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Five Beginner Habits That Quietly Cost You Chips
The five most common leaks we see in new players' games — from limping to calling too much — and the simple fixes that make an immediate difference.
By PokerLevelUp Team · · 2 min read
You don’t need advanced theory to play noticeably better. Most of the chips new players lose come from a handful of habits that are easy to spot and easy to fix. Here are the five we see most often.
1. Playing too many hands
It’s more fun to play hands than to fold them, so most beginners play far too many. The fix is simple: use a starting-hand range that fits your seat. From early position, play a tight range of strong hands. From the button, play more. Our starting hands lesson and preflop charts give you a ready-made plan.
2. Limping into pots
Calling the big blind as the first player in — limping — gives up the chance to win the blinds, lets several players in cheaply and makes your good hands harder to play. When nobody has entered the pot, raise or fold.
3. Ignoring position
Two identical hands can be a profitable raise on the button and a losing call in the small blind. Acting last gives you information and control, so lean into it. The position lesson explains exactly why.
4. Chasing draws at any price
Draws are exciting, but they only make money when the price is right. Before calling with a flush or straight draw, compare your outs with the pot odds you’re getting. It takes a few seconds with the rule of 2 and 4 — and our pot odds lesson shows you how.
5. Judging decisions by results
You’ll make good calls that lose and bad calls that win. That’s poker. If you judge your play by the result of each hand, you’ll learn the wrong lessons. Instead, ask: given what I knew, was that a good decision? Review a few hands after each session and you’ll improve much faster.
The quickest improvement you can make
Fix habit number one first. Folding more of the hands you shouldn’t play will do more for your game than any clever bluff. Then work through Level 2 — it’s built around exactly these leaks.
And remember: poker should be entertainment. Set a budget, take breaks and stop when it isn’t fun. Our responsible gambling page has practical tools if you need them.
#strategy#beginners#leaks
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