A player is said to be "On Tilt" if, for some reason or other, they are affected psychologically by something or other and are unable to play as well as they usually do. Here are some of the most common reasons why you might go on tilt:

- You have lost a lot of money and are desperate to get it back.

- You have won a lot of money and have started throwing it around a little too freely.

- You are tired.

- You are bored.

- You have drunk too much alcohol.

- You have had an argument with you wife/husband/partner!

- A particular player has started to really annoy you and is making you irritated.

An experienced player may be able to prevent themselves going on tilt. However, often the solution is simply to be able to recognise that you are on tilt or likely to go on tilt and simply stop playing for a while. For example, you may recognise that you might go on tilt if you lose too much money. So why not set yourself a maximum you are allowed to lose in a single day. If you reach that maximum, stop. You can always try to win the money back another day when you are likely to be in a better frame of mind.

Whilst it is bad news if you go on tilt, it can be great news if your opponents go on tilt - so look out for it! Don't feel bad about taking advantage of another player who is on tilt - it is accepted that exploiting other players' weaknesses is part and parcel of the game of poker.

For all that is said about probability and reading your opponents, there are few, if any, things more important than self-awareness if you are to be successful at poker. Start with knowing why you are playing poker in the first place. If you are playing for fun and excitement or simply to kill some time, that's fine, but be aware that such motivations may cost you money. If you do intend to make a profit playing poker, you need to learn to be honest with yourself about when you are playing well and when you are playing badly. If you are playing badly, you need to know why you are playing badly. You need to be not only self-aware but self-critical if you are to make it as a truly good poker player. You may develop the skills to be a top class player, but if you lack self-awareness and allow yourself to go on tilt, all your good work can be quickly undone and your hard-earned profits quickly lost.