10 Most Common Mistakes Made By Beginners
1. Playing Too Many Hands
A common trait displayed by most new players is their tendency to play far more hands than they should, particularly pre-flop. The cost of calling blinds and any further bets causing their stacks to shrink dramatically and even in the event that correctly surmise that they do not in fact have the best of it and lay down their hands, their potential to extract, maximum value from subsequent hands is significantly impaired.
2. Inability To Fold Premium Hands
Being disciplined enough to fold premium hands becomes fundamentally important too any poker player, very rapidly. Seeing a flop containing Aces and/or Kings whilst holding pocket Queens and then not being able to lay them down when a big bet comes in will prove very costly, extremely quickly. Unless you have been given any indication to the contrary, the chances are you’re behind, your not going to hit the cards you need and if your opponent has and kind of ability they will only make you pay further for your prior reluctance to fold.
3. Eagerness To Bluff
Having seen some of the highlights from the WSOP, WPT etc. where an outrages bluff may have seen the tide turn in a huge game, many newcomers to the game attempt to utilize this seemingly indomitable move to make their mark at a table. Unfortunately their awareness off pot odds, positional play and so forth means that although they will possibly, take down pots of significant value from time to time, the vast majority will be of little or no value; and in the mean time they will have given enough signals and tells for the more experience and informed players to take stock and act accordingly.
4. Playing Whilst Drunk
In a sociable home game where there isn’t anything of real significance at stake, of course there is nothing wrong with indulging in the odd alcoholic beverage or two. But beware, when you want/need to be at the top of your game, what may seem like a harmless nerve settler can soon lead to your judgement being impaired, your observation distorted and you’ll be leaking tells as well as chip. Everyone has different tolerance levels, find yours, but err on the side of caution.
5. Failing To Know How To Play Position
By not knowing positional play and the importance of it, many beginners are putting themselves on the back foot before they even get near the poker table. Not only are they betting inefficiently, they are also failing to extract useful information about their opponents.
6. Playing At The Wrong Limits And Against The Wrong Opponents
Moving up the limits on cash table too quickly and often without a substantial enough bankroll to maximize their profitability is an error many keen new poker player make. Having performed well on lower limit tables they seek to make more money, more quickly and by doing so a name to be feared at the tables.
Unfortunately as the late Biggy Smalls once famously said “With mo’ money comes mo’ problems” and it’s a phrase that applies perfectly in this sense. Making significant progress at lower limits can make the game seem easier than it in fact is. With a lot of players equally or less experienced, along with those not taking it seriously for any number of reasons, the games are looser and appearing dominant is not difficult or uncommon. Once you move through the limits however the skill levels, abilities and knowledge of your opponent’s increases exponentially, they’ll be taking it far more seriously and will be far less willing to part with their hard earned chips.
Many players now make a living at the poker tables and utilize various resources to not only improve their knowledge of the game but also their opponents. Find ones that suit you and your opponents and makes sure not biting off more than you can chew.
7. Slowplaying Too Often
Again, perhaps having seen some of the highlights from the WSOP, WPT etc. or even out of a belief that they are suckering in a perhaps over aggressive opponent, what ever the reason, just like indulging in too many bluffs, many novice poker players indulge in slowplaying more often than they should.
Whilst, just like bluffing, slowplaying can be used to excellent and dramatic effect but using it too often, from the wrong position and/or with the wrong hand can lead to an opponent drawing out to a bigger hand. If you then fail to realise that they’ve hit, it could prove costly as you attempt to spring your so called trap.
Allow players to draw to obvious flushes and straights is one of the easiest ways to spot a fish at the poker table.
8. Timidity
Despite many of the other errors made by new poker players being ones of exuberance, many also fail to capitalise on strength they have displayed in a hand. Having raised in early position with a strong hand but subsequently failed to improve upon it with the flop, check to their opponent. Place continuation bets, ask questions of your opponents, be prepared to lay down the hand and don’t risk more than you can reasonably afford, but having displayed strength in a hand, take advantage of the fact where possible.
9. Unable To Calculate Odds
Being able to calculate accurately the potential risk, potential value and likelihood of hitting the cards you need and combining these factors with other skills such as observing betting patterns, body language and playing styles ultimately make the difference in the long term profitability of any poker player.
Every now and then lady luck will still have her say and cards will hit from nowhere giving someone a huge pot, but over the course of time the odds will even themselves out.
10. TILT
Something even the very best of players have suffered from in their careers and one of the biggest reasons for players suffering losses their bankrolls can sometimes ill afford.
After losing a big pot that you, having taken all things into consideration have played correctly, can be difficult to deal with and therefore respond to. In most cases the answer is to simply not respond, certainly not in manner that you wouldn’t have had the loss not occurred. All too often players will chase down pots with substandard hands immediately after experiencing a bad beat, if anything take time out don’t rush into anything without making sure you’re making the best decision for the circumstances that you are.
There many different characters to be found at the poker tables and the chances are you’ll find that whilst most will be easy to get along with, inevitably there will be those that rub you and possibly others up the wrong way; the game is after all, ultimately about making money and not friends. This said, dealing with such players can be a challenge, many have channelled their taunts and comments into a finely tuned act designed to put any unsuspecting opponent that displays weakness off their game plan forcing errors onto their game. Once gain the best solution is not to react, to not bite, don’t take the bait and don’t play into their hands, it’s what they want. Instil yourself with an imperviousness to any attempts at putting you off playing in any way other than you would normally choose to and you’ll soon find you learn about how what they say can actually give you information on the strength of their hands; making you a very daunting adversary.