Playing on Tilt
Playing on Tilt
Mike Matusow Talks Strategy and More
Question: Let's start off with you telling us about your favorite poker moment.
Answer: Beating Daniel Negreanu heads up at the 2002 Omaha eight-or-better championship.
Question: How did you feel?
Answer: It was the most euphoric feeling I have ever felt. It was just an incredible feeling. It's indescribable.
Question: What do you think about involving emotions in poker?
Answer: I try not to, but I am a very emotional person, and I unfortunately involve my emotions too much. That's why, when I'm winning, I'm always on top of the world, and when I'm losing, I'm always like I am right now, depressed.
Question: When you talk to players at the table, is it more to relax yourself or is it to put them on tilt?
Answer: I like to talk a lot of garbage just to get them to come after me a lot. Most of the time it's just for a while, and then I try to settle into a zone and concentrate more than talk. Most of the talking comes in the early rounds, or if I get a lot of chips in the later rounds, when I can talk a lot and not have to focus quite as much. If I make a small mistake, it won't hurt me because of all my chips.
Question: Do you feel that it intimidates other players and really affect their game?
Answer: Oh yeah, oh yeah. People don't play nearly as well at the tables with me. As a matter of fact, people come after me. It's ridiculous how badly they play against me. They might just play badly against everybody, but against me, they really play badly!
Question: So then it helps you? Answer: I think so, Maybe I'm wrong, but…
Question: And maybe people try to stay out of hands that you are involved in?
Answer: Most people try to stay away from me, but a lot of people they see on TV now, they think you're bluffing all the time, so they just come after you with every kind of piece of garbage there is. TV has done a lot for poker, but it also made people just try to play differently. You can't steal as much, I mean, the stealing days are just like over.
Question: How much effect does that have, showing the hands?
Answer: You just can't steal anymore, I mean, you could steal, but not much. I'm telling you right now, people, the stealing days are over. They just know what you're doing, because they see you play. I'm playing more straightforward, solid now than I ever did.
Question: Has watching other people changed your play?
Answer: I don't watch other people. I don't even watch poker on TV. I don't think I've ever watched poker on TV. I really have no interest in it. I know how everybody plays. I know when they are going to make a move at me. I read situations well, and I'm expecting it.
Question: Are there certain players whom you try to tilt more than others because you know you can get a reaction out of them?
Answer: Not really, there's a couple whom you can really put on tilt, you know, I'm trying to remember a couple of them I always work on real good, I can't really name any names off the top of my head.
Question: Hellmuth, maybe?
Answer: Yeah! I love to talk shit to him, I mean, you can definitely put him on tilt. But see, we're good friends, so every time I start going over the edge, he goes nuts and asks me to please stop. I respect his wishes 'cause we're good friends. But yeah, Phil you can definitely put on tilt. There are quite a few you can put on tilt. The emotional people are the ones you put on tilt. Me they can't put on tilt because I walk in on tilt! Do you fear you are ever giving away something about your hand by talking?
I don't know. Seems to me they put all their money in, and I got the best hand, and then I lose every hand. So, I don't know, maybe, I don't know. I'm trying different strategies right now because I'm running so bad. I've been very quiet at the table the last three or four tournaments. I'm trying to focus. I think tomorrow I might even wear my contacts and my sunglasses and try some of that. I never believed in that, but I need to try something. This is ridiculous.
Has anything changed by your being more quiet?
I feel like I'm playing great. I've got great focus, but I don't win a hand. I don't play a hand. I mean I literally ante off my chips in every tournament! I never even get a hand that would remotely hit the flop. It's the most ridiculous thing, how horrible I'm running, but I don't want to talk about it because there are still 20 tournaments left. It could change tomorrow, and I could never look back. That's the way you gotta look at it.