Trial and error is a common and effective way of learning. That method, however, is not advisable in poker, as every mistake in poker means a few dollars lost. Instead, it’s better to learn the mistakes in the game that will cost you dearly so you can prevent them in the first place.

1. Not paying attention to your opponents’ betting patterns

If you’re not paying attention to how your opponents are betting, you’re missing out on valuable information. Paying attention to betting patterns can help you spot tells, determine what type of hand your opponent might have, and make better decisions. In fact, if you are playing online poker, this is one of the few tells you can rely on since you can’t see other players.

2. Playing too many hands

One of the biggest mistakes that new players make is playing too many poker hands. They think that they need to be involved in every hand to win, but that’s simply not true. In fact, playing too many hands is one of the quickest ways to lose all your chips. Only play hands that you have a good chance of winning, and fold when you’re not confident.

3. Getting too attached to your hand

One of the hardest things to do in poker is to let go of a hand in which you’ve invested a lot of chips. It’s easy to get emotionally attached to a hand, especially if it’s a good hand. However, it’s important to remember that poker is a game of numbers. If the odds are against you, it’s time to fold. Getting too attached to a hand can often lead to costly mistakes.

4. Not knowing when to bluff

Bluffing is an important part of poker, but it’s a skill that takes time to master. New players often make the mistake of bluffing too often or not at all. If you’re going to bluff, you need to be confident that you can pull it off. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your chips.

Another important form of bluffing is having a poker face, wherein you make sure you have a blank facial expression all the time regardless of how good or bad the situation is. After all, your opponents will be trying to read you, so it’s important that you have a good poker face. IIf you can’t control your emotions, it’ll be very difficult to bluff or make other moves requiring you to keep a straight face. So practice in front of a mirror, or better yet, with friends or family members who can give you honest feedback.

This won’t be a problem, however, if you chose to play poker online instead of doing so in a casino, since your opponents won’t be able to see your body language. Because while you can still bluff through betting, we don’t recommend that you do this, as you might actually lose money.

If you’re looking to play online poker, sign up at GGPoker, the world’s largest online poker room. You’re sure to have secure, convenient, and enjoyable poker sessions.

5. Playing too many tables

Although playing online saves you from the need to learn how to bluff, there are also poker mistakes that you can only commit on this particular platform. One of those is playing too many tables.

To be precise, playing multiple tables is not a mistake per se. It’s a feature, not a bug. In fact, if you’re confident, skilled, and organized enough, you can try it out. After all, this should help you play more matches within a certain period.

However, if you’re new to online poker, or worse, new to poker in general, then it’s not something you should do. It can be too confusing and overwhelming. And even if you know how to play multiple tables, you can still play too many tables if you’re not careful.

To make sure this doesn’t happen, play only one poker table at a time if you’re still not used to online poker. And if you’ve gotten used to multiple tables, to recognize your limit and stick to it.

6. Making impulsive decisions

Poker is a game of patience and discipline. If you’re making impulsive decisions, you’re likely to make mistakes that will cost you money. Take your time, think about your decisions, and don’t let emotions dictate how you play. Another thing that you can do is establish guidelines regarding the decisions you’ll be making once you’re on the poker table.

7. Not managing your bankroll properly

If you don’t manage your bankroll properly, you can quickly go broke. Be sure to only play poker with money you can afford to lose, and always set limits for yourself. That way, you can walk away from the table when you’re ahead, and you won’t be tempted to make foolish decisions when you’re down.

8. Playing outside of your comfort zone

If you’re not comfortable with the stakes or the type of poker games you’re playing, you’re likely to make mistakes. Stick to games and stakes that you’re comfortable with, and you’ll be much more likely to succeed in the long run.

At the same time, we’re not saying that you should forever stick to the comfort zone that you’re currently in. Rather, you should slowly inch to more competitive, higher-stakes games instead of blindly and over confidently jumping into those that are way above your level or bankroll. Remember, baby steps!

Avoid the Poker School Of Hard Knocks!

Experience may be a good teacher, but it’s also painful. And in poker, it’s also a pricey one. So hopefully, with this list, you’ve learned which errors will make you pay dearly. Good luck out there and do your best not to commit these mistakes.