If you have watched enough poker games, you will have noticed players doing it. If you have played enough poker games then you are likely to have done it yourself. Nobody who plays poker can ignore that it exists and almost everyone has acted on it at some point in their game.

I am of course talking about the dreaded tilt. It's that irrational feeling you get when as a player you suffer one too many bad beats which swings you into overkill. You begin to play too aggressively, suddenly you are raising 7-2 before the flop, going all-in on a small pair and ultimately tilting like it's going out of fashion!

It is quite funny to watch players try to avoid it or try to act as though they are not doing it after losing a few hands. The tilt is often initiated after a few bad hands, but ultimately is acted upon when a player loses their focus. Focus on the game is often lost when a player is irritated or tired. If you lose your patience, you are likely to tilt when you become agitated and feel you are not getting the rub of the green.

The players who remain focused may be less likely to tilt during a poker game, but they too can cross over the line should they become stressed during a tournament. Poker is a discipline that is a learned craft. Players must practice control to overcome the possibility of a tilt.

It is tough to do in some games, especially if you are not getting any decent hands and your opponents chips are stacking up around you. Sometimes more experienced players will watch for the opportunity to encourage a tilt by drastically changing their own play. They know they have the upper hand and will do whatever it takes in order to benefit from the situation.

Before giving into the tilt epidemic, make sure to check your own style of play. Ask yourself if you are controlling your own behaviour or are you letting someone else at the table disrupt it?

When another player tilts it can be fun to watch, but when it is you, the word loses its appeal. Try to remember to regain your composure after suffering a few bad beats, it happens to everyone at some point. You still control your own game even if you can't control what appears on the river.