There are a lot of mistakes commonly made in poker both by newbie’s and even by the professional poker players, so a player should know what they are in order to avoid them, and here are some of the common mistakes made by poker players.

Being Emotional

The biggest mistake that one can do in poker is becoming too emotional.  By showing too much emotion, you are making it easy for others to read you and act accordingly depending on your outward emotions, unless, of course, that is a part of your strategy.  But too much emotion on the table like cursing or cussing not only makes you appear foolish but it also makes you look like a sore loser and a brat, so put on your poker face and let them continue guessing about what is on your mind.

Too Careless

You can become careless in a lot of things when you are playing poker.  First off, you might not be protecting your cards that well.  For this reason, you need to always remember to put a hand over your cards and protect them from peeping Toms.  Likewise, you also have to be careful and always have your eyes to your own cards and not on other players’ cards.  Your innocent glance to your side might be mistaken for looking at another player’s cards, so do not be too careless so as not to be called a cheater.

Always Taking Things at Face Value

Another common mistake that a newbie or even a pro makes is to always take things at face value.  For example, just because a player frowns does not mean that he or she has a bad card.  Instead, it could mean that the player has a very good hand and was just using a ruse to confuse other players into thinking what the player wants them to think.  For this reason, you have to avoid taking things at its face value and start studying facial expressions and learn when they are bluffing and when they are not.

Folding as Opposed to Checking

Do not be too rash and fold during your turn when you do not like the turn or the flop.  Remember, you can check if you are the first one to act.  Now, when all the players have also checked, you will have the opportunity to see the next card.  This happens to be true, too, if you do not happen to be the first one to act.  When all players have checked before your turn, you should also check so as to find out what the next card is.  Who knows?  That next card might just be the winning card that will make your hand win, so do not fold just yet.

Not Knowing the Tilt

Another mistake that players make in poker is not knowing when they are on the tilt.  Remember, if you are on a losing streak, let the game go and just fold.  Do not try to recoup your loses, thinking the next round will be a better round and make you win back what you have lost.  It is better if you relax for a moment or even stop for the day before playing poker once more.

Players of any game of skill know that there are times when they just aren’t on top of their game and poker is no exception. What we normally only on TV or online is poker champs basking in their new found glory and ‘pimpin’ it up but the truth is, even they go through slumps. You can drastically reduce the crippling effects of your inevitable slump phases by keeping the following things in mind:

Players often find that their slumps are inexplicable and sudden. They’ll be on a roll, getting killer hand after killer hand, and suddenly everything turns sour. Once this has happened, you need to know how to minimise and/or reverse it. First step is to recognise the slump- face the beast- and know trust what the odds gods are telling you: that just like good streaks, bad streaks cannot last forever.

Next step: move over to the lower-limit tables and if you’ve already done that, then play slots. If you’re losing you may as well lose with less money. Many would advise you to stop playing but many professional players have noticed that they have to play themselves out of slumps and also keep some sort of momentum going. If you’re playing online poker when the slump hits, move to a land-based casino. By changing the scenery you could break the negative cycle.

It seems that the trick of the slump scenario is not to stop altogether, but instead, to mix things up a bit and change old habits. Start playing in a new environment or with less money. By making these changes you might be changing old unconscious habits and opening new doors.

Before sitting down at a poker table either online or in a casino, you will want to know the types of players you will be coming into contact with. There are some basic types of players that are pretty easy to spot. By knowing what kind of players that will be at your table, you can increase your chances of coming out a winner.

Loose Passive

You can spot a loose passive player by their willingness to call practically anything, even when they may be holding a small pair. They will often chase cards, especially when playing Texas Hold ‘Em or Omaha. You don’t want to bluff when one of these players is in on the hand. If you throw enough spaghetti on a wall, something is sure to stick. They take that philosophy and apply it to their poker game.

Tight Passive

Tight passive players only go in when they know they have the best hand. They’re not known to play recklessly. If you see a tight passive player go all in, it would be wise of you to go ahead and fold. You can guarantee they have a solid hand, quite possibly the best possible hand.

Loose Aggressive

Loose aggressive players are some of the most difficult players to play because they will go all-in and often come out on top. They are often educated in their poker game and have a huge bankroll to back it up. If you can catch a loose aggressive player betting liberally when you have “the nuts” hand, take full advantage of the opportunity.

Tight Aggressive

Tight aggressive players are most easily identified by their choosiness when it comes to playing a hand. They will fold anything that doesn’t meet their high criteria for a “playable hand.” When they do get a hand they like, watch out! They will aggressively bet and raise. You will want to keep an eye on this player because he only bets when he has something he is confident betting on. Make sure your hand stacks up to his. So now you know some of the types of the players you will find at your poker tables. You may ask what type of player is the best type to emulate your game after. Well, the answer is not playing one way all the time. Generally, a tight aggressive approach for the majority of your game or tournament is ideal. As the game goes on, you can change up your game according to your fellow players and the cards you are being dealt.

Day 2 of ‘how to read your online opponent’ and things are getting a little more complicated. Lesson 1 involved looking at the speed, or lack thereof, of your opponent’s online actions. Lesson 2 involves how much your opponent is betting. (At this point allow me to point out that these are general observations that you might find useful but these are by no means ‘The Rule’.)

-          Very Small Bets:

This could be a weak hand as it does not protect the bettor’s hand from being outdrawn. You should consider check-raising as it could force your opponent to fold, and then you to get the pot.

Beware: sometimes this is a trap- observe your opponent’s past patterns.

-          All In Big Bets:

This could either be played by very weak players or very aggressive players. You are either facing a super hand or a big bluff. Once again, observe your opponent’s past patterns to figure out which way they might be trying to steer the game.