Texas Holdem Poker Lessons: Player Profiles

No matter how well you play poker, it won't be enough. You also need to know the different types of players and how to deal with them. This is one of the things that make poker such a unique game. In this Texas Holdem Poker Lesson, you will read about the various player types. The kind of a player one is has a say on how they bet, which cards they play and how they can be beaten.

Classifications

All Holdem players are either loose or tight, and passive or aggressive.

Loose means playing lots of hands regardless of quality and table position. They will call all the way up to the river no matter how lousy their hole cards are. Usually this is a beginner who does not know how to choose the right starting hands. It can also be someone who wants to play tight but doesn't have the discipline yet to stay that way throughout play. Loose people rely more on luck than strategy. This is their weakness.

Tight is playing only the nicest hands from the right positions. When this type of player calls or raises, you can believe they have a great hand. Tight opponents are hard to play. Since they are cautious, it is easy to make them fold by bluffing and bullying. But once they play a hand, you had better take cover. Tight players deserve respect�leave them alone.

Passive is playing hands weakly. They will not bet or raise often even when they have a good hand. Passive players love to call and check but will seldom add to the pot on their own.

Aggressive is playing strongly through frequent betting and raising. These are the bullies of the game. You will see lots of action when there are players like this. But whether they are smart or stupid players depends on if they are loose or tight. Below are the combinations of these classes of playing styles:

The Four Player Profiles

Loose & Passive - The "calling station." Player is just there and won't go away. It can be very annoying to have them around when you're trying to bluff�they will call you even when everyone else is folding. Also, if you're looking to start a raising war, the LP is the wrong person to try to lure.

Loose & Aggressive - The most stupid players at the table. LA will go to war with a water pistol just for the sake of the action. Their recklessness makes them easy prey for smarter players. Wait for a sure hand, and then bait them into higher stakes. You can win a big pot against this type.

Tight & Passive - Known as a rock, they rarely play, and if they do, it's often just calling and checking. But when they bet or raise, take notice. That has got to be a special hand. If you're in doubt about your hand, muck it.

Tight & Aggressive - The most dangerous player type of all. They will play only premium hands. When they do, they will pursue them very forcefully. Their weakness, like the TP, is they hate losing. Best thing you can do is try not to get them at the table at all�make them fold, or else do it yourself.

Tight players are the toughest to beat. But loose players can get lucky, and you can get unlucky too. Learn to recognize player profiles and adjust your game accordingly.

This concludes the Texas Holdem Poker Lesson on player profiles.