Poker seems simple: get cards, bet, and hope you win. But the truth is that many players make the same mistakes over and over again.
Mistakes that slowly eat away at your chips and ruin your chances of winning.
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Why bad decisions cost more money than bad cards
Many beginners think that luck is the deciding factor. But often they lose not because of bad luck, but because of bad choices. Playing bad starting hands, choosing the wrong bet sizes and not taking position into account mean that even the best cards are worth little.
Poker is all about discipline. Playing fewer hands is often better than playing too many. Yet players call ‘because they’re already in the pot’ or because they ‘have to try something.’ That’s exactly where it goes wrong.
Common poker mistakes and how to avoid them
| Mistake | What goes wrong | How to avoid it |
| Playing too many hands | You call with bad cards and slowly lose chips. | Play selectively and wait for strong starting hands. |
| Bluffing without a plan | Opponents see through you, you bluff at the wrong times and lose confidence. | Only bluff if your story makes sense and the board is logical. |
| Poor bet sizing | Betting too small gives away information, betting too big scares everyone off. | Adjust your bet to the pot size and the strength of your hand. |
| Forgetting to use position | You play hands from an early position that are too weak. | Play tighter from early positions, looser in late positions. |
| Playing too passively | You call too often and miss opportunities to win pots. | Dare to raise more often and put pressure on your opponents. |
| Not paying enough attention to tells | You ignore your opponents’ behaviour and patterns. | Observe how others bet and react, and adjust your strategy accordingly. |
| Tilting after a loss | You get frustrated and make stupid decisions. | Take a break, breathe, and only play with a fresh mindset. |
| Playing too predictably | Opponents know exactly what you have. | Vary your playing style: mix bluffs, value bets and folds. |
| Forgetting bankroll management | You play too high for your budget and quickly go broke. | Set a budget and only play in games you can afford. |
| Bad calls on the river | You call even though you know you’re probably behind. | Be critical: fold more often on the river when in doubt. |
Bluffing without a plan and forgetting to pay attention to your opponents
Bluffing is part of poker, but bluffing without logic is suicide for your stack. Bluffing too often makes you predictable. Bluffing too little means that no one will pay you when you do have a strong hand.
Many players also forget to pay attention to their table image. If you play aggressively all the time, others will see you as a loose cannon. You will get calls more quickly, even when you have really good cards. There is a link here with the strategies used by the top names: just look at the richest poker players in the world, who know exactly how to use their image.
Patience, timing and knowing when to stop
Poker requires not only guts, but above all patience. Those who always push chips into the pot too quickly will lose in the long run. Betting smart, offering or denying the right odds, and sometimes just folding – that’s what makes the difference.
Bluffing can work, but it’s an art that you have to master. Timing, storytelling and reading your opponents are all part of it. Without those ingredients, you’re just throwing money away. Want to know more? Read how bluffing really works in strategies for better bluffing in poker.
Poker mistakes are learning opportunities for those who want to improve their game
Most mistakes players make are recognisable: playing the wrong hands, making bad calls, being too passive or giving away opportunities. But it is precisely by facing up to those mistakes that your game will improve. Every time you realise ‘I should have done that differently,’ you lay the foundation for improvement.
Poker remains a game of choices. Those who learn from their mistakes take a step towards winning. Those who continue to repeat them will ultimately always pay the price.
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