Some Mistakes Poker Beginners Make (Part 1)

Admit it, any beginner at any game is bound to make mistakes. The key is to know what they are to try to avoid them as much as possible. Texas Hold ’em – or any poker variant for that matter – is not exempt from beginner boo boos at the table. They can be funny later on down the road but they sure as heck won’t be a laughing matter at the table at the moment of play. So here are some common mistakes that a beginner may make during his first few tries at poker. For the novices out there, hopefully you’ll be able to internalize them well and spare yourself the embarrassment and disappointment they may bring. For the more experienced players, have yourself a good laugh and try not to be irritated the next time you encounter these at the table. After all, we were all beginners at one point, weren’t we?

Playing every hand – or at least as many hands as you can. This is usually the case for over eager beginners who just want to play as much as they can. With poker however, that practice simply will not work. The fact is that there are playable hands and there are unplayable hands. Sometimes lady luck may smile upon you even though you have a bad hand but that certainly won’t be the case all the time. In a previous post we talked about starting hand selection. That will certainly help you choose which hands to play.

Folding at the slightest sign of weak cards – the exact opposite of the first mistake. Some players just do not seem to have the heart for this game. Seriously though, this mistake stems from not knowing what hands may be playable in certain circumstances. That is why starting hand selection is so important. Knowing which hands to play will get you a long way at the table.

Letting your emotions take the reins – a big no no in poker, in any variant at that. Of course you’ve heard of the expression poker face. That is not an exaggeration. Poker is all about calm and control. True, it is inevitable that you will get bad cards sometimes. You’ll have a losing streak at some point. Other players will bug you. Yet struggle to remain calm and control your emotions. Otherwise you’ll just be left with a faulty judgment and a small stack of chips – if that.

Disregarding etiquette – this is perhaps one of the most common mistakes that beginners commit at the table. They are not totally to blame as they are only beginning to learn the game. If you are a beginner it would be good to have some working knowledge regarding how you are expected to act at the table. Calling bets, raising, and all the other moves you can make during the game follow specific protocol. It would be to your advantage to know them beforehand.