tilt into positive energy: I write down the hand, analyze it later, and tell myself it's just variance.
- Exercise also helps me enormously: running, walking, or even just breathing deeply.
The hardest thing is remembering that poker is a marathon, not a sprint. Even though it's my source of income, I must only play my A-game when I'm in a stable mental state.
Over time, I've realized that it's absolutely essential to establish discipline.
- When I feel anger rising, I take an immediate break, even if it means closing all the tables.
- I try to transform tilt into positive energy: I write down the hand, analyze it later, and tell myself it's just variance.
- Exercise also helps me enormously: running, walking, or even just breathing deeply.
The hardest thing is remembering that poker is a marathon, not a sprint. Even though it's my source of income, I must only play my A-game when I'm in a stable mental state.
infonazar
Legend
Loyaler
I think poker can be the main source of income for professional players. Professional players are experienced, patient, and disciplined. Professional players control their emotions and adhere to bankroll management. Those who do not control their emotions and do not adhere to bankroll management are not professional players but amateur players. If an amateur player relies solely on income from the game, then after a while this player will be living in a cardboard box under a bridge.
