5 poker mistakes to review

A losing session does not, by itself, explain what went wrong. Review the decisions you made as well as the result. These five areas give you somewhere to start.

1. Fundamentals

Check whether you understand the rules, hand rankings and betting actions. Practise those basics before focusing on more complicated strategy.

2. Game selection

Know the format, stakes and opponents of a game before joining. Choose a game whose rules you understand and whose costs fit the amount you have set aside.

3. Strategy

Review why you called, folded, bet or raised. Consider the cards, pot and previous action rather than treating one result as proof that a decision was right or wrong.

4. Predictable play

Look for repeated patterns in your own decisions. If you always act the same way with a particular kind of hand, opponents may notice. Changes should have a reason rather than being random.

5. Reactions to variance

Individual results can differ from what you expected. Notice whether losing hands make you frustrated or change the way you play. Take a break when those reactions are affecting your decisions.