Playing Too Many Hands
Learning to not play too many hands should always be the most important lesson for novice level poker players to learn. The common misconception amongst new players is that having any piece of a flop is strong, and rarely do they factor in their kicker card. I’ve seen so many players go broke with ace-rag and second or third pair that it’s unbelievable. Forget what you see on TV or hear in the movies about playing your opponent’s hand instead of your own and all that nonsense. Unless you’re a top flight player, you need good cards to win consistently.
One of the fastest ways to tighten up your play is by sticking to strict formulas, such as only playing the top ten starting hands (which are listed in another post a little further down the page). Adopting this strategy might make your play a little predictable in the long run to experienced players, but most rookie players often find themselves playing at limits so low that the table is full of beginners who won’t really notice any type of style you’re trying to adhere to.
If the top ten hand method is too strict for you, at least learn how to stay away from junk. Calling in the small blind with terrible hands is a little more acceptable as long as the pot hasn’t been raised, and of course terrible cards while seated in the big blind can sometimes pay off when a rag board comes, one that actually strengthens your hand. As for the other positions at the table, try to stay away from cards that if combined together don’t equal 20, which are the vast majority of starting hand combinations, you really shouldn’t be playing those hands at all while starting your poker career. Even face cards paired with a ten or another face card such as QJ or J10 should be avoided.
Why all these restrictions? Take kickers for example. Having A5 and then having a ace hit the flop might look like winner because now you have top pair, but not only could you be beat by players holding two pair, a set or flush and straight draws, you’ll also be dominated by players holding a ace with a better kicker, which will actually happen more often than you think. Having a weak kicker means you’ll never know just how strong or weak you are in a hand, which will effect the way you play the round.
Learn and memorize the top ten starting hands, throw away the junk and play tight, strong poker in you’re beginning poker sessions. There are many pros that continue to play this way, so obviously if done correctly it can work to your advantage for a long time.
