A poker fish is a player who’s either new to the game or not very good at it. Poker fish tend to make bad decisions pretty frequently. And they’re often sniffed out quickly by more experienced players who turn these mistakes into opportunities to net bigger pots.

Here is how you know if you are a poker fish…

• You play loads of hands. Poker fish don’t understand the importance of hand selection. Instead they play a wide range of starting hands, including those that they’re pretty unlikely to win with
• You chase draws. Poker fish tend to stay in the hand until the bitter end, even when it’s clear to see the odds are against them
• You call too much. Poker fish also call bets and raises frequently, even with weak hands. They can refuse to fold, leading to losing way more dosh
• You don’t have a strategy. Poker fish often lack a proper strategy and they might not even know the rules of the game
• You play with your emotions. Poker fish tend to play based on their emotions and can easily become frustrated (hello tilt) or over excited

Education is key. Start studying strategy books, add a couple of poker podcasts to your feed, visit poker news sites. Even if you just spend a few minutes every day doing some of these things, they can all really add up.

Another super important thing to keep in mind is to keep an eye on your gambling budget. This is important whatever way you wager, but in poker, bankroll management is a real art. Done correctly, it can help you stay disciplined and up your game. Make every cent work for you.

Playing tight is also a good idea when you’re figuring out how to escape from the land of the fish. Don’t play with any old trash. Instead wait until you get dealt a decent hand and capitalize on that power.

You should also pay attention to the position of play too. Fish often don’t take it into consideration where they’re playing. But indeed how you play, or what you play, is really governed by table position.

There are of course lots more ways you can take to improve your game, but this is a good jumping off point.

If you’re looking for an online poker room that can help you grow out of your fishy ways, you need somewhere with great quality software, excellent range of tables and a really decent selection of lower stakes tables. It’s always good to grind your way up, you see. One of our favorites at the moment is bet365. And with this bet365 bonus code, new players can certainly make a splash.