The poker term steam is very similar to the word “tilt”. When a player loses a hand, often to a bad beat, they start steaming, meaning they get frustrated, often making aggressive plays and poor decisions, even potentially getting in conflict with other players or the dealer.
Steaming is always a disadvantage and something more level-headed players love to take advantage of when they see it in their opponents.
Steam Poker Example:
If a player loses a couple of games when they have a strong hand, they might start steaming and raise the following pot even with a marginal holding.