Poker took off worldwide due to the introduction of online poker and exciting events like poker tournaments, where players battle each other to win potentially life-changing cash prizes. The poker boom of the 2000s turned a popular pastime into an ever-evolving card game for the ages.

Part of the fun of poker is the challenge posed by the number of variables at play in any given hand. (Building a poker skill set combats the luck factor.) But this complexity also means it’s easy to make mistakes while playing.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most common poker mistakes – including what not to do in Texas Hold’em – and some top poker tips on how to avoid them. Try to identify which mistakes resonate with you, along with the best ways to handle them. Who knows? You could be saving a lot of money in the long run by fixing poker mistakes before your next game.

Not Knowing the Rules in Poker

It may seem obvious, but new players should go into their first cash game or tournament with a basic knowledge of the rules. Especially in live poker, if other players must consistently remind you to post your blinds or that it’s your turn to act, they can peg you as a beginner right away. Know when you must act, the betting amounts allowed in your chosen poker variation, and the rules for when you must show your cards at showdown. The more you know before sitting at a table, the better your chances of avoiding making mistakes and being pegged as a newbie player by your opponents.

Lack of Practice

Casual players never improve because they don’t get enough hands in, so be sure to practice as often as you can. Poker is like so many activities, as practicing will improve your general performance, leading to bigger wins and less significant losses. After a loss, seasoned players will often take a step back to reassess their strategy and, if necessary, restrategize. And to implement the new game plan requires playing more hands.

The introduction of online poker has made it easy for players to practice at the time and place most convenient for them. Additionally, poker software is constantly being released to help figure out optimal strategies and the best ways to implement them during a cash game or poker tournament.

Experience and practice are the only ways to truly improve in poker, no matter how many plans or strategies you may have at the ready. 

Failing To Keep a Poker Face

A serious live poker mistake involves telegraphing your emotions by making expressions and gestures that give away your hand. Staring at your hands, betting too fast, tanking, avoiding eye contact, or reaching for your chips before your turn are some common poker tells that opponents can exploit. Ask a friend to help identify your tells in order to recognize them and work to change your table image.

Limping

Limping in poker is when you enter the pot by calling instead of raising. There is a time and place for limping, but it is often considered a sign of weakness or less experience. Limping does not allow you to take control of the pot or glean much information about your opponents’ hands. It’s a passive playing style that invites your opponents to call the shots and dictate the pace and flow of play. In short, give yourself two choices in most situations: raise or fold.

Chasing Losses

Increasing your stakes to recover from a loss is probably one of the biggest and most common poker mistakes both new and seasoned players make. Emotions can take over. Poker is unpredictable, so actions like this can only lead to major losses and the extension of a downswing.

After a big loss or clear mistake, the best move is to decide if you’re in the appropriate mental state to continue playing. If the truthful answer is no, pack up and excuse yourself, and live to play another day. At the very least, sit out for a round or two and take a break. Some time away from the table to grab a snack, take a brisk walk, or call a friend.

If you feel even slightly tempted to increase your stakes and chase losses, leave the table or stop the game if you’re playing poker online. While it may not seem like the most appealing choice at the time, you’ll be grateful once you can think clearly again.

Playing Long Sessions Without Breaks

While poker is not physically demanding in the traditional sense of sports, it can be physically unhealthy to sit at a table for hours at a time without a break. It is also mentally taxing, so most players get tired in the middle of games. To avoid game fatigue, take a few minutes of every hour to walk around, clear your head, and freshen up.

You can spend these few minutes doing anything else, from moving your body to entertaining yourself with non-poker-related content or having a short conversation about anything but poker. This could work wonders, allowing you to return to the game with a refreshed mind and renewed mindset.

Not Observing Your Opponents

Ignoring opponents is perhaps one of the biggest tells of an inexperienced player, especially when in a live poker setting. Other players are your most valuable sources of information, so observing them and their actions could help you win big (or, at least, lose little).

Players are often inexperienced in hiding their tells, which can be picked up by any observant opponent. Experienced and attentive players can find opponents’ tells, giving them an edge in future hands. Even in online poker, player actions can provide tells, such as in how long they take to act, how they bet in various positions, and if their chat indicates their frame of mind.

Playing Too Tight or Too Wide

A common poker mistake is playing with a range that is too wide or too tight. A super tight player, sometimes called a nit, will only commit if they’re sure they have the strongest hand. After a few hands, their opponents will catch on and fold every time that person raises, denying them equity on every street.

At the opposite extreme is the super loose, aggressive player, or maniac, who bets in on every hand, no matter their holding. This hyper-aggressive style can intimidate opponents, but it’s a risky and expensive strategy against cool-headed players who bet for value.

Rather than be a nit or maniac, adopt a mixed approach, wherein you bet for value with strong hands, semi-bluff with drawing hands, and balance your range with the occasional bluff.

Emotional Gameplay

One of the worst poker mistakes is to let your emotions get the better of you. Poker is a mind game, so feelings should not interfere with your decisions. This takes a lot of discipline, however. If, for example, you continuously lose to the same opponent, the temptation to go after them can be hard to resist, but it’s an error that could lead to tilt and more losses. Keep your cool.

Overconfidence is also an emotional trap. Sometimes, you may have such a strong hand that you feel you can’t possibly lose it, but you should always stay calm and read the table.

The worst situation to be in, emotionally, is tilt. Often triggered by a bad beat, tilt is a type of emotional shock that disturbs your ability to make good decisions. When this happens, the best course of action is to leave the table until your negative emotions wane.

Excessive Poker Bluffing

Bluffing is a vital element of poker, a weapon that can allow skilled players to deny their opponents equity and cause them to fold by representing strength. A successful bluff is also incredibly satisfying. However, too much bluffing in poker can be a bad thing, even if you’re good at it.

For a good bluff to succeed, you need to know exactly what you’re representing and why you’d want to represent it, as well as the expected value of the bluff. Too much bluffing can lead to beginners’ mistakes, your opponent will likely detect your deception.

Letting Fear Get in the Way

A poker rookie mistake is to fall victim to fear, and the most common fear is to suffer a catastrophic bankroll loss, where you lose so much money that you must stop. This type of fear can cause you to play too passively, so you limp into the pot, check when you should raise, and fold when you should check. The best antidote to this is to practice sound bankroll management, which means never betting more than you can afford to lose.

Another kind of fear is the fear of missing out (FOMO). This common beginner mistake in poker involves playing too many low-quality starting hands purely for the sake of taking part in the action. In the same way, once committed to a pot, many players can’t bring themselves to fold when they should because they’re afraid of not missing out on the turn or river.

Play It Safe at BetMGM Poker

At BetMGM, players are encouraged to keep the focus on fun. This can be challenging in poker because — let’s face it — the game can sometimes be tough on the mind and emotions, especially when playing as a semi-pro player or full-time professional poker player. 

Consequently, it’s a good idea to develop your own strategy for dealing with setbacks in poker. Even when you’ve advanced to the point where you’re no longer making mistakes common to new poker players, a bad run can still put you on tilt and drain your bankroll, so be sure to use the best tips on poker variance and downswings.

Play Online Poker at BetMGM

Keen to practice your poker skills online? Join BetMGM Poker online to enjoy legal cash games and poker tournaments with stakes and buy-ins to suit every play.