Just a few weeks ago, I was playing poker online as usual when I met several interesting players. They were playing poker aggressively, each using distinct playing style so I know that they are different people, and repeatedly make a beginner mistake. They are actually pretty good in playing their hands, but they always make this one classic mistake: calling a bet when they know they have no chance of winning.

Out of curiosity, I tested just how far they are willing to go. I was holding a Four of a Kind at one point, and I raise the bet to $100. There were three players I was watching closely, and they all called the bet. After the river, my hand is showing solid win. I raise the bet again by the same amount and they all called. The showdown revealed my Four of a Kind, and the best hand among the three players is a Two Pair of Kings and 8s.

Logically, I would call a bet if I have a strong Two Pair. However, with only a single pair openly dealt on the table and a not-so-good kicker, there is no point in spending additional $100, right? After several times of testing – and getting similar results even in worse conditions – I came to conclude that they are making the beginner mistake I mentioned earlier; the move is not part of a certain poker strategy at all. The moral of this story? Know when to quit and when to push forward; you will be much more profitable in no time at all. If you are looking for somewhere new and exciting to play, check out OCK for some great comparisions of all the biggest names in online gambling.

A lot of new poker players I found online seem to make irrational decisions all the time, including going all-in pre-flop with a hand of unsuited 7-2. This is due to the lack of understanding and love for the game as well as lack of focus. Focus is very important whenever you play poker, since there are continuous analysis and constant situation assessing to do.

The first rule of thumb is to never play poker when you are drunk. You will quickly lose control over your judgments whenever you get drunk, decreasing your capabilities in playing poker substantially. I once suspected that those new poker players going all-in with 7-2 before even seeing the flop are actually drunk.

Next, always make sure you have a game plan. It is not hard at all to formulate your own poker game plan, especially if you have read many poker resources such as the one you are reading right now. Having proper game plan will allow you to make quick decisions, often final ones, when they count.

Make sure you play close attention not only to your own hand but also to your opponents’. You need to be able to assess the relative strength of your hand, and therefore you need to predict your opponents’ hands based on their movements and possible tells.

When you play at brick and mortar poker rooms, you need to also focus on concealing tells. Don’t leak information to your opponents if you want to win a lot of pot cash.

I once struggled to deal with emotional spikes whenever I play poker. After a certain amount of experiments, I found out that there are certain tricks that can help any poker player manage their emotions and stay objective when assessing the situation; I’m going to share those tricks in this article.

The first thing you need to do is try to avoid emotional spikes. If you are playing at too high of a stake, one that is larger than 1% or 2% of your poker bankroll, it is very easy to go on tilt and be in an emotional state after losing a hand or two. Avoiding this kind of hazard can be done easily by choosing the right stake and playing level to engage.

When you do face bad beats and you feel emotional, always consider leaving the table. Playing while your judgments are clouded is not the wisest thing to do in poker. You can quickly lose more money, which can lead to even worse emotional impacts for sure. You can always return to recover your losses later once you are calm.

Last but certainly not least, always use calming aspects to help you control emotional spikes. This trick can be applied easily when you play poker online. Simply light your favorite aromatherapy candle, listed to some soothing tunes, and keep in mind that losses can be recovered easily when you maintain your focus.

Now that you have all the tricks to help you, start playing poker immediately and be a better poker player in no time.