When they hit a set on the flop, for example, they automatically refuse to betray the strength of their hand, only checking or calling a bet. They try to get 'clever' by habitually playing their very strong hands slowly. You can and should delay the quick action of the game by waiting until it is your turn to act before you count out any chips you're going to use to call or raise a bet.īeginning and intermediate players often do this automatically. This is truly a 'newbie' mistake - getting ready to put in a bet when you have a good hand by getting the chips ready early. Counting chips in anticipation of betting Looking to the right so you can immediately find out when it is your turn to fold is just giving your opponents free information - not just about your weak hand, but about future strong hands when you fail to look. You do not want to reveal what you are going to do by showing any physical reaction to your cards, not until everyone who has yet to act before you has done so. Looking to the right when you know you're going to fold Seeing you aren't about to fold, they may figure you are strong and fold themselves, thereby depriving you of their money. While that may not matter to you in that particular hand - after all, you're folding - it could come back to bite you in future hands when your failure to act in this manner may prevent players with borderline hands from entering the pot. Showing early that you are readying to fold signals that you are weak to players who have not yet acted.

While you do not want to unnecessarily delay action, since the act of folding takes all of a micro-second there is no need for preparation. Many players get into the habit of lifting up their cards in anticipation of folding before it is their turn to act. Here is a list of 13 bad habits to avoid in order to help improve your game.

In my last column I identified 16 good poker habits to adopt.

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