The Different Types Of Poker Players And Why You Need To Know Them

To win at poker you have to understand who you are playing. Some newbies make the mistake of thinking that as long as they concentrate on their own game then they can be profitable in the long term. WRONG! Don’t make this mistake.

Generally speaking, there are 4 types of poker player who each have a particular combination of the following attributes:

First of all, they are either loose or tight. To be loose means that you play nearly every hand with little regard for the odds. To be tight means that you play very few hands and are betting only when it is nearly a sure thing.

Secondly, players tend to be either aggressive or passive. To be aggressive means that you often raise or bluff and are not afraid to do so. To be passive means that you generally call quite a lot.

Loose-Aggressive

This is the worst kind of player. He will play caution to the wind and have scant regard for the odds. By being aggressive, he will win many small pots. But it is obvious that his cards are not always so good to justify him raising say 3 times in a row. You can teach these guys a lesson by re-raising them when you have a good hand to test them.

Loose-Passive

This type of player is sometimes called a “calling station” because they call at every opportunity. They feel that they need to stay in the game to “see the cards” but don’t realise that the price of these calls adds up and is never outweighed enough by wins because they are not aggressive enough. They will gradually over time lose their money.

Tight-Passive

This type of player is sometimes called a “rock”. They will often fold before the flop and only play their good cards. They lack the courage to try bluffing so this makes them extremely predictable. If a rock decides to raise then make sure you have some damn good cards to beat him with, otherwise you should fold.

Tight-Aggressive

This is the best type of poker player that everyone tries to aspire to be. You should not be so cavalier so as to chase a situation where the odds are stacked against you. At the same time, you should chase your winners and try to increase the pot. These players will also surprise others by concealing great hands and will also play weaker hands when they can build the pot up to justify taking a chance.