🧢 Top 10 Rookie Mistakes

Let’s be real—everyone’s been the new guy at the poker table at some point. You sit down, heart pounding, chips stacked, trying to look cool while secretly wondering if you’re about to embarrass yourself harder than that one uncle at Thanksgiving who always goes all-in on a 7-2.

We got you.

Here are the Top 10 Rookie Mistakes we see all the time at Deuces Wild—and how to avoid looking like a deer in the card room headlights.

 1. Playing Every Hand

You’re not in Vegas on a sugar rush—folding is part of the game. If your hand is trash, just let it go. Playing every hand is like betting on every horse in a race—you might win something, but you’ll definitely lose more.

 2. Chasing Every Draw

“I’m one card away from glory!” Sure, and we’re one lightning strike from becoming superheroes. Know the odds before you commit your whole stack chasing a miracle.

 3. Showing Your Cards (Literally or Emotionally)

Keep your cards—and your face—on lockdown. Grinning when you hit a flush or sighing when you miss a draw is basically yelling “Hey everyone! I’m new!”

 4. Not Paying Attention

Watching TikToks at the table? Scrolling Facebook? Cool, now you missed the action, it's your turn, and the table hates you. Respect the game. Stay present.

 5. Stacking Chips Like a Jenga Tower

We get it—you won a pot. But stacking your chips into a skyscraper is just asking for disaster. Keep it tidy and easy for the dealer and other players to read.

 6. Talking About the Hand in Play

Poker rule #1: don’t narrate the action unless you’re Mike Sexton (RIP legend). Talking while others are playing can give away info or ruin the vibe. Zip it.

 7. Over-Betting or Under-Betting Weirdly

Don’t bet $500 into a $20 pot. Don’t toss in $2 on a $100 showdown. Learn the flow of betting—your stack (and respect) depends on it.

 8. Showing Bluffs to Seem Cool

You bluffed. It worked. Cool. But showing your bluff is like revealing your magic trick—fun once, but ruins the mystery long-term.

 9. Telling Bad Beat Stories

Nobody wants to hear about the time your pocket aces got cracked in 2016. Save it for your group chat, not the table.

 10. Forgetting It’s a Game

Yes, poker has money involved. But we’re all here to have fun, sling chips, and maybe take home a little bragging rights. Don’t be that guy.

 
Bonus Tip: Come hang at Deuces Wild and you’ll pick up the ropes quick. The community’s friendly, the games are real, and we’ll even forgive your first Jenga-chip tower.

Want more tips, tricks, and tales from the felt? Follow us on Facebook or swing by and play a hand. You’ll be bluffing like a pro in no time.