Top 10 Traps to Avoid

1) Playing too many starting hands

Yes, some cards can be very pretty and yes you might get lucky but trust me, over time playing too many hands will cost you lots of money. This is probably the biggest trap many new players fall into.

For new players the best thing to do is only play the very best hands you’re dealt, these include: most pocket pairs, QJ, KJ, KQ, AJ, AQ and AK.

In certain situations other hands are playable but as a core set of hands these are the safest to play.

2) Limping with AK or a high pair

When you look at your table you may find some players who will just call with hands like AK or QQ+ pre-flop to try and trap their opponents.

This is mostly a big mistake, especially with QQ, because this hand can be ruined by two over cards on the flop. Even AA is very vulnerable against multiple opponents and because of this reason you should try to knock out at least the blinds with a raise.

There’s an old poker saying that applies here: “it’s better to be a raiser than a caller.” Don’t fall into the trap of playing passively and calling with your big hands, seize the initiative and raise it up.

3) Don’t get kicked in the nuts

A lot of players don't consider their kicker card and because of this they lose too much money. Playing hands which have a strong chance of being dominated (or out kicked) is trap which many new players fall into.

Often a kicker card will determine the winner of a hand, so next time you look down and find A2 or K6 ask yourself what’s the best that I’m hoping for with this hand?

If you flop an ace or a king you’re more than likely going to invest a lot of money only to find out your opponent has AK and their kicker means they win the pot.

4) Don’t be an Ace Hole

Closely related to trap number four is player’s inexplicable obsession with weak aces.

To put it simply rag aces with bad kickers are junk, rubbish, crap -- especially from early position. The amount of times you will flop an ace and lose out to a sensible player who has a strong kicker will be so high that it defies all sense to continue playing these hands.

Be strong and don’t get sucked into an ace hole.

5) Playing made hands passively

Lots of players love to slow play and at times it can be a very profitable strategy against a maniac but often times it can be a one way road to disaster.

Knowing when to slow play your hand is crucial, for example, if you hold a set on a very draw heavy board it is almost always incorrect to try and slow play your hand.

So many low stakes players love to call so why not keep betting and get maximum value from them? Don’t fall into the trap of playing your strong hand passively and then complaining when you either make no money or get outdrawn.

Make your opponents pay to beat you!

6) Falling in Love

For many people it's hard to throw their hand away even if they know that they are beaten.

For example: You hold two red Aces. The flop is 5-6-7, all clubs. The player who is first to act bets, gets called by one player and then is raised by another player before it gets back to you.

This is a situation where you’re very likely to be behind but because they're pocket aces, and people tend to fall in love with them, they don’t fold their hand.

Just because your hand was strong at one point in time it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever kick it to the curb.

7) Ignoring position

Some players only pay attention to their cards and the community cards; and ignore the implications of their position for strategic decisions completely.

The power of your hand increases significantly the closer to the button you get; so much so in fact, hands you would instantly fold under the gun become raising hands from the button.

A classic example is AT. This hand is a fold 9 times out of 10 when you’re under the gun but if you get dealt this hand in late position then it becomes a raising hand.

Making sure you don’t play weak hands out of position is critical to your success as a poker player. Remember: position is king.

8) Realizing when a table is no longer +ev

This is a simple mistake but one many players, even experienced one, make often. You should constantly be scanning your tables, and for each table, ask yourself: "Why am I here?”

Most of the time there will be a reason why you chose a particular table, hopefully it’s because you know there are a few fish spewing off chips like they are going out of fashion.

When the fish leave it’s time to re-evaluate your surroundings. Are there any fish left? Can I still make money on this table? These are the questions you should as yourself and if the majority of the answers are no, then move on to the next table.

9) Unfounded Bluffing

Because of some movies many players think bluffing is always the way to win. This is totally wrong.

Bluffing is only justified if there is a good chance that all your opponents will fold. You have to realize that especially at the lower limits, most players call way too much and don’t ever think about what your hand could be.

Never, ever try to bluff a fish because it will only come back to bite you.

10) Know when to quit

Frustration and tilt can affect even the most experienced players and a small losing session can turn into a soul destroying avalanche of money if you don’t know when to quit.

This is common yet subtle trap because you often don’t realize how bad things are getting until it is too late which is why it’s important to read the signs early.

Often players will take a few bad beats and this is when the body stiffens, the temperature rises slightly and red mist begins to descend.

Anytime you start to feel this happen it’s in your best interest to step away from the table and leave the game. Chasing losses can be a fatal error and it’s better to simply come back a fight another day.