No Limit Texas Holdem has become the most popular poker tournament game in the world, boosted through such events as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour. They are also becoming popular in cash games and online poker rooms. Thus, many poker players want to play Texas Holdem but, more of then than not, they get ‘burned’ – simply because they never considered the fact that this is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an amateur’s game.

Playing Texas Holdem – whether limit or no-limit – requires discipline, the ability to ‘read’ opponents, the audacity to make calls and raises even with seemingly ‘poor’ hands, and the strength of character to fold when the situation calls for it.

The following are some common no-limit Texas Holdem mistakes.

Becoming Too Aggressive

Most beginners tend to go “aggressive” when playing – thinking that this means you must bet on every hand, call every challenge that comes your way and play the hand to its conclusion (which means they have to stick it out from pre-flop to the river). Nothing can be farther from the truth.

A key aspect in No-Limit play is to know, as the song goes, “when to hold on, when to fold up, when to walk away, when to run.”

The first lesson to be learned in No-Limit Holdem is that there is no shame in folding. This is one reason why the ability to “read” your opponents is an essential part of No-Limit plays. Even if you’re holding a decent hand (say Jd10d), you should be prepared to give up if you sense another player is holding pocket aces.

This is what ‘tight’ plays mean – you’re prepared to dump poor hands without a second thought. There is simply no percentage in trying to stick it out, hoping that the flop, turn or river will show the cards you need to win the pot – you’ll only be throwing your chips away as you scramble to come up with a ‘great’ hand when your opponent is already holding on to an Ace-High pair.

Playing Loose

This leads to another common beginner’s mistake – playing too many starting hands. The rule of thumb in No-Limit play is call on the pre-flop if you have truly decent hole cards – pocket Aces, Kings or Queens, for example. There are times when the temptation is too strong to call even when you’re holding 10-9 unsuited hole cards; fine, you may give in every once in a while but don’t make it a habit.

These are just a few of the common mistakes that you will make when you venture into the world of No-Limit Holdem. There really is no substitute for experience – however, if the ‘experience’ can be kept relatively painless, then everything is to the good.