"You will show your poker greatness by the hands you fold, not the hands you play.” ~ Dan Reed

Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and a bit of luck. While it is easy to understand the rules and start playing, poker can be a tricky game to master and requires time and practice.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the top 5 common poker mistakes holding you back and provide actionable tips to help you overcome your poker mistakes and become a winning poker player.

Top 5 Common Poker Mistakes

Becoming Predictable - Poker Mistake #1

Poker is a game of information you have on your opponents and the info your opponents have on you. Being predictable makes it easy to read, especially when you are playing with the same players. Some signs of being predictable are:

1. Overplaying Strong Hands
   Consistently raising pre-flop with premium hands, such as pocket Aces or Kings, can make you easy to read. Opponents will learn to expect a raise from you in these situations and adjust accordingly.
   For example, if you always raise pre-flop with Aces, your opponents might start calling with weaker hands in hopes of winning the pot when you don't have the best hand.

2. Calling Too Often
   Always calling raises can signal weakness. Opponents may perceive this as a sign that you're not confident in your hand, and they may be more likely to bluff or bet for value. For instance, if you always call a raise on the flop, your opponents might start raising with marginal hands to get you to fold.

3. Betting Patterns
   Sizing your bet strategically is an advanced and critical concept to master the game of poker. Betting patterns provide quality reads that can reveal information about a player's hand strength and their intentions if unaware to disguise it. Some common betting patterns are:

Slow Play: This occurs when a player bets or raises slowly, despite having a strong hand. Slow play can be used to induce bluffs from opponents or to extract maximum value from their weaker hands.

Donk Betting: This is when a player bets on the flop after checking pre-flop. Donk betting can be used to gain information about the strength of your opponent's hands or to induce bluffs.

Value Betting: This involves betting or raising with a strong hand to extract value from your opponents. Value betting is a fundamental strategy in poker.

Bluffing: This involves betting or raising with a weak hand to induce folds from your opponents. Bluffing can be a powerful tool, but it's important to use it selectively and effectively.

Check-Raising: This is when a player checks pre-flop, calls a raise on the flop and then raises on a later street. Check-raising can be a powerful tool for building a pot and extracting value from your opponents.

Some common examples of this are raising the minimum pre-flop in no-limit games when there are several players who have already entered the pot or raising 5x-6x the size of the blinds when you are first to enter a hand.

Playing in Tough Games - Poker Mistake #2

If you're playing against significantly more experienced players, you're at a disadvantage. These players will be more likely to make optimal decisions and exploit your mistakes. For instance, if you're playing against a professional poker player, they may be able to identify weaknesses in your game and take advantage of them.

The higher the stakes, the more competitive the field, making it harder to win. At higher stakes, players are generally more skilled and have larger bankrolls, which can make it difficult to compete. For example, if you're playing in a high-stakes tournament, you'll be competing against some of the best players in the world.

A table full of aggressive players can make it difficult to play a profitable game. These players may be more likely to bluff and raise, making it harder to get value from your strong hands. For instance, if you're playing at a table with several aggressive players, you may need to be more selective in your hand choices and be prepared to fold if you don't have a strong hand.

Poor Fundamentals - Poker Mistake #3

Whether be it poker, chess or any other sport, a player's grip on fundamentals is very important to be profitable in the long term, luck in poker always loses long-term. Common poker fundamentals that players miss are:

1. Choosing the wrong hands to play can lead to significant losses. It's essential to have a solid understanding of hand strength and ranges and know when to fold. For example, if you're playing in a low-limit cash game, you may want to be more selective in your hand choices, as you'll be playing against a wider range of opponents.

2. Understanding the importance of position and adjusting your strategy accordingly is crucial. Position refers to your seat at the table relative to the dealer. Players in late position have the advantage of seeing more cards before acting, which gives them more information to make decisions. For instance, if you're in a late position, you may be more likely to raise pre-flop or continue betting on subsequent streets, as you have more information about the strength of your hand and the strength of your opponent's hands.

3. Avoiding or overdoing the metagame while making a decision: Beginner players tend to avoid or overdo the metagame which involves analyzing their playing styles, identifying patterns, and adjusting your own strategy accordingly. Failing to adjust your strategy based on your opponent's tendencies can lead to suboptimal play. It's important to observe your opponents and exploit their weaknesses.

Tilting - Poker Mistake #4

"Tilting has taken down more poker players than anything else in the history of this game"
~ Daniel Negreanu

Tilting is allowing your emotions to cloud your judgement at the poker table causing you to make irrational and costly decisions. Here is how tilt takes its form in different ways:

1. Getting frustrated after losses can affect your ability to make rational choices. Frustration can lead to anger, which can impair your judgment and decision-making. For example, if you lose several hands in a row, you may become frustrated and start making reckless plays. For instance, if you lose a big pot, you may be more likely to chase a draw or call a raise with a weak hand.

2. Seeking revenge against opponents can lead to reckless play. If you feel like an opponent has been taking advantage of you, you may be tempted to play recklessly in an attempt to get revenge. For example, if an opponent has been bluffing against you, you may be tempted to call their bluffs even when you don't have a strong hand.

3. Beginners think that poker is like other sports where “giving up” is considered a bad thing. While you shouldn’t play passively, poker is not like other sports and it is often the correct play to fold. When you first start playing poker, it’s easy to get emotionally attached to a hand.

This might be a pre-flop hand like a pocket pair or making a pair on the flop. You stay in a hand because you don’t want to get bluffed out of a pot or look weak – or because the competitor in you says there is no way to win if you fold. Unfortunately, by continuously calling bets you never really know where you stand in the hand until it’s too late.

Ignoring Math and Odds - Poker Mistake #5

While poker involves elements of skill, intuition, and psychology, a solid understanding of poker mathematics and probability is indispensable for long-term success. Ignoring the importance of math and odds can lead to costly mistakes and hinder your ability to make informed decisions. A few indicators of ignoring the odds are:

1. Overvaluing your hands, especially when you have a strong draw or a big pair. This can lead to costly mistakes, as it's essential to consider the strength of your opponent's hands and the board's texture.

2. Not considering critical draws and multiple outs: A draw refers to a hand that has the potential to improve to a stronger hand on subsequent streets. Several types of draws are:

Straight Draw: A five-card sequence that is missing one card to complete a straight.

Flush Draw: A hand with four cards of the same suit, needs one more card to complete a flush.

Open-Ended Straight Draw: A straight draw with two potential outs, such as 2-3 or 8-9.

Gutshot Straight Draw: A straight draw with one potential out, such as 3-4-5 or 7-8-9.