Discover When You Should Take a Break From the Poker Table

If you have been around poker for some time or even if you are new to the game, you have probably heard the word TILT. Basically being on TILT means that you aren’t thinking clearly or you are upset at something that occurred at the poker table. A few things that could set someone on TILT are :

1.       Taking a Bad Beat  – Getting your cash in the pot with the best hand only to be outdrawn by a  weaker hand

2.       Being shown a Bluff – Sometimes after you fold your opponent will show his terrible hand which can trigger emotions of anger and frustration

3.       Drunk Players at the Poker Table – Although it’s fun to play against people when they are drinking as they tend to make errors, listening to them yap away is enough to upset anyone

4.       Trash Talker at the Table – Some use this tactic to throw you off your game. They constantly berate you at the table hoping to get an edge and make you do something stupid to lose all of your chips. (I’m really not a big fan of this approach, but it is effective for some)

These are just a few examples of things that can put you TILT. Don’t be scared to take a break from the table if you find yourself TILTING. Poker is a game of incomplete information where we try to make the correct decisions. If you’re not thinking correctly and making bad decisions then you stand a good chance to lose a lot of money. Being in the correct “Poker State of Mind” is very important to your long term poker success. Here are some other examples of things to avoid:

1.       You should not play if you are tired

2.       If you are drinking or have been drinking you really shouldn’t play

3.       Don’t play if you want to watch TV

4.       If you are surfing the web or answering emails, you really shouldn’t be playing

I know sometimes poker can be long in between hands to play so we tend to do other things. If you find yourself getting bored and looking for things to do, my suggestion would be to play a few tables at the same time if you are playing on line. By playing more than one table it increases you chances of playing more hands and eliminating the possibilities of getting bored. You should probably quit for the day if you find your mind drifting or thinking of other things. There will always be another poker game tomorrow so there is no need to worry.

If you are interested in learning more about being a Winning Poker Player, You can sign up for my FREE SNG Poker Training Course “From Fish to SNG Pro in Only 17 Days” by visiting http://www.sngtrainer.com