Exploiting Tilt

We have all probably both observed the effects of tilt, both on players we play and even on ourselves. When you observe behaviour that is indicative of tilt, can it be exploited? Of course, the pro's wouldn't spend so much time attempting to put Phil Helmuth on tilt if it didn't seriously weaken his play.

So, what happens? How can it be exploited?

Perhaps suprisingly, a tilted players starting hand range usually doesn't vary significantly unless they are on tilt against just one player. So, usually, when a tilted player calls or raises, they have decent holdings.

An occasional beginner or particularly weak player will push on their next hand if they have just been put on tilt, this is a different situation where you need to be comfortable with your read and potential opponent range. Most experienced players will have enough control on their initial hand selection to not allow emotion to lower their range however.

A tilted player will sometimes make rediculous raises pre-flop, such as 10x the big blind on a previous bet of double the big blind, this is definitely an indicator of tilt, but it is not necessarily an indicator of a weak hand.

The place where tilt can really be exploited is when a tilted player hits on the flop. Once they are in a pot, and have hit, they are very tough to get out of the pot. They may also pursue draws much more aggressively than is mathmatically sensible given pot odds and the odds of hitting a draw.

So, if you are playing your cards correctly and have also hit on the flop, with a big hit, you can probably get all of their chips.

On a recent hand on Poker after Dark, Phil Helmuth had been complaining of bad beats and bad luck for a few hands, and had been shown a couple of bluffs, he was exhibiting the classic signs of tilt.

On one hand, he is dealt AA and decides to slow play, not necessarilly a bad decision at this point. He then faces a raise and two callers. At this point, instead of continuing his weak hand ruse, he reraises at least 5x the last raise for 10 000 dollar raise on a barely 3000 dollar pot. This of course quickly led to all of his opponents folding. Continuing his ruse would have been more lucrative as he had every possible starting hand dominated. But he was on tilt.

So, a few hands later, he makes a raise with AK (again, pre flop, most players on their first play play the hand correctly). He has one or two callers, and a King hits on the flop. He makes a big bet, and is called by one player. As he is on tilt, it is not likely that he will be folding the hand any time soon.

On the turn, he makes another big bet, and his opponent makes a huge raise.

Now why would anyone make a huge raise on a tilted player when they so obviously demonstrate through actions that they have a big hand? Its pretty close to suicidal to try a huge bluff on a tilted player, you have to deal with the "I just don't give a crap" factor when they perform a desperation hope call.

Phil barely hesitated pushing all in on top pair top kicker. And was beat with two pair. He freaked out and quit the game.

The keys here are knowing that a tilted player is not necessarily playing with garbage hands, they are instead going to completely, thoroughly and stubbornly overplay any hands they do get. Bluffing is not recommended, instead play well, wait for the hit when you play them, and take their chips.