poker school
lesson seven: types of opponents
It is important to understand the players who you will be playing against at your table and to understand what kind of a player you are. You must know these in order to gauge an understanding of what you are up against. Also, it is important to understand exactly what kind of a player you are so that you will understand the types of moves the opposition is going to make on you. In the following lesson we have outlined the main types of players that you will come across at the poker tables.
Generally, people speak of four types of players: tight passive, tight aggressive, loose passive, and loose aggressive. The first modifier (tight or loose) characterizes the number of hands that player plays. The second (passive or aggressive) indicates that players betting style.
TIGHT PASSIVES: Conservative type of player that only plays the top hands. By playing only a small number of hands, these players do fine in limit games, but they will struggle mightily in No Limit. This player will hardly ever raise somebody else's bet, but be aware when this player does raise because they will have a strong hand. When matched up against these players bluff a lot at the flop, fold when they represent a hand, and take advantage of your control. These players will quickly become calling stations or folding stations. These players are common, so you will see them at your tables.
LOOSE PASSIVES: These players are tough competitors that play fairly tight but they don't limit themselves to the top ten hands. These players will play a fair amount of hands, and they will frequently call with the second best hand. Therefore, they hope that their opponents will bluff into them. These players will bluff with excellent timing and are able to pick up on other players who are trying to bluff them. However, these players lose quickly in No Limit games and therefore play a lot at the limit tables.
TIGHT AGGRESSIVE: The tight aggressive player is the good investor, the smart player in the poker world. This is where you want to be. The tight aggressive player's ability to adapt to different players and strategies, as well as the boldness to back their moves with their chips makes them dangerous opponents. To recognize a tight aggressive player you need to locate a player that does not play that many cards but when they do, they control the hand. These players will slow play great hands and use their position to play weaker cards when they feel the time is right. This player has the ability to fold hands that others would be trapped into playing. The best advice when you are up against this type of opponent is to just play the very good hands and take your chances.
LOOSE AGGRESSIVE: A loose aggressive player is one who plays many hands, and they are inclined to raise, re-raise and cap hands that they shouldn't. A person cannot get great cards all day and if you see them continually raising hand after hand, the chances are all of those hands are not superior. If you are at a table with two or more of these types of players in a game you will notice that the pots will accumulate quickly, but it will cost you a lot of money if you come out on the wrong end of the hand. Remember that when these players raise they do not always have the nuts, so you can play against them with hands that you feel you can beat them with. Another point to remember is that even though they continue to raise every hand, eventually they are going to get a good one. So be aware, and try to avoid betting large amounts with a maniac player if you just have top pair. That could be costly. In conclusion, don't be afraid of these players just because they like to raise, if you have a good hand, play it, and make them pay you.
Alright, that will conclude this lesson and hopefully this will help you understand you're competition better and what you can expect from certain players. Our next session will continue to look at your opponent's, however it will give you tips on how to read your opponents.
good luck and enjoy your experiences at the poker tables
