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With the popularity of poker these days, and despite the scams and frauds that are out there, there are still honest sites that offer a legitimate way to enjoy poker for free. Many times, sites offer you free poker money to test their software or to enter tournaments without asking for a deposit, which means you can still play with free poker money. Even though sites rebate you for losses, you can still lose the cash you receive from them.
From the “win-lose” to the “come-win” tables, there is a lot to learn in poker. In this article, we will discuss some common mistakes poker players often make, and how to correct them.
Playing scared money
Not being scared to play some solid hands, called scared money, is one of the most common leaks in a poker players game. Any time you are playing poker, you should be playing with the correct mindset. When you are scared, you will play scared money, and not run scared.
Getting logged in every time
One of the most common leaks in a poker players game is logging in and playing each hand just a few times, or for a few hands only. If you are just playing for fun, or really trying to improve your skills, you should only play a few hands. The sooner you get into the flow of playing poker, the sooner you will see improved results.
Becoming a sitting duck
In one of the most common leaks in a poker players game is the player becoming a sitting duck. When you are playing in a tournament and you have a good hand, you will not often see a flop. And even when you do, you won’t be sure you can win. Playing too tight and not taking risks will result in players consistently winning. So the answer to becoming a sitting duck is to play a bit looser than normal, and trust that your pocket cards will provide some action.
The next time you see a flop, whether you call or reraise, you should be more confident. Not only do you have a high percentage of winning this hand, but also you have a fairly good chance of taking down the pot.
Try different hands
Try different hands out until you are comfortable with the game and can handle the risk of losing. Just as you are researching your opponents, you should be doing this too. Don’t play immediately on the first hand you find, or you won’t know if you did well or if you stand a good chance of winning the hand.
Limping
Limping is a common poker mistake that a lot of players make. Limping in with a poor hand is asking for trouble. Even the best limpers can be dominated, and a small limp can be enough to let the rest of the table have a free card. If you have a good hand, go on with it, don’t let opponents limp into pots hoping for a miracle.
Learning to read
Not all novice players have to learn the game of poker from pros. For example, if you watch a poker tournament you may see a pro picking up a beginner’s chip stack by simply watching his/her stack and saying “you can’t play well if you don’t know how to move”. Discovering your/your opponents chip stack by simple observation is a good exercise.
But you don’t have to always do what everyone else does. Instead of watching your opponents, try to observe them instead. This observing skills not only helps you better know your opponents, but also in so doing, you can guess what hand your opponents are holding.
Be more aggressive
Being an aggressive player is one of the most important strategies in the game of poker, especially in no limit games. Effective aggression is more likely to win a game than a passive game. However, it’s crucial that you are consistent with your aggressive plays. Being too wild in your betting practices will result in more games lost. Stay too tight for too long a period of time, and you will begin to see a higher frequency of negative results.
The bottom line is that it takes some time to learn how to play poker online, and you need to find a strategy that works for you. Please remember that there are no sure fire rules that will make you succeed in poker. It is a game of psychology and a game of experience. If you are going to succeed in this game, make sure that you don’t make the same mistake as many other players have made before you, and never forget that gambling is a serious business.