tilt / "quick money" / venting advice

[dna4ever 2]

Hello. Lets keep in mind I am a VERY low limit player, but I think my question is applicable to any limits.If anyone has been following my blog I have been steadily working my roll up an average of $5 to $10 a day with your normal ups and downs.Yesterday I had a frustrating day because I bubbled out on 3 different tournies. Its frustrating to play for hours and have no $ result, especially one away, but hey thats poker. My problem was After losing about 5 of the 6 tournies I played I decided I was going to get my money back quickly by playing some NL ring. I got away from my 'solid' game and made silly plays, calls when I should have raised, played marginal hands that I should have folded, etc. I ended up losing $50 which is not a lot of money, but was about 25% of my current roll.So onto my question. I have read Daniels article where he says he plays for a set period of time and leaves when hes done (whether up or down). For some reason I cant grasp that and if I am down I like to keep trying to get back to par. I KNOW this is a mistake, but apparently dont have the discipline to make myself quit. Either I am just a complete idiot or there is something else I can do to say 'enoughs enough' or get a clear head and play my regular game again.Anywho, sorry if this doesnt even seem like a question since I already recognize what my problem is and how to fix it, but for some reason I just cant do it.

[jakoye 0]

if I am down I like to keep trying to get back to par.  I KNOW this is a mistake, but apparently dont have the discipline to make myself quit.

I think it's a pretty common failing. Certainly, I've done the same. But there's no other cure than recognizing that you're on tilt (that part you seem to have gotten down) and then DOING something about it, either quit playing or tighten up your game.If you're too wound up, video games where you get to shoot somebody seem to help me. :twisted: I'm sure others on this forum have more 'creative' ways of venting (beat the dog, beat the kids, beat the wife).Sometimes though, I wish I had one of those collars that would deliver an electric shock every time I go on tilt. 'Course, I'd probably be dead now if I did! PS: Just kidding about the dog/wife/kid beating. Don't want anyone gettin' bent out of shape when I have my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.

[dna4ever 2]

video games where you get to shoot somebody seem to help me.

LOL I actually been doing that one. I have gotten addicted to this online game called Subspace/Continuum where you get to fly around in spaceships killing other online people, its a great venting tool.Thanks for the post

[jayboogie 0]

You need to stop looking for those quick hitters and just continue to grind it out, I've never played at limits so low, so I can't imagine how hard it is to grind out profits, but it's the only way to do it. Try ring games instead of tournaments where your variance isn't as great if you don't want the swings.There's no other way to get around this other than to stop playing, of course much easier said than done. I try my best to play a set amount of hours for a session and leave. I'll only play longer when I feel like it and am up, well OK not all the time, but I try to do this. If I'm down and still feel the game is good and I'm playing ok, I'll stay to try and win some money still. When you've played long enough, you start to be able to feel yourself tilt and get off tilt. Also, noticing who's on tilt is very important. You want to play more hands against them because they are more inclined to make mistakes.

[dna4ever 2]

Try ring games instead of tournaments where your variance isn't as great if you don't want the swings.

I actually see a lot higher swings playing ring then tournies. An average $5+$0.50 18 person tourny can last 1 hour 20 mins if you make it to end so worse case your gonna lose $5.50 in that 80 minutes, but you can net $35.00.

[jayboogie 0]

Try ring games instead of tournaments where your variance isn't as great if you don't want the swings.

I actually see a lot higher swings playing ring then tournies. An average $5+$0.50 18 person tourny can last 1 hour 20 mins if you make it to end so worse case your gonna lose $5.50 in that 80 minutes, but you can net $35.00.

Sure you can net like 6 or 7 times your buy-in, but it's not consistent, you can't expect to realistically win most of the time. If you win 1 in 10 times, for a 18 player tournament, that's a good return. Naturally, you won't see many swings if your just playing $5 tournys all day long, it's not a lot of money. My point is you should be able to win a lot more money playing ring games and it's consistent. Realistically you can expect to have a winning session 60% of the time if your a decent player, maybe more. I'd say that's a lot better than playing sit and go's, where you expect to win much less, but that's just me.

[cardo1971 0]

if I am down I like to keep trying to get back to par.  I KNOW this is a mistake, but apparently dont have the discipline to make myself quit.

I think it's a pretty common failing. Certainly, I've done the same. But there's no other cure than recognizing that you're on tilt (that part you seem to have gotten down) and then DOING something about it, either quit playing or tighten up your game.If you're too wound up, video games where you get to shoot somebody seem to help me. :twisted: I'm sure others on this forum have more 'creative' ways of venting (beat the dog, beat the kids, beat the wife).Sometimes though, I wish I had one of those collars that would deliver an electric shock every time I go on tilt. 'Course, I'd probably be dead now if I did! PS: Just kidding about the dog/wife/kid beating. Don't want anyone gettin' bent out of shape when I have my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.

I also play a shooter game {SOCOM2} after a bad session online, seems to help get out the frustrations

[fishing_guru 0]

You need to stop looking for those quick hitters and just continue to grind it out

Amen to that. A conservative style of play is the best way to avoid losing it. You've already established that you have a hard time leaving the table when the going gets bad. If you can't leave, then tone down your betting. Only play premium hands, and only bet up the hands where you know you can't be beat. Let the other aggressive players swing the odds for you.

[deadmoney 0]

Take up a different hobby like golf or something. I don't care who you are, you can't play all day long and be able to stay focused. I know what you mean though, when you get bubbled you want to go back in right away and make things right. It's the part of gambling that gets most people in trouble. Sounds like you have things under control though. I just suggest finding something else to do after you lose a tough one.

[Smasharoo 0]

For some reason I cant grasp that and if I am down I like to keep trying to get back to par.Huge and very common leak. Play X amount of hands and know what X is before you sit down to play.Allthough it feels great to get back to even and not have to book a losing session, it's a good way to blow through a lot of your bankroll the times you can't get there.

[Matt Miner 0]

Allthough it feels great to get back to even and not have to book a losing session, it's a good way to blow through a lot of your bankroll the times you can't get there.happened to me on friday. going to do my best to play x amount of hands from now on. lost $1055 that i really didn't need to lose. shame on me.

[elkang 0]

Online I just end a losing session - usually because I don't feel it.In a live game, I bring 3 buy-ins and usually will leave after the 2nd one.Otherwise I set a time limit (2-6 hrs now), but I end it if I feel tired or have made a mistake.

[AA23suited 0]

I have heard Daniel say that he has won 400k at one time and the next day lost almost as much.Why do we do this ?Is it some self serving need to reciprocate the win by the loss?Or is the win the reason that players cant seem to get up either winning or losing?I am sure that getting up a winner is paramount for success at poker but I have time after time heard players say that they would continue to play even knowing their "rush" is over and losing is emminent.Just a couple of thoughts!All the best,AA23suited 8)

[Markmadness 0]

Personally, If i am playing lets say .50 /1.00 Limit online poker. I allow myself to lose 10.00. If I go beneath 10 bucks i stop playing. Take a break. I have a temper. Have gone through smashing a few mouses. Its not the money, i could not care less. Its more frustration when i make bad plays and call when i know i am beaten. Thats why i don't play onine poker as much. Mainly live poker. cause I don't make the same mistakes. Easy to click a stupid mouse button "call" there goes money to charity lol

[wannabe 0]

I also experienced a $500 loss friday, which I could have avoided maybe 200 of it. After getting beat by 3 - 135 to 1 shot runner runner inside straight draws, for about 80 bux a piece playin 3/6, I got a little upset. That was followed by someone coldcalling 4 bets preflop w/ Q9, when I had 99, and two other guys had AA and KK, Flop came QQ9. After this, I flop the nut straight, only to have someone stay in on a runner runner flush draw.... you get the point. Rather than stop there, and declare that its just not my day, I kept at it, and ended up tilting off about 200 bux playing absolute garbage. Over the next two days I ended up winning about $450, so if I hadn't tilted, I would be up 150 instead of down 50. . Lesson learned AGAIN.

[MrConceit 0]

I also experienced a $500 loss friday, which I could have avoided maybe 200 of it.  After getting beat by 3 - 135 to 1 shot runner runner inside straight draws, for about 80 bux a piece playin 3/6, I got a little upset.  That was followed by someone coldcalling 4 bets preflop w/ Q9, when I had 99, and two other guys had AA and KK,  Flop came QQ9.  After this, I flop the nut straight, only to have someone stay in on a runner runner flush draw.... you get the point.  Rather than stop there, and declare that its just not my day, I kept at it, and ended up tilting off about 200 bux playing absolute garbage.  Over the next two days I ended up winning about $450, so if I hadn't tilted, I would be up 150 instead of down 50.  .  Lesson learned AGAIN.

I do tend to want to play longer if I'm down a serious amount. I don't know if I think this is THAT bad. As long as you're still playing fine. But I might be deluding myself :)I have come back from some serious deficits by grinding out hours and hours when really down. The thing I DID eradicate is the whole "I won huge in 30-60 mins and I'm quitting" thing. I used to do that but long ago stopped and just continued to put in hours. I never really cut sessions short from doing good/bad, but I do prolong them (if I feel like I'm playing good) if I'm down.Ok, I've thought about it more, and that's a bad idea too, sigh. I liked my ability to come back from big deficits, but the more I think on it, the better it is to play roughly what you planned to play, and not play a lot longer. The "excuse" live players have is that they're at a great table and they want to continue with the fish. But you can always find good online tables in my experience.

[DeNuts1 0]

This will make you quit everytime:When you are on tilt and know it....and still can't quit....take a pencil and jab it into your left eye.Hope this helps.

[maxstud 0]

when i having a few loosing sesssins in a row, I quit playng for 4-7 days so when i come back I don't care where I used to be at, I just know what my bankroll is now :?

[JistTheFist 0]

yeah I used to have the same problem... sat down at a 3/6 with $200.... had an amazing run and incredible string of hands and was up to $900... I then proceeded to get back down to $250 before I was able to pull myself away from the computer.... that was and will be the last time i ever have the "gotta win it back real quick" mentality.

[Guest Anonymous]

Jayboogie - You play on Party Poker??

[jayboogie 0]

Jayboogie -  You play on Party Poker??

Yeah, I have an account on there, but haven't played in a while on there. The last time I played was for a Step Tournament, made it to Step 4 I think it was. I think my account balance is at ZERO on there, probably gotta put some money back in if I do play on there again.