I am really demoralized right now... I've spent about 9 months solidly grinding out a 15% ROI at SNG, and I should have over $2500 to show for it...

Problem is that everytime I hit a downswing, I completely lose control of my emotions and go crazy... I start chasing my losses and then it seems that variance gets worse and I can lose most of my bankroll in a single day...

It happened once, and I told myself NEVER AGAIN... I will never tilt off my entire roll EVER AGAIN..

And then I just did it again

A solid player can turn into a raging lunatic all in one day...

What can I do to stop this from happening?

If you know that you go crazy on a downswing, then you have to act on it.
Get the **** away from your computer for a little while. Take a walk, do some push ups or what ever it takes to get it out of your system.

I just got sucked out by an idiot and got so mad about loosing a BI with a set of jacks from the flop to a moron who eventally got a straight on the river holding 96o. I instantly hit the "sit out" button, went out shouting in my garden and came back to browse the forum for a while.

That does it for me - find your own cure brother

GL

Its all on you really.

Metaphorically speaking, this isn't like someone breaking into your car to steal something and you want to prevent it from happening again. This is you breaking into your own car and throwing your valuables out.

Not sure if poker sites do this (Although I think it would be a good addition), but maybe see if they have a stoploss available. Maybe if you lose $x your kicked out of your account for y hours.

Or perhaps withdraw a bit more often to "save" your bankroll.

But overall, you are responsible for your bankroll. If you are beating the game for 4 figures, I think you are well above most poker players. But in the end, if you can't control yourself, you will inevitably lose.... again.

It might help to set strict limits on the length of your sessions. "Today I'm going to play x amount of SNG's and I'm going to quit after that whether I'm winning or losing" or "I'm going to play x amount of SNG's and if I'm up then I'll play x more, but if I'm down I'm done for the day". That can help you to keep from chasing losses, but you've got to stick with your limits.

Exercise helps too -- I take the dog for a half hour walk/run then come back to the table.

one day huh? usually takes me about a hand.

pm when you have an answer that isn;t self-control, and i'll happily pay for it.

There is only one answer, correct one that is: Perception.

Do it for yourself (Ive never tilted like a madman again after I realized this), dont just take it for granted:

OK, when you find yourself TILTing - you will recognize it usually pretty fast - its all psychological, it affects your thought patterns, which in terms alter your decision-making in the game, thats why people recommend STOP play when you feel this happening.

Now, when you TILT, just STAY WITH IT.

DONT:

-run away from it
-try to excuse it
-try to explain it
-try to blame it
-try to CONTROL it!

Never. Just stay with it.

What does this accomplish? You see the futility of it.

The mere perception of the futility of tilting is the cure, not tilting.

Regards,
Rob

Do you consider it tilting if you are playing your A game but moving up levels and not managing your bankroll correctly?

Or is tilting when you just shove 45s because you're pissed?

If you lose, say, 5 buy-ins and you decide to move to double your normal level even though you're not sufficiently bankrolled for it, then yes, that is certainly a form of tilt. And you're probably not really playing your A game (and your A game might not even be good enough to beat the next level up anyway).

All the above, tilt comes in different forms

You have to identify when u are tilting and not playing optimally, end your session early and take some time off (from 30mins to days depending). I tend to play a lot less optimally myself when I get crushed beat after beat after beat etc but have been getting better at controlling myself lately.

You have to understand that the longterm is very big and you have to keep playing your A game at all times or else its going to affect your ROI and win-rate.

Also set goals for yourself and don't moveup until you satisfy those goals (beating your current level over X # of games). Moving up to just move up is just burning money (def when u are running bad) and you won't succeed unless you keep good BRM b/c there are so much swings in SNGs (and in poker in general).


GL

this is why in one of my threads i said i would set a certain limit that i wouldnt go past with my losses and everyone jumped on me saying winning players overtime wins so playing more even on a slump is good... i still believe setting a limit is good especially if your a emotional player....

you and me both bro.

Sklansky bucks duh

don't worry about the results when u lose, ik it's tough but just continue to remind yourself sngs are very high variance. If you can't handle variance then pokers prob not for you. Just be positive and know everyone has at some point been where you're at

You need to condition yourself through negative physical reinforcement. We call this behavioral therapy. I suggest every time you feel a tilt session coming on, you burn the tip of your penis with a cigarette lighter.

Gamblers Anonymous.

Seriously...

Gamblers Anonymous? Are you serious?

Okay, I hate to admit this.. but today, I lost with AA and KK on the bubble, flopped the nut straight twice and got rivered, shoved AK and hit against KK, shoved AJ and hit against AA.. Lost AK to AQ on the river..

I actually felt myself about to cry, and so I just started throwing things.. after I had played 3 days and lost every single game!!! I can't believe it..

I have issues man...

Maybe i SHOULD go to gamblers anonymous..

I don't think you need gambler anonymous unless it's taking over your life. It seems more like anger management there.

self control?

we use the word tilt as a crutch (its acceptable in the poker community), instead think of yourself as making a stupid decision whenever you go on "tilt"

Seriously...

Directed at McTiltAlot:

Enjoy laughing at people's misery eh?

Next time you lose $2000, I'll laugh in your face too jerk-off!!!!

bet he hurts kittens for fun

2000$ is one month's living expenses; not a big deal, certainly not something to get emo with

I am right there with you OP. When I first started playing I broke 2 monitors and lost my entire bankroll multiple times before realizing my tilting problem. Now if I drop more than around 10% of my bankroll tilting I end up just cashing out my entire bankroll to stop myself (this has happened more than once). I realize this is a horrible solution especially when trying to build a bankroll, but is the only thing that is guaranteed to work for me at this time. Good luck in your search for curing your tilting problems though!

Threads like these are why poker isn't legal.

Good god, man! Priceless stuff. LOL

FFS

You guys are giving OP too much grief, I mean we all were beginners at some point (I still somewat am ) and haven't figured it all out yet