Poker Styles

Different Types of Poker Playing Styles & Poker Personality

• Apestyles Poker
• Different Poker Styles

There are various styles of poker, all of which share an objective of presenting the least probable or highest-scoring hand. A poker hand is usually a configuration of five cards depending on the variant, either held entirely by a player or drawn partly from a number of shared, community cards.

• Poker Games: The Different Types of Poker. When people think of poker, Texas Hold'em is probably the first version they have in mind. This is certainly the most popular form of poker at the moment, but there are several other variants of the game that shouldn't be overlooked.
• Mixed poker games. Poker can be played in a mixed game format, for example one half-hour of Texas hold 'em followed by one half-hour of Seven-card stud. There are many types of mixed poker games. The most notable mixed poker variation is H.O.R.S.E. Is a mix of Texas hold 'em, Omaha high-low, Razz, Seven-card stud and Seven-card stud Eight-or-better.

A player is known by how he selects his hands, which cards he folds and which he/she calls or raises – that's the primary difference between an amateur poker player and a professional. The starting hands and the betting patterns of a player usually define the type of playing style of a poker player.

Starting hands: Does the opponent play tight (few hands) or loose (many hands)?
Betting pattern: Does the opponent bet aggressive (frequently) or passive (rarely)?

So, there are two factors that define the general playing styles –
i) Tight vs.Loose
ii) Passive vs. Aggressive.

Apestyles Poker

Starting Hands

• Tight poker players usually play a small number of only the best hands (AA, KK, AK).
  Also, a tight poker player generally plays less than 15% of the starting hands (55 + A7S + , A5s, A9o +, K9s +, KJo +, QJs)
• Loose poker players usually play a wide variety of hands (A3, T9, 75o).
  Also, a loose poker player generally plays the top 40% of the starting hands (33 +, A2 +, K2S +, K5o +, Q5s +, Q8o +, J7s +, J9o +, T8s)

As someone rightly put it, 'Being tight or loose doesn't necessarily refer to how somebody plays their hand, but merely the selection of hands that they play.'

Betting Patterns

Different Poker Styles

The betting pattern is the relationship between betting and raising to calling. Also, you have to take into consideration the risk tolerance factor, as well.

• If any opponent bets or raises twice as often as he calls, he is known to be playing aggressively.
  Aggressive poker players raise more than call and are not afraid to put chips at risk.
• If an opponent calls more often then he bets or raises, he is known to be playing passively.
  Passive poker players tend to avoid confrontation and play with a fear of losing.

So, a player can play in four different possible combinations. Here are the 4 basic types of playing styles in poker, which can be displayed in a 2×2 matrix-

• Tight-Passive: The Rock
• Tight-Aggressive: The TAG
• Loose-Passive: The Calling Station
• Loose-Aggressive: The LAG

Loose-Passive

• • • Play passively (makes few bets, but more calls)
    • Plays a lot of hands (greater than 25-40%)
    • Minimal share of winning players

Strategy: Playing against a Calling Station (Loose-Passive Players)-

• Bet with good hands only.
• Do not try to bluff a Calling Station as they will end up calling/raising you anyway
• Make higher than usual pre-flop raises from a late position if they are sitting in the blinds
• Don't play medium strength hands, fold and live to win another day

Even though not totally impossible, it is highly impractical to play in a loose-passive style and make a profit in online poker. The end result is almost always the same – the calling station gets bust.

Tight-Passive

• • • Play passively (makes few bets, but more calls)
    • Plays a few hands (less than 15-20%)
    • Minimal share of winning players

Strategy: Playing against a Rock (Tight-Passive Players)-

• Go for the player's blinds with a 3BB raise from late position
• Play the very best starting hands, don't raise with weak hole cards
• Since such players rarely bet, check instead of calling on the flop to see the next board card without staking more money.

A tight-passive player can significantly reduce his/her losses as they refrain from calling often. But, by playing this way, a player cannot get maximum profits on his/her good hands.

Loose-Aggressive

• • • Plays aggressively (makes many bets, but few calls)
    • Plays a lot of hands (greater than 25-40%)
    • Average share of winning players – high winnings, high losses

Strategy: Playing against a LAG (Loose-Aggressive Players)-

• Play more hands than usual against a LAG
• Raise with strong hands on the flop against a LAG, if he/she bets before the flop
• Wait for the LAG to raise his bets when he/she is sitting in a later position than you

The LAG style of play is most used by professionals while playing tournaments. It is important to note that LAG is a high-risk strategy play and should not be played by just about anyone.

Tight-Aggressive

• • Plays aggressively (makes many bets, but few calls)
  • Plays a few hands (less than 15-20%)
  • High share of winning players

Strategy: Playing against a TAG (Tight-Aggressive Players)-

• You can steal a TAG player's blinds if you are sitting in late position
• On pre-flop raises, play only with the very best of hands
• Re-raise only with the strongest cards (AA, KK, QQ etc.)

Since TAG players bet with only the best hands, they have the highest chance to win the pot when they do play a hand. Most poker pundits agree that the tight-aggressive strategy (TAG) in poker in the most profitable one.

There are also two other types of poker players who have the following playing styles-

The Nit: almost always folds the very few (<15%) starting hands he/she plays. Many Rocks and some TAGs are Nits. Nits only call or bet if they have a very strong hand
The Maniac: plays very loosely and very aggressive player. Don't go on tilt if the maniac wins with weak cards. But, in the end, the maniac will always go bust.

It's only by knowing how to master the basics do you become a poker player who is taken very seriously by his/her opponents. Learn more about the basics of poker-

Learn Texas Holdem Poker
Poker Diaries: Online Poker vs Offline Poker – The Similarities, The Differences
Poker Diaries: Best Starting Hands in Texas Holdem Poker