Thursday, September 22, 2011

Common Poker Mistakes of Newbies

Poker is serious business. It's a game that requires concentration and skills. No one wins poker by just luck. It takes more than that to be successful.

Despite that fact, poker games like Texas Hold'em are still gaining popularity. As a matter of fact, some people have even quit their jobs and took poker as their primary means of livelihood. This is the reason why more and more people are joining the poker community. Poker rookies can be found in a lot of online poker sites and these rookies, without proper education, makes the same mistake over and over again. If you are one of them, read on and discover the five common mistakes that beginners like you should avoid at all times.

1. Playing too many hands before the flop. This could be the worst mistake that any rookie can engage himself into. When does this happen? Normally, it does when players get used to the rules of the game and then became impatient. What happens is that eventually, they play too many hands then folds much too late in the game. Of course, this is not the best move. Poker is definitely a lot of when you are in the hand. It's just unfortunate that you cannot play every starting hand if you want to win the pot.

2. Bluffing too much. This is another very common mistake that rookies make. This is also very critical. You cannot bluff anytime you want. You need to pick and choose the right time to bluff. Ask expert poker players and they will tell you that bluffing is a very minute part of the game but it's very essential. It can be a tool that you can use to hit the pot. Pick your bluffs wisely and do not overdo it. Poker players who have been on the game for too long will definitely know when your bluff is authentic or not.

3. Playing more than your bankroll will allow. Bankroll management is one aspect that most rookie players tent to overlook and fail to understand. One success, even the lack of it, can make newbies greedy and play at a buy-in level which is relatively higher than the games that they should be actually playing. One thing that has to be remembered is that anything can happen in a poker game as it is a gamble. Second thing, risks are always involved if you want to win the big bucks. For these two reasons alone, you have to learn how to properly manage your bankroll so you can backup your actions for the stakes that you are playing.

4. Bad positional play. Good positioning is simply anticipating what your opponents will do first before it's your time to act. Observe your opponent's betting and behavior and you will definitely make informed decision about the things that you want to do next. Rule of thumb: play more starting hands in the latter part of the game and play it more aggressively.

5. Not thinking about the long term. Poker should always be viewed as a lifelong game. You may play bad hands from time to time but if you make correct decisions based from your previous game experiences, you will definitely play better hands the next time.

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