Poker Beginner Mistakes

Here’s a list of five common poker beginner mistakes that you should avoid at all times. Playing too many hands before the flop; Playing too many hands before the flop is one of the most common beginner mistakes and normally happens once players get used to the rules of the game and loose patience. Poker Beginner Mistake #1 - Not Understanding the Power of Initiative One of the hardest things for many poker beginners to learn is the power of initiative in poker. And what I mean by this is being the person in control of the hand. Or in other words, the raiser.

Everyone has to start somewhere and there's certainly no shame in being a beginner. Poker is a complicated game and newcomers are bound to make a lot of mistakes at the beginning of their journey. Some of those mistakes are fairly universal.

Between the proper strategy, execution of said strategy, mindset, and bankroll considerations there are many things that can simply go wrong and every oldtimer can attest to that.

Poker Beginner Mistakes Books

Bankroll Management

Without the proper bankroll management, poker is just gambling. Just like you wouldn't bet everything you have on a single business investment, you shouldn't play with the entirety of your poker bankroll. This is a fairly basic poker principle that even most of the beginners are aware of, but just because you know that bankroll management is 'a thing' it doesn't mean you're out of the woods yet.

Even in 2017, it's still incredibly common to see the same bankroll recommendations that were around in 2006 where some basic common sense basically guaranteed a 10bb/100 win rate. 20 or 30 buy-ins per limit in cash games is not a suitable recommendation for a beginner as it's based on the old risk of ruin calculations made in the world where said 10bb/100 win rates were much more common.

Besides, no amount of buy-ins will prevent a beginner from going broke if his win rate is negative (which is most likely the case given that he's - well - a beginner) but airing on the side of caution can certainly soften the blow. No matter how well off financially you are outside of poker, and no matter how much you're willing to deposit in your poker account, start your poker journey at the lowest limit possible and make your way from there.

Neglecting Education

Poker is a complicated game, and if you're convinced that the only thing you need to do to get good at it is to play it you might want to think again. It's true that depending on your personality you might be one of those lucky people who learn best 'on the job', but if your fundamentals are lacking you won't even be able to identify your own mistakes. If you're just starting out focus on honing your basic poker skills. Learn about starting hand selection, table dynamics, basic post flop lines, player profiling, odds and outs.

Instead of getting the feel for the games by playing the game, get it for free by watching coaching videos. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't play poker at all, it's just that for someone who's just starting out proper education to playtime ratio will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 or 4:1 and yet almost no one ever followed that advice. Do yourself a favor and be one of the few ones who do.

Poker Beginner Mistakes Game

Too Many Tables

Once you decide to hit the tables, make sure that you don't overwhelm yourself with the number of them. Most beginners actually start with one table, because that's what seems the most natural for them, but as soon as they learn that it's possible and even desirable to go past that number they promptly decide to double down on the idea.

The truth is that most of us - including the seasoned players - tend to overestimate our ability to multi-table and most of us would benefit from cutting the number of tables that we're currently playing on by one or two. Because of that, instead of doubling down, build your way up gradually.

Fancy Play Syndrome

This is a classic. Beginner poker players are often hellbent on channeling their inner Tom 'durrrr' Dwan and showing the poker world 'how it's done'. Online micro stakes cash games are full of players acting like they're on the next season of the High Stakes Poker show. Don't be one of them. The reality of micro stakes is much more mundane than most players are willing to accept.

Even in 2017, a tight solid game is still what's going to make you the most money. Instead of slowplaying or check/raising every other hand, make sure that your cbets are profitable and that your turn and river ranges are strong. Don't rely on other players to build the pot for you, instead, go for a basic yet powerful bet, bet, bet lines with an obvious value bet worthy hands. Instead of going for giant overbet bluffs, go for small, precise thin river bets.

Falling Victim of Their Own Ego

This is somewhat tied to the last point but it concerns more of the mental side of things. The reason why many players tend to favor fancy play over strong fundamentals is their ego. Our need to feel superior isn't exactly compatible with the harsh and volatile reality of poker. Variance doesn't care about how brilliant your slow play was nor does it concern itself with your self-image. It just is and you should be the one adjusting to it because the other way around is simply impossible. The truth is that you don't have to be the next Dalai Lama to beat NL10.

If you're just starting out learning proper strategy should be your bread and butter. However, you should try to beat the basic mental issues that poker reveals to the punch. Most of the beginner players learn about the importance of the proper poker mindset once they encounter severe issues. To remedy that basic mistake, include some books or articles about the mental game in your training regiment.

Poker is one of the most exciting games played at the casino because it is one of the few casino games where players face each other rather than a dealer. And it is one of the games that rely on luck the least. Poker tactics and intellect can all play a part in how successful your poker games are – and how much you win.

In some ways, poker is a little like chess and other fun board games. You need to be thinking about your next move and your opponents at all times. So, what mistakes do new poker players make the most? Learn the common poker mistakes made by beginners here.

Poker Beginner Mistakes Exercises

The Best Places to Play Poker

When you decide to play poker, don’t just look for a local casino but look for a local casino that has special rooms to enjoy poker in or specialises in poker with lucrative poker tournaments for its members. Not all casinos when it comes to poker. Unlike slots, not every casino can cater to the needs of poker players, and not all of them offer private luxury poker rooms with table service for you to play in private with other players.

Poker Beginner Mistakes Games

Alternatively, you may choose to play poker online at an online casino. If you do decide to play remotely, make sure you use one of the best legal casinos with live dealers. Live Dealer poker makes the game so much more fun and interactive – and can feel just like playing at a good casino for poker games.

Common Beginner Poker Mistakes

1. Overplaying Your Hand

Too many players new to the poker table will be reluctant to fold and keep playing hands that are unlikely to get them a win.

But it is knowing what is and is not likely to win that sets newbies apart from seasoned players. For example, a pair of aces sounds good, but in a lot of circumstances, the flop will change who has the best hand, and pairs like these are simply sucker bets.

When you play more poker, you start to notice what a marginal strength hand really is.

2. Betting Scared Money

Scared money is a term used in no-limits poker, and by giving away that you are betting most of your money you’ve allocated to the game is an ultimate downfall. Other players can use your fear of losing the money against you and then use this knowledge to run over you big time. If you are betting a big chunk of your funds in no-limit poker, never make this known to other poker players at the table.

Poker Beginner Mistakes

3. Betting Big with Good Hands

It makes logical sense that you want to bet bigger after getting a good hand after the flop (for example two pairs). This is because if we bet big, they must match, and then we stand to make more money. But in reality, wise players will fold, and you won’t win as much. It is simply better to play medium-sized bets and draw more players to keep going.

For some less serious gaming for adults, why not check out these fun drinking card games instead?