Like any other live casino games, poker too has its own strategy, especially for beginners. But most of the players want to play like the pros, and the strategy, planning, and psychology that goes behind those hands is what they fail to realize.
The six common mistakes made by Texas Hold’em Poker beginners as below:
1) Calling all kinds of hands
The easiest way to spot a beginner of a hold’em is by the number of hands they play. The beginner usually plays almost all hands dealt to him. And this is mostly due to the psychological – they want to be part of the game, they don’t want other players to ignore them, or they just want to ‘learn.’
Whatever the reason, playing all hands is very risky. Try to stick to potentially strong hands like top pairs or suitable connecting cards until you learn the ropes and get a grip on the statistical and analytical aspects of the game.
2) Place Bet on a Losing Board
The beginner players always like to keep calling bets when they are not hitting anything on the board. They keep betting on low pairs or high cards, and this is sure they will lose their money.
3) Calling on Aces with Any Cards
Anyone who has been playing poker for a couple of hours should know that an A-3 hand is losing to an A-4 and higher. When dealing with an Ace, a lot of the beginners still get very optimistic and will bet like it’s the winning hand, especially if the board lands another Ace.
Stop for a while and see what the board is like. Take a look at your kicker card, find out the potential of hands. Will it be a straight or flush draw? Are there higher cards than your kicker card? How do your opponents place bets? Will they hit anything? Consider all these before you place a bet.
4) Chasing Wrong Hands
This is the common emotional mistake toTexas Hold‘Em Poker beginners. We call this “getting over-committed to a hand”. The players always call or bet on hands in a winner’s hope. For example, playing on a small pair hoping to hit trips or a two-pair, or betting on a lower straight or flush draw even when bet sizes are high, or placing a bet on an Ace hoping to hit a pair.
Competitiveness and hope are common human characteristics, but you have to exercise caution and rationality to be a good poker player. Understand that folding is always the right move when it’s clear the opponent already has a stronger hand.
5) Not Understanding Bet Sizes and Pot Odds
When you start to play Texas Hold‘Em Poker, these are two statistical concepts that you should be familiar with. Pot odds tell you about your chances to win the pot with your hand, and you can see the pot odd calculators in online poker rooms. So, every time a new card landes on the board, you can see the strength of your hand.
The same applies to bet sizes; you will know how much to wager and when to place a big bet. These two concepts are connected. If you don’t realize that you have a bad hand, or keep chasing it by calling your opponent’s large bet, you’re bound to lose your stake easily.
6) Getting Psyched or Emotional
The poker term is called ’tilting’ for playing with your heart, and not your mind. When the players win or lose too many hands, or get scared or amped up by those around them, they always go on a tilt. Tilting is a surefire way to ensure bankroll loss, as you tend to call on any and all hands, both large and small bets, whether you have the lowest pair or nothing in hand.
If you notice that you’re getting excited, scared or angry and losing rationality, the best solution is take a break and collect your bearings, instead of wasting your hard-earned money.
Conclusion
When learning the Texas Hold’em ropes, keep in mind that money management and a strong sense of reason are very important qualities. Never lose your cool, play within your budget range, play cautiously with your hands and stop to play when things get emotional. Observe the games, learn the statistics and you’ll soon become the expert in poker.
