How to eliminate the common mistakes that deplete your bankroll
April 11, 2007
Playing poker is all about taking the right decision. Making the good decision at the right time will prevent you from loosing and you will stay in the game for longer. Unfortunately, sometimes you find yourself making only the worst decisions and running out of money. Below I have listed six tips that will keep you from making mistakes, and thus you will be able to recover your money:
- Play aggressively;
You are advised to bet so as to force your opponents to make a tough decision. They are faced with making one of two decisions: call with a weaker hand or fold the best hand.
- Raise the pot if you are the first to bet;
Plenty of players do not raise pre-flop. This is an opportunity for the opponents to realize how strong your poker hand is, not to mention that it is an opportunity for them to better their hand. How will you know where you stand against them?
- Steal the blinds;
When the antes have started you are advised to raise significantly. Stealing the blinds is very lucrative, and most professional poker players will agree. In poker tournaments the best players have all the ante chips.
- There is no such thing as an unbeatable table;
If a table is too tight, then you get to play more hands per hour as most of the times the opponents will fold.
If a table is too loose, then the opponents do not have strong poker hands. You are advised to tighten your play and defeat them.
- Do not bluff a calling station;
Pay attention to every hand and note your opponents betting patterns. This is the only way to overcome the urge to bluff.
- Do not undervalue the bankroll requirements.
This is a common mistake made by amateurs and pros alike. Poker is a game with very large statistical variations. You may come out on top by winning just one big pot for an hour’s worth of playing. Playing too big will get you bankrupt, as any pro can tell you. You need a bankroll that can withstand the fluctuations. This is the only thing that can prevent you going broke.
The point is that if you want to be a successful poker player you must identify your mistakes and eliminate them from your game. As long as you keep the poker tips presented above in mind, poker can be a very lucrative game for you.
