Player Profiles
When
I start thinking about profiling a game or opponents I
automatically revert back to something someone told me
when I first started playing…He said “ Poker is
like everything, there’s always someone better”.
At first I thought, how do I consistently make money
if there’s always someone better? Then I got…Because
there’s always someone worse. Great poker
players do not make a living off other great poker
players they feed on the inexperienced or bad players.
That’s
the key to profiting form playing poker, quickly
identifying the style of
every player at the table and knowing who to attack
and who to leave alone. In order to be great you must
leave your ego at the door…Give respect to the
players that deserve it and they’ll do the same to you.
Besides once you’ve identified the loose players you’ll
be so busy feasting on the fish that the other sharks
won’t even bother you.
The
following are general characteristics of certain types
of players you may use these descriptions to asses
your competition and determine whether a game is
profitable or not.
Loose-
The typical
loose player plays a lot of hands. They are usually
inexperienced and do not understand the importance of
selecting a starting hand. Loose players tend to buy
into the old adage that “ any two cards can win”.
They will often see the flop and many times call until
the river and even showdown with poor hands. These
types of players rely a lot on the luck of the draw,
but be wary of loose players because when they’re
getting lucky they can put even the most seasoned pro
on tilt.
A
few keys to playing a loose player is to really hammer
them when you think you’ve got the best hand. They
will more then likely call to the river so don’t
attempt many bluffs but be extra aggressive when you’re
in front.
Tight-
Tight players
will play very few hands. They are usually waiting for
a premium hand in good a position before calling or
betting. A tight player must be respected, if you deem
a player tight and they have just raised you then in
most cases they will have the best hand.
The
key to being successful in a tight game is to wisely
use your bluffs and position raises. If you know a
player is tight you can often bluff him off a hand or
steal several blinds. Just be ready to duck if he
fires back because chances are he’s got a monster.
Loose
passive- A
loose passive player is someone who is really just
along for the ride. They will often call with draw
hands hoping to hit the card they need. While a loose
passive player will call anything he is not likely to
bet so if you have position on him you can often see
free cards allowing you to strengthen your hand. On
the same token be wary because they often do not raise
a good hand either which may leave you betting into
him with a losing hand.
To
beat a loose-passive player you have to keep your eye
open for draw boards such as two suited flops. If you
suspect a loose-passive player is on a draw bet heavy
and make him pay but back off if the board hits
because you may end up playing right into his hand.
Loose
aggressive- These
players will often raise with inferior hands. They
will bet for no reason and over use bluffs. One or two
loose aggressive players can totally change the
complexion of the game. Be ready for a shooting match
when you sit down to play with more then one loose
aggressive players.
Loose
aggressive players can obviously be beat, keep in mind
that when playing one you will need the best cards to
win. Don’t get caught up in trying to prove that
they play bad hands by calling when you shouldn’t.
Be patient wait for your moment and you can lure loose
aggressive player into a huge pot with poor cards.
Tight
passive- Tight
passive players are often called “rocks” they play
very few hands and even when they do play they rarely
bet or raise. They are content to sit back and wait
for an absolute lock and take whatever the pot will
give them. A tight passive player rarely tries to add
money to a pot for that reason they are among the
harder players to beat.
As
with any tight player fear is the key. Be aggressive
when you can and steal blinds because for the most
part that’s the only way you’ll see any money out
of a tight passive players stack. Keep in mind just
because it’s hard to beat them doesn’t mean that
it’s a sure way to make money. Tight passive players
rarely win do to having to pay blinds and winning so
few pots, not to mention the pots they win are often
small.
Tight
aggressive- Tight
aggressive player plays very few hands but also
recognizes when he/she has the best hand and will make
you pay. For this reason they are the hardest of any
of these profiles to beat. They are rarely lured into
hands they shouldn’t be in and can often make the
most of pots they win. It is in most cases best to
give these players the benefit of the doubt and get
out of the hand unless you have the “nuts”.
Beating
a tight aggressive player is not easy. You must use a
combination of stealing his blinds, bluffing him out
of mediocre hands and out drawing him by getting
lucky. To get the best of a tight aggressive player
don’t let him get the best of you.
