Casino table games can be a blast. And poker is probably the most exhilarating of them all. But when a loss triggers an emotional spiral, many players, even pros, chase a win at all costs. This is called tilt. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing poker at an online casino for real money or just having a fun poker night with your mates; tilting can be a debilitating habit that lands many in hot water. 

Whatever the case, tilting in high-pressure games of poker can lead to very public displays of anger and frustration. In this article, we unpack the concept of tilting and share a few examples of high-level poker players who couldn’t avoid it.

What Does Tilt in Poker Mean?

Tilt in poker is a slang term that is commonly used to describe the negative mental and emotional state of a player. It affects the way they play and is usually characterized by outbursts of anger or frustration when the player is considered tilted or on tilt. 

The term has its roots in pinball gaming but was first adopted by poker players to describe poor, emotionally-driven play in the poker scene. Later, other competitive players from a variety of games and sports also latched onto the term. 

In a poker game, tilting can manifest in many ways. For example: 

• A player can repeatedly lose due to several rounds of bad luck from bad beats or weak hands.
• A usually calm and collected player loses big pots to a much weaker player.
• A player successfully manages to throw the opposition off their game with trash-talk. 
• Anyone who has invested time in competitively playing any game, be it poker, video games or sports, is likely to have experienced a tilt personally or at least witnessed it in another player. 

How Does Tilt Impact Your Play?

When a player is tilted, they’re not just tired, thinking poorly or accidentally making bad decisions. A player who is tilted is being driven by a negative state of mind that has them making bad decisions, even if they know that it will only worsen their situation in the game.

Some poker players may only be impacted for a single moment before managing to realign their focus and carry on as usual with the following hand. Other players may be affected until they decide to call it a night. Others may be affected for weeks or even months of regular play. 

Players who are unable to recognize a tilt in poker and don’t take the necessary steps to address it may find themselves facing loss after loss.

How To Avoid Tilting

There are many ways to avoid or lessen the impact of a tilt. Here are four quick tips:

• Ensure you are well-rested and in a good state of mind.
• Accept that bad beats and bad cards are a part of the game.
• If you do get tilted, have a short-term strategy to deal with it.
• If your short-term strategy doesn’t work, take a break.

Our Top Five Public Poker Tilts

Even if you understand what tilt is, how it affects your poker game and what you can do to avoid it, it’s reassuring to know that even some of the world’s best poker players still tilt from time to time (or are known to tilt regularly.) Here are five examples of elite poker players who have lost their cool in high-stakes games.

Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth

In this example, we see Phil Hellmuth go against Daniel Negreanu. 

Hellmuth is a professional American poker player who won the Main Event of the 1989 World Series of Poker (WSOP) and took home first place in the Main Event of the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE.) He also has the most WSOP cashes and final tables and has taken home more than $23 million in tournament winnings. 

His opposition is Negreanu, a Canadian professional player who has two World Poker Tour (WPT) championship titles to his name. He’s also the only player to receive the WSOP Player of the Year twice, the first time in 2004 and the second in 2013. His total earnings as a professional poker player are believed to be more than $42 million.

Facing off against Negreanu in the first of three hands, Hellmuth folds despite having a full house. Shortly after, Hellmuth pulls up his sleeves, claps his hands and the commentators point out that he’s tilted. 

In his second hand, he matches Negreanu, hoping for the cards he needs to win, but loses to a pair of 5s. Hellmuth is clearly upset as he immediately gets up from the table, walks away, swears and then returns to the table. 

On the third hand, Hellmuth loses to Negreanu’s flush, which is followed by Hellmuth standing up from the table, swearing briefly and following up with a bit of a rant, much to the pleasure of Negreanu.

Tony G and Andy Black

Here we see two European professional players, Tony G and player-turned-Buddhist-monk-turned poker player Andy Black.

Tony G, whose real name is Antanas Guoga, is a politician, entrepreneur and skilled poker player. While Tony has never managed to take a championship title, he has 15 money finishes in the WSOP, as well as four money and two table finishes in the WPT. He officially retired from professional play in 2014 but still plays in high-stakes games to this day.

His rival in this game is Black, an Irish player whose entry into the 1998 WSOP was turned into a documentary called “Million Dollar Deal.” Unfortunately for Black, he lost this tournament, which saw him temporarily call it quits. He sold all his possessions and spent five years in a Buddhist monastery in England. He returned to professional poker in 2004 and has claimed 24 money finishes in WSOP, three money finishes in WPT and five money finishes and one table finish in the European Poker Tour (EPT.)

In this high-stakes poker game, Tony was tilted and not focused on the game. He calls and reveals his hand after thinking that Black was all in. The event organizers then intervene and tell Tony that he can only call after this mistake, allowing Andy to safely avoid Tony’s three-of-a-kind.

Huck Seed and Phill Hellmuth

Seed decided to drop out of college to pursue a career as a professional poker player. His career wins include winning the 1996 WSOP Main Event, as well as 50 money finishes and three money finishes from WPT.

In the first of two hands, we see both players engage in a battle of bets, calling and raising each other at every opportunity. A $16,000 bet, supported by a flush from Seed, forces Hellmuth to call, but Hellmuth doesn’t give up there. He tries to bait Seed into giving away some information, but Seed remains silent and keeps his poker face on.

In the second hand, a bet of $7,000 after the flop sees Hellmuth begin talking to himself, clearly demonstrating how upset he is by the situation. 

The third loss in a row sees the classic Hellmuth move: he gets up, walks away, mumbles to himself and finally returns to the table.

Ryan D’Angelo and Ben Zamani

The fourth example of tilt that we’ll look at is from a match between Ryan D’Angelo and Ben Zamani. 

D’Angelo may not be a professional poker superstar, but he is someone who’s made a fair deal of money playing the game. D’Angelo has had 40 money finishes and made the final tables seven times at WSOP, 15 money and three money finishes at WPT and one money and final table finish at the EPT.

Zamani is another player with some impressive skills, even if he hasn’t managed to clinch a championship. He’s had 40 money and six final table finishes at WSOP, 18 money and six final table finishes at WPT and two money and one final table finishes at EPT. 

In this game, D’Angelo and Zamani battle it out with their bets as the dealer reveals each card, but when the river is finally revealed, it comes down to high cards. With an ace and a 5, Zamani thinks he’s lost to D’Angelo, who only has a queen and 6, but he doesn’t fold. 

However, after Zamani declares D’Angelo’s victory, D’Angelo realizes that he lost and goes on tilt. D’Angelo is clearly frustrated with himself and gets up and walks away, but soon turns his attention to Zamani, asking him, “What are you doing?” multiple times.

Mike Matusow and Greg Raymer

The final public tilt involves Mike Matusow, a player renowned for his emotional outbursts. Matusow, famously nicknamed “The Mouth,” gained notoriety for his talkative and opinionated personality during the poker boom of the early 2000s. 

However, his tilts on multiple occasions at major tournaments also made him a memorable figure in the poker world.

One of Matusow’s most infamous blow-ups occurred during the 2004 WSOP Main Event when he insulted future champion Greg Raymer, calling him out for his play. After making a questionable call, Matusow lost a crucial pot, sending him into a downward spiral.

Later at the same table, Matusow suffered another devastating loss when he pushed all-in against Ed Foster, who called after Raymer folded. Despite holding the better hand, Matusow lost on the river and threw a tantrum of legendary proportions.

Matusow’s public meltdowns have become some of the most talked-about moments in poker history.

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