Many players talk about going on tilt, and even more talk about not going on tilt. But like a deer caught in headlights, to save yourself you must focus on ways to get away instead of the oncoming disaster. Poker is so mentally draining that a bad beat or a moment of bad play can turn your profitable session into a downward spiral. Here are a few tips I've learned from playing online poker for the past few years.

1. The second you realize you are making calls are raises that you never should, get away from the tables. Go for a walk and focus on something besides poker. Forget about the cards, give your attitude time to adjust, let your mind go free.

2. Call a fellow poker friend. Let them reassure you when you made the right move, or laugh at the bad play of an opponent. When the bad play is your own, get advice; just talking about it will help you learn from your mistakes.

3. If you continue to play, then become even tighter than usual. Win a few pots and get your confidence back. Then you can slowly move back into your normal poker strategy.

4. Just remember that bad beats and mistakes are part of the sport. Every professional in any sport makes mistakes and encounters unfortunate luck.

5. Final advice is a piece of simple philosophy: Have a short-term memory when it comes to bad beats and a long-term memory when you made a mistake.



About the author:

Dustin Burkert is a professional poker player and a current tutor for www.pokernoise.com Poker Noise provides poker coaching for the average player looking to improve their game.