Steam
Steam is another word for tilt: a state of anger or frustration after a loss in which a player makes poor decisions. A player in this state is said to be steaming.
The simple explanation
After a bad beat, a player may start to play too many hands and call too much. He is steaming. Others at the table see it and wait for strong hands.
A closer look
Steaming can be a short outburst or build up over a long losing run. It is more about anger than about confusion, in contrast to other kinds of tilt. The fix is the same: stop playing, take a break and clear your mind. Online, many players set a stop-loss. Live, they walk away from the table for a few minutes.
A practical example
After an opponent hits a miracle card to beat him on the river, a player starts raising every hand. The others say he is steaming.
Full explanation
Steam is another word for tilt: a state of anger or frustration after a loss in which a player makes poor decisions. A player in this state is said to be steaming.
Steam is another word for tilt.
A player who is steaming plays badly out of anger.
Opponents can profit from it.
The solution is to take a break.