Did we just really say ruin? Well, yes… We did. But it’s because we want to caution you to avoid these common mishaps and mistakes the next time you find yourself at the poker tables. Losing money is never pretty, and a few bad plays in a poker tournament could spell the difference between a fortune and a famine.  

Bluff 100% of the time

Bluffing only really means something if you do it strategically, sometimes sparingly, and always effectively. As soon as you over-bluff, the more experienced players at the table will quickly initiate counter-bluffs, meaning they'll use your deception to benefit their own gameplay, taking your money and laughing all the way bank.

Never fold

No one likes folding, and in poker there tends to be a particular stigma around throwing in the towel for a particular hand. Nothing, in fact, could be further from the truth. The best poker professionals consistently agree that the key to a mature and seasoned poker player is strategic folding – knowing when to proceed and when to hold back. If your opening hole cards reveal a King and a 2, for instance, the consensus is that you should sit out that round and wait for greener postures up ahead. You could, of course, try and bluff you way throughout the entire round, but that's a very risky strategy especially if you do it too often.

Make unusually large bets on hot hands

This really is a dead giveaway to every other player sitting at the table that you have a good hand. You might as well just turn your cards over, face up, and say “Hey guys! Look at my straight flush… ain’t it amazing!”
You’re conflicted by two emotions here: you're likely to win the round, and so you want to ensure that the pot swells to as large a size as possible, giving you a greater potential portion of chips. But in doing so, you don't want to encourage players to fold because they suspect that your hand will be difficult to beat. The key here is restraint– make a bet big enough to bring a smile to your face, but not too big to scare others away, lest you be hoisted by your own petard.

Rush rush rush

Don’t allow yourself to be swept up in the current of the game. Make your own decisions, at your own pace, and in your own time. You might want to pause and consider your moves. This would be a form of chicanery and deception, but just as likely it’s because you’ll want to think through the consequences of your upcoming wager before you make it. Remember, the first and most respected rule of poker is that your first action or verbal declaration is binding. This means that you want to make your call deliberate and definite. Ignore other players who try and rush you–you could be playing for very large stakes, and no one should be able to jeopardize your chances of winning.

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