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Since we, unfortunately, are not born perfect, flawless and
all-knowing, we are bound to make a lot of mistakes each and every time
we try something new. We go through a learning curve where we identify
the errors we commit and try to correct these to the best of our
abilities.
This is also true for online poker. In this article, I will point out four common and costly beginner errors.
1) Playing too many starting hands
This
is probably the most common, and one of the most costly, mistakes a new
poker player makes. Most new players are so eager to just play that
they fail to realize the value of sound starting hand selection. There
are certain hands that should rarely be played and there are loads of
hands that should never be played. Good starting hand selection is the
foundation of solid play.
2) Betting too small
Another
common mistake is betting too small. It is not at all uncommon to see
people making tiny bets, even in large pots. This is almost always
wrong. When you bet too little, people will not fold the times you
bluff, and will have good odds to outdraw you when you have a good
hand. A good rule of thumb is to always bet ½ – ¾ of the pot size.
3) Slowplaying too much
The
rush of flopping a great hand, like three of a kind or a straight, is
exhilarating. So exhilarating that many new players forget to bet their
great hands! When you flop a great hand, the best way to get paid
usually is to just bet it. Sure, there will be these annoying times
when everybody folds, but those will be outweighed by the times when
someone calls (or even raises!) your bet. By betting your great hands
you give yourself the chance to win a huge pot instead of just picking
up a small one.
4) Calling too much
The fourth mistake is
calling too much. Beginners tend to never let go of a straight draw or
a flush draw, regardless of the cost. The curiosity of seeing the other
players hand is overwhelming on the river, so many beginners call in
spots where all logic screams that they are beat, just ”to see their
hand”. Calling too much is a very costly mistake. The next time you
just feel that urge to call on the river just to see the other players’
hand – think it over once again and think of the money you will save by
just folding.
Written by Andris Kangeris for 24hPoker.com
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