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Types of Poker Players You'll often hear terms such as "tight" and "loose," "passive" and
"aggressive" used to describe a poker player's style. But what does it
mean?Hand selection - The terms "tight" and "loose"
refer to a player's hand selection, or how often they enter into a pot.
Players who only play 10% to 15% of the hands they are dealt are
generally considered to be very "tight" players. Players who play 30%,
40%, 50%, or more of the hands they are dealt are generally considered
"loose" players.Betting habits - The terms "passive" and
"aggressive" refer to a players betting habits. Players who raise, bet,
bluff, semi-bluff, re-raise, or otherwise find ways to push chips into
the pot in nearly every hand they play are considered "aggressive"
players. Those who check and call more than they bet or raise are
considered to be "passive."Now that you know what the terms
mean, let me introduce you to the 4 main types of players you'll
encounter most frequently when you sit down for a game of poker:Meet Sheriff Bell, your typical loose-passive
player. This player plays a large percentage of the hands he is dealt.
He's just as likely to play 2 7 offsuit as you are to play AA. He
doesn't bet or raise alot, as he prefers to check or call. His primary
job is to serve as your calling station, but he also moonlights as the
bluff police. If you're looking for action, the loose-passive player is
the one who will give it to you. While this player is likely to pay you
off with nothing more than bottom pair, beware; this player will not
fall victim to your bluff. He may also be the one to crack your Pocket
Aces when he hits a straight with his 4 7 offsuit.Next meet Crazy Joe. This loose-aggressive
playerwill also play a large percentage of the hands he is dealt. At
any given time, this player will play Any Two Cards and will play them
with passion.Like Sheriff Bell, Crazy Joe isn't picky about his hand
selection; 2 7 offsuit can be just as good as AA. His favorite
past-times include: betting, raising, and not
folding. Just because he is firing chips into a pot, doesn't mean he
has a hand. Doesn't mean he doesn't either. Because he plays such a
wide variety of hands, he could realistically be holding the nuts on
any given hand, no matter how ragged the board may appear. And because
other players at the table are aware of this fact, Crazy Joe will use
the worst fears of his opponents to his advantage to pull off a
plethora of successful bluffs.And here's a player you probably didn't even realize was at the table, Background Brianna. This tight-passive
player tends to, unlike the last 2 players, be very selective about her
starting hand selection. She likes to stick to high winning % hands,
and therefor will do alot of folding throughout the game. Because she
plays so few hands and doesn't fire off alot of big bets when she does
come in, she often tends to blend right in with the felt. Only those
who made the mistake of giving her their chips might remember that
she's there, but to most folks at the table, she's an empty seat. Her
hobbies include folding, folding, and folding. She also doesn't mind
calling you and taking your chips when her hand is better then yours.
It would take one whopper of a hand to convince this player to raise or
otherwise take a lead in the betting. When this does happen, think of
it as a sign that reads, "You're beat. Get out of the way."And finally meet Priscilla the Pro. This tight-aggressive player is not here to "play" poker; she's here to win
at poker. She's very selective about the hands she plays. You won't see
her enter into very many pots, but when she does, she seems to swing
those chips like a sledgehammer. Though it may seem this player is
using brute force in the few pots she plays, she's actually using those
bets with surgical precision. Sometimes her bets or raises or "feeler
bets," which are bets that are placed in order to get an idea of the
opponent's hand strength. Often her bets are just what the word
implies: bets. She bets you x amount that she'll win the hand. Because
she is so selective with her hand selection, she usually will win, as
she likes to stick to playing the high winning percentage hands. Even
on those rare occasions when the board didn't help the tight-aggressive
player, often her aggressive betting is too much for her opponents, and
enough to win her the pot, even without a strong hand.Now that
you know the different types of players, you can increase your poker
knowledge and skill further by practicing identifying the different
types of players you encounter at the table. This will also help to
develop your focus on the game and the players around you as you play.Also
keep in mind as you play, that the most successful players do not fall
into any one of the above categories. Instead they possess the ability
to transform into any of these players at any given time. They take the
time to consider all factors involved at the table before deciding if
and how a particular hand should be played. Factors to consider
include: table tightness or looseness, the other types of players at
the table, table image, position, cards, moods, hand strength, what
others may think you have, mindstates of other players, tilt,
tournament position, chipstacks, and many others.The more you
can adapt to the situations in the game, the more successful of a poker
player you will become. If you tighten up while the maniacs go crazy,
you will save chips. If you go maniacal when everyone tightens down and
locks their chips up, you'll make money. Always be on the lookout for
situations that may be profitable or disastrous to your chipstack, and
stay ready to turn in to Sheriff Bell, Crazy Joe, Background Brianna,
or Priscilla the Pro at a moment's notice and watch your bankroll grow.Now that you can identify the 4 main types of poker players, click here to read the article on How to Beat the 4 Main Types of Poker Players.Share your own thoughts on Types of Poker Players on the Donkhard forum.
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