AVOID LIMPING

Good players tend to prefer raising or folding when they are first into the pot. A raise can win the blinds straight away. It can push out weak hands. It can make the pot easier to read after the flop. It also gives the raiser initiative, which is a bigger deal than beginners sometimes think.

The player who raised pre-flop often gets to keep telling the story. They can bet the flop and represent strength. The limper, by contrast, is usually reacting.

Limping also invites company. If you call the big blind, the small blind may complete, the big blind may check, and players behind may come along because the price is low. Suddenly, you are not playing one opponent but three or four.

That makes even decent hands harder to handle. The top pair looks much less comfortable when several players were allowed to see the flop cheaply. Someone can hit two pair with a hand that would probably have folded to a raise, someone can pick up a strange draw, or someone can already have you beaten.