A professional poker player often has 6, 10, or even 15 windows open at the same time. Hands are dealt, folded, and played quickly, with attention moving from table to table. Opponents 3-bet, force you to think about decisions on the river, and more. It's not surprising that players make mistakes from time to time.
This brings us to a costly and super-frustrating thing called a “misclick.”
So, what is a misclick in poker?
A misclick could affect anyone using a computer. With an absentminded movement, you’ve closed an important browser window, deleted a file, or sent a personal email to your boss.
In online poker, players switching between tables might hit the wrong button and this mistake can immediately cost real money. However, it can also affect live poker players, in a slightly different way.
Misclicks in Online and Live Poker
When we think of a typical misclick in poker, it's usually clicking the wrong button on a computer. For example, the cursor moves to raise, but your hand slips and you fold pocket Aces. That’s an extreme example. Misclicks are mistakes, but the severity can vary. Sometimes you might get off easy and not lose much from the error.
However, even live poker professionals can misclick. If they remember their hand incorrectly or accidentally check through a careless movement, it’s a sort of misclick. Many live players will tell you about times they folded the winning hand or tried to raise, but put in calling chips.
These days, a misclick is a great poker term for something you didn’t mean to do in a game. Hopefully, you avoid making too many misclicks, but it happens to every player.
A French blog wrote a guide that highlights some classic beginner mistakes we've seen others make – and probably made for ourselves at some point.
Examples of Misclicks in Poker
It’s easy to think of misclick examples. Let’s go through a common ones that can affect poker players:
- Folding by mistake: Since the call and fold buttons are next-door neighbors, this tragic mistake can happen from time to time.
- Min-raising instead of calling: Again, these buttons are nearby, so its easy to call a bet after planning a raise.
- Checking instead of betting: After counting out a river bet, for example, a player might accidentally check back with a premium hand.
- Mistakes with pre-selecting actions: Online games have features that let players select actions ahead of time. On some poker platforms, this can lead to accidentally clicking fold, check, or call buttons.
These aren’t the only forms of misclicks, but they are the most common. Players can also time out, accidentally missing the call button at the last second. Misclicks come in many shapes and sizes.
How to Protect Yourself From Misclicks
To reduce the number of misclicks and other errors during the game, we recommend following basic tips:
- No distractions while playing. Turn off the TV, YouTube, and even music at first. This allows you to concentrate solely on what is happening on the screen.
- Composure and attentiveness: The result in poker largely depends on you. It's important to control every action without committing rash acts.
- Play in optimal condition: You should not sit at tables with a fever, during severe nervous tension, or after several glasses of beer. As we mentioned in the last point, this is a source of income. Gamblers who drink and play are better suited for the local casino’s $1/$2 game, or slots for that matter. Keep your mind clear and avoid drinking while playing.
If you are interested in auxiliary software for playing poker online, explore the assortment of our store. In it you will find popular programs like Hand2Note or Sharkscope.
Also, check out the reviews of the best poker rooms available on GipsyTeam. Many of them, such as GGPoker or 888poker, provide lucrative bonuses for beginners.
There Are Free Ways to Practice Poker
Players at the start of their careers need ways to practice, without using funds for every game. There are a few ways for anyone to do this and the first option might have already occurred to you.
Play Online Poker with Friends:
You have friends, some of which are poker players. Why not bring everyone together at a table? Many of the most well-known poker brands will let you use their software – free of charge. As for your private cash games and tournaments, these will be free play or real money, depending on your group. Choosing the settings, pick a time, and send out invites to everyone.
Enter Freeroll Tournaments:
Compete in multi-table tournaments for real money, without spending any of your own bankroll. Freeroll tournaments run on most poker sites, at certain intervals. For example, partypoker has Round the Clock freerolls that start every single hour, but most rooms have less. Still, there are thousands of dollars a day on our updated schedule, so check which ones you can join.
- Increased first deposit bonus
- Increased rakeback and reloads
- Help with deposits and cashouts
- Access to private freerolls
- Round-the-clock support