A slightly different tilt trigger

I have noticed this happen to me a couple of times lately, so I wanted to ask the people on this forum if it's ever happened to them. I find that in the face of bad beats, both taken and given, and even cold cards, I tend to be able to stave off the tendency to tilt my way to the felt. However, I often find myself thoughtlessly breaking my own rules after I fold a hand that "would have won."

Of course I'm not talking about 72o folded from early position to see 772 come on the board. I'm talking more about when you get something like QTo in MP, a big stacked but very tight player from EP raises 2xBB, and you get the feeling that maybe you can catch something to bust what is surely a great hand (not only getting chips but very likely inducing tilt to boot). But you figure you'll play it safe since it's still early mid stages of the tourney. Then you see the flop come KJ9, and he makes a big c-bet (possibly having tripped his Js or Ks or 9s).

I find that after that I'll sometimes start to play looser in the hopes of catching another such situation, eventually losing a few steals or c-bets before fully regaining my composure.

Anyone else get this? Any particular way to combat it?

Thanks!

When your tempted to play those hands when you know your not ahead, just think of all the times you played Q10 and the flop came out A 5 7 or whatever.

Surely if you knew the flop was going K J 9 it would be a good play but you can't know that so don't fret over hands like that

It is never possible to know which cards will come out on the flop. Just play what you feel is your best. Get in with the best cards and dont be updet if they dont hold up. We can always second guess.

I try to watch the people in the hand, rather than pay attention to what might of been if.

Yes i know what your talking about but you said yourself you eventually regain your composure. So why not keep it the entire time. Remember consistency and patience and discipline wins tournaments. Once in awhile crazy play makes it through a tourny but eventually and more often than not they bust out. So play position and keep yourself focused on the long run and you can avoid it.This is what makes the difference between long term winners and one or two timers

Never 2nd guess yourself. Try to make the best decision on every hand and live with the results - good or bad. Feel good about playing good.

When I tilt - 95% of the time it is because I know I played the hand wrong. That is what upsets me the most. But honestly I don't tilt too often. It is really bad for your game lol.

is it a feeling or a hope? The distinction is important. Sometimes you need to follow your gut. For whatever reason, sometimes your gut knows what the best play is and your brain gets in the way. If you focus and figure out how to tell the difference between feel and hope, you can make some moves based on feel that totally confound your opponents. Making the same moves on hope will bust you out fast.

On the other hand, making moves on feelings that the 10 will come on the river, are quite profitable.

No but seriously, once you have played enough poker, you get used to it. Then you only tilt when you played bad. And that's good tilt.

I know what ya mean... i folded J9o UTG in a live tourney... nobody raised preflop then the flop came JJ9 ... there was plenty of action post flop too I really could have gotten paid off... hindsights a bitch. I didn't let it tilt me too much though, but I did limp a couple of J9o's (not UTG though)

Why would you ever call a raise from a tight player in Ep with Q 10 off suit when you are in MP??? You made the right play, don't dwel on it and move on.

Thanks for all the replies. I have indeed recently been able to control this much better. I remind myself that my selective memory is playing tricks on me: of course I remember every time my QT 'would have' hit, and not all the times I folded and was all the better for it. I also remind myself of all the times I've made smart aggressive moves with the good hands to win big, and am more encouraged to wait for the right cards/right moments.

Best of luck to you all, and thanks again!

T.

dont lower your range 2 much, if you call a raise with q 10 off and manage to win the pot against pocket jacks or higher or even aq or ak, be sure to expect a few people mutter donk.. i do it, i raise the blind to 3 or 4 times and get called by someone with 10 9 off, and they hit 10s with a 9 kicker and i have ak and the a or k doesnt hit, if i lose that pot i usually ask the caller if he is on pot, for calling the preflop raise, lol

This "feeling" is also know as: implied odds.