Learning to play Poker is quite simple, but mastering the game is far from easy. While anyone can quickly learn and become familiar with the rules, the journey to actually becoming profitable at Poker is a long one. Along this path, there are five major pitfalls that almost every player encounters, especially in the early stages. Whether you’re new or have been playing for some time, this article will help you identify and avoid these basic mistakes with WOWJILI.
Playing Too Many Hands Pre-flop
This is the number one mistake, and it’s a big one—even experienced players often fall into this trap.
New players may not know the strength of their hands, so they tend to play weak hands just because they like them or because it doesn’t seem to cost much to call. Experienced players can make the same mistake, either for similar reasons or because they believe they can outplay their opponents with skill. While you may win occasionally with weak hands, especially when you win a big pot, this can lead to the bad habit of playing even more weak hands, ultimately leading to losing significant amounts of money.
To avoid losing too much post-flop, stick to strong or medium-strength hands pre-flop. The optimal range is to play around 20-25% of hands, with a maximum of 35%. If you find yourself playing more hands than this, try folding more of your weak hands. Don’t push your luck too far if you want to protect your bankroll.
Chasing Expensive Draws
Chasing a draw can be an essential part of playing Poker, but you should never do so without considering the cost. Drawing to a monster straight flush can be worth investing heavily in, and drawing to a nut flush (ace-high) can be worth a considerable amount of money too. However, if the cost is too high, it’s wise to fold by calculating odds and equity (topics to be covered in future articles).
Many players make the mistake of chasing expensive draws with weak hands, such as gutshots (inside straights), open-ended straights, or weak flushes. Some even try to catch an additional pair or trips when they only have a single pair on the flop.
Count your outs and determine whether hitting your draw will actually help you win the hand. Be sure to consider the price and be a smart shopper!
Playing Poker Based on Superstition
This isn’t an uncommon occurrence—almost everyone experiences it at some point. Some players simply “feel” that they’ll hit a strong hand on later streets or believe their opponent is bluffing. This intuition could be right or wrong, but remember that Poker is a game of math, more than luck, and even luck relies on probabilities and percentages.
Instead of relying on feelings, focus on playing correct Poker, and luck will eventually come. Strong hands have a higher probability of winning, and this will consistently help you achieve more victories than weak hands.
Losing Control of Emotions While Playing Poker
This is another major hurdle that every Poker player, both new and experienced, faces. Poker can be a stressful game, and if you don’t remain calm, it’s easy to make poor decisions that lead to losing money.
How many times have you gone broke because you tried too hard to recover your losses? Most players have experienced this at least a few times, and it often happens because they fail to control their emotions. Poker is a game of intellect, relying on your ability to make decisions. Allowing emotions—such as frustration, despair, or tilt—to take over is the worst thing a Poker player can do.
Try not to get angry when you lose multiple hands or suffer a bad beat, and don’t become overconfident after a win. Most importantly, manage your bankroll and playing time carefully to avoid letting emotions control your decisions.
Not Thinking in the Long Term
Many players make this mistake after making the right decision but losing, or after making the wrong decision but winning. Those who made the right decision and lost might think they shouldn’t have played that way, while those who made the wrong decision but won will continue playing the same way.
Remember, Poker is about more than just a single hand. If you check, bet, or raise correctly, even if you lose, you were still right. Conversely, if you play incorrectly and win, you were still wrong. You’ll play thousands of hands, and in the long run, the weak players will keep losing, and the skilled players will keep winning. This principle is called Expected Value (EV), and if you consistently make decisions in line with EV, you’ll come out on top in the long run.
Always strive to make the right decisions, and you’ll find success over time!
