Poker Archives - Page 31 of 37

Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Returns to Jeju, South Korea

Jan 28 2019 (Jeju, South Korea) – Triton Poker’s Super High Roller Series (SHR) returns March 2 – 9, 2019 with the first of five international stops that will cement the tour’s position as the leading high stakes poker tournament series in the world.

For eight days, throughout six tournaments, the world’s leading professionals and amateurs alike will flock to Korea’s Jeju Island to lock horns and share lots of laughs in six high stakes tournaments, including the world’s first Short-Deck, Ante-Only Bounty event.

As in 2018, the Landing Casino in Jeju’s Shinhwa World will be the home of the most fearsome and fun high stakes poker cash games and tournaments anywhere on the globe, culminating in an HKD 2,000,000 (KRW 140,000,000) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Triton SHR Series Main Event.

The Full Schedule

Sat 2 Mar: HKD 250k (KRW 35m) Short-Deck, Ante-Only (Day 1)**
Sun 3 Mar: HKD 250k (KRW 35m) Short-Deck, Ante-Only (Day 2)*
Sun 3 Mar: HKD 250k (KRW 35m) + 250k (KRW 35m) Short-Deck, Ante-Only Bounty (Day 1)**
Mon 4 Mar: HKD 250k (KRW 35m) +250k (KRW 35m) Short-Deck, Ante-Only Bounty (Day 2)*
Mon 4 Mar: HKD 500k (KRW 70m) No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed (Day 1)**
Tue 5 Mar: HKD 500k (KRW 70m) No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed (Day 2)*
Tue 5 Mar: HKD 1m (KRW 140m) Short-Deck, Ante-Only (Day 1)*
Wed 6 Mar: HKD 1m (KRW 140m) Short-Deck, Ante-Only (Day 2)*
Thu 7 Mar: HKD 2m (KRW 280m) No-Limit Hold’em Main Event (Day 1)*
Fri 8 Mar: HKD 2m (KRW 280m) No-Limit Hold’em Main Event (Day 2)*
Fri 8 Mar: HKD 1m (KRW 140m) No-Limit Hold’em Refresh (Day 1)**
Sat 9 Mar: HKD 2m (KRW 280m) No-Limit Hold’em Main Event (Day 3)*
Sat 9 Mar: HKD 1m (KRW 140m) No-Limit Hold’em Refresh (Day 2)**
* Indicates a 2 pm local start time.
** Indicates a 4 pm local start time.

Players confirmed include the 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, Phil Ivey, the inimitable Tom Dwan, Triton Poker SHR Ambassador Jason Koon, and one of the stars of 2018, and the defending champion of the 2018 No-Limit Hold’em SHR Series Main Event in Jeju, Mikita Badziakouski.

Players who compete in both the HKD 2,000,000 Triton Poker SHR Main Event, and one other side event, will enjoy free accommodation for nine nights at the Jeju Shinhwa World Marriot Resort. The Landing Resort Hotel and Somerset Jeju Shinhwa World are also walking distance from the casino.

The Triton Poker SHR Series also offers unrivalled broadcast coverage across a myriad of platforms with the dynamic duo of Twitch sensation Lex Veldhuis and online pro Randy ‘nanonoko’ Lew reuniting for the English stream. Macau Millions Champion Chen An Lin, EPT Barcelona 2018 Main Event Runner Up Haoxiang Wang and Two-Time Red Dragon Champion Celina Lin will cover the Chinese stream respectively.

Coverage in English:

Triton: www.triton-series.com
Twitch: www.twitch.tv/tritonpoker
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tritonpoker
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tritonpoker

Coverage in Mandarin:

Pandatv: www.panda.tv/2112155

About Triton Poker

Triton Poker was founded in 2015 by the Malaysian businessman, philanthropist and poker lover, Richard Yong, who felt there was a gap in the market for an exclusive tournament series for affluent businesspeople and high-end professional poker players set in some of the most luxurious locations in the world all in the name of charity. Funds from Triton Poker events have helped charitable organisations such as Project Pink and the Red Cross.

Previous winners of Triton Poker events include Manig Loeser, Fedor Holz, Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates, Koray Aldemir, Stefan Schillhabel, John Juanda, Dan Colman, Jason Koon, Phil Ivey, and Mikita Badziakouski.

About Jeju Shinhwa World

Jeju Shinhwa World is a fully integrated world-class resort spanning 2.5 million square meters, chocked full of top-class dining experiences, and entertainment facilities including Shinhwa Theme Park, Shinhwa Water Park and, of course, the elegant Landing Casino.

For further information on the Triton Poker head to www.triton-series.com or contact info@triton-series.com

Plays That Will Up Your Game – Understanding The Blocking Bet

The Blocking Bet in No Limits Hold’em was once seen as all the rage, and, when employed under the right circumstances can certainly be beneficial.

Here’s when it can be used, the benefits to be gained and some words of caution.

When is the blocking bet commonly used?

When a player finds themselves first to act on the river with a hand that is classed as being weak or medium, they may still be keen to get to the showdown because they feel there is a reasonable chance that they are holding the best hand.

This hand is certainly not strong enough to place a large bet due to uncertainty of what others may be holding, so, you place a blocking bet which is a small stake.

As a guideline to bet size; make it no more than half the size of the pot.

Advantages seen by this tactic are:

An opponent calls but has a worse hand – You win.
An opponent may decide to fold – This saves you a reasonable amount of (imaginary!) head scratching on a potentially difficult decision for your next play
If you are called and lose, you lower stake level should be seen as the price you were willing to pay in order to see a showdown. This should mean you losing fewer chips than if your strategy had been to check-call a bet.

It’s not that simple!

While the above scenario points clearly to advantages from using a blocking bet, caution needs to be your byword and such a bet should not be used on a regular, repeat basis.

Here’s why:

A Well-worn tactic

Due to extensive use of the blocking bet, caution is required when playing against those with long poker experience. This type of player is often classed as an aggressive player.

When you are playing against this type of player, they will recognise your lower stake on the river blocking bet for what it is; You are indicating the intention to get to a showdown cheaply.

To counter your intention, a raise by one of your more experienced opponents is quite likely to win the pot because they are confident that you are not prepared to stake more on a weak/medium strength hand.

Conversely, you can use such a situation to your advantage. If you are facing a blocking bet and have a weak to medium hand, then consider a bluff by raising. This tactic should be used wisely. Do not bluff any player who call as a matter of course, it is far better to focus such a bluff on those opponents you feel are likely to fold under such circumstances.

Don’t use the blocking bet to avoid tough decisions ahead

Thinking that blocking bets will help you avoid tough decisions down the line in the event your opponent makes a play is a dangerous tactic. The reason for saying this is that to become a strong, effective poker player, making tough decisions is something you must master.

Taking such a stance will mean you are making the best possible decision when the occasion demands it.

Understanding your opponents gives you a far better chance of taking maximum advantage of good hands, bluffing when you feel confident to do so, particularly when faced with a blocking bet, and being aware of when there is a strong chance an opponent is bluffing even when you have a marginal hand should all be part-of your poker strategy.

Never assume!

The final thing to mention regarding the blocking bet is that you should never assume it is the best play out of the various options available to you. The fact is, you often have better choices, but when used correctly it can be highly effective.

Triton Poker Welcomes Jason Koon as Brand Ambassador

Triton Poker is proud to announce Jason Koon as brand ambassador for the Triton Super High Roller Series. Koon is one of the most respected and talented players in the game who spends his time competing in the highest stakes tournaments and cash games, globally.

In 2018, Koon won $12,478,538 in live tournaments including making four final tables at the Triton Super High Roller Series events in Montenegro and Jeju, including winning $3,579,836 after topping a 103-entrant field in the HKD 1,000,000 No-Limit Hold’em Short-Deck Ante-Only event in Montenegro, in only his second appearance in a Short-Deck tournament.

Jason Koon, winner of the HKD 1m Short Deck event in Montenegro last year.

On his appointment, Koon said:

“Joining the Triton team was a no-brainer for me. I’ve always been a huge fan of their tournaments. The experience that players feel during a Triton event is second to none. I couldn’t be more excited. The Triton stops are pure poker. You play some of the biggest buy-ins in the world both in cash games and tournaments, and I love high stakes, high-pressure poker.”

Koon’s role will be to promote the Triton Poker brand and the Triton Super High Roller Series, globally, including raising awareness of poker in Asia throughout the high stakes community. Koon will compete in every single Triton stop of 2019, beginning in Jeju, South Korea: March 2 – 9.

“Jeju is a beautiful stop,” said Koon. “The Landing Resort and Casino is enormous with tons to offer everyone. It was one of my favourite stops in 2018.”

The 2019 Jeju schedule contains six events, one more than in 2018, culminating in an HKD 2,000,000 (USD 255,000) buy-in Triton Super High Roller Series Main Event. Jason Koon placed 5th in that 2018 event earning $1,079,443.

For further information please contact info@triton-series.com

Effective Poker Plays That Will Up Your Game – The Squeeze Play

The squeeze play is certainly effective when playing poker. If used correctly it will help push your win ratio in the right direction.

Let’s squeeze out some of the key pointers for those intent on adding to their Hold’em strategy locker.

The reasoning behind squeeze play

This is a bluffing play that can be used to your advantage when a loose player decides to raise before the flop and a 2^nd loose player calls behind them.

Your “Squeeze” comes into play by putting in a big 3-bet and taking both opponents off the pot.

What types of opponents should you use this play against?

The general importance of watching and committing to memory the style of opponent’s play is a crucial part of upping your poker game. An example of such observation is shown when it comes to enacting the squeeze play.

You should be on the lookout for opponents in two categories:

Loose/aggressive openers. Players that are opening on a far too regular basis
Weaker/passive players who call cheaply to see flops

This is because loose/aggressive players often open with a wide-ranging hand whereas weaker/passive players are prone to call with a varying hand simply to achieve a cheap flop.

In the vast majority of instances, neither type of player will have a hand which will stand up to your calling of a big 3-bet.

Only use in big-bet games

Using squeeze play tactics should really only be considered in tournaments or no-limit hold’em games. You need to be able to apply force through a big wager. As the term suggests, limited stakes games will mean you cannot raise high enough in order to force opponents to fold.

Consider these points before using squeeze play

As the calling player you need to be aware that the opening raise opponent has, and is showing a loose table image.
Your skill is to identify the correct combination of both loose open raising as well as loose flat calling in order to achieve a worthy percentage of folds.
Don’t try to squeeze if you are not prepared to bet large in order to force opponents to fold their mediocre hands – Think in terms of your squeeze raise being at least 5 times that of the initial raise.
Players behind you: There is no doubt that the less players behind you, the better. The most effective squeeze play occurs when you only have a few players behind you who are still to act. Why? Because the more players left to act, the more likely that one of them will have a hand to be reckoned with
An added bonus is that if any players left to act are tight players, they are unlikely to call ‘light’.

Always be conscious of your table image

You should always bear in mind how you have been playing in a session and what your plays and actions are giving off to opponents.

The tighter you can play, the more advantageous it will be in terms of how lightly they are willing to call off in any squeeze situation.

The poker hand that defined Squeeze Play!

Poker Tells That Can Indicate Whether Your Opponents Have Strong Or Weak Hands

Recognising ‘tells’ in your opponent’s style of Texas Hold’em play can give you an advantage, but you should always bear in mind that this should not be viewed as an exact science.

Let’s first take a look at the most dependable form of tell before getting into reactions that commonly show whether your opponent(s) have strong or weak hands.

Betting patterns

By far the most dependable tell during a poker session is a player’s betting patterns both past and present.

By studying these patterns, you are gaining invaluable insight into how an opponent plays a strong or weak hand. This leaves you in a far more advantageous position in deciding whether to pursue the bet at hand, check or fold.

Physical tells

We have all seen the movies…These tells are far too over-dramatised, but they do give indications of what you can look out for, what is more, it can add to the enjoyment of your hold’em sessions by noting the different reactions given by others.

A heap of variants

Human nature means that tells during a poker game will vary from player to player. Some will show specific physical signs when they have a big hand, others when they are bluffing. Then there are those who try false tells.

As you can see contradiction is part of the “telling game”, but your observation should become a habit that helps you sift through the multiple tells on display.

Bear the following in mind:

A first tell is more often than not genuine
The shortest tell is often the most reliable
Long, drawn out tells tend to be falser. This is because opponents are taking time in consideration of how to confuse
As a general rule: Weakness usually means strength – Strength usually means weakness
It is important that you decide positively on how much weight to give a particular tell

A general guide to strong and weak tells

There are so many tells to mention that we will concentrate on strong and weak hand tells and simply give 10 of the most common in each section. Master these and you can then go on to increase your ‘tell’ knowledge base:

Strong hand tells:

Shaking hands (not easy to imitate)
Non-stop/constant speech
Relaxed lips
Big smile
Longer stare at the Flop, then a quick, surreptitious glance at their opponents
Suddenly becomes far more attentive
Suddenly leaning back in their chair, more relaxed when calling or betting
Slowly sliding chips into the pot or doing so in a careful manner
Impatience – You can tell they want to bet
Eyes open, less blinking

Tip:

While most experts recommend you should look at an opponent’s eyes, don’t forget to also concentrate on their hands. Example: A trembling hand is generally an indication of a strong hand (unless that opponent always has shaking hands!).

Weak Hand tells:

Breath held, body unmoving
Rambling, higher pitched, slower or unnatural speech
Aggressively pushing chips into the pot
Trying to stare you down (we have touched on it – Strength means weakness!)
Consciously checking hole cards after the flop
Not looking after their hole cards
Sticking out or licking their lips
Noticeably breathing through their mouth
Covers their mouth
Eyes blinking more rapidly

Studying tells can improve your concentration

We have already pointed out that there are many poker tell variants and hopefully put over what an interesting part of hold’em they are to study.

There is also an added advantage to this part of your strategy: Studying your opponents will do wonders in terms of improving your own table concentration.

And, as you should all know by now. Concentration is key to upping your poker win ratio!

Understanding Bankroll Management

When playing poker, it is crucial that you understand how to manage your bankroll and stick to sensible principles. This rule applies no matter what level you are playing the game at.

Clearly define your bankroll

Defining your bankroll must be a clear-cut decision. It should relate to the amount of money you are comfortably able to set aside in order to play poker. When calculating your bankroll keep in mind that this ‘pot’ should be exclusive of other financial commitments.

It’s a gamble!

No matter what size your bankroll is, there is always a chance you could lose it all. On a far more positive note, there is also a good chance you will increase the size of your wallet!

The point here is that whatever level of bankroll you decide upon it should not affect other financial obligations.

Setting a sensible limit will allow you to enjoy the cut and thrust of an intriguing game and remain within your comfort zone.

Self-made rules to work from

Consider living by the following self-made rules and your bankroll management will be one that works for you.

If you can’t afford to lose it don’t play or chase it

This should remain your mantra. It really is the most important rule. Don’t ever risk an amount that could cause your financial hardship. This is particularly the case when you are having a downswing in playing success.

NEVER put your entire bankroll on the line

You should never put your entire bankroll into a single tournament or hand. The wise move is to only ever enter a game with a small fraction of your total bankroll at any one time

What are your goals?

This is where you need to consider what type of poker player you class yourself as being.

As a broad definition there are 3 groups of players. Each has different expectations and goals. Defining which group you fit into will allow you to set your own personal goals.

Recreational players: You will mainly be playing for fun and poker will be one of your pastimes. Any bankroll losses can easily be funded by additional cash from a regular source of income.
Serious players: This type of player is experienced and expects to profit from poker. Losses will hurt their pride as well as their pocket, but poker is not the only source of income.
Professional players: Yes, it sounds very glamourous, but the reality is that poker is their chosen employment. This means they cannot afford to lose all of their bankroll. If they do, they are in effect losing their job. Professional players are the ones who need to manage the strictest techniques of bankroll management.

Find and remain in your comfort zone

Don’t be forced into playing at limits you feel are too high. Be ready to stop when you start to feel uncomfortable about the risk.

This is regardless of whether you can afford to keep playing or not and most certainly do not feel that stopping in such a situation is a ‘loss of face’. What it should be viewed as is good, solid bankroll management

Those players who ignore feelings of unease at the limits being played can very easily get nervous. This more often than not leads to costly mistakes. If continued it can also lead you to question the enjoyment you are deriving from poker.

Remember: Competent players ONLY play within the limits at which they feel comfortable.

6 Surefire Ways To Improve Your Game

Let’s face it, playing Hold’em should be viewed as a constant learning experience.

For those with experience under their belt, think back to those early days and how you have progressed. For those being introduced to the game, or anyone who still classes themselves as a novice, it is important to understand that the Texas Hold’em learning curve is a constant one.

To keep you on an upward curve, here are 6 surefire ways to help improve your game.

1) Know and act on your starting position

Best Position – It is well-known that being “on the button” is the best position to be in when playing Hold’em. This is because you act last in 3 out of the 4 betting rounds:

After the Flop
After the Turn
After the River

This means that when it is time for you to act you know how many other players are still active in the hand. This means you can make a far more informed decision on the amount to wager (if at all).

Worst Position – This is when you are in the Small Blind position. Why? Because you must act first after the 3 streets mentioned above. Note: It should be said that there are times you can use this position to your advantage through aggressive play, but the truth is, it is far better to act last.

2) How many players are left in?

It is important that you focus on the number of players remaining in a hand. Two major reasons for this:

Being in possession of a hand that should not be played with 7 players still in could be a far stronger hand when the table is down to just 2 or 3 players left – There is less competition.
The fewer players left in, the more often you will be forced into a bet (blinds). In this case you need to be more aggressive

3) Defending your Flop hand

This is particularly important if playing against those new to Hold’em. The majority of such opponents want to see the Flop as cheaply as possible. You should make them work (or pay!) for it.

If you have a hand that you feel is strong enough to see the Flop then do not let others see it for free. The least you should do is raise by the minimum bet.

Example: You are holding an Ace & King while 2 other opponents have a 10-5 and a 7-4 respectively your aim should be to get them both out of the game before the Flop. By letting them see the Flop for just the Big Blind stake you are taking a risk and could well be wasting a very solid starting hand.

In the above case, a 10-9-8 would be just about the worst thing you want. It would mean you have nothing, and your opponents have an open-ended straight draw and a pair of 10’s respectively.

4) Keep an eye on your opponents

It is obviously very important to concentrate on your own hand, but do not lose sight of how other players are faring. Some of the things you need to be constantly aware of are:

How many chips each player has left. This only needs to be a rough count not an exact one.
What cards they could have as rounds progress.
What their best hands could be based on the shared community cards.
‘Tells’ that may indicate ‘soft’, ‘false’ or bluff play – Bearing in mind which of your opponent’s play bluffs regularly and those who set their stall out by playing a tighter game.

Example 1: Any opponent that has regularly been placing $20 bets then suddenly ups this to $50 should tell you they feel confident in holding a very solid hand.

Example 2: Any player losing a reasonably large hand who immediately comes back with a big bet may be doing so out of frustration and in a reckless manner. If you have a solid hand then consider pushing back.

The reason for this is that the player may be on the tilt. If so, their plays will not be in their best interest, but could be in yours!

5) Getting out after the Flop

This is a difficult one for players to accept and is particularly relevant to those new to Hold‘em. It is certainly understandable. After all, you have already committed money to the pot so the natural thought process is to stay in and see what happens.

Do Not! This kind of approach can lose you lots of chips.

Even if you start with a very strong hand; let’s say an Ace & King, or a ‘middling’ pair (7’s or 8’s), if the Flop does not improve your hand you should think strongly about getting out.

Getting out after the Flop is a sensible move for many reasons. Another clear example is:

Example: You have stayed in with a King & Six, the Flop is Queen-Ten-Six. Great, you have a pair of 6’s and put most of your concentration on that, but think about the Queen and Ten in the middle. Any of your opponent’s holding a Queen or 10 have a higher pair than you.

6) Turn & River Smart Play

Don’t over-complicate your turn and river play – consider sticking to these rules:

Holding a draw after the turn – i.e. You need 1 more card for a good hand (usually a straight or a flush) – Do your best to get to the River as cheaply as possible.
Remember that if there is a pair included in the community cards that one of your opponents may have a full house.
When the board is showing 3 cards of the same suit, an opponent could very well be holding a Flush.
After the River make sure you fully realise the value of your cards. You must keep in mind that what you have is what you have got, your hand cannot be improved! If you feel another player has a stronger hand it is generally unwise to bluff at this time.

Wipe your mouth and look forward positively to the next hand!

Good play will garner reward

While it cannot be denied that there is some luck involved when playing Texas Hold’em, it must also be stated that it is a game which will reward good play. The straight fact is that good players will beat bad players most of the time.

Texas Hold’em is a constant learning curve: It is far easier to remember your good plays and forget the bad ones. Don’t! You can learn from both, and by following the tips above your win rate should start to climb in the right direction.

Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju 2019 confirmed for March

The first Triton Poker Super High Roller Series 2019 festival will be in Jeju, South Korea from the 2^nd to the 9^th of March next year.

A 2019 tour teaser has been released on Triton Poker’s social media channels, citing several details.

The teaser hinted at four additional stops in the months of May, July, September and November.

A reveal of the ‘Biggest Buy-In in Poker History’ in the near future was also included.

The Triton Poker Series was founded back in 2015 and has held 9 previous events, with Jeju 2019 to be a milestone 10^th for the series.

In the past year, Triton Poker broke the biggest televised poker pot record in Montenegro back during May, when a cash game pot between Jason Koon and Elton Tsang reached € 2.09million.

Mikita Badziakouski has won back-to-back Triton Poker Main Events, the defending champion securing the title in Jeju as well as the previous one in Montenegro for a total of $US 7,756,211.

How to survive the bubble in poker tournaments

When playing in a Texas Hold’em Tournament all players want to experience the buzz of the bubble stage. It is what you want and where you want to be, as long as you are not the next person out!

What is the bubble?

This is the point in a tournament where the next player out does not take any winnings. The remaining players will take something away from the table.

Example: The tournament you are in states that the top 25 players will win money and there are 26 players left. These 26 players are “on the bubble”. The one player that is knocked out and gets no reward is said to have been knocked out “on the bubble”.

Playing the bubble – Different strokes for different folks!

Make no mistake when the bubble period is reached in a tournament, things change. It really is the do-or-die time. It is fairly common to find players changing their style dependent upon the stack in front of them.

This affects whether they decide to look at survival which will ensure they get a share of the prize on offer, or whether they should play with the intention of busting out other players.

Two general categories of bubble player

• Survival: This category of player has their priority on surviving. By doing so they will be safe in the knowledge that doing so entitles them to take home some winnings

• Playing to win: This player’s intention is to take no prisoners. They are playing to win the tournament and have every intention of using this period to their advantage in order to accumulate more chips

Different styles and strategy of bubble play

The different styles and strategy of bubble play should be studied. Not just during a tournament that you are playing in, but also while on the sidelines. Such analysis will help in future tournaments and give you a greater chance of not only surviving the bubble, but of also increasing your chances of scaling that prize ladder.

• Different styles: Some players will fold just about every hand, even good hands. Their playing style will be as tight as can be. Others will start raising and going all-in on lots of hands. The size of a player’s stack and how the other players are acting will affect these decisions.

• Strategic decisions: The number of players left at your table will affect your strategy. It determines such things as how many hands a player can survive folding with the antes as well as Big Blind (BB) and Small Blind (SB). Conversely, if a player has a big stack then an effective strategy can be to play loose/aggressive in order to accumulate chips

Being “the bubble” hurts, but…

There is no easy way to put it. Being knocked out “on the bubble” hurts, but it is important not to dwell negatively on the fact for too long. Remember you got to within one of taking something home. With positive analysis of mistakes made during play, you can determine how plays could have been made differently.

Don’t just assess your bad moves, look closely at the good ones. By combining this knowledge and putting it into action in future tournaments the buzz of the bubble will be yours in a very positive way!

Understanding Your Oppositions Style Of Play

Being successful at Poker must be viewed as a continual learning curve. In this respect the earlier you get to grips with the different types of poker players you are pitting your skills against the better.

Understand what category your opponent’s fall into

The greater your knowledge of how those around the table play, the more this can be used to your advantage. Conversely, the less you understand their intentions the more difficult it becomes to act with confidence.

Failing to make a connection with your opponent’s style of play will mean that positive moves against some can turn out to be very costly moves against others.

4 main categories of poker players

While there are variations on styles of play we will concentrate on the 4 that are seen to be the main ones.

Loose-Aggressive

Players that are seen to constantly raise pre and post flop, and who plays more hands than average are termed as Loose-Aggressive players. They are also not too selective in terms of what their starting hand is.

• Approach to play: Their approach to winning when not holding good cards, or playing a hand that would not generally be deemed as a winning one is common. They counter this by playing aggressively to put pressure on opponents in the hope they will fold.

• Their problem: This type of player will often go broke quickly and should be seen as a pleasure to profit from. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule but the majority are aspiring Tight-Aggressive (see below) players who have not yet made the important transition.

• Your gain: Patience! Get your “tight” head on and wait for choice hands to be dealt to you. Hitting a premium hand will pay dividends. Pass on marginal hands, let the Loose-Aggressive opponents win small pots then steal the big ones with killer hands.

Loose-Passive

Aka “Fish” or “Calling Stations”! These are seen by the poker community to be very weak players and there is little doubt that over time they will be losing players.

• Approach to play: They play too many hands and stubbornly continue to call bets regardless of the fact they would be better to raise or fold.

• Their problem: Little notice is taken in terms of pot odds. They often call down bets for the sake of it and rely on luck. But, as we all know; the lady is not an ever-present!

• Your gain: Keep your pulse on the pot odds, you will quickly find an advantage against this type of player.

Tight-Passive

This style of play can be classed as a little too cautious and predictable.

• Approach to play: They know which starting hands to play and when not to and often play strongly pre-flop. Some (but not all) do not protect their hands strongly enough and are more prone to check and call than raise. Having said that, this style of play against inferior opposition will reap rewards.

• Their problem: Tight-Passive players are generally easily read. When they are betting it usually means they have a hand to contend with. It is rare to see them bluff.

• Your gain: Due to a Tight-Passive players excessive caution, chasing players can be presented with the correct odds to hit their draw. It is often noticeably predictable when this type of player has a hand worthy of mention.

Tight-Aggressive

In the vast majority of poker circles, this style of play is seen as the most successful.

• Approach to play: Tight-Aggressive players know the strengths of starting hands inside out. They will only play when in the correct table position and with what they see as a suitable hand. When in the pot they play aggressively. They have little fear in betting and raising when the time is right. This style of play puts pressure on their opponents. In short, a Tight-Aggressive player plays when the odds are favourable.

• Their problem: A major disadvantage is that games can drag for this type of player and boredom can set in. This is because they fold on all hands but strong ones. If patience is not one of your strong virtues this style of play will be a challenge.

• Your gain: Caution is the name of the game. You need to match fire with fire and strike with confidence during any lapse of concentration or when the opportunity is presented.

Mix ‘n Match!

Variety is the name of the game! When playing a table, you need advantage. Understanding your oppositions style of play will afford solid benefits.

Basing your strategy on Tight-Aggressive play is considered the way to go, but you would also be wise to mix and match your playing styles. This will work to perplex your opposition and help win even more of those sought-after pots.