Learn how to play poker

Poker Players and Pattern Analysis

Some of the basic of poker players that are read by a seasoned players are as follows:

Loose and Tight players

Loose Players play with more hands, but they usually stay in the game with weak hands. Tight players play with few hands because they don't prefer to continue with weak ones. Bluffing a loose player is not that effective because they don't seldom fold. Secondly, requirement to continue with made hands would have a low chance of winning because loose players are more probable to playing lower hands either. Thirdly, shooting to complete a 5 card hand, like flushes, would be more valuable as draws will likely get favorable pot odds and a superior hand is often required to win a multi-way pots.

Aggressive and passive players

Aggressive players are frequent bettors and frequently raising bets. Passive players usually checks and calls. Aggressive players are generally stronger, unless a passive play is intentional and thereby used as a ploy. A bluff in an aggressive move and a raise offers more opportunity for the player to raise his/her stakes and the pot.

The Tells and the Hand Reading

A tell is a spotted change in a player's mannerism and/or behavior that gives clue to his/her hand. While hand reading is making educated guesses, using probabilities, about the possible cards an opponent might be holding. An educated guess about other player's cards can help a player avoid errors in his own play, induce errors by his opponents, or to influence the opponent to take action that he would normally won't take under the circumstances. For instance, a player can tell whether his opponent has missed a draw and now holds an inferior hand. But then again, the player might have hands that are weaker. Using the tell, the player can bluff his/her way to influence the opponent to fold.

Opponent Profiling

By being observant of the patterns of your opponents, one can build educated guesses about their hands such as when a player is playing tightly by playing few hands. When he/she enters the pot, one can infer that that opponent has received a stronger than usual hand. Profiling can be turned, however when the opponent shows his pattern of play. Then, in one play he suddenly changes his character thereby inducing his opponents to misjudge his hand and fall into his trap. This was the style of employed by Mel Gibson's character in earlier part of the movie Maverick.