Four Common Holdem Errors

Four Common Holdem Errors

Four Common Holdem Errors

David Sklansky's fundamental theorem tells us that money is made in poker because players make mistakes and when mistakes are made the player making them loses money to the player playing mistake free. Clearly, one doesn't need the best hand in holdem to win so mistakes come from elsewhere.

It is impossible to play holdem completely free of error. Weaker players, however, keep making the same mistake over and over again hoping for altered results. Stronger players learn to recognize their mistakes and correct them. Because of their powers of observation, sharp players learn to understand the mistakes made by their weaker opponents, exploiting those errors for profit. I discuss the four most normal errors below.

Mistake 1: Not Bluffing Enough

Bluffing is a lot like the Goldilocks story; bluff too much, bluff to little or find the range of bluffing that is just right. When a rock bets I generally give him credit for a hand because he doesn't bluff enough. When that same player checks to me post flop I tend to give him very little credit for a hand and will bet between half and three-quarters of the pot to price him out.

Mistake 2: Falling in Love with a Premium Pair

When one has an unimproved pair, even top pair or an overpair to the board, it is often a mistake to press on as this is a frail hand in holdem. Pressing on with only a pair, notably when challenged, is the height of folly. Aside from high card, pairs are the weakest hand possible in Holdem. While I would not be disappointed with taking the pot with an overbet to the pot versus a player whom I know overplays his big pairs, my object in betting is to build a larger pot. I often just smooth call against a player who overplays big pairs to see a flop. If I improve I will often punish my opponent. Hitting a set on the flop will regularly get me paid off and if I was playing a small pair I can get rid of it if I fail to connect.

Mistake 3: Underbetting the Pot

In no-limit holdem bettors are able to command the pot-odds with a appropriate bet size. If the flop comes textured to straight or flush draws, a bet of two-thirds the pot sets up pot odds of around 2:1, not the right price to chase a draw. Underbetting the pot largely gives me the right odds to call and so I almost always do. I only need to improve 1 out of 3 times to make money with a flush and 1 out of 4 times to make money with an open ended straight draw. Even with a gut-shot, I only need to improve 1 of 5 times to make money when I am getting the right price to call. Underbetting the pot almost always gives me the right price to call.

Mistake 4: Calling too Much

I rarely will bluff against a calling station. These are opponents who chase the miracle through the river, odds be damned. Bluffing against them is a huge mistake on my part so I resist the temptation. I will, however, value bet between one-third and half the pot if I am out of position to a calling station with anything above a pair.

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