Best game ever - then I tilt

[Mike]

Soo, I almost made it to the Sunday G Million last week (Partypoker). I played in one of the $11 buy ins. I got a real good start and played a conservative game. No too wild bluffs. So when we are 19 people left, I am chip leader at my table with about 30 K chips (about 14% of the chips). The overall chip leader is at the other table and is just a couple of 100 chips ahead of me. Since there 1-4 place is a seat in Sunday g Million, I feel pretty good about this. Then suddenly, I get AA!! I sit directly after SB but want to make a raise at least to get rid of some people. I push in an extra BB which I think would give me a few players left. Then the guy (a pro from the US) at pos 6 goes all in!! All other folds ... Of course I can't stay away from this. I throw in my chips. He has ... KK!!! YES I thought, this is just not happening. Nothing comes up on the flop or turn, but the this ugly cowboy show up on the river. I lost!!! I am now sitting there with about 8 K. I am completely on tilt and next round I get KQs which I check. Then the button guy goes all in. I call. He sits there with my AA from my earlier hand. I lose.

I know it's not possible to do anything about this bad beat, but how to people recover from temporary tilts? This game was the best I ever have played. I was extremly focused all through the game, except when I lost AA to the KK.

[flotu]

It's really tough to play your best game after a beat like this. It's a tournament so it's not like you can leave your seat and come back with a fresh mind in an hour. Just think about the time you have already invested - is it really worth it to tilt it away?

Also, "what would Phil Ivey do".

[benny999]

I don't play many tournys so I usually can do some push ups or something else until my mind is off it...but some quicker things I've done is punch my mattress or think about how ridiculous it was and laugh about it, or play something funny on the computer. Rilla posted something here that also helps - think of the total chip pile as being "80% yours" or whatever it was when you put the money in. Eventually you'll get 80% of it...

Like flotu wrote, it's very important to focus positively and plan ahead instead of be mad/distracted and think about the past. You know you have a good head for poker when bad beats don't phase you.

Oh, and there are better written posts in the beginners digest, see The Psychology of Losing - Know Thyself!! by aokrongly and Taking Breaks and Avoiding Tilt by dwarfman. http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/...oker-36037.htm

[Lukie]

It's all about mental toughness. Some people have it and some people don't. You probably just don't have it.

If it makes you feel any better, it can be learned over time.

[Jiggus]

This is the one big reason I find tournies and sit n' go's off-putting. One "bad" beat and you're almost wiped out. You at least lost to a decent hand. That's easy to take. When you lose to some mullard who pushes all in with A4 off to your AA, then scores a straight, well, that's a bit harder to take.

Als0, for the time and sweat that you put in at a big MTT all for squat, well, that's off-putting.

I just think that tournament style poker is more of a lottery than ring. Ring rewards patience, and you are never going to be booted out due to one hand. Maybe play ring?

[aokrongly]

...

[bef99hwk]

Yeah don't feel too bad...i had 2000 in chips with blinds being 75/150 in a small 10 table tourney...4 were left...i got AA in the SM and raised to 600 and the button called me...flop comes 8-10-2 rainbow and he puts me all in so I instantly call...he has a-6 suited, totally dominated...needs runnning cards to win it, highly unlikely...turn comes a 9, giving him an inside straight draw and a flush draw...wouldn't you know it he gets the flush....online is shit.