Secrets of Poker
Types of Poker Players
Knowing the type of poker player your opponent is helps you in the game. A player is called tight if he plays only a few hands. Conversely, a player is called loose if he plays a lot of hands. A player is considered aggressive if he continually raises and bluffs, while a player is considered passive if he calls on other bets. Each style has its own strengths and weaknesses and proper use of style in the correct situation can be rewarding.
Each player has a unique playing style. However, most poker players do fall in one of these four categories below.
1) Tight-passive players. These players are conservative. If they will raise or call, chances are they have a very good hand. Tight passive players are easy to play against as they do not bluff. They seldom take risks so if they do bite your bluff, better take caution.
2) Loose-passive players. These players love to call. It would be difficult to pull a bluff on these players as chances are, they will call on any bet that is placed regardless of the odds and regardless of the strength of the hand they are playing.
3) Tight-aggressive. These players bet aggressively once they get good hands. Be wary when such a player starts raising the stake. However, these players must also be careful not to be branded as bluffers.
4) Loose-aggressive. These players are the weakest of the lot. These are the loose canons and are willing to gamble all. These type of players also attract the sharks as they are easy prey. For this strategy to work, you will need to hop from table to table before you are singled out and hunted by the sharks.
Do note that players do play a little bit of each type. But try to pick and get as much information from your opponents as much as possible to put you at an advantage. For example, if your opponent is tight-passive, then try bluffing to see if they fold. As a player, your objective is to avoid being categorized in any of the above styles and in fact, your style should adjust according to the style of the players on the table.
Another word of warning though. A smart poker player will also vary his/her game so always be on your toes when playing poker. After all, the game is not just about the cards but reading the players.
