This is the first article in a series that I am calling the Top 10 Mistakes of Online Poker Players. Each month I will be speaking about a particular common mistake. These are the mistakes that make it easy to separate the men from the boys or the women from the girls. When I see one of these mistakes from a player I can start to generalize about their overall play. These are the mistakes from opponents that make poker such a profitable game.

The mistakes are not given in any particular order. Most of the mistakes apply to live play also although two or three of them are most applicable to online play. Some of the mistakes are rather obvious while others a little more subtle. If you can minimize these 10 mistakes in your game you are well on your way to being a profitable player. Realize that in Texas Hold’em, most of the profit that you earn is from the mistakes of your opponents…not by your brilliant play, so be sure not to reward your opponents by making some of these common mistakes.

Mistake #1: Playing Too Many Starting Poker Hands

This is rather straight-forward. Any player who has read at least one poker book knows that starting hand strategy is the building block to an overall profitable strategy. Yet very few players demonstrate the knowledge and/or patience to play good starting poker hands. Why is starting hand strategy so critical to Texas Hold’em?

Playing less poker hands than your opponents gives you the advantage in the long run. Think about this, if your opponents play 40% of their poker hands and you are only playing 20%, you will have the advantage in the majority of the hands that you play. You’ll win a lot more pots with the best kicker. When you hit pairs, they will be less vulnerable to overcards. Your straights will beat lower straights. Your flushes will outkick your opponents’ flushes…and so forth. By playing fewer poker hands you will continue to put yourself in the best position to win the hand.

Of course, it is possible to play too tight. This is why you have to post blinds in poker; otherwise, you could just wait for AA every time. Yet I have rarely run into a player that plays too tight.

So how many hands should you play? This is all relative and depends on the criteria you should evaluate when evaluating starting hand strategy. Each game is different which affects how many hands may be profitable. One of the main criteria in determining starting hand strategy is how loose or tight the overall game is. You can play more poker hands from late position with more callers in a hand. For example, 55 is generally not a profitable hand against one caller; however, this hand can be quite profitable if six players have limped into the pot. The more players that are seeing the flop the better your implied odds. Loose games allow you to play slightly more hands.

Another good example, yet less subtle is when you are in early position. QJs is a borderline hand when played from early position. However, whenever a player limps in before me I will be more likely to play the hand. I am getting better implied odds for my draws. In addition, once two players have limped into the pot, your opponents are less likely to raise behind you without the very best premium hands. So looser games allow you to play a few more poker hands but don’t take this too far. Please don’t let this be the recipe for playing lots of starting hands simply because you play in a loose game.

Another criteria in starting poker hand strategy is whether or not the game is aggressive or passive. Many hands become unplayable whenever the pot is raised. This is a simple concept but many players fail to understand this very important point. A raise indicates that your opponent has a strong poker hand and also lowers your pot odds. Be very selective in the hands you play once the pot has been raised.

Let’s look at the great paradox in poker. The better you are the more poker hands you can play, yet exactly the opposite is true in actual play. The number of poker hands you play should be dependent on how good a poker player you are. Advanced players are able to overcome the weakness of some starting poker hands by using their excellent post-flop skills to outplay their opponents. They make better decisions on the flop, turn, and river to minimize losses with weak hands and maximize their wins. This allows them to be able to play more poker hands profitably than the beginning player. Most beginning to intermediate players should play a very tight game until you gain more experience. So think about this when you see a good player playing a questionable poker hand…maybe he can mix up his game now and then with some borderline poker hands but that does not mean it is a profitable play for the average player. Many players make the mistake of seeing some weak poker hands win a lot so they get tempted into playing them also.

I keep track of all my hand histories using Poker Stat and Poker Tracker software. These two products provide you with a wealth of information, including how often you see the flop. One interesting analysis I did was to look at the top 20 winning players that I had played at least 2000 poker hands against. I then did a benchmarking study for different criteria. In this particular analysis, I found the range of poker hands played by the winning players was between 18-28% with most players falling in the 20-22% range. This analysis was done for a relatively tight game so you ought to see slightly higher percentages in looser games…but this should give you a good idea. In general, most players should be playing between 15%-25% of your hands. The less experienced you are the further down in that range you should be playing. Yes, advanced players can play a few more than that range indicates, but it is better for beginning to intermediate players to avoid these borderline hands that can get you into trouble.

The next few articles in this series will look at some of the common drawing mistakes players make post-flop starting with a mistake many players make when looking at probabilities and odds which is Mistake #2: Drawing to Outs that Won’t Help You Win.

Many players make the mistake of assuming that if they improve their hand they will win. For example, they hold AK with a flop of T95 and decide that the pot odds justify drawing to an ace or king which is approximately 7 to 1 to improve on the next card. The problem with this reasoning is that your opponents might already have you beat or the card that improves your hand could improve your opponent’s hand to an even better hand.

For example, in this particular hand, you are in trouble if your opponent holds TT, 99, 55, T9, QJ (the king gives them a straight), AT, A9, A5, KT, etc. Note that all of these are hands that opponents typically play. If you are against any of these hands, you either have practically no chance of winning or a very slim one. Although you are 7 to 1 against improving your hand, the odds are much worse that you will actually win. Drawing to outs that won’t help you win is our 2nd major mistake of online players (as well as players in live games). Let’s elaborate a little on applying odds in a poker game with some definitions.

An out is an important concept when discussing probability and odds. An out is a card that improves your hand. For example, when you hold two hearts and there are two hearts on the board, you need one more heart for a flush. There are nine remaining hearts or “outs” to improve your hand. If you have Ah Th and you think another ace would also win the hand, you now have 12 outs: the nine hearts and the three remaining aces.

I receive a lot of questions and posts in my poker Forum about how to make decisions on the flop when you are on a draw. A lot of poker players make decisions based on the probability of improving their poker hand odds with two cards to come. This article is going to show why this often can lead to mistakes.

On the flop, you can calculate the poker hand odds of improving on the next card or you can calculate the poker hand odds of improving on either the turn or the river. Many poker players use “Out” charts which have the poker odd calculations done for you so that you can easily see the poker hand odds given a certain number of outs. Calculating the poker hand odds probabilities of improving is rather straightforward. The mistakes come when poker players start to make decisions based on the poker hand odds with two cards to come.

For example, let’s say you have a gut shot draw. The poker hand odds of improving on the next card are 11 to 1. The poker hand odds of improving on either the turn or river are 5 to 1. Players who always call on the flop when they are getting 5 to 1 pot odds are making a mistake. Let’s take a closer look at this.

Calling raises too often on the turn is another common mistake made by many players. One problem with calling raises on the turn is that you often end up calling the river. With a goal of earning one big bet an hour, you would wipe out two hours of earnings in one hand by making the mistake of calling the turn and river when you shouldn’t. When calling a raise on the turn, think about whether or not you will call the river if you don’t improve. Paying two big bets significantly decreases the pot odds you are receiving to see if you will win the hand. 

Many opponents wait until the turn to raise their really strong hands. A lot of players are also reluctant to make semi-bluff raises on the turn, especially at the lower limits. For these reasons, you need to be very careful about when you call raises on the turn. Most opponents who raise the turn almost always have at least top pair with a good kicker, and they often have two pair or better; therefore, you should often fold pairs when raised on the turn. The main exception to this is in tight aggressive games where some opponents will raise the turn on a semi-bluff, especially in heads-up situations, so you sometimes need to call with a mediocre holding such as a pair depending on the circumstances.

Let’s look first at a couple of situations where folding to a raise with a mediocre holding such as top pair is relatively straightforward:

· Your opponent is the type who never raises the turn on a bluff or semi-bluff.

· An opponent has raised after two players have already called the turn.

In these two situations, I would need at least top pair with top kicker to call, and often an even better hand depending on the type of opponents I am against.

Unfortunately, in tight aggressive games, turn play is not this straightforward most of the time. You will find yourself in a lot of heads-up situations where it is difficult to get a good read on your opponent’s hand. In heads-up situations, some players will raise the turn with many types of hands such as top pair, middle or bottom pair, flush and straight draws, and of course two pair or better. When these types of players raise, sometimes you should fold top pair with top kicker, while other times you might be reraising. You might even need to call with bottom pair and possibly even ace high in some situations. Calling in these types of situations often depends on the type of board and how your particular opponent might play that board.

Realize however that tight aggressive games on the Internet are a rarity nowadays. In the typical loose games that you find your opponent will generally have a strong hand unless he is one of those maniacs trying to bluff at every pot.

Let’s look at a common example. You raise in early position with AK and a middle position player calls. The flop is all rags such as 642. You bet and are called. The turn is another rag such as an 8. You bet and your opponent raises. What do you do? Against most opponents you should almost always fold; however, you sometimes need to call in some of the tight aggressive high-limit games where some opponents will raise with Ax.

Always evaluate the type of board to guide your decision. If the board is three-suited such as A¨ T¨ 5§ 2¨, consider what types of hands your opponent could be holding. For example, a raise on the turn with this board could mean your opponent hit a flush, or it could mean he holds the K¨ or Q¨ and is raising on a semi-bluff, or maybe he has Ax and is protecting his hand against an opponent with a draw. Note how the number of players in the hand makes a difference on the possible holdings. If two players have called a turn bet and an opponent raises, you can generally assume that he is not raising on a flush draw. However, in a heads-up situation some aggressive players might raise with K¨ T§ hoping that you might fold a hand such as KK, QQ, or JJ.

Also note how high the board cards are. It is less likely for opponents to make draws on a flop like A§ 9¨ 5© than they are with a flop of T§ 5¨ 2©. If your opponent waits to raise the turn with an A§ 9¨ 5© 3ª board, you should ask yourself, “What kind of hand would my opponent call the flop with and then raise the turn?” You should be concerned about a set, two pair, or a pair of aces with a good kicker. Against most opponents in this heads-up situation, you could safely throw away KK, AJ, and maybe even AQ. Against tight rocks who wouldn’t raise with two pair or less, you could even throw away AK, as it is likely that your opponent has a set.

On the other hand, what if your opponent raises the turn with a T§ 5¨ 2© 8¨ board? Since the cards are relatively low, it is more difficult to determine your opponent’s strength. He could be raising with a set, a pair of tens, or maybe even a hand such as 77 hoping that you are holding a hand like AK. A tricky opponent might even raise with a hand like QJ or a diamond draw. With this type of board against certain opponents, you should be more likely to call with an overpair or top pair.

One final situation to discuss is when you need to call a raise cold, forcing you to pay two big bets to see the river. In almost all cases, one of your opponents has a very strong hand, unless he is trying to protect a vulnerable medium holding. The other problem with calling in this situation is that the original bettor could reraise. To call a raise cold, you almost always need a very strong hand or draw. For draws, the pot will need to be quite large to justify calling a raise cold.

The next article will look at Mistake #5: Automatically Betting or Raising the River When They Think They Have the Best Hand.

The river is a different type of betting round than the flop or turn since all cards have now been shown. Most players make quick decisions on the river without thinking through the various possibilities. Betting correctly on the river is important as these are big bets and each bet made or saved can significantly add to your earnings rate.

A common mistake made by many players is betting or raising the river whenever they think they have the best hand. Do not make this same mistake! Only bet or raise a good hand on the river against a lone opponent when you have at least a 50% chance of winning when your opponent calls. The key part of this concept is that you win more than your fair share when your opponent calls. Many times you will bet the river and your opponent folds. That bet hasn’t gained you anything.

Let’s look quickly at an example. You hold Q© Qª with a K§ 5§ 2© 4ª 8¨ board. You bet out on the flop and turn and are called each time. You determine that the most likely holding for this opponent is a flush draw. Should you bet the river? The answer is no since your opponent will fold if he was on a flush draw. Betting will gain you nothing. A better option would be to induce a bluff by checking.

Many opponents with a busted draw may see your check as a sign of weakness and won’t be able to resist betting as a last chance bluff to win the pot. In this case, checking gains you a bet while betting out probably gains you nothing.

On the other hand, if you are against an aggressive player who tends to call too often with weak pairs then it is probably correct to bet. It is unlikely your opponent holds a pair of kings since an aggressive opponent probably would have raised either the flop or turn. He most likely would have raised a flush draw also at some point. In this situation, betting could be correct since you will win over 50% of the time when your opponent calls with a weak pair. The reasoning however is different. You check if you believe your opponent was on a draw, and you bet if you are reasonably confident that your opponent will call with a weaker hand than a pair of kings.

You need more than a 50% chance of winning when there is the risk that your opponent could raise with a better hand and you would call. In this case, you might lose two big bets against a very good hand and only win one bet against a weak hand, so you need more than a 50% chance of winning to justify this risk. For example, if you have roughly a 50% chance of winning a showdown but there is a 5% chance your opponent would raise and a 70% chance he would win when raising, you should just check and call rather than betting out.

There are a lot of considerations you must make when betting into a lone opponent on the river with a good hand:

Ÿ Probability that you will win in a showdown (should be at least 50%)

Ÿ Probability that your opponent would raise and you would call

Ÿ Probability that your opponent would bet a weaker hand if you check but fold this hand if you came out betting

Ÿ Probability that your opponent would check a losing hand that he would call with if you had bet

Let’s discuss the second bullet point a little further. Sometimes your opponent will raise and you will fold. This doesn’t necessarily make your river bet incorrect. For example, you hold AA against a known opponent and a board of AKQ5T. Betting in this situation would be correct if you know that your opponent would only raise with the jack but would call with two pair and you are unsure if he would bet two pair if you check. If you bet and he raises, you can safely fold, losing the same amount as checking and calling. If you bet and he calls with two pair, you gain a bet. Your expectation is the same when he has the jack, but you gain a bet when he doesn’t. The decision process is a little more complicated against tricky opponents who might try a bluff raise.

Another option when acting first on the river is to check-raise. There are two reasons to try a check-raise with a strong hand on the river:

Ÿ To induce a bluff.

Ÿ To gain more bets when you are confident that an opponent will bet and call your raise.

For example, you hold Q¨ J¨ with a board of K¨ T§ 5© 7¨ 2¨. Your opponent raised your flop bet and bet the turn, so you are fairly certain he will bet the river. This would be a good time for a check-raise to try and gain two bets.

This scenario would be different however if the board was K¨ T§ 7¨ 5© 2¨. Do you see why? In this case, the bettor may be worried that you were on a flush draw since the flop was two-suited. A check-raise in this case might backfire if your opponent decides to check. You lose a bet if he would have called. Check-raises also gain you nothing if your opponent doesn’t call your raise but would have called your bet.

One more situation that occurs on the river is when you are against several opponents and are faced with a bet and you have a very strong hand. Sometimes consider just calling rather than raising your strong hands to get the remaining opponents to call. This is especially true if there is even a small chance that the bettor has the nuts and will reraise or there is a good chance you might split the pot with the bettor.

For example, if you hold Q§ T¨ with a J© Tª 9¨ 8§ 5¨ board, you should just call if there are opponents behind you. You probably are going to split the pot with the bettor, so it is best to give your remaining opponents a chance to call. In addition, there is the possibility that your opponent holds KQ and would reraise costing you money.

There are a lot of different considerations to work through on the river. I suggest that on the river that you always take a little extra time before acting to give yourself the time to consider all of the options available rather than the one that appears most obvious.

The next article will look at Mistake #6: Playing at Limits Too High in Relation to Their Bankroll.

If a good poker player who normally wins one big bet an hour plays 100 hours of $2-$4, he could win as much as $2,000, but once in a blue moon he might lose $1,000. This same player could play 1400 hours and still only break even. Given any time below that, he could possibly lose despite the fact that he is a proven winner in the long-term.

Looking at the luck factor from the other direction, a poor player who should normally lose $4 an hour could actually earn up to $1,000 over a 100 hour period by getting lucky!

Do these statements surprise you? As you can see, the “long-term” can be quite long indeed when talking about the luck factor in poker. A good understanding of the fluctuations that will occur playing Hold’em is essential to your enjoyment of the game as well as to how you should manage your bankroll.

The All Important Bankroll

Because of the fluctuations in this game, it is essential to play at limits within your bankroll; otherwise, you risk going broke. For some people, they just keep digging back into their extra cash to keep playing but if you are on a limited bankroll you need to ensure that you protect it and play within the confines that your bankroll sets for you.

Many beginning players play at limits too high in relationship to their bankroll. Some of them will get lucky, start winning, and their game will improve enough to maintain the limit they are playing at. However, many will suffer the consequences and will find themselves broke and trying to figure out a way to explain to their significant other how they need some additional funding to keep playing.

How much do you need? As with many questions about poker it depends. It depends on how good you are, your style of play, and the type of game you play in. It is obvious that if you are a losing player there is no amount of bankroll large enough. Better players need smaller bankrolls as the negative fluctuations they experience will not be quite as large as say a player who barely breaks even. Aggressive loose players need larger bankrolls than conservative players as they will also experience more fluctuations in both directions. You need a larger bankroll playing in loose aggressive games than you do in tight passive games.

For many players, a good benchmark is about 350 times the big bet. This practically ensures that a good player will not go broke. However, it takes time to reach the skill level of a good player. Beginners should start out with even higher bankrolls.

One other criteria in setting your bankroll is how much risk you are willing to take of going broke. If you don’t mind increasing the chance of going broke by say 5%, you could play with less bankroll. Another strategy is to play at a slightly higher limit, but drop down a limit as soon as things start to go bad. The problem with this bankroll strategy is that many players do not have the discipline to do this. It is hard dropping down limits when you start to realize that it will take more time to get back to where you want to be. Nevertheless, this is a viable bankroll strategy for disciplined players.

My advice is to always have at least 250 to 400 times the big bet depending on how much risk you are willing to take and your willingness to drop down a limit if things go sour. If you are just starting out, begin with at least 500 times the big bet to get your feet wet to help you gain some experience before moving into higher limits. Like anything in life, to be successful you need to make a plan. Make a plan for your bankroll and the limits you want to play and stick to it. Be sure to have a plan “B” incorporated into the plan for stepping down limits when things don’t go as well as you had hoped.

The worst mistake one can make is playing at limits too high in relation to your bankroll. It is the worst mistake because the end result is that you won’t be able to play anymore. If you don’t mind going broke, then you can take more chances. But if you want to play poker for the years to come, you must ensure that you manage your bankroll effectively.

The next article will look at Mistake #7: Not Paying Attention

Everyone likes to talk about reading your opponents, playing your opponent, etc but how can you do this if you are not paying attention to the action at the table? A very common online mistake is not paying attention. This mistake can lead to numerable mistakes in important strategic decisions.

Let’s first look at some of the common distractions which tempt online poker players:

· Reading email

· Talking on the phone

· Watching television

· Playing two tables

· Surfing the web

· Talking with your partner, friends, children, etc

One critical step to improving to an advanced level of play is creating an environment where you can focus on the action and your opponents. Identifying your opponent’s tendencies and playing accordingly is not an easy skill to learn and constantly requires your full attention.

It is very easy to play with a robotic playing style where you simply play your cards. You can even make money this way which is what many players do when playing multiple tables. However, this type of play will not mazimize your winnings nor will it help you grow as a poker player to give you the experience in making decisions based on each opponent’s tendencies. So create an environment which is conducive to improving your game.

What are some things you can do? Read your email before sitting down at the tables. Make sure that there is not a TV near the computer to tempt you. Don’t answer the phone! If possible, schedule your poker playing time outside the main social time of your family activities.

The consequences of not paying attention can be the difference between mediocre and advanced play. Let’s look at some examples. You are sitting in the cutoff with AJ offsuit and the player immediately before you raises first in. Normally this would be an easy fold against a “typical” opponent. However, what if this opponent has raised 7 out of the last 10 hands dealt at the table? If you didn’t notice this because of distractions you would simply fold but knowing you are against a maniac would be a strong case for a reraise. Other examples are not so evident and require more attention to identify.

For example, a particular player at your table never checkraises. He always bets out his strong hands or checks his weak hands. If you are paying attention, you can fold your mediocre hands when this opponent comes out betting and you can bet if he comes out checking. This is valuable information but it will not be too apparent unless you are paying close attention to the action at the table.

Next time you sit down at the table, pay attention for 10 minutes and then ask yourself some simple questions:

· Who is playing tight preflop and who is loose?

· Are there any aggressive loose players in the game?

· Who are the rocks postflop and who will draw to anything?

· Who are the top two players at the table?

Ten minutes is not very long so your first impressions might change but you must start building a story on each player as soon as you sit down at the table. Pay attention to the action and first learn how to identify basic tendencies of your opponents. Eventually you’ll be able to focus on more complex tendencies such as which opponents like to checkraise, which opponents like to slowplay, and which opponents like to semi-bluff. I often like to compare learning Hold’em to learning a foreign language. As soon as you feel like you’ve reached a plateau, something new will become obvious to you and your skills will jump to another level. So pay attention and develop your skills in reading your opponents to help you make better poker decisions.

The next article will look at Mistake #8: Bluffing Too Much.

There is nothing more glamorous and exciting than making a big bluff at the poker table. For the poker player, it doesn’t get much better than raking in a nice size pot with the worst poker hand. For the poker player, satisfaction comes in knowing that you have outplayed your opponent.

Unfortunately, many poker players get themselves in trouble by bluffing too often. This is even truer on the Internet than in live games. Bluffing a lot is just not a profitable endeavor on the Internet, especially in the low-limit games where you frequently have hands go to showdowns.

There are two main reasons to try a bluff in poker. The obvious one is the immediate profit you gain on your successful bluffs. When playing observant opponents, it is also necessary to bluff occasionally so that you will get action in the future when you have solid hands. This is one of the key reasons for Gus Hansen’s success. He wins and loses a lot by all of his bluffs. It is those payoffs he gets when he has a real hand that makes him such a successful player. If you never bluff you won’t get paid off very often while a frequent bluffer will often be challenged. So it is the combination of the immediate profit gained and the advertising value you receive that makes bluffing profitable when done in the right spots.

Realize however that the Internet game is very different than live play. Bluffing on the Internet doesn’t have the same advertising value online as it does in a live game. First, many players don’t pay as much attention to the game online as they do in a casino and won’t even notice your bluffs. They might be playing two tables, watching television, or reading email. In addition, you rarely play with the same opponents very long on the Internet to take advantage of your “loose” image. You might try a bluff online and then 15 minutes later there are four or five new players sitting at your table. Of course, sometimes bluffing is needed in games where the players don’t move in and out of the game a lot or you are against regular opponents, but this is the exception rather than the rule on the Internet.

The bottom-line is that bluffs on the Internet generally only derive value from the particular hand you are playing. Since the advertising value of bluffs goes down, bluffing in general is less profitable on the Internet than in a live game.

Yet many players bluff too often on the Internet. I believe this is the result of two characteristics unique to the Internet. The virtual wall of the Internet makes many players play a little more deceptively than they would against a live opponent. Players gain a little more courage and confidence when they don’t have to look their opponents in the eye. The virtual environment also makes it easier to commit your chips to try a bluff. If you are contemplating a bluff, all it takes is one click of the mouse. Compare this to a live game where you have to physically move your chips into the center of the table while your opponents are watching you. Many players become careless with these “virtual” chips.

Be careful to not let these temptations guide your play. Also realize that since so many players like to bluff on the Internet, players will call your bluffs a little more often than they might in a live game. This is yet one more reason to be very selective with your bluffing.

In fact, in most low-limit games, profitable bluffing opportunities are far and few between. The best times to try your bluffing tactics are in the short-handed games and the tight high-limit games. Of course there are always times that you might be presented with a profitable bluffing opportunity but just be sure that you evaluate the situation very carefully.

The next article will look at Mistake #9: Trying to Get Back to Even

Most poker players have short-term goals. They sit down at the table and they want to win money…now! Many players suffer having to close a session with a big loss. It kills them! How often have you stayed up late at night trying to get back to even? Do you always have in the back of your mind where you stand in a given session?

Unfortunately this type of mindset will hinder quality play. Trying to get back to even is a losing proposition. This is especially true when you are sleepy. You’ll start to play a few more hands than normal hoping to hit that big hand. On the flop you might hold a weak draw but decide to go for it in hopes of hitting that one pot to get you back to even. You don’t hit on the flop so you decide, “what the heck, one more bet won’t hurt me”, and you call the turn. You end up chasing in situations that have a negative expectation. You know better, BUT you just want to go to bed with a clean slate! In many cases you just keep digging yourself a bigger hole.

For all of those who can relate to the above I have one simple piece of advise…you can always get back to even tomorrow or the day after. Poker is one long continuous game which never ends. Thinking in terms of sessions or even weeks will throw many players into a bad mood a lot of the time. To approach this game with the right mindset you must think of your results with a long-term perspective. I always like to look at my results in terms of months.

The Internet is so great because there is always a game going. When things are going bad and you feel yourself start to press hoping for that one big pot, you are probably just better off quitting and waiting until another day to get things back on track. It’s a pretty easy decision when you think about it. You can either dig yourself a bigger hole or come back another day with a fresh start. So remember, you can always get back to even tomorrow or the day after.

The last article in this series will look at Mistake #10: Playing Short-Handed with little experience.

Short-handed play is one of the most profitable forms of poker. My earn rate has always been much higher short-handed than it is at a full ring game. There are basically two reasons for this. 1/ Advanced players have a bigger advantage over most opponents short-handed than they do in a full ring game and 2/ You get dealt more hands per hour so there are more opportunities to take advantage of your opponents’ mistakes.

Let’s discuss these two points just briefly. Short-handed play requires more skill than in a full ring game. Understanding your opponent’s tendencies is much more important short-handed than a full ring game. In a full ring game, you can often just stay patient and wait for cards and this alone will net you a profit. Short-handed does not give you this luxury. You are paying blinds at a faster rate so you must learn to play weaker hands. Much of your profit comes from taking advantage of each opponent’s individual weaknesses. It takes an advanced player to be able to identify these weaknesses.

In a full ring game you get dealt about 70 hands an hour. In a short-handed game this can be between 100 to 120 hands an hour. These extra hands give advanced players more opportunities to take advantage of their superiority over their opponents. The end result is an earn rate per hour much higher than what you can earn in a full ring game.

These two points make it sound like I am advocating playing short-handed. It is true that it can be more profitable, but beginning players are facing an uphill battle trying to play short-handed. They just do not have the experience to do well. Every once in a while they hit a big run and become addicted to short-handed play, even more so than in a full ring game, but more often than not the advanced players will walk away with the money.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is playing in a game where you are overmatched, especially when the hands are dealt at a rate of 100-120 hands per hour. Not only are beginning players overmatched but they often do not have the bankroll needed to withstand the high fluctuations. These fluctuations also lead players to tilt more often which is another weakness of players starting out. The bottomline is that short-handed play is a completely different form of poker and you had better have a lot of experience in order to do well. My advice is to get your full ring game to an advanced level before trying to master other forms of poker.

This completes the series of my Top 10 Mistakes of Online Players. Hopefully after reading these articles you now notice these mistakes in your opponents and not yourselves!