We all have holes in our poker game. The key to being a profitable player is reducing the number of mistakes you make, and you do that by being able to quickly identify them, and learn how to fix them immediately.
Here is one of the most expensive Texas Hold'em mistakes you're probably making right now, which can significantly deteriorate your chances of being a consistently profitably player.
Mistake: Playing Too Many Hands
Starting hand selection will have a huge impact on profitability, especially while playing online, because everything is faster online. Most of the beginner and amateur players are too loose with choosing their starting hands. When you're at an 8-man or 10-man table, stick with playing premium hands.
Stop limping in with junk like K2 off-suit hoping to hit something. Any smart, decent Hold'em poker player will pickup on this and raise every time you're in a hand. They'll do this because they know you play junk. Even if you call the raise with your garbage hand, you only have about a 30% chance of hitting anything on the flop.
If you hit a King, you've got a weak kicker and can get into a lot of trouble. If you hit the 2, then you've still got a weak pair of twos. Unless you hit a set or two pair on the flop, which is unlikely, you are going to be in bad shape to a player betting into you and raising.
How To Fix This Mistake
The reason most people play too many hands is because they love the action. They love the adrenaline rush. They're bored and want to get involved. Don't get sucked into this because the blinds will bleed you dry.
If you want to win, you need to be patient. Truth is, a lot of the good poker players get bored, yes bored, when they play. Why do you think they wear MP3 players when they play. It helps them not get bored. When they get bored, then they want action, and patience goes out the door.
So what should you be playing? Well, that's a VERY open question because there are a lot of variables to consider. You need to think about the type of players you're playing against. Are they loose or tight? Are they aggressive or passive? What is your table image? Do players see you as loose or tight?
What is your position at the table? What is the chip distribution among the players at the table, ESPECIALLY the players right beside you? What is the skill level of the players at the table? Do you know what their breaking points are? In other words, do you know how much it will take to push them off a hand?
Do you have a good read on the players at the table? Do you know what their typical starting hands are? Are their hand selections too loose? How often do they bluff? How much do they usually bet when they bluff? Do they have any betting patterns?
The more of these questions that you can accurately answer, the less important your cards will be. You will begin playing the situation and the player, rather than strictly playing your cards. However, until you are able to accurately answer all of those questions, you NEED to stop playing garbage hands. They're damaging your bank account.