Christmas Treat

Prior to the New Year, I will be posting my January goals as well as my longer term 2012 goals but for now thought I would just post something you may find useful over the festive period and into next year.


Top Ten Tilt Tips
　
At number 10 -
The classic, simple yet effective, TAKE A BREAK. Do something else, if it cannot be something un-poker related, make it some poker study, read a book or magazine, watch a video or surf the forums.
　
At 9 -
If the BR has a shocking look about it because of the bad cards, do something about it. Cash in some of those player points and boost your role. On paper it makes no difference whatsoever, but a small part of your brain will welcome the sight of a healthy role and the good feelings will translate into better decisions during the down periods.
　
In at No 8 -
If you cant take a break as you are soaring towards SuperNova Elite and you are saving your player points for the car then try this.
Each time you are sucked out on the river after being called by K3 for all you chips only to have your AA beaten foe the 3^rd time in the last ten minutes, LAUGH OUT LOUD. Seriously the power of laughing holds huge benefits. It will keep the good chemicals flowing to and from your brain and enable you to accept the tough cards and continue to make the correct decisions time and again.
(The Chinese have classes purely for laughter, like we do for aerobics. Business men and ladies walk in on there way home from work to just sit in a room and laugh out loud at each other. Sounds stupid, looks ridiculous but it works.)
　
Number 7 -
While the cards are playing up and every opponent seems to be calling you light and hitting, use this to your advantage. Make some effective notes on your opponents dubious plays and benefit from them in the future.
　
At 6
A change is as good as a rest. Try a set of something different. I am predominantly a 9man turbo SNG player. I recently turned to 18mans during a particular bad spell and have not played a set of 9mans for the last week due to instantly going on a heater.

The change to something that is not as comfortable will increase the concentration you will have to engage in the game and thus assist with your decision making and minimise any tilty decisions.
　
Number 5 -
NIT UP. Nobody likes playing uber tight and not really taking part in the game, but if the cards are taking the piss don’t give them too much opportunity to do it over and over. Don’t do it for too long but if only one river screws you in a SNG and you go out, you will feel better than if you get screwed on the river 10 times in the same tournament.
　
At 4
As the big pots lost mount, make a note of them. List your hand and next to it put the hand that beat you. List each big pot whether you lost or won. You may realise once its on paper that you are not being that hard done by after all. If your list continually shows AA beat by K3o and KK beat by Kjo, then try the other 9 suggestions on the list.
　
At number 3
While you have a pen and paper making lists, try dividing a piece of paper into two columns. Have a private competition between yourself and the tilting devil within.
When you make a bad decision on tilt, you usually know that it is a bad call, shove or raise even before you do it. When this is the case mark a point down for the devil, when you perceive the play to be correct mark a point down for you. Your competitive streak will minimise the bad plays as you will not want to lose this game too.
　
New at number 2 -
Now this will sound stupid BUT I guarantee that if you give it a go, you will handle tilting in a much more effective way.
Firstly, I once saw footage of Mike Matusow in a big tournament. He was way ahead with only one card to come. He verbally declared something like “I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO STIFF ME, HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, THIS WILL BE A QUEEN”. His opponent only had two queens to win the pot and sure enough, there it was a big fat queen on the river. Now think of what effect that verbal comment had on MATUSOW, I bet he felt way worse than if he had sat in silence and was willing to accept any outcome.
Now that may be a big coincidence yes, but I implore you to give this a go.
As the hand is in play and you have your money in good, AGAIN, of course. Verbally call for cards which will not hit your opponent.
I KNOW this sounds ridiculous but I tried it once and now use it every time I play. Obviously you may call for a 4 and it might not be a 4, but you will come to realise that many cards that come don’t make your opponents hand and it is only a sparse few that are pissing you off.
Plus you will find yourself hurriedly calling out for cards that don’t even exist like the “16” that I shouted for yesterday that did not materialise which will in turn put a smile on your face.
　
And the Christmas number one way of reducing the effect of tilt.
Go back to basics and ensure you are making the right plays. I would recommend going back to your own safety blanket of whatever that may be. I have some favourite strategy videos that I will watch again, you may have a favourite book or chapter of a book. On top of this, if you have it, get HEM up and start working through previous hands and any other study tools or software you have like SNGWizard. After this you will be able to see how amazing you are playing, how unlucky you really are and be able to understand that the more you play in this way, the cards will turn and you will get back to winning ways.
　
DO NOT THINK THE POKER GODS OWE YOU ANYTHING - MAKE THE CORRECT DECISION BASED ON WHAT THE CORRECT DECISION IS, NOT WHO OWES YOU WHAT.
　
Merry Christmas everyone!!



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