Tilt, tilt, crash, boom, wuhh??

So, I was playing my 2$ 2-Table SNGs, and I was getting frustrated. I lost 2 two days ago, 4 yesterday, and then 3 more today. And my BR isn't big, it was only 70. So then, I try some Cash Games. Crash, Boomed there too.. hard. I'm not going back to a ring game until I dedicate at least 5 hours reading things on the difference between Rings and SNGs.

So I crash crash crash, burn burn burn, and I'm tilting. I can't even play my normal 2$ SNGs, not according to my newly low BR and bad luck, and probably worse decisions due to tilting. So I decided to use 11 of my last 25 dollars on a 90-Man SNG. I get horrible cards near the whole time. It's over an hour into it and I only have 3k chips, barely over starting count.. But then Variance hits. I Keep hitting AK, QQ, KKs. I make more chips and become more confident, and I even play things like J9s and they flop just perfectly. Within 20 mins I'm in 2nd place, with 40,000 chips. I play for awhile more, bust some people, collect their bounties, and I play for about another 30 mins, and I'm at the Final table,3rd in Chips. I play a bit more, and now there's only 6 people total left. I all in with AA, and get cracked by a set.

Now, I realize that I haven't made the best decisions. Should definitely have stopped playing, cooled down for another day, and resume my normal SNGs. I should definitely even invest in PokerTracker so I can go through my hands and see the holes in my play (I know I'm still doing things wrong, I must be to be out of the money that many SNGs)

All said, I'm trying to say that I made a series of bad decisions, and hit the highs and lows of Variance in just a few days. And when I'm about to crash, the poker gods save me and grant me another chance to keep playing poker at my normal limits (I ended up being about -10$ since a few days ago) I'm glad I have it, and I need things to do to help cool off and be more disciplined. I noticed the bad choices in game I was making, after I realized I was tilting, and that'll help. But what additional steps can I take to avoid tilting? Any activities that will be both naturally benefiting and relaxing? Just anything to try to avoid that again, something that I can really make this opportunity the poker gods gave me work.

Originally Posted by Auhfel

Any activities that will be both naturally benefiting and relaxing?

Sex.

lol, Seriously. Read Aokrongly's "Emotional Mastery" I love it, as well as "The Psychology of Loosing-Know Thyself" A huge benifit to any player at any skill level, I'm sure the "regs" will agree. I'm not giving advice, I'm mearly suggesting reading someone elses good advice.

Is that like, In the library, or something I can find online? o.0

Poker Forum Index > Beginners Circle > Beginners Digest - VERY HELPFUL

It's one of the stickies, it's filled with GREAT reads. You'll see the Articles I was talk'n about.

http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...ul-t36037.html

I need to update the digest soon.

Originally Posted by Auhfel

I can't even play my normal 2$ SNGs, not according to my newly low BR and bad luck, and probably worse decisions due to tilting. So I decided to use 11 of my last 25 dollars on a 90-Man SNG.

Originally Posted by bjsaust

Originally Posted by Auhfel

I can't even play my normal 2$ SNGs, not according to my newly low BR and bad luck, and probably worse decisions due to tilting. So I decided to use 11 of my last 25 dollars on a 90-Man SNG.

Yeah wtf. You think you're going to go busto in the 2.20s your going to go busto much faster playing with almost half your roll in a $11 tourny. Basically take a break. I took a little break and it did wonders. Also play the 2.20s till you go broke (they don't have any cheaper ones do they???). After you go broke redeposit. If you don't go broke keep playing... Don't think that just because you don't have enough buy-ins for the lowest stakes means you're playing out of your roll anyways and its ok to play anything you want. Your bankroll (among other things) tells you when you should move up or down. If you can't move down don't move up...

Originally Posted by bjsaust

Originally Posted by Auhfel

I can't even play my normal 2$ SNGs, not according to my newly low BR and bad luck, and probably worse decisions due to tilting. So I decided to use 11 of my last 25 dollars on a 90-Man SNG.

I figured after a few days of bad luck/bad playing(tilting) with such a low BR, that I might as well just spend the rest so I can get rid of the br, and by doing so I'd be getting rid of any frustration of trying to rebuild a small br, I decided just to spend it to basically make myself cool off of poker for just a little while. Till I felt better, and find ways to conquer my emotional self.

Auhfel I've been playing 3 weeks so take what I say with a pinch or fistful of salt... I've lost my BR 3 times. Lately I was lucky enough to be forced not to play (long story but couldnt access my 120$ BR) but it gave me an opportunity to read more etc and really reflect.

Playing outside of your BR for w/e reason if you want to do well in poker is never a good idea. Don't kid yourself it is just something to get rid of your BR. If you do what you're effectively saying is, jeez I know I tilted and screwed up by playing out of my BR - but I don't mind confounding it by carrying on and just spewing what little is left of my BR away.

If you're playing to make money which I think you are (or at least were originally) you have to follow good BR at every chance. Just follow good BR and good play and then when/if you lose what little BR you have left at least you will be able to say... I did this bit right.

I'm sure that will help get rid of any frustration more than just donking it away. That's my take anyway Auhfel. Of course I don't know anything about you - you might be able to continually reload - in which case I guess you just do what you want! I'm writing from my own perspective, and I can't afford to keep continually reloading bankrolls 2/3 times a month.

Good luck man.

Originally Posted by animal_chin

Originally Posted by bjsaust

Originally Posted by Auhfel

I can't even play my normal 2$ SNGs, not according to my newly low BR and bad luck, and probably worse decisions due to tilting. So I decided to use 11 of my last 25 dollars on a 90-Man SNG.

Yeah wtf. You think you're going to go busto in the 2.20s your going to go busto much faster playing with almost half your roll in a $11 tourny. Basically take a break. I took a little break and it did wonders. Also play the 2.20s till you go broke (they don't have any cheaper ones do they???). After you go broke redeposit. If you don't go broke keep playing... Don't think that just because you don't have enough buy-ins for the lowest stakes means you're playing out of your roll anyways and its ok to play anything you want. Your bankroll (among other things) tells you when you should move up or down. If you can't move down don't move up...

thanks, that wasn't quite why I played it, not to really chase money or anything, just to get rid of it and at the same time get rid of the stress associated from all the lost SNGs. Actually, I think one of the reasons I played better in the 10$ one was because I wasn't expecting to win, I was merely doing it to force myself to stop being frustrated from losing (No money in my roll, no more I can lose, thus a forced break, so I can take awhile and not be frustrated.)

Although, you do make a good point that I could have made a lot more practice (2-10$ or 10 -2$ SNGs), My only disagreement in this is that I was already very frustrated from losing so many times, so I wouldn't have played as well, and would have gotten more frustrated. The 10$ seemed more easing because I knew that afterwards I wouldn't be able to play more, and I would sooner be cured of my frustration.

You know, typing this has made me realize how frustrated I was really getting and how much it really does impact your game. I've looked back on some of my HH and there were some pretty horrid decisions I made, I don't even remember why I made them.

Originally Posted by Auhfel

Originally Posted by animal_chin

Originally Posted by bjsaust

Originally Posted by Auhfel

I can't even play my normal 2$ SNGs, not according to my newly low BR and bad luck, and probably worse decisions due to tilting. So I decided to use 11 of my last 25 dollars on a 90-Man SNG.

Yeah wtf. You think you're going to go busto in the 2.20s your going to go busto much faster playing with almost half your roll in a $11 tourny. Basically take a break. I took a little break and it did wonders. Also play the 2.20s till you go broke (they don't have any cheaper ones do they???). After you go broke redeposit. If you don't go broke keep playing... Don't think that just because you don't have enough buy-ins for the lowest stakes means you're playing out of your roll anyways and its ok to play anything you want. Your bankroll (among other things) tells you when you should move up or down. If you can't move down don't move up...

thanks, that wasn't quite why I played it, not to really chase money or anything, just to get rid of it and at the same time get rid of the stress associated from all the lost SNGs. Actually, I think one of the reasons I played better in the 10$ one was because I wasn't expecting to win, I was merely doing it to force myself to stop being frustrated from losing (No money in my roll, no more I can lose, thus a forced break, so I can take awhile and not be frustrated.)

Although, you do make a good point that I could have made a lot more practice (2-10$ or 10 -2$ SNGs), My only disagreement in this is that I was already very frustrated from losing so many times, so I wouldn't have played as well, and would have gotten more frustrated. The 10$ seemed more easing because I knew that afterwards I wouldn't be able to play more, and I would sooner be cured of my frustration.

You know, typing this has made me realize how frustrated I was really getting and how much it really does impact your game. I've looked back on some of my HH and there were some pretty horrid decisions I made, I don't even remember why I made them.

It's good that your acknowledging you made bad/tilty decisions. Every player does that, but the ones that learn from those mistakes move up. Maybe take a break for a bit, I can't stress how much of a difference it made with me.

edit: When I say break I mean like a couple days off or something, just to take your mind off poker for a bit.

Originally Posted by animal_chin

It's good that your acknowledging you made bad/tilty decisions. Every player does that, but the ones that learn from those mistakes move up. Maybe take a break for a bit, I can't stress how much of a difference it made with me.

edit: When I say break I mean like a couple days off or something, just to take your mind off poker for a bit.

Thanks, I think I'll do just that. Perhaps I'll put another 50-100$ into my BR so I can very safely play at the small stakes, and I'll just leave it there until Monday. I have some important partying to do this weekend anyways =P

Originally Posted by Auhfel

Originally Posted by animal_chin

It's good that your acknowledging you made bad/tilty decisions. Every player does that, but the ones that learn from those mistakes move up. Maybe take a break for a bit, I can't stress how much of a difference it made with me.

edit: When I say break I mean like a couple days off or something, just to take your mind off poker for a bit.

Thanks, I think I'll do just that. Perhaps I'll put another 50-100$ into my BR so I can very safely play at the small stakes, and I'll just leave it there until Monday. I have some important partying to do this weekend anyways =P

My thoughts exactly.

Originally Posted by LuckySlevin

Auhfel I've been playing 3 weeks so take what I say with a pinch or fistful of salt... I've lost my BR 3 times. Lately I was lucky enough to be forced not to play (long story but couldnt access my 120$ BR) but it gave me an opportunity to read more etc and really reflect.

Playing outside of your BR for w/e reason if you want to do well in poker is never a good idea. Don't kid yourself it is just something to get rid of your BR. If you do what you're effectively saying is, jeez I know I tilted and screwed up by playing out of my BR - but I don't mind confounding it by carrying on and just spewing what little is left of my BR away.

If you're playing to make money which I think you are (or at least were originally) you have to follow good BR at every chance. Just follow good BR and good play and then when/if you lose what little BR you have left at least you will be able to say... I did this bit right.

I'm sure that will help get rid of any frustration more than just donking it away. That's my take anyway Auhfel. Of course I don't know anything about you - you might be able to continually reload - in which case I guess you just do what you want! I'm writing from my own perspective, and I can't afford to keep continually reloading bankrolls 2/3 times a month.

Good luck man.

Thank you for your advice. I have a great opportunity to read/reflect now, I can go over more HH and see what I should and should not have done and make notes of it. Also finish reading everything in the Digest.

I get where you're coming from, I just lol'd at the irony of not being able to play the stakes you want due to strict BRM so blowing it completely out of the water.

Learning how and when to turn the PC off and walk away the day is one of the best things you can do for your BR. Sometimes the most EV poker play is to not play.