What common mistakes should new players watch for?

Ok, so I'm switching over to NLHE from VP primarily because your bankroll for tournaments needs to be a lot less and I just gamble for cheap entertainment...don't need to win a ton of money (and in the process risking a lot). For this reason, not really interested in cash games.

That being said, I'm reading Harrington's book (actually 3/4 of the way through but now that I've played several tournaments online through Bovada for micro stakes I'm going to go back and re-read from the beginning so it sticks more), but I'm wondering regardless of whether you study strategy or not what are the most common mistakes a new player makes that they should be conscious of and watch out for?

For example, I tend to play relatively conservative in the early stage of the tournament. If it's 34 unsuited, it's a no brainer to fold, but when it gets to something like 10J suited it's marginal enough that I'm not sure whether to toss it or stay in. I know it absolutely depends on the betting tendencies of the players around you, since online you can't read tells, as well as your position, but it makes me wonder if perhaps one mistake I'm making is playing too conservatively (or maybe too liberal if I stay in since 10J in most situations is very shaky unless you can limp into the pot).

I've cashed in 2/3 of the tournaments I've played in so far, although far from getting in top 5, which makes me wonder if I'm either playing too conservatively to start which bleeds my stack down enough that I'm boxed in later in the tourny, so I cash but have no chance of winning, or if I'm playing well enough to cash but not making enough correct betting decisions to build up a deep stack to survive to endgame. I also rarely shove, especially pre-flop, so not sure if that's part of my problem.

Just looking for advice on what I should watch out for, try to work on actively, etc. Thanks!

IMHO, if you're able to cash at a tourney, then you are doing something right. Let's start with the obvious. A lot of tourneys allow rebuys, so you have to make it through the first few rounds where you get a mix of ultra-tight and ultra-loose players. Some idiot will play that 2/3 suited hand on an all in and will either get very lucky winning 1% of the time or lose 99% of the time.

So now you're wondering where you stand the moment you start to cash, but you're still far away from being in the top 5. This starts to get tricky since everyone who has made it this far is a pretty good player. Dumb luck only gets you so far (and believe me, its a long game). Some tournaments will indicate what the remaining average chip stack is per player. This is a really good but distracting yardstick.

If you cash and are in say the top 100 or whatever the magic number is, and you're falling behind the average chip stack significantly, you will have no choice but to be more aggressive. Waiting around for the right cards could bleed you dry, and certainly any action you get might only get you back to even or the avg stack again.

I hope that all makes sense. The most important consideration is analyzing how other people around you are playing. You try your best to control as many variables as possible. Sometimes lady luck is a sweet fine catch and sometimes she's a cold hearted killer.

Playing the wrong game is a good one. Most folks try TH-NL. Its a fashion well-worn by very few. IMHO give the "other" games like Omaha-8, Razz, Lowball, etc. a chance. I know a guy that dropped a large wallet in TH-NL, only to have it returned playing Razz and Omaha-8 (and better at the latter). He's cashed in a few (not this year... didn't see him on entries) WSOP O-8 events... final table twice.

So while at this low level, check the other games too.

My advice would be to not play online.

Live poker is very, very different than micro stakes, or even small stakes online. Players behave differently when they do not feel like an all-in is significant, and when they don't have to worry about tells. There is also the possibility of collusion amongst your unseen opponents. I haven't read Harrington's book, but is it about online or live play?

Quote: scubatim84

...That being said, I'm reading Harrington's book ... For example, I tend to play relatively conservative in the early stage of the tournament. If it's 34 unsuited, it's a no brainer to fold, but when it gets to something like 10J suited it's marginal enough that I'm not sure whether to toss it or stay in ...

lol you're definitely reading Harrington's book. J-10 suited is a mecca for some other pro's whom would often praise raising on this hand preflop, let alone calling. So long as I wasn't short stacked, I don't think I would ever in my life fold J-10 suited for just the blind.

Quote: scubatim84

I know it absolutely depends on the betting tendencies of the players around you, since online you can't read tells, as well as your position, but it makes me wonder if perhaps one mistake I'm making is playing too conservatively (or maybe too liberal if I stay in since 10J in most situations is very shaky unless you can limp into the pot).

You're very conservative, I can tell you that.

Quote: scubatim84

I've cashed in 2/3 of the tournaments I've played in so far, although far from getting in top 5, which makes me wonder if I'm either playing too conservatively to start which bleeds my stack down enough that I'm boxed in later in the tourny, so I cash but have no chance of winning, or if I'm playing well enough to cash but not making enough correct betting decisions to build up a deep stack to survive to endgame. I also rarely shove, especially pre-flop, so not sure if that's part of my problem.

Just looking for advice on what I should watch out for, try to work on actively, etc. Thanks!

Well done on the cash's. Tournament play is a different beast than cash games. In tournament play stack sizes can often dictate action. One thing, so long as your stack size isn't too short, when you get near the "bubble" (one or two spots before you actually cash) you should be more aggressive... As most players are just trying to sneak in to the money and will fold more often, even when they shouldn't.

Personally, once I hit the bigger cashes, I play to win, not move up the bracket and cash more... So again this involves being more aggressive at the right time (I'm not promoting blindly firing away). So I guess I'm again kind of trying to say, don't be too conservative!

Don't bleed your chips away slowly. Pick your spots where you feel you have the best hand and apply pressure. THIS, in my opinion, is the 'skill' involved with poker. You might pick the wrong spots now since you're newer, but you'll learn and use that experience overtime to consistently put your money in ahead, and that's all the matters in the long run.

You still might need a sizable bankroll. I once had a YEAR long losing streak where I was getting my money in good the vast majority of the time. Sometimes variance just doesn't let you win. This is why in my above statement I said all you can hope to do is get your money in when you're ahead, in the long run =).

If you don't get caught bluffing every now and then, you're not playing the game right. When you bluff you have 2 ways to win (they fold, or you get lucky). This is why semi-bluffing (raising on flush draws/etc) is a powerful tool in any NL players belt.

End game is all about stack size and pressure. If you're the big stack you need to be raising a LOT more often. Don't let the others slowly build up a stack that could rival you by picking up the blinds/antes. Make them earn it by re-raising the guy whom has more chips than them and could knock them out.

One of the easiest/most powerful things to do that I often don't see newbies doing... Reconstruct/Replay the hands action in your head when making a big decision. When you put someone on a hand, think back to pre-flop, the flop, etc, and see if that hand makes sense for the actions the other player did. This quite often makes other players hands VERY obvious, but then you'll call them down and they'll be like "omg how did you know I was bluffing?"

I would also recommend you read Doyal Brunson's book "Super System." It will be much, much different from Harrington's style, but then hopefully you can see the two polar opposites (Brunson is all about putting a man at a decision for all of his chips - i.e. super aggressive). Hopefully when you see both sides you can find your own happy median wherever you think you should fall.

Last bit of advice: The old saying is correct... It takes a second to learn, and a lifetime to master.

Quote: Romes

You're very conservative, I can tell you that.
.

AND that's ok for a new players.

I recommend playing .10 .25 NL cash games online to learn. Buy in for $50 or whatever it is and play conservative or tight aggressive.

Very few people at that limit take notice that you haven't really played a hand in 30 minutes. You can wait for big hands, push and still get action. Oftentimes AQ is a auto call from the other players, especially if they have already raised.

First always categorize the other players personalities at the table (loose aggressive, loose, tight, maniac etc etc.) notice if they are straightforward or tricky

Ask yourself... what is the player capable of? (is he capable of bluffing or trapping)

it's best to stay away from tricky players if you can. definitely get on their left if possible. passive players you want them to your left.

as for PREDICTABLE maniacs, you want them on your left.

Quote: AxelWolf

AND that's ok for a new players.

I recommend playing .10 .25 NL cash games online to learn. Buy in for $50 or whatever it is and play conservative or tight aggressive.

Very few people at that limit take notice that you haven't really played a hand in 30 minutes. You can wait for big hands, push and still get action. Oftentimes AQ is a auto call from the other players, especially if they have already raised.

First always categorize the other players personalities at the table (loose aggressive, loose, tight, maniac etc etc.) notice if they are straightforward or tricky

Ask yourself... what is the player capable of? (is he capable of bluffing or trapping)

it's best to stay away from tricky players if you can. definitely get on their left if possible. passive players you want them to your left.

as for PREDICTABLE maniacs, you want them on your left.

Good stuff, I'll check out that other book. Harrington recommended Sklansky's book too...is that a good one for tournament play? I'm honestly not very interested in cash games. I really like tournaments but just have no interest at all in cash games. Maybe if it was live I would but online I dunno if its collusion or dumb luck but seems like the scrubs who constantly just play like idiots always win every hand.

Quote: 98Clubs

Playing the wrong game is a good one. Most folks try TH-NL. Its a fashion well-worn by very few. IMHO give the "other" games like Omaha-8, Razz, Lowball, etc. a chance. I know a guy that dropped a large wallet in TH-NL, only to have it returned playing Razz and Omaha-8 (and better at the latter). He's cashed in a few (not this year... didn't see him on entries) WSOP O-8 events... final table twice.

So while at this low level, check the other games too.

Agreed. If your local casino offers 7-card stud you should REALLY give that a go if you want to play poker for cheap. 7-stud is a game where you can sit down, have a beer, and watch whatever sporting event is on TV to, NL holdem is way too hardcore for me. I do play 3-6 pot limit holdem a lot, give that a try if you can't get 7-stud in your town.

I wrote a lengthy article on this subject.

Find it here:

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/poker/7713-introduction-to-poker-in-a-casino-poker-room/