How to Handle Tilt During Heads-up
Daneil Merrit | May 16, 2010
I’m sure we’ve all experienced a heads-up match where our opponent won one or two big pots, leaving us trying to jump out of the rabbit hole. In situations like this, we tend to get on tilt when attempting to rebuild our chip stack. The playable hands we need never seem to come. The real problem isn’t the cards you’re being dealt; it’s those two big pots you’ve lost that have put you in a losing mindset. This article will show you how to get over the big losses during a heads-up match, put your opponent on tilt, and rebuild your stack.
The first step to stop yourself from tilting is to accept that you’ve lost a big hand and move on to the next one like it never happened. If you aren’t capable of doing this, there’s one thing that can help you accomplish it. Think to yourself or talk out loud like you’re giving poker advice to a friend. Yes, you’re telling yourself how to act, but take some time to examine your cards before making a move and tell yourself how you should play them. This will get you out of the mindset of tilting and back to focusing on playing the heads-up match properly.
Now that you are no longer tilting, it’s time to turn the match around. Continue to play properly. Keep your mind off the previous losses by giving yourself advice on how to play each hand. Also, tell yourself what your opponent is doing. Learn his playing style and analyze each hand, flop, turn, and river. To put some pressure on your opponent, you might choose to say it out loud. This will help reinforce your focus on the game and maintain full awareness of your opponent’s actions.
Once you are sure of your opponent’s playing style—whether it’s loose, tight, aggressive, or passive—you have the knowledge to beat him. Now it’s time to get your opponent on tilt, so he can’t keep his focus on the game anymore. Make him believe the game has turned around. Make him feel so bad that he thinks he can’t get a hand to save his heads-up life, just like you did when you were on tilt.
Take advantage of your opponent’s tilting
The minute this happens, take full advantage of your opponent’s tilting. Whether he’s a better poker player than you or not, you’ll have him up against the ropes if he doesn’t find an answer quickly. Take as many of his chips as you can for as long as you can. You will win the heads-up match! It doesn’t matter which game or stakes you’re playing; keeping the lead during a level will ensure your victory.
Just remember to turn things around as early as you can because heads-up situations in No Limit and Pot Limit Hold’em games never last long. Limit Hold’em games, on the other hand, provide you with plenty of time to overcome a tilt and fully battle it out with your opponent. Remember, the same goes for him, as he can get over the losing mindset just like you. From there, all that’s left to win the heads-up match are your skills and poker strategy awareness.
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