Benjamin "bencb789" Rolle is an elite-level professional poker player and founder of the RaiseYourEdge poker training site. Rolle is respected and feared by his peers in equal measure. Today, he gives PokerNews readers the chance to improve their mental game for free.
The ONE thing I use to trick my brain always to play my A-Game and NEVER tilt In less than one minute, you will learn an absolute game-changer mindset for your poker game.
One of the toughest challenges in tournament poker is believing that a single tournament can turn around an entire session. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’ve been running badly in 39 out of 40 tournaments, but the reality is that the 40th tournament can be a game-changer. It can save your week, month, or even your entire bankroll. I figured this out early in my career, but it wasn’t just about staying optimistic; it was about understanding the role of variance and putting in the time to study the game.
Think about it—if you start letting frustration get the best of you and begin making reckless plays in your last few tournaments, you’re likely throwing away the chance for deep runs and big scores. Over time, those impulsive decisions can add up to huge missed opportunities. I’ve had plenty of sessions where I started down 40-50 buy-ins, only to grind my way to a deep run in one tournament that not only saved the session but also left me with a solid profit.
Playing your A-Game consistently is the biggest challenge in poker. Therefore, the GOAT of mental training in Poker, Elliot Roe, and I have created a free Mindset Training with over 20 hours of content helping you to finally stop tilting. You only need a RaiseYourEdge account and don't have to register any payment method!
That’s the nature of tournament poker: sometimes, it only takes one good result to make everything worthwhile. But you have to believe it’s possible. Lately, I’ve been on a rough downswing, taking some brutal beats at final tables early in my sessions. It’s definitely frustrating, but the key is to keep pushing forward, stay calm, and play your best game.
Sure, you could tilt and throw away your stack in frustration, but in the end, it’s your decision—will you keep your cool and give yourself the best chance to succeed, or let your emotions derail you?
