How to Lose at Online Poker

With so many articles out there on winning online poker, how about one that deals with losing at online poker.  Well, if you pay attention to these rules of how to lose at online poker, you probably stand a much better chance of winning by avoiding these pitfalls.   Remember to hone your skills at StraightFlush.com

Don't play for second…chasing a straight with a draw flush on the board 

Regardless of the game, two things that players (even experienced players) do all the time, is call on a weak pair, and call on a draw straight with a draw flush showing on the board. 

Winning poker players almost universally play tight aggressive poker, and although deceptive play may make them look a little looser than they actually are, these players play to win…or they just don’t play. 

Chasing a low pair…everyone's going to love you 

A low pair almost never takes a pot, and unless you've got an ace kicker, you should pretty much forget about chasing a low pair even to the flop. This is a sure fire way of losing at online poker.  But a less obvious mistake (but still pretty obvious when you think about it!) is chasing a straight when you see a draw looming on the board. 

Flush beats a straight…why too many players throw their money away 

First of all, if it's an inside straight…what are you doing?!? Your four outs against the odds of someone making a winning flush makes continuing to chase a belly straight a very foolish play. But even if it's an outside straight that you seek, if you see a draw flush on the board, you’re going to lose more money than you'll ever win trying to steal the pot with aggressive loose play. 

You have to get your draw, and you also need your opponent to fail to draw. You need to see two conditions occur before you have a chance to take that pot. Simple pot odds no longer apply to your decision to draw, unless you can double the odds and it's still a good bet (but you'd need to see a pretty massive pot for those pot odds to ever work in your favor). 

Smart players only bet when they've got the best hand, or the best draw hand, and when you see a flush on the board, 2 out of 3 times, that straight you're chasing isn't going to be enough. 

There are no prizes for a strong second in poker!

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Byron Badd with Payton O'Brien introduction

Originally published September 11, 2007