By Craig Frost (Owner of Madison Cards)
If poker was just about the cards, we’d all be millionaires by now.
But it isn’t. Poker is a cocktail of maths, psychology, patience, and — let’s be honest — keeping it together when there's money on the line.
Most players, especially beginners, lose more cash through avoidable mistakes than through bad luck. If you’ve ever muttered “the cards just weren’t with me tonight,” there’s a good chance it wasn’t the cards. It was you!
Here are the 10 biggest poker sins — and how to dodge them like a pro.
1. Playing Too Many Hands
The rookie special: sitting down and playing every single hand “because you’re here to have fun.” Spoiler: you’ll be “having fun” watching your chips vanish.
Be selective. Fold more. Wait for strong starting hands. It’s not sexy, but neither is going broke in the first half-hour.
2. Overvaluing Weak Hands
That pair of twos feels like gold… until the flop drops three overcards and someone else is grinning. Beginners cling to hands long after they should’ve been thrown away.
Rule of thumb: if the board tells a scarier story than your hand does, fold.
3. Ignoring Position
Where you sit matters. If you’re under the gun (first to act), you’re at a disadvantage. If you’re on the button (last to act), you’re king.
Play tight early, loosen up later. Think of position as your invisible weapon.
4. Forgetting the Math
Poker isn’t guesswork. It’s numbers. If you don’t know your pot odds and outs, you’re just gambling. And that’s fine — if you want to gamble.
But if you want to win? Learn the math. Daniel Madison has video tutorials that break this down without making your brain melt.
Check out the tutorials here
5. Letting Ego Drive Decisions
The underground rooms are full of heroes who can’t fold because they have to prove they’re the best. They almost always leave lighter than they arrived.
Poker isn’t about proving you’re clever. It’s about winning chips. Leave your ego at the door.
6. Not Protecting the Cards
Sloppy card handling is a dead giveaway. Flash your hole cards while peeling them up and suddenly half the table knows your hand.
Keep your grip tight. Use a card protector if you want. And for the love of the game — use decent poker cards. Casino-grade stock doesn’t bend or betray you like cheap paper decks.
7. Playing Without Chips (or Using Pennies)
There’s no rhythm to poker without chips. Coins, bottle tops, or IOUs kill the flow. Real poker chips create the tempo, weight, and theatre of the game.
Stack them, shuffle them, bet them — that’s half the fun.
8. Overcommitting Too Early
Shoving all-in with nothing but a draw might look cinematic, but in real games it’s usually suicide. Learn patience. Learn when to bluff. And more importantly — when not to.
9. Not Spotting Tells
Even in casual games, people leak information. The shaky hand. The heavy sigh. The way they suddenly sit up straight.
Learn to read these micro-moments, and you’ll start playing the people, not just the cards. Madison’s tutorials dig into this — including how to conceal your own tells.
10. Playing Without the Right Gear
You don’t need Vegas lights to run a proper poker night. But you do need the basics: solid cards, a good set of chips, and a dealer button so you don’t lose track.
Save yourself the hassle and grab a full poker set. Everything in one case. No excuses.
Final word
Poker is about minimising mistakes and maximising opportunity. Play fewer hands. Respect position. Protect your cards. Get the right gear. And remember: every chip saved is as valuable as every chip won.
The underground truth? Poker rewards the patient, the observant, and the disciplined. If you can master those three, you’re already ahead of most of the table.
Image: Stu Ungar Custom Poker Card Table Surface by Justin Valdez - other designs also available at madison.cards.