Common Beginner Mistakes

Making mistakes is not difficult when you first start playing poker, because there are so many things that you must keep straight in your head.  Often, the mistakes are not really going to affect the game play for yourself or others - but other times you may make a mistake that causes problems for yourself or other players at the table.  We are human and all make mistakes, but it’s always best to avoid making them. Here are some of the common mistakes made by newbies to the world of poker.

Playing with friends and family members before engaging in competitive poker games is advised for beginners. Generally, those who play poker in a casino or tournament have very serious intentions and do not like it when new players participate and make very common errors.  If you are going to play casino poker as a beginner, we recommend sticking to the low betting tables until you are familiar with poker etiquette and game play. Once you feel that you have mastered these items, it’s time to move on and head for the big time!

Don’t lose control of your emotions. 
New players at poker parlors often tend to throw tantrums, curse and even threaten the dealer. These are signs that veteran poker players can use to identify and avoid newbies.  Most casinos will simply not tolerate these behaviors, asking patrons who behave in such ways to leave immediately.  Because of the high stakes involved in the game of poker, it is natural to become upset while playing. However it is necessary and required that players conceal their emotions during play. If you lose your temper or show other negative emotions at a poker table, the results will be disastrous, and the new player will look bad to others involved with the game.

Don’t bet out of turn. 
It is very common for new players to bet out of turn. The key to remember is that you don’t bet until the player to your right has acted. Acting out of turn could prove advantageous to the player at your left, especially when you choose to raise or to fold.  This is probably one of the most commonly made mistakes by new players, but it can have a very definitive effect on the outcome of the hand.

Know what the bet is.
Stay aware of what the bet is when it is your turn. It’s important that you understand that in a limit game, the amount of the bet normally doubles after the flop.  Many new casino players are not aware of this, and so they are unaware of what the bet is on their turn. If you want to appear as a serious player, pay attention to the amount of the current bet.

Folding instead of checking.
If you choose to check instead of fold after a flop and everyone else follows your lead you will be able to see the following card for free. This is also true if everyone else has checked - you should also check. Folding early will take you out of game play, and when the free card could greatly improve your current hand you need to truly determine that this is the right move for you.

Forgetting to protect your cards.
If, at the poker table, your cards mix at all with another players cards the hand will be dead. Thus, it is extremely important to protect your cards. Some techniques suggested are placing your hand or even your chips on top of your cards to prevent the mixing of cards. After all, you wouldn’t want this to happen to you as the result of another player’s action when you are about to win a major pot.

Throwing chips into the pot.
In order to verify that your bet is correct, you need to place your bet on the table in front of you until it can be checked by the dealer. The dealer will then place your chips into the pot.  Many new poker players are not aware of this requirement, and it makes their newness very obvious to everyone at the casino table.

Throwing a winning hand into the discards.
Never throw your hands into the discards when a player declares a winning hand. It is far better to wait and to see the actual hand be declared the winner by the dealer.  Sometimes, it is the case that the one who thought they won didn’t. In this case, the next best hand will be declared the winner.  If you choose to discard your hand too soon, it will be impossible to consider your hand for it’s worth.  Patience is a virtue, especially in poker.

Making mistakes at the poker table is unavoidable for most new players; everyone has made a mistake from time to time. The mistakes listed above are some of the most common mistakes made by newer players primarily as a result of little experience playing competitive poker. Understanding the etiquette and game play is the first step to becoming a successful poker player.  After you have played for a while, these things will become easier.  Always take time to observe a new table before joining in game play at a casino in order to get an idea of the expectations.

Playing poker is a tremendous amount of fun, and once you are familiar with how the game is played and what the rules are you can be a great player!  It’s a good idea to know how the game is played and what behaviors are considered acceptable.  As with most casino games, there is a specific set of etiquette expected among players. While not everyone uses the same strategy or style in poker, serious players do abide by an unspoken code of conduct when at the table.  Most of the above tips were presented in order to make you a better player and to increase your chances of winning while enabling you to not give advantages to other players.  As you become a seasoned player, you will begin to understand these and other rules of the game. We hope though, that you are not learning from your own mistakes.