Many free online poker players and way too many higher stake players have a bad habit called “chasing”. A bad habit that you will recognise as having analogies in many human pursuits not just poker, especially money and relationship ones!
To ‘chase’ is to call the hand when they think that they are behind in the hope that they can stay in game and get a better hand later on.
I always say that I would chase down a parked car, just in the hopes I hit. This could be considered a negative thing, because people just think “Oh, they are just a bad player”.
So a lot of people take advantage of the chaser by betting bigger trying to get them out of pot when they obviously see there is a possible hand the chaser is chasing. But if the chaser is bound and determined to chase he will call the hand.
Many players chase a hand because they are pot committed. This is when they have invested many chips into the hand and chase hoping to hit their prayer, regardless of the consequences.
They say people who do this have a lack of discipline, which means no patience, and in a rush to play the hand. It is true that chasing is truly a bad habit though now and again it can pay off which is why people continue do it rather than focus on consistent long term poker game skill. With that said I must say that playing a 4/6 versus an AK is thrilling especially when it hits.
If you can’t break the habit at least try to moderate it, by knowing when to fold. Too much chasing gets you caught in a hand and eventually you will lose. You have to know which chase could profit you in the long run.
Chasing is also based on pot odds but that is another article in itself. I advise that you learn all about hand and pot odds whether you chase or not, it’s a very important skill for anyone who wants to move out of free online poker into higher stakes games and make a profit.