Correct poker leaks

Stop calling too wide from the blinds. Many players lose money by defending with weak hands like suited connectors or low pairs out of position. Unless your opponents are overly passive, fold hands below Q9o or 55 from the small blind and below J8o or 44 from the big blind. Tightening your range here reduces post-flop mistakes.

Stop betting “just to see where you’re at.” Every bet should have a clear purpose–either to get worse hands to call or better hands to fold. If you can’t identify which hands will pay you off or fold incorrectly, check instead. This prevents unnecessary losses in marginal spots.

Stop ignoring bet sizing tells. Weak players often bet too small with strong hands (hoping for a call) or too large as a bluff (trying to scare you off). If an opponent suddenly changes their bet size, adjust your strategy. For example, a half-pot bet on the river after two larger bets usually indicates value, not a bluff.

Stop playing scared with strong hands. If you flop top pair or better, bet for value instead of slow-playing. Most players call too often, so you’ll miss chances to build the pot. Bet 50-75% of the pot on the flop and turn to charge draws and weaker pairs.

Stop overvaluing suited aces. Hands like A5s or A2s look tempting, but they win small pots and lose big ones. Unless stacks are deep, fold them from early positions and only open-raise from late position. Focus on high-card strength rather than hoping for flushes.

Fix Common Poker Leaks to Improve Your Game

Stop calling too many raises with weak hands. If you’re facing a preflop raise and your hand isn’t strong enough to 3-bet, folding is often better than calling. Marginal hands like suited connectors or low pocket pairs lose value against aggressive opponents.

Adjust Your Continuation Betting

Reduce c-betting on dry flops when you miss. If the board comes K-7-2 rainbow and you raised preflop with AQ, check more often. Your opponent likely didn’t hit either, and betting every time makes your strategy predictable.

Increase c-bet frequency on coordinated boards where you have range advantage. When you raise with broadway cards and the flop comes J-T-5, fire a bet–you have more strong combinations than your opponent.

Stop Overvaluing Top Pair

Fold top pair with weak kicker when facing multiple bets. Holding A8 on an A-5-2 board becomes dangerous if your opponent raises your flop bet and fires again on the turn. Most players don’t bluff enough in these spots to justify calls.

Pay attention to bet sizing tells. If a passive opponent suddenly makes a pot-sized bet on the river, they usually have it. Don’t talk yourself into hero calls without clear evidence of bluffing patterns.

Track your showdown losses. If you’re frequently losing with second pair or weak top pair, tighten up your calling ranges in those spots. Use tracking software to identify these leaks–most players underestimate how often they lose with medium-strength hands.

Stop overvaluing weak pairs post-flop

Fold weak pairs like bottom or middle pair when facing aggression on later streets, especially in multi-way pots. These hands rarely improve and often lose to stronger made hands or draws.

• Check-fold more on the turn: If you call a flop bet with second pair and face another bet on the turn, fold unless you have a strong read. Most players don’t double-barrel bluff with weak frequencies.
• Consider board texture: On wet boards (e.g., flush or straight draws), weak pairs lose value quickly. Even if you hit top pair, it could be dominated by a better kicker.
• Adjust to opponent tendencies: Against tight players, fold weak pairs immediately. Against aggressive opponents, consider floating only with backdoor equity.

Track how often your weak pairs win at showdown. If they show a loss over 100+ hands, tighten your post-flop calling range.

1. Identify spots where you called down with weak pairs and lost.
2. Replace those calls with folds or selective bluffs.
3. Test the adjustment for 10,000 hands and compare win rates.

Weak pairs work best as bluff-catchers in heads-up pots against loose opponents. In most other scenarios, they bleed chips.

Avoid calling too much in the blinds

Fold more often from the blinds, especially against early-position raises. Your positional disadvantage makes defending with marginal hands costly. A tight range reduces losses over time.

Defend with strong hands only

Call only with hands that play well post-flop, like suited connectors (65s+) or pocket pairs (77+). Avoid weak suited aces (A2s-A5s) and offsuit broadways (KJo, QTo) – they lose value out of position.

3-bet instead of calling with premium hands (AJ+, KQ, 99+). This builds pots when you have an edge and denies opponents initiative. A 15-20% 3-bet frequency from the blinds balances aggression.

Adjust to opponent tendencies

Against tight openers, fold more. Against loose players, widen your calling range slightly but still prioritize hands with post-flop potential. Track opponents who over-cbet flops – exploit them by calling more in position-aware spots.

When facing a small open (2x-2.5x), defend slightly wider but avoid speculative hands like J7s or Q8o. Stick to hands that can make top pair or better.

Blind defense leaks add up fast. Save 5-10bb/100 by tightening your range and focusing on high-equity hands.

Balance your 3-betting ranges in position

Build a 3-betting range in position that includes both strong hands and bluffs to keep opponents guessing. Aim for a mix of 60-70% value hands (like QQ+, AK) and 30-40% bluffs (suited connectors, Ax suited, or small pairs). This prevents opponents from exploiting you by folding too often or calling too wide.

Choose the right bluff candidates

Pick hands that block your opponent’s continuing range. For example, A5s blocks AA, AK, and AQ, making it a strong bluff candidate. Hands like KQo or JTs also work well–they have decent equity when called and can flop strong draws.

Adjust based on opponent tendencies

Against tight players, reduce bluffs and increase value hands. If facing a loose caller, add more suited connectors and weaker Ax hands to your bluffing range. Always observe how opponents react–if they fold too often, bluff more; if they call too much, tighten up.

Size your 3-bets consistently, usually 2.5x to 3.5x the original raise. Avoid varying sizes based on hand strength–this makes your strategy harder to read. Stick to a standard sizing unless exploiting a specific opponent’s weakness.

Stop bluffing against calling stations

Bluffing against calling stations burns money–they rarely fold, no matter how strong your story looks. Instead, focus on value betting strong hands and checking back marginal ones. These players pay off with weak holdings, so exploit them by making smaller, more frequent bets when you have it.

Identify calling stations early

Watch for players who call 60%+ of flops or refuse to fold weak pairs. Track their stats if using a HUD–look for high VPIP (Voluntarily Put $ In Pot) and low aggression frequency. If they rarely raise post-flop but call multiple streets, adjust immediately.

Simplify your strategy against them:

• Bluff less than 10% of the time–most calling stations won’t fold even to triple barrels.
• Thin value bet more–bet hands like top pair/weak kicker for two streets instead of one.
• Check back weak draws–semi-bluffs fail against players who call with ace-high.

Adjust bet sizing

Use smaller bets for value–they’ll call $20 just as often as $30 with second pair. Increase your bet frequency but decrease size (e.g., 50% pot instead of 75%). Save big bets for nutted hands when you’re certain they’ll pay.

Example: On a K-7-2 board, bet 40% pot with KQ instead of 70%. They’ll call with K5 or 77 anyway, so maximize profit over multiple streets.

Fix your bet sizing on wet boards

On wet boards, use larger bet sizes–around 75% to full pot–to charge opponents for drawing and protect your strong hands. Smaller bets invite too many calls, giving free equity to flush and straight draws.

Adjust sizing based on opponent tendencies

• Against passive players: Bet 60-70% pot to extract value without folding them out.
• Against aggressive regs: Go for 80-100% pot to deny equity and avoid check-raises.
• On paired boards: Reduce sizing to 50-60% if your range is weak (e.g., K72 with two hearts).

Polarize your bets on very wet textures like J♥T♥8♦. Overbet (120-150% pot) with nutted hands (sets, straights) and strong draws (open-ended + flush draws), but check weaker holdings.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Auto-betting 33% pot: This lets opponents call profitably with any draw.
2. Ignoring stack depths: Short stacks (under 50BB) should commit with bigger bets on turn/river.
3. Using same size for all wet boards: A 3-flush board (A♣7♣2♣) needs bigger bets than a 2-tone with connected cards (Q♦J♠9♦).

Track hands where opponents realize equity against you on wet boards. If they hit more than 25% of flush/straight draws, increase your flop bet sizing by 10-15%.

Fold more often to river raises

If your opponent raises you on the river, fold unless you have a strong hand or a clear read. Most players don’t bluff-raise rivers frequently, so calling too often burns money.

Track how often opponents show up with bluffs after raising the river. If they rarely do, tighten your calling range to top pair or better. Against tight players, even two-pair can be a fold if the board is scary.

Pay attention to bet sizing. A small river raise often means weakness, while a large one usually signals strength. Adjust accordingly–don’t call big raises with marginal hands hoping for a miracle.

Consider your opponent’s line. If they check-call flop and turn, then raise the river, they likely improved or had a strong hand all along. Don’t assume they’re bluffing just because they were passive earlier.

Bluff-catching is expensive. If you’re unsure, save those chips for spots where you’re confident. Over time, folding correctly to river raises will protect your stack and improve your win rate.

Stop open-limping from early position

Open-limping from early position (EP) is a losing play in most cash games and tournaments. It surrenders initiative, reduces fold equity, and invites multi-way pots with weak hands. Instead, raise or fold from EP to maintain control.

Why limping from EP fails

Limping allows players behind to isolate with strong hands or squeeze, putting you in tough spots. Hands like A9o or KJo lose value when limped–they perform better as folds or raises. Passive play from EP also leaks chips against aggressive opponents who punish limpers.

In 6-max cash games, open-limping reduces your win rate by 3-5bb/100 compared to a raise-or-fold strategy. Tournaments see similar leaks, as limped pots increase variance without improving equity.

Better alternatives

Tighten your EP opening range to ~12-15% of hands (e.g., 77+, ATo+, KQo, suited broadways). Raise 2.5-3x to discourage calls and define your range. If stacks are shallow (under 25bb), consider shoving with premium hands instead of limping.

Fold marginal hands like suited connectors or weak aces from EP unless stack depths justify speculative play. Multi-way pots with these hands often lead to costly mistakes post-flop.

Track hands where you limp from EP and review spots where raising or folding would yield better results. Most players find they lose less by folding and win more by raising.

Adjust your continuation betting frequency

Continuation betting (c-betting) too often or too rarely leaks money. Target a 60-70% c-bet frequency on dry flops and 40-55% on wet boards. Dry flops (e.g., K72 rainbow) favor aggression–your preflop range connects better than your opponent’s. On wet flops (e.g., J98 two-tone), check more often unless you hold strong equity or a range advantage.

Use board texture to decide when to c-bet:

Flop Type	Optimal C-bet %	Example
Dry (no draws, low cards)	65-75%	A83 rainbow
Moderate (one draw, high cards)	55-65%	KQ6 with a flush draw
Wet (multiple draws, coordinated)	40-50%	T98 two-tone

Against tight opponents, increase c-bets–they fold too often. Versus calling stations, c-bet only with strong hands or draws. If your c-bet gets raised frequently, tighten your betting range or check more marginal hands.

Balance your c-betting range by mixing in bluffs with backdoor equity. Hands like A5o on a Q72 flop can semi-bluff, while complete air (e.g., 43o) should usually check. On turn and river, reduce c-bets unless you improve or maintain pressure on weak opponents.

Track your c-bet stats in tracking software. If your success rate drops below 45%, you’re likely betting too wide. Adjust based on opponent tendencies–some players overfold to flop bets but call too much on later streets.

Q&A

How do I stop calling too much in poker?

Calling too often is a common leak. Focus on folding weaker hands, especially when facing aggressive bets. Pay attention to your opponent’s tendencies—if they rarely bluff, calling with marginal hands is usually a mistake. Tightening your calling range will save chips and improve your win rate.

Why do I keep losing with strong starting hands?

Strong starting hands like AK or QQ can still lose if played poorly post-flop. Avoid overcommitting with them on bad boards. If the flop doesn’t improve your hand and your opponent shows aggression, consider folding instead of chasing. Adjust your play based on the texture of the board and your opponent’s actions.

What’s the biggest mistake in bluffing?

The biggest bluffing mistake is doing it too often or against the wrong opponents. Bluffs work best when you target players capable of folding and when the board favors your story. If your opponent calls a lot, bluff less. Pick better spots instead of forcing bluffs.

How can I improve my bet sizing?

Good bet sizing depends on the situation. Small bets work for value in multiway pots, while larger bets protect strong hands against draws. On dry boards, smaller bets can still get called by weaker hands. Avoid always betting the same amount—adjust based on the board and your opponent’s tendencies.

Why do I struggle in late tournament stages?

Late tournament play requires adjusting to shorter stacks and increasing blinds. Many players fail by playing too tight or too recklessly. Steal blinds when folded to you, but avoid unnecessary risks. Watch stack sizes—yours and your opponents’—to make better decisions about when to push or fold.

How do I stop calling too often with weak hands?

A common leak in poker is over-calling with marginal hands, especially in early or middle position. Focus on tightening your range—only call with hands that have clear value or strong drawing potential. If you’re unsure whether your hand is strong enough, folding is usually the better choice. Pay attention to opponents’ tendencies; if they’re aggressive, calling light becomes even riskier.

Why do I lose money when I hit top pair but weak kicker?

Top pair with a weak kicker (like A8 on an A-5-2 board) often leads to losing big pots. The problem isn’t the pair itself but overvaluing it against strong opponents. If facing heavy aggression, consider folding unless you have a read that your opponent is bluffing. Avoid stacking off with weak kickers unless the pot odds justify the risk.

How can I improve my bluffing frequency?

Bluffing works best when it tells a believable story. If the board favors your perceived range, bluff more often. For example, if you raised preflop and the flop has high cards, a continuation bet makes sense. But don’t bluff just for the sake of it—pick spots where opponents are likely to fold, like dry boards or tight players.

What’s the biggest mistake in bankroll management?

Playing at stakes too high for your bankroll is a major leak. A good rule is to have at least 20-30 buy-ins for cash games and 50-100 for tournaments. If you drop below that, move down in stakes. Chasing losses by jumping into higher games almost always leads to bigger losses.

How do I avoid tilt after a bad beat?

Tilt often comes from focusing too much on short-term results. Accept that bad beats happen—they’re part of poker. If you feel frustrated, take a short break. Review hands logically later instead of reacting emotionally in the moment. Sticking to a solid strategy helps prevent tilt-driven mistakes.

How can I stop calling too much with weak hands in poker?

One of the biggest leaks in poker is over-calling with marginal or weak hands. To fix this, focus on hand selection and position. Fold more often from early positions and avoid calling raises with hands that have little potential to improve. Pay attention to your opponents’ tendencies—if they’re aggressive, calling light becomes even riskier. Tightening your calling range will save chips and reduce unnecessary losses.

Why do I keep losing money in late-stage tournaments despite having a big stack?

Losing with a big stack often comes from playing too passively or failing to adjust to shorter stacks. When you have chips, apply pressure by raising and re-raising more frequently, especially against medium and short stacks. Avoid letting opponents see cheap flops, and don’t be afraid to bully smaller stacks when they’re likely to fold. However, avoid reckless plays—stay aware of stack sizes and ICM implications to avoid costly mistakes.

Reviews

James Carter

*”So, after folding the 72o for the 100th time today, I suddenly feel enlightened—or maybe just sleepy. Anyone else ever bluff all-in on a gutshot, then realize you forgot to check your cards? Or is that just my secret strategy?”*

NeonButterfly

“Ladies, do you ever catch yourself calling too often with weak draws, hoping for magic? Or maybe overfolding when the pressure’s on? I’ve been there—heart racing, chips slipping. But what tiny adjustments made the biggest difference for you? A tighter preflop range? Tracking those sneaky tilt moments? Share your ‘aha!’ fixes—I’d love to steal them! 💕” (304 chars)

Michael

“Stop blaming luck—your leaks are fixable. Overfolding turns? Call wider. Chasing draws without odds? Fold. Tilt after bad beats? Breathe. Track hands, spot patterns, adjust. Small edges compound. Play sharper, not harder. Profit follows discipline. No magic, just math and mindset. Fix one leak at a time. You got this.” (337 chars)

Olivia

Oh, this is such a fun read! I’ve always loved how poker blends logic and intuition—it’s like solving a puzzle while reading people. Spotting leaks in your own game feels oddly satisfying, like finding hidden wrinkles in a strategy you thought was smooth. The bit about overvaluing suited connectors made me laugh because I’ve totally been there, chasing pretty cards instead of playing smart. And folding more? Ugh, hardest habit to break, but so true. It’s wild how small tweaks (like paying attention to position) can quietly transform your results. Makes me want to grab a deck and test these ideas with friends—maybe finally stop blushing when they call my bluffs! 😄

Charlotte

Ugh, another poker advice thing. Like, who even has time to memorize all these “leaks” and fixes? I just play for fun, and all this talk about ranges and pot odds makes my head spin. Why can’t I just fold when I feel like it and call when my gut says so? And all those charts and graphs—seriously, who brings a calculator to a poker game? It’s supposed to be fun, not a math test. Plus, half the time, the guy spouting all the “correct” plays ends up losing anyway. Maybe luck matters more than these so-called experts admit. Just let me enjoy my game without overcomplicating everything!

**Male Nicknames :**

“Nice to see someone break down poker leaks without overcomplicating things! Spotting small mistakes in my own play feels like finding hidden treasure—each fix adds up over time. I used to call too wide from the blinds, but tightening up there saved me so many chips. And paying attention to bet sizing? Game-changer. Little adjustments make big differences, and it’s cool to see progress without needing flashy moves. Keep it simple, stay patient, and the wins follow. Good stuff!” (137 symbols)

FrostByte

**”Many players lose money by calling too often postflop. Fold more when you miss the board, especially against tight opponents. Overvaluing weak pairs is another leak—don’t stack off with second pair unless you’ve got a strong read. Bluffing without equity rarely works; semi-bluff with draws instead. Pay attention to bet sizing. Small bets invite calls, so size up for value when you’re ahead. Finally, tilt control matters. Quit after three bad beats—revenge plays wreck win rates.”** (746 chars)

Ava

*”Oh please, another ‘fix your leaks’ spiel? Half of you still don’t even know what a real leak looks like. You’ll nitpick your c-bet frequency while stacking off with second pair like it’s 2005. Newsflash: your ‘tight-aggressive’ style is just passive with extra steps. You fold rivers like a scared squirrel because ‘pot odds,’ but your preflop ranges are a joke—congrats on exploiting the fish… in your dreams. And don’t get me started on ‘balance.’ You’re not GTO wizards, you’re rec players cosplaying as crushers. Fix leaks? Start by admitting you’re the leak. Then maybe, just maybe, you’ll stop punting stacks with ‘standard’ plays that haven’t been standard since Black Friday.”* (298 characters)

Anthony

Poker’s a game of cold math wrapped in human chaos. Most leaks aren’t mysteries—just lazy habits dressed up as bad luck. Overfolding blinds, chasing gutshots like they’re rent due, or turning every marginal hand into a hero call. The fix? Stop romanticizing your gut. Track your stats, spot the patterns, and kill the ego before it bleeds your stack. Profit hides in the boring spots: folding more, bluffing less, and knowing when to walk away from a “cool” play. The table doesn’t care about your story. Only the chips count.

Alexander Mitchell

Ah, poker leaks – the silent killers of your bankroll. You call too much, bluff like a toddler negotiating bedtime, and tilt harder than a washing machine with a brick inside. Newsflash: if your ‘poker face’ is just you sweating into your chips, it’s time to fix this mess. Stop treating every hand like it’s your last meal—fold more, whine less. And for the love of Doyle Brunson, stop blaming the river when your pre-flop play was a train wreck. Tighten up, think twice, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll stop donating your rent money to that smug guy in sunglasses.

Evelyn Clark

You know, sometimes it feels like no matter how hard you try, the cards just don’t fall right. You fold the obvious bluffs, count the odds, but still end up staring at the same old losses. Maybe it’s not luck. Maybe it’s the little things—the way you chase straights too often, or how tilt sneaks in after one bad hand. Those tiny leaks add up, slow and quiet, like water wearing down stone. Fixing them won’t make you invincible. But it might make the game hurt less. And sometimes, that’s enough.

StarlightDream

Oh, *wow*—who knew folding your garbage hands and not crying over every bad beat could actually *help* your poker game? Groundbreaking. But sure, let’s all pretend we’ve *never* shoved all-in with 7-2 offsuit “for the lolz” and then wondered why our bankroll looks like a sad, deflated balloon. And yes, tracking your leaks instead of blaming “rigged” decks? *Genius.* Almost as if noticing you lose 80% of pots when you play suited connectors from early position *might* mean you should, I dunno… stop doing that? But hey, keep telling yourself variance is out to get you—it’s *definitely* not the fact that you call three streets with middle pair and then act shocked when they show up with the nuts. Honestly, the real power move is pretending you’ll study ranges later while secretly hoping your next bluff works because “they *have* to fold this time.” Spoiler: they won’t. But sure, fix those leaks—or just keep donating your rent money to the regs. Your call, sweetie. ♡

WildflowerX

“Ever notice how some hands just feel *off* but you call anyway? Like, your gut screams fold, but you hate seeming weak. Or do you over-bluff when bored, then panic if someone stares too long? I do. And tilt after a bad beat—ugh. How do you stop replaying mistakes instead of adjusting? Tell me it’s not just me.” (347 chars)

**Female Names and Surnames:**

Oh wow, another *brilliant* guide on how to “fix” poker leaks—because clearly, the solution to my crippling tilt after losing with pocket aces for the third time tonight is to *checks notes* “balance my ranges.” Groundbreaking. Sure, let me just magically stop overvaluing suited connectors when I’m three margaritas deep at 2 AM. And yes, I’ll definitely start folding top pair to some rando’s min-raise like a disciplined robot, because *that’s* why I play poker—to suppress all human instinct for the sake of +2 BB/100. But my favorite part? The smug assumption that everyone just *forgets* to c-bet flops or *accidentally* calls down with second pair. Honey, I know it’s a leak—I just don’t care. Sometimes the dopamine hit of hero-calling with queen-high is worth the EV loss. And let’s be real, half these “leaks” are just code for “you’re not a soulless GTO drone.” Newsflash: if poker were purely math, we’d all be bots. But last I checked, humans still bluff shove river with air because it’s *fun*. So yeah, I’ll keep punting stacks with 72o for the meme. Maybe *that’s* the real leak—taking advice from people who think poker is a spreadsheet.

Oliver Harrison

Hey, you mention adjusting bet sizing with weak hands—but how do you balance that without becoming predictable? Do you stick to strict ranges or mix in some deceptive plays to keep opponents guessing?

BlazeFury

“Hey, you claim fixing leaks boosts win rates—but how do you spot them without hindsight bias? If I fold too much to aggression, is it really exploitable or just bad luck? And if I adjust, won’t regs just adapt and exploit *that*? Seems like chasing perfection just makes you predictable. What’s your move when ‘fixing’ one leak opens another?” (645 chars)