Understanding Poker Player Types

More than the starting hands that you are dealing with in a poker game, there are other factors that you need to consider when playing poker. If you remember my article with quotes from famous poker players, you will remember one that described poker as being a card game played with people - or something to that effect.

This can not be overemphasized.

More than the cards that you hold, you need to know your opponents in order to be a successful poker player. As in most other things, you can classify - albeit loosely - poker players into different categories. Before you go on reading, it is important to bear in mind that this is just a general classification and in reality, you can not box any person into a single type. There are always gray areas between the classifications and many people would fall under these.

The term "loose" is often associated with inexperienced players. If you are a loose player, then you will play out more hands than necessary. This means playing out even some of the worst starting hands that we discussed in the last post. This attitude can be attributed mainly to lack of experience. If you have decent enough cards, you can take advantage of the loose players at the table and win.

On the other hand, a "tight" player waits for the best starting hand possible. As opposed to the loose player, he folds more often than not. If you know that your opponent is a tight player, you can bluff more often and lure him in. However, if a normally tight player does not fold, he is probably holding something really good.

Then there is the "aggressive" player. This category has two sub-categories, the first of which would be the aggressive loser player. More than just playing out each and every hand that comes his way, the aggressive loser player would even raise the bet - even if he does not have very good cards. He is usually quite the talkative one around the table. The aggressive tight player is somewhere in between the loose and tight player. He may fold several times until he gets the cards he wants - and then he plays like a loose player. He would then bet and raise without a care in the world. Confidence marked in this type of player. Bluffing an aggressive loosely tight player is quite a difficult task as he usually knows what he wants.

As mentioned earlier, in real life, classifying people into clear cut groups do not really work. Personalities vary and so do actions. What is important is that you know the general types of players and then observe your opponents carefully to learn their personal brand of playing. Then you can adjust your own style of play to suit them. You should also be ready to change tactics in mid-play, depending on how your opponents make their moves. Flexibility is the key. Do not fall into the trap of branding people as such and such a player and then boxing him in. That mistake can very well cost you your game!

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Source by Paul Graham