Missing Value Bets
Anyone can play a good game with the strongest hand. Value betting involves getting the most value out of average hands. In Limit Poker, bet aggressively. Since bets are small compared to pot size, opponents will call value bets when they have relatively weak hands. In No-Limit Poker, first get a decent read on what your opponent has in his hands. Value betting requires you to understand your opponents. The casual player will call bets according to the strength of his hand. If you think he has a weak hand, make a smaller bet to keep him in the game so that he will call and increase the size of the pot. With strong players, you have to consider what he thinks you have, and then make bets accordingly.
Not Paying Attention
Experienced players tend to lose focus on what is going on in specific games and miss signals. They play several games at once, or pay attention to things outside the game and overlook decisions that they should make. Players will still win because they are more experienced than their opponents, but they will not win as often as they should.
Choosing the Wrong Games
Many advanced players allow ego to cloud their judgment. They choose the wrong types of games because they think that they can beat any game. They play high-stakes games because they believe in their ability to win the big games. However, what they need to do is find games with the best expected value for them. They should play games where they can win the most money, and where their bankroll can handle the sizes of the bets.
Playing Over Their Head
It is always a good idea to try new games to see if you will like them, and determine your skill level. However, do not play at the same level of stakes you are used to in the games you usually play. You do not have an edge in these new games because you will be playing opponents with more skill than you in those particular games. Work your way up the limits, just like you did when you learned how to play in your games of choice.
Misplaying Free Cards
Good players know how to make good free card plays. You want your opponent to check and call to the turn so that you can look at another free card on the river with small bets. Knowing when to make a free card play, or re-raising your opponent to knock him off his free card play, is a matter of skill and situation. Misreads and poor decision-making are common mistakes that cause misplays with free card plays.
Going on Extended Tilt
Some players go on bad streaks, and allow emotions to overrule confidence and decision-making skills. Playing ability tends to degrade with each following game, and they tend to make more exaggerated plays at the pot or just make poor decisions more often than usual. They may try moving up to higher-stakes games to get out of their funk, and that can make things worse, since the level of play increases while their bankroll decreases. |
