No-Limit Hold’em is a game of incomplete information where small, repeated errors can have a massive impact on your long-term results. Elevating your game often starts not with learning complex new strategies, but with plugging the most common leaks. Here are three critical mistakes that countless players make, and how you can avoid them.

1. Playing Too Many Hands Pre-Flop

This is the number one mistake new players make. The desire for action is strong, but playing weak starting hands like K-5 offsuit or J-7 suited from early position is a recipe for disaster.

The Problem: When you play too many hands, you are often “dominated.” This means you’re likely up against a stronger hand that shares a card with you. For example, if you play A-4 and the flop comes A-K-8, you have top pair. But if your opponent plays A-Q, you are in a terrible spot and likely to lose a big pot.

The Solution: Be disciplined with your starting hand selection, especially from early positions. Build a range of strong hands (big pairs, high-card connectors like A-K, K-Q) and stick to it. As your position at the table gets better (closer to the button), you can start to open up your range and play more speculative hands.

2. Over-Valuing Top Pair with a Weak Kicker

You have A-6 in your hand, and the flop is A-9-2. You’ve hit top pair! It’s an exciting moment, but it’s also a dangerous one. Many players will go to war with this hand, unable to fold it no matter the action.

The Problem: A “kicker” is your second card. With A-6, your kicker is the 6. If another player also has an Ace, their kicker is likely to be better (A-J, A-Q, A-K). When you bet aggressively and get called, you are often paying off a better hand.

The Solution: Learn to control the size of the pot with marginal hands. On the A-9-2 flop, it’s fine to bet for value. But if an opponent starts raising you aggressively, you must seriously consider that your kicker is no good. Be willing to check and call instead of re-raising, and be prepared to fold if the board gets scarier or the action becomes too heavy.

3. Not Considering Position

Position is one of the most powerful advantages in poker. “Acting in position” means you are one of the last players to act in a betting round. “Out of position” means you are one of the first.

The Problem: When you are out of position, you have no information about what the players behind you will do. You might bet, only to be raised by one player and re-raised by another. When you are in position, you get to see everyone else’s actions before you have to make a decision.

The Solution: Play significantly tighter and more cautiously when you are out of position. Conversely, use your position as a weapon. When you are on the button, you can play a wider range of hands, bluff more effectively, and control the size of the pot because you have the ultimate advantage of information. Always ask yourself, “Where am I sitting?” before you decide to enter a pot.