Advanced Poker Mistakes

Common Mistakes in Poker That Will Cost You Money

Regardless of how good a player is, there is always room for improvements as all players make mistakes. Not all mistakes are big either; some are small and at times go unnoticed. But all mistakes, big or small, cost players money. And for players to get better to see much bigger profits it is crucial to try and find these mistakes, otherwise known as “leaks,” so they can be corrected.

So how does a player go about identifying these leaks? Well, all players are different but we have gotten you started by compiling this list below of the most common mistakes that a player makes.

Correct Your Mistakes and Identify The Leaks in Your Game

1. Stat Tracking: Many players do not keep track of their stats, which is unfortunate because a player’s stats can tell them a lot about their game. Players can see how often they raise or limp pre-flop, keep track of how often they 3+ bet and with what cards, and most importantly a player can keep track of their wins/losses and see how they stand as an overall player for the games and stakes that they are playing.

2. Game Selection: What players tend to do after a while is get bored of the game that they are currently playing and look elsewhere for different game to try out. The mistake that happens here is a player moving from $1/$2 Hold’em to $1/$2 Stud and expect to do just as well. But, the reality of it all is that more often than not a player who switches games but stays at the same stakes will fail. Not because they cannot play the game, but because they have yet to gain any experience at it. Any time a player tries a game for the first time they should try it at stakes much lower than what they are used to so to increase the cushion on the variance they are likely to face.

3. Moving Up in Stakes Before Your Ready: While this is a more common situation for newer players, many experienced players or even pros make the mistake of playing at stakes way above their heads. It is understandable to be impatient and want to take shots at the next level up, but if tried too early, a player’s bankroll may be at stake. And risking your bankroll is way worse then a case of boredom. Taking shots at higher stakes should be a calculated risk with a game plan of moving back down if needed to preserve the bankroll.

4. Tilting: This is another common mistake that can happen to any player. Many times when a player is on Tilt, they will not play the same way or play to avenge their lost chips. And the results of doing this can be minor or they can be catastrophic and often can lead to a depleted bankroll. In situations where a player is facing Tilt, it is probably the best idea to just walk away and take a break. The game of poker is not going anywhere quick, so take a day off or even a week, and come back refreshed and ready to bring your “A” game.

5. Missing Opportunities: One of the biggest opportunities that many players seem to miss is value bets; especially on the river. Making a solid river value bet allows players to try and extract the most value out of their hand as possible. By checking to a player on the turn or river you will be allowing your opponent to not only see cards for free and possibly out draw you, but also gaining no value on a made hand. If you are afraid of a player folding to a bet you made, keep this rule of thumb in mind; if you feel as if a player will fold to a bet, chances are you were not going to make any money off of them in the first place. Make a bet, take the pot, and move on to the next hand.

6. Owning up to Your Mistakes: This was saved for last because it is pretty important. Now, it is one thing to face a bad beat on a single hand but it is another to blame the loss of your entire stack on a bad beat. Being able to admit that you read a player wrong or failed a bluff attempt is the first step to correcting a potential leak in your game. If a player cannot do this, they are going to continue to lose which will only result in more aimless blame and possibly a lot of Tilt. By being able to spot your mistakes and integrate this tip with tip #1, a player can get really good much faster.

Correcting Your Mistakes

It is very important to realize that every player on the face of this planet has some sort of leak in their game. But what makes the difference between a pro and a novice player is simply the fact that a pro can admit to their mistakes, find where/when/why they are making them, and go about taking the proper steps necessary to correcting that issue. And when a poker player goes about correcting issues such as the ones that we outlined above, they will become a much better player which of course will lead to them making more money.