On tilt

Casino


On Tilt. A poker player who loses control. KeyToCasino.

Tilt is a poker term for frustration. A player who loses control of their emotions (usually after losing badly), becomes aggressive towards the fellow players and bets wildly is said to be "on tilt".  

Placing an opponent on tilt or dealing with being on tilt oneself is one of the crucial aspects of poker. Some players deliberately choose the tactics of placing the opponents on tilt by pretending to be drunk, annoying the players by making strange noises or stupid comments, blaming the players for bad hands, etc. In theory, this tactics is supposed to have monetary positive expectation as the players on tilt tend to play poorly. Poker experts recognize the situation when they are close to being on tilt and try to avoid it. For the new player, a skill to minimize being on tilt is one of the most important improvements that can be made in play.

Examples:

After losing the third hand in a raw, John went on tilt and got his whole bankroll taken.

When I feel close to being on tilt, I quit the game and go home.