Key to Winning at Poker: Identifying Player Types and Tendencies (and a Poker Experiment)

Key to Winning at Poker: Identifying Player Types and Tendencies (and a Poker Experiment)

Image by BWJones via Flickr

Let me share with you some key player types and tendencies I have found while playing at the 9 handed, limit hold'em ring games online and how that effects your play. Note that this information relates to players at the $3-$6 tables and under. The players get tougher at the $5-$10 and up levels.

1. Predictable/ABC player.

I would say that at least 80% of the players at these levels are predictable. They raise with premium hands pre-flop and make a continuation bet regardless of what flops.

-How to take advantage of these players?

Let's say that this ABC player raised pre-flop and you called.

If you call him in position and he checks the turn, after you called his flop bet, just bet.
If you are heads up in a blind position, and the flop is all rags, when he bets the flop, check-raise. If he just calls, you keep betting. If he raises you, he has you beat.

Let's say that you raised pre-flop with A-K, and he called you in early position.
The flop is A-9-5 rainbow. You bet and he calls. The turn is a 2. You bet and he check raises you. You are beat. You can call and hope to improve, but even then your ABC opponent may have a set. If you don't improve, fold!

2. Aggressive pre-flop, but predictable starting at the turn.

This may be the next largest group of players. They know they are suppose to be aggressive so they raise pre-flop more than their cards dictate. They follow up with a bet on the flop. If they get called on the flop, they tell you what they have by what they do on the turn and river.

-How to take advantage of these players?

Let's say this player raises pre-flop and you call with pocket 7's. The flop is A-6-2. Your opponent bets and you call. The turn is a J. You check. If your opponent bets, fold. If your opponent checks, he doesn't have the Ace. On the river, if you don't improve, don't bet. But, if your opponent bets, you will be forced to call unless the river card could have completed his hand--example, a 10 hits making his straight.

3. Predictable and passive players

These players are predictable pre-flop: limping with calling hands and raising with premium hands. On the flop if they don't improve, they check their hand. When this happens just bet.

4. Aggressive heads-up players

These players are aggressive when they are heads-up. If this player is on the big blind, and you raise pre-flop, he will tend to call your bet. When you bet the flop, he likes to check-raise. If you have a good hand, you can re-raise him here or on the turn. If you may be beat, just call. In fact, since this kind of player may be on a draw, you can call him down with any pair and even Ace high.

Other player tendencies:

A few players like to go for the check-raise bluff on the turn against one or two opponents. Identify this player, and call his bluff. However, in most cases, a player who check raises you on the turn in these middle/lower level games is not bluffing. If you can't improve enough to win, it is okay to fold.

Players who raise on the river are usually not bluffing. Your river value bet has now become a bad play. When you bet the river and it is clear that a player may have hit his flush, it is okay to check behind your opponent. Or be forced to check-call. (By the way, I am not suggesting you fold your hand to this raise. I am suggesting that you put you should always put your opponent on a range of hands--especially drawing hands--so when the river card hits, you can check if it appears he got there.)

There are a few crazy players who like to re-raise and cap pre-flop with less than premium hands. By capping the pot pre-flop, it allows you to see the turn for one more bet. For example, let's say you raised pre-flop in late position with pocket 5's. The button re-raised and now the big blind caps it. If your set doesn't come on the flop, it is okay to call for one more bet to see if you can get lucky and hit the 5 on the flop. It won't happen often, but when it does you win a huge pot.

The players in these games often do not understand the concept of "dead money." Simply, when the blinds fold, the chips in the pot are dead money. You want to raise in late position to get these players to fold. It usually allow you to have position on your opponents. Most players fold in the blinds to a raise. Only a few defend their blinds--although, they are usually making a mistake in calling a raise.

My Poker Experiment:

Last night, I was at a $3-$6 table. For about 15 minutes, I didn't play any hands since the cards were ugly. Most of my opponents were ABC players so I decided that I would try an experiment:

I would raise pre-flop with any two cards for the next 10 hands. The only exception would be if a player raised before me. In that case, I would fold and not include that hand in my count of 10.

What happened?

Since my image was tight, my first two pre-flop raises were not called. My third raise was called in the big blind. I won on my continuation bet.

The fourth hand was 10-2 and I raised in middle position. The flop was 10 high, and I bet. When the river was an Ace my opponent bet and I was beat. He had A-Q. (I'm no Doyle Brunson.)

In middle position, I was dealt pocket Kings. A player raised, another player re-raised, and I capped it. Both players checked called my bet on the flop. On the turn they both folded to my bet. I thought that was strange.

I raised with 6-5 offsuit up front and the flop was Q-6-5. I was called in two places on the flop. The turn was a 9. I bet and got check raised. Not good. I lost to Q-9.

In the small blind I raised with QQ. The big blind called me. The flop came Ace high. I checked. My opponent checked. The turn was a King, and gave me a nut flush draw. I bet and my opponent check raised me. I called and the flush didn't come.

I raised on the button and won.

I raised on the cut-off and got re-raised by the small blind. I folded on the flop. I had 7-3.

I got pocket Aces and raised in the power position. I was called in 4 places. The flop was 10-9-8 and I knew I was dead. I checked. When the turn was a 7, a raising war began. I folded.

The net: at one point +$70, but ended down about -$40.

My experiment is similar to what Daniel Negreanu calls "NutBar." He recommends "NutBar" as a way to improve your game. Sit down and try to win every hand by being more aggressive than your opponents. You will lose your stack but you will learn a lot from the experience.

Another Huge Bad Beat Jackpot at Casino 101-Over $200,000+

Image by assbach via Flickr

Another Huge Bad Beat Jackpot at Casino 101

Back around November I went to visit Casino 101 having this feeling the bad beat jackpot would hit. I had not been to that club in years. The Jackpot hit that day for $150,000+, but I was playing in a tournament. The policy of the club is that everyone in a cash game gets a piece of a bad beat jackpot.

Tonight, I felt it would happen again so I drove back up to Casino 101. Funny thing, I was off by one day. The Jackpot hit yesterday for over $200,000! Even players at other tables took home $6,000+ each.

Now, I was stuck at this casino and the only game open was $3-$6 hold'em.

Limit Poker Fun

I bought in for $100 and I lost every hand I played for about one hour. One player was drinking too much and the player next to him was pretending to be somewhat wasted. They both were winning most of the hands. It was your typical no fold'em hold'em game.

Down to my last few dollars, I bought in for another rack. Two hands later I was dealt pocket Kings in the small blind. 6 players limped and I raised. Everyone called.

This was the first time I played live limit after that awful run where I lost 8 times in a row with pocket Kings. I really thought it was due to hold up.

The flop was K-J-10 with two hearts. I bet and everyone called.

The turn was a 10. I bet and got raised, another player over-called. I re-raised and both players called.

The river was a 9 of hearts.

I bet and one player re-raised. I re-raised and he called.

It turned out he misread his hand. He thought he had a full house.

It was a big win.

I Made A Player Curse, Slam His Cards Down and March Off in Anger

A few hands later, I am dealt Ac-9c. Again there are numerous callers. I am on the button, so I raise. Everyone calls.

The flop is the 3c-4c-Qd.

Everyone checks and I bet. There are three callers.

The turn is a 8d. I bet after everyone checks. Probably a bad play on my part. There are three callers.

The river is a 7c.

The first player (the drinker) checks, the guy who misread his hand earlier bets into me. I raise with my flush.

The drinker thinks for a while and calls. The other player calls.

I show the flush and the drinker yells "Fuck!" Slams his cards over--the 5d-6s. And marches off pissed. He came back about 10 minutes later and left the casino. I guess he couldn't put me on the flush since I bet all the way?

But wait there's more!

I am now up about $200 and a new player sits down. He has never played before. When I arrived at the club--now about 2 hours ago--this player asked me if he could win here. I told him that you can win or you can lose.

As he sat down he told the dealer that he didn't know how much to bet or about the blinds. The dealer said that he would tell him.

The funny thing--this new player and I go to the river heads-up about 7 out of the next 9 hands. He hits the river on all but one hand. He was hitting his inside straights, two pairs, etc. I kept telling him good hand.

He ended up taking about $100 of my winnings. The game broke up and I left.

Was This A Bad Poker Play On My Part?

Was This A Bad Poker Play On My Part?

Image via Wikipedia

I had played $3-$6 limit cash game on ten previous occasions and had won eight times. On Friday night, I played again at the $3-$6 level and lost--I couldn't get the table to fold to any of my raises or bets..a bummer.

On Saturday, I decided to move up and play a $6-$12 limit cash game at the local poker room. I figured I could get a few more folds:-)

Here is the situation:

The table is 10 handed. I am on the big blind. The blinds are $6-$4.

Three players limp in and a player in middle position raises. Four players call the raise. I look down on the big blind and find 6-2 offsuit.

It's not that great of a starting hand, of course, but it will cost me $6 with a pot expected to be $90. I call. And the limpers call.

There are 8 players in the hand and the pot is $96.

The flop comes Q-8-6 rainbow.

The limpers fold to the raiser, who bets. Two players fold. But, the next player raises. It is $12 to me. The pot is now $120. It is one big bet to win 10 big bets.

Since I know I am going to get a few more callers, I am actually getting the right pot odds here to call (I need at least 11 bets in the pot for a positive expected value).

I also get this feeling that a 6 will hit. I call.

The three early position players call. The original bettor re-raises, and the next player caps the pot.

Now, it is another $12 to me. The pot is $168.

I pick up the chips to make the call. I mean if it is right to call off $12 for $120 then it's right to call off the same amount for a bigger pot, right?

I am about to toss the chips into the pot, when I start to think that someone already has a set. I put down the chips and think it over for a few seconds.

If I think I am drawing dead, then a fold is in order.

I fold. The moment I fold I feel stupid. The expected value for me is positive. I shouldn't fold unless I am like 99% sure that even if I hit my 6 I will lose. I am not that sure.

The turn card is a 7.

Everyone checks!

The river is a 6!!

Everyone checks again.

The winning hand is A-Q.

Would you have played this hand differently?

Overall Results for the Day

I played for 5 hours and won $500. Not bad. But the opportunity to take down a big pot was lost.

Limit Poker Cash Game Guidelines at Low Limits

Limit Poker Cash Game Guidelines at Low Limits

Last night I played a ring game at the local card room. They only were spreading a $3-$6 limit game. Everything else was no limit.

Image via Wikipedia

I enjoy limit poker. And I miss the fact that limit poker tournaments are essentially gone. The fact is that there is a lot of skill at limit events but players today are in love no limit events.

At this low limit ring game of $3-$6 many players will see a flop with a very wide range of hands. Hands like Q-4 suited or J-7 suited are hands that players will limp into the pot pre-flop hoping to get lucky. I think it is a losing play.

My Guidelines

The low limit cash games tend to be loose and passive. Given this fact I adjust my play accordingly.

If I have a big hand that is unsuited like K-Q. I want to raise and re-raise pre-flop to get players to fold.

Hands that are suited are good to play if they are connectors even as low as 2-3. But I won't play Q-4 or J-7 even to limp into a pot. The only exception is if I've won the last two or more hands--I like to play my rushes.

On the flop, if a raise will get players to fold, definitely raise. In limping games, some players will call no matter what and others will fold. Sometimes it depends if a player has been winning or losing.

If you take the lead pre-flop with a raise, you should bet the flop, turn and even the river--if you don't get played back on the earlier streets and you are certain your opponents are drawing. This is one of the key ways to bluff at a pot with nothing in a low level cash game.

Another common way to bluff at a low limit cash game is to check-raise the turn when a scare card hits. However, since pots are large on the turn, you will often get called down in today's game.

Sometimes you have to call a turn bet because the pots are big, and it is only $6 more to try to hit a winning card on the river.

Look for tells. Players at lower levels do not notice that they give the strength of their hands away by their actions. A player who is quiet, and now is talking is strong. Just fold your top pair.

Here is a hint at finding tells: A hand goes to the river and you notice a betting action your opponent takes you have not noticed before. If he wins the hand take a picture in your mind of that action. Try to get a confirmation that the player does it more than once. Make sure you notice the cards he shows down to determine how he played his hand.

I will notice this action heads-up against an opponent and at first, I have no clue what it means. For example, I may notice my opponent tossed his chips into the pot on the river when his prior bets he placed them inside the line. I will call his river bet even though I will lose. The reason is that I can now use that tell to determine how to play against him next time.

Since it is very difficult to notice these tells for all your opponents, just watch one or two players who tend to be most active at the table. The reason is that you will end up playing against these players more often.

My Results

The first hand I was dealt A-5 suited. Two opponents called, one raised, and on the cutoff I called knowing that I was going to get at least three opponents.

The flop came Ace high, and the raiser bet. I called. The other players folded.

My opponent bet the turn and river. I called and won the hand. He had pocket Queens and never slowed down.

The next hand I was deal 8-9 suited of diamonds. Four players limped. I limped as well. The flop came 5-6-2 with one diamond. One player bet and we all called. I called since the pot was big and I had won the last hand. The turn was a J of diamonds. The same player bet. The other players folded. Since the pot was big, I called. The river was a 7 of clubs. My opponent bet and I raised. I won the pot with my straight..lol.

The third hand I was dealt 5-3 suited of spades. Since I had won the first two hands I was going to play any two cards. The flop came with two spades. I raised on the flop and got 4 callers. On the turn I missed my flush, but I hit my 5 so I bet again. I got 2 callers. On the river, the flush card hit. I bet and I got check raised. Uh oh, with a flush on the board and a check raise my 5 high flush didn't look too good. However, the pot was big and if I'm wrong that I'm beat, it would be a disaster.

I called. My opponent hit a straight on the river, and did not expect me to have a flush since I bet the turn.

The fourth hand I played Q-3 offsuit. I was playing my rush. The flop came Q high and everyone checked. The turn was a rag and I bet. I got one caller. The river was another rag. There was no draw I could see at the end, so I checked the river. My opponent checked. He had K-Q and won.

That ended my 3 hand rush.

After a little over an hour I was ahead $80--and the game was down to just 5 players. I left...I didn't feel that the game was about to go my way.

I hope my guidelines are helpful to you.