What Does Full Tilt Mean in Poker?

In the game of poker, emotions can be just as important as skill and luck. When a player cannot handle his emotions while at the poker table, that player could lose a good amount, if not all, of his or her chips or money. If that player ceases playing rationally, he or she could be referred to as being on "full tilt."

Types

Full tilt is generally known as being so upset at the poker table that you begin playing completely irrationally. There are several different factors that can trigger being on full tilt. The most common occurs when a player experiences a "bad beat." A bad beat is when a player loses a hand he believes he shouldn't have lost (due to odds, the cards his opponent held, etc.).

A player can also be on full tilt towards a particular opponent at the table. This can happen when an opponent has beaten a player repeatedly or simply by the way the opponent conducts himself at the table. You may be able to put a poker player on full tilt simply by knowing what to say to that particular player.

Features

A poker player who is "full tilt" will play bad hands that should have been folded and will bet or raise when he should have checked or folded. A player on full tilt will simply take this type of play to the next level. She may raise twice or even three times the big blind during a hand that she has no real chance of winning.

More often than not, a player on full tilt will go all-in with a hand that has a very low chance of winning, such as "King-5 unsuited" or "3-6 unsuited." The player will convince himself that he will either scare others away from playing that hand or that he will somehow come out the winner, thus earning him back the chips/money he lost in previous hands.

Significance

A poker player on full tilt will usually find himself off of the table sooner rather than later. Eventually, opponents will realize that the player isn't making wise choices and they will stay in hands against the player who is on full tilt. Somebody on full tilt may get lucky and win a hand here or there, but the odds and luck will catch up with him. After all, there are only so many times you can go all-in with a bad hand before somebody who has a pair of kings (or other very good hand) will call.

History

Being on full tilt has cost many players in major poker tournaments. One professional poker player who is known for being his own worst enemy at the poker table is Mike "The Mouth" Matusow. During numerous poker events, including the World Series of Poker Main Event, Matusow has famously allowed one bad or poorly played hand to put him on full tilt. Once this happens, Matusow begins making amateur mistakes that will eventually lead to him being eliminated. Fans know this as the "Matusow Blow-Up."

Expert Insight

All poker players get upset now and then while at the table. The key is to know how to handle things when you are on full tilt. Many professional poker players will actually step away from the poker table for five or ten minutes in order to collect themselves. They know that it is better to miss a couple of hands instead of allowing poor play to cost them all of their money or chips. Know when you've reached your boiling point and, when that time comes, take a walk to work off some steam. You will play more focused poker once you return to the table.