Common Mistakes in Poker

The best way to hone your skills in online poker is to determine where you've gone wrong in the past. The following is a compiled list of the most common mishaps in high-stakes poker:

1.) Value bets. It is quite difficult to get decent amount of money from a mediocre hand, but this does not mean that players should only profit from strong hands. This type of playing will get you eliminated from the game early. Value betting is what determines a good player from a bad. For Limit Hold'em games, players won't advance far unless they exercise aggressive betting techniques. In the larger scheme of things, it doesn't take much to call a value bet, and therefore players are more likely to do so with weak hands. Take advantage of that.

2.) PAY ATTENTION! I'm just as guilty of this as any other player. It's not hard to get a little over zealous with your betting and fail to consider what other players might have in relation to the board. It is difficult to toggle concealing your tells, watching your opponents tells and keeping an eye on the board at the same time without giving your hand away. Watch the board from the second the cards are placed on the table. Pay attention to what's going on around you or you won't have success when bluffing another player.

3.) Predictable Bluffing. Watch when you bluff. If you always bluff before the flop, players will catch on to this. I cannot stress enough how vital it is that you randomize your strategy.

4.) Pre-flop play. Unless you have a chip lead, forget pre-flop betting. Many professionals do this, and I still fail to understand why. You cannot be confident in your hand until you know what will come up on the board. If you have a high pair or kicker, what are the odds that its consecutive cards will appear on the flop? Pre-flop betting is a brave move, and should only be utilized when absolutely necessary. It is also a strategy frequently used by tilt players and a DEAD give-away.