Different Types of Poker Strategies and Players
Every poker player adopts a different type of game strategies that suit the type of poker game he is playing. This game mode can be different when playing a tournament or cash game. And, it can be different when playing high roller poker game to a freeroll.
Each player at the table has one important goal besides winning, and that is to identify as quickly as possible the type of players sitting at the table with him.
Quick identification of the type of players at the table will help you make better and faster decisions when playing against these players. Better decisions will lead you to win more hands, more tournaments, or a big pot in a cash game.
To identify the type of players playing against you, you must examine the moves they make.
All Poker Players Are Divided Into Two Groups:
Tight and Loose players
Tight players are also divided into subgroups:
- Hyper Tight – The Nit
- Tight Passive – The Rock
- Tight Aggressive – The Tag
Loose players are also divided into subgroups:
- Loose Passive – Calling Station
- Loose Aggressive – The Lag
- Hyper Aggressive – The Maniac
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Tight Players
- The Strategy of Hyper Tight Poker Player – The Nit
You can identify Hyper Tight players fast, these players playing very few hands. Usually, Hyper-Tight players will be new poker players who are afraid of losing their money / chips or players who play poker games that are above their bankroll.
Hyper Tight players participate in very few hands and only when they have premium hands such as pocket aces or pocket kings. If these players will not hold strong hands, they never will make any moves or raises and always will try to see the flop without adding money to the pot.
If you are playing against a Hyper-Tight player and he isn’t folding against your bet or raise, it is very important to reconsider your moves if you do not hold the strongest hand at the table.
- The strategy of Passive Tight Poker Player – The Rock
Tight Passive players are not active at all during the game and their amount of chips barely moves, which is why they got the nickname – The Rock. You will spot tight passive players as soon as they make a raise bet and all the other players at the table fold.
Unlike hyper-tight players, tight passive players have more experience in poker, and they understand the game more than you think, but they still will be very careful in their game and will play a small percentage of hands.
When you identify a tight passive player which does not show dominance after the flop, you can take him out of the game by making a pot bet.
- The strategy of Tight Aggressive Poker Player – The Tag
Tight Aggressive players are also playing poker carefully, but on the other hand they can do some aggressive action. Usually, these kinds of players will not make any move at the first betting round – pre-flop (first street), but after they see the flop, they can make aggressive bets. Tight Aggressive players choose their hands strictly and with these hands, they will show strength.
This kind of strategy has some disadvantages. All players can see on showdown, that the tight aggressive player only plays very strong hands and when he will make the same bets again, they will simply throw away the hand.
If a tight aggressive player plays against you, try to steal his blinds, and most likely, he will not protect the big (BB) or the small (SB) for high bets if he not holding premium hands. But If you bet and the tight aggressive player made a raise, continue playing only if you hold a premium hand otherwise most likely you will put a large amount of chips in the pot and you will be committed to play the hand without much chance of winning.
Loose players
- The strategy of Hyper aggressive poker player – The Maniac
Hyper Aggressive players are involved in a high percentage of hands in the first round of betting – pre-flop. Therefore, it is very easy to identify them (There is no match between the number of hands they play and the probability of getting strong hands in poker).
Over the course of an entire poker game, hyper-aggressive players lose more, simply because they play with weak hands, and it is easy to recognize them quickly and to pay their bets.
Hyper-aggressive players are easily identified by the number of hands they are involved in, and by the cards they reveal during showdown (Weak hands such as 8-4, 9-5 do not justify betting at all). Hyper-aggressive players are considered the weakest players at the table.
If a hyper-aggressive player plays against you, don't be afraid to pay his bet or to re-rise him. Even if you will lose once or twice to hyper aggressive player don't hesitate to pay his bets again because the statistics will be in your favour at the end.
- The strategy of Loose Aggressive Poker Player – The Lag
Loose Aggressive is the hardest playstyle to read. Loose Aggressive players are considered unpredictable players and it is very difficult to understand their moves.
These kinds of players usually bet or re-raise in every round of bets (any street) and almost never just pay the bets from other players. Unlike hyper-aggressive players, loose-aggressive players are considered good poker players and they make the other players play against them carefully.
Good loose-aggressive players know when to fold even though mathematically they are committed to keeping playing the hand and thus they keep their bankroll stable.
Remember that the Los Aggressive game strategy is very risky and not suitable for all players and certainly not for players with a low bankroll.
If you are playing against loose-aggressive player, don't think that they are always bluffing, and be careful to get into a situation where you are committed to the pot.
- The strategy of Loose-Passive Poker Player – Calling Station
Loose-passive players play a lot of hands and try to see a flop every round even if they hold weak hands (Loose). If after the flop they do not hold a strong hand but only a medium hand, they will probably fold for any high bet made by one of the other players (passive).
The hand range of loose-passive players is wide, it is very difficult to put them on a specific hand and any flop that opens whether it is a high or low board can help these players.
If you have identified a loose passive player at the table, re-raise his bets to understand the strength of his hand and try not to bluff him with medium hands because if he pays your bet, you are probably holding a weaker hand than his.
In conclusion:
Each poker player adapts a game strategy that suits him according to his bankroll and the type of poker game he plays. Online poker players who play tournaments with low entry fees can choose to play loose-aggressive, but if they are playing in a major WSOP tournament with a high entry fee above their bankroll, more likely they will choose to play tight-passive or tight-aggressive.
When playing online poker, practice all those game styles and start to recognize the players playing with you at the table. Once you know how to recognize all types of players it will be easier for you to assess which cards these players might hold.
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