Ten Things to be Aware of

Players new to poker may have heard about all of the benefits of sit and goes. They may have heard that they are a good choice for beginners for a variety of reasons. While this is true, there are some common mistakes new players make that can be quite costly. By paying attention to these simple tips and pointers a new player can make sure that they don't make some of those common mistakes and save themselves the hassle of learning the hard way.
  1. New players tend to think about their hand alone. They get overly excited about the great hand they have and may never once think about the possible hands the other players have.
  2. New players will want to make sure they understand that Ace Jack, Ace ten, and King Jack are not really that great of hands. To many beginners these cards seem like prime cards. They even get excited when they see them. The truth is that they are really not all that great.
  3. Beginners also tend to make it a habit to chase the pot. You don't want to become attached to the pot simply because you have invested in it. Just because you have chips in there doesn't make it worth chasing after if you aren't holding a worthy hand.
  4. New players should learn fast that it is important to pay attention to other players, but don't be too quick to judge. You don't want to label someone as a bluffing player when he may have just had a few good consecutive hands.
  5. New players tend to put way too much into JJ, or even TT for that matter. The fact is the sooner a player realizes this hand is not as great as it may seem, the sooner they will do themselves a favor.
  6. Many new players make the mistake of minimum betting during the early stages of the game. If you are going to bet then you will do better doing so aggressively.
  7. New players also tend to get overexcited when they have THAT hand. They end up blowing the chance for themselves by not being able to contain themselves. Instead, play it smart and don't tip your hand.
  8. When new players find themselves short stacked they tend to try to make every hand work for them, this will work against them. Instead, choose your hand carefully and take advantage of the chance to double up.
  9. New players don't understand when to play tight and when to become aggressive. In sit and goes especially, players should start tight and end aggressively.
  10. New players want to make sure they pay attention to everything. They don't want to get so wrapped up in their own hands that they miss out on picking up on important things and chances to learn. Every hand can be an opportunity for a beginner to learn something and they should take advantage of this.