Three Mistakes Not To Make
The number of mistakes a poker player can make at the table can fill up a book, but some are more costly than others. What’s interesting though, is many of the mistakes that beginner players make can be easily avoided as typically they are just not aware of what they are doing wrong. Take a look at these three simple but common mistakes and see if they apply to you.
1. Playing Too Many Hands – When you first get into poker you are either someone that plays not enough hands or far too many hands. Neither of these mentalities are good for your poker future, but of the two it’s better if you’re the type of player that plays less hands than too many hands. The reason is that beginners will often play any two cards in any position, which is a quick way to lose a lot of chips over and over again. If you don’t know to fold hands like A-9 in early position, you need to read up on exactly what hand combinations to play and when.
2. Not Paying Attention to the Game – This one happens all the time for new players. As soon as they’re out of a hand, they’ll stop paying attention to the game. They’ll either start chatting up another player, grab a bite of their sandwich, or do something else that will take their focus off what’s happening in the hand. You always want to be focused on the game even when you’re not involved because this is a great chance to see how your opponents play and you can start to develop strategies in your mind on how best to play against them.
3. Slowing Down the Game – This mistake won’t normally result in you losing any money, but it will annoy the other players at the table. The easiest way to slow down the game is to not know what to do when the action comes around to you. If you’re distracted and have to constantly ask the dealer how much the bet is or are taking far too long to make an otherwise simple decision, everyone else is going to be irritated at you. If you’re in the hand, then focus on the hand and be quick to make your decisions. If you really do have a big decision to make, don’t be afraid to call for some extra time, just don’t do it every hand.
By: Chris Iaquinta
