There are many people out there who believe poker, especially free poker online is a game solely based on luck.

Well, those of us who play know differently. Poker takes a lot of skill to consistently be the best at it. Those of us who’ve only learned the basics, often make little errors that will cost them the game - and blame bad luck.

Poker pros know all about this vast number of small errors and they know how to avoid them or “force” others into them. That’s why they’re pros!

Great hand “bad luck” mistakes:
Even if you have a great hand, it can all backfire if you don’t play the hand correctly. A pro knows how to play all the hands, they know when to fold, and when to make their move on you. PROFITABLE. Poker, even free poker online simply takes a lot of practice.

For example, say you pick up pocket aces on the button. A number of players have limped and it’s over to you to make a move.

You decide to just simply call with that many players already in the hand; who most likely have junk cards. This is your first mistake.

Sure it’s smart to slow play aces, but with this many players trying to limp for a flop with any 2 cards, it’s surely going to backfire on you. Well too late now, you’ve made your move.

The flop comes up 4-5-6. Everybody checks it to you, and you go all in; hoping to steal it, or what you think is ‘trapping.’ This is another big mistake.

You’ve already let this many players see a flop with junk; and what do you know, the flop is all junk cards set up to crack your aces. You end up getting called once and a third person re-raises all in. Now you’re in for it, even in free poker games this is harsh.

The second player calls and shows 2 pairs: 4s and 5s; the third player shows 7-8 for a straight. Darn! Now you’re basically drawing dead. You end up losing the hand and you’re sent home to cry in a corner over your ‘bad beat.’

You probably feel that AA losing to those types of hands is nothing more than luck and a big upset.

Well if so, you’re sadly mistaken. The player with AA in that situation made 2 crucial errors that cost him all of his chips in one hand. When you pick up such a strong hand, and there are that many players already involved prior to your turn; you need to make a move! Raise it up! Get rid of those 4-5 and 7-8 players and leave yourself with the face card players, hoping to get lucky.

Pocket aces may be the best starting hand pre-flop in Texas Hold’em, but if you play them incorrectly you’re surely going to get beat (and call it bad luck when it’s nothing of the sort)

Remember, the best cards don’t always win. Often, it comes down your skill and how you play the cards your given. The phrase “play your cards right” really has more than a ring of truth to it.

To win at poker and eliminate “bad luck” requires a consistent application of skill, knowledge and patience. Simply out, do the right thing time and time and tie again and good things will happen.

Nobody gets to the WSOP top table without making a lot of mistakes in their early days, just keep in mind that you “make your own luck.

Get started and play free poker games online A LOT and work it up from there and who knows where you may end up!