How to stop tilt in poker

You cannot think your way out of tilt with the same mind that is tilting. You need a sequence you already trust.

1. 01

   Name the trigger

   Bad beat, mistake, losing streak, pressure, fatigue. Naming it drops its intensity and separates the event from your response.

2. 02

   Interrupt the physiology

   Sixty seconds of paced breathing — four in, six out. Longer exhales settle arousal faster than willpower does.

3. 03

   Reframe the hand

   The hand is finished. Grade the decision, not the outcome. Your next decision begins at zero.

4. 04

   Re-rate your control

   Score control before and after. If it has not moved, the correct play is a break, not another hand.

5. 05

   Pre-commit next time

   Write an if-then: 'If I lose a big pot, then I take one reset before the next hand.' Rehearsed responses survive pressure.