how to play against a loose-aggressive player |
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Posted Tue Jan 21, 2003 9:52 pm GMT by zero123
I'm pretty new to poker so I have a question...How should I play against a very loose-aggressive player in a short-handed game?? He always raises pre-flop and bluffs like crazy. Thanks.
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Posted Tue Jan 21, 2003 11:28 pm GMT by Carson Cashman
It sounds to me like you know this player fairly well... A few tips:
1) Watch the size of his bets (if its no limit) and the cards he's holding at the showdown (if you get that far). Many players unconsciously bet different amounts whether they have a solid hand or are just taking swings at the pot. If you notice consistent behavior (ie, he only bets really big when bluffing), then chop him off with your own raise if you have even a marginally good hand.
2) Tighten up. Let them steal a few blinds from you, and call when you have a playable hand. Ace is king heads up.
3) Set traps! If you're playing someone who will consistently bet at you regardless, then make small bets (assuming no limit.. a check raise will work as well in a structured game) at them when you have a made hand and wait for them to make a big raise back at you. Then come right back at them with your own raise.
4) Don't let them upset you. If you lose your head and start playing every hand with your own raises, you're not being the better player. You want to allow them to steal a few blinds from you, but then win larger pots from them and make them pay for their bluffs. If this player is truly loose, you should be able to take them all the way to the showdown with quality cards, as they'll just keep swinging at you for no reason.
Posted Fri Feb 14, 2003 6:17 pm GMT by kevineanes
zero123,
As a new player, you may find a full table easier than a shorthanded game. Shorthanded poker calls for some strategy adjustments, and these adjustments include playing more aggressively, so your loose-aggressive (LAG) opponent may be close to a correct strategy.
Now, how can you identify his weaknesses, exploit them, and take his money? First, try to sit to his left so that you will have the positional advantage of acting after him. Second, learn how your opponent plays, how he thinks. Watch what hands he shows down, how he played them, etc. Try to get inside his mind and learn how he thinks, what motivates him, what cards he is likely to have, what his betting patterns mean, etc.
If he is a true maniac (plays nearly every hand, bets and raises nearly every opportunity) then he is making two fundamental mistakes: playing too many hands and putting in too much money when he does not have the best hand. A mixed approach is probably best as it will add deception and make you hard to read.
Sometimes, raise, reraise, check-raise, etc. - just get the most money in the pot - whenever you think you have the best hand, even if your presumed "best hand" is, let's say, A6o preflop, middle pair on the flop, etc. This will get you heads up with the best hand more often than not. Heads up, one pair or even ace high can be pretty good. The "pump up the pot" strategy is probably best when you think he could be semibluffing a drawing hand, because you will be cutting his odds to draw.
Another approach, especially if you think he is bluffing, is to simply call or check and call. Heads up you can do this with any pair or even ace high. Your passive behavior will encourage him to keep putting his money in the pot, bluffing when he has nothing. You should catch him bluffing often enough to make this a profitable play. This works best with an uncoordinated board.
I should give you a few words of caution. Shorthanded games vs. LAG opponents can be pretty wild, with high risk and variance. You can win or lose a lot of chips in a short time. Accordingly, you need a higher bankroll or you may even want to seek an easier game to beat. And just because LAG raises with 72o sometimes, he may also have pocket aces and his betting pattern will look just the same to you. Sometimes you'll just have to pay him off when he has a real hand. But if he really bluffs too much, in the long run you'll catch him with nothing plenty of times which will be more than sufficient compensation
One tell to look for that works with may LAG manics. "Strong when weak, weak when strong." You'll have to observe this guy and see whether it is true for him or not. Many LAG players will bet strongly when they have a weak hand, but watch out when they limp or check and call. Somehow they get it in their heads that when they really pick up a big hand, they act passive so they don't scare customers away. By the way, this is wrong, you should use similar betting patterns for a variety of hands, so as to deceive your opponents and make your cards hard for them to read.
Shorthanded play and tricky opponents create difficult, complicated situations. Knowledge of your opponent is invaluable. I can't even begin to describe all the complexities of playing shorthanded. This may be too tough of a game for a beginner. You may be better off playing a full game against weak opponents, at least while you're first learning.
Good Luck,
-Kevin
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