The psychology of poker
Poker is of course famed for it psychological aspects - it is what sets it above other card games.
In this section, we will be looking at the different ways you can get inside the heads of your opponents, and also how to project your own image on the table to influence the way others play.
Ultimately, you want to combine the psychology of poker with the technical side of the game. Both are hard to master, but both are just as important as each other.
Table Image
Table image is the single most important part of the psychological side of poker. Table image refers to how the other players around the table see you. If you have a poor table image, you will find it extremely hard to bluff people out of pots. Similarly, if you have a very good table image, you will find it hard to trap people into large pots as they will be very wary of you. Of course, every player is different, but the majority of players can be broken down into 9 categories;
Tight-Aggressive-Aggressive (Shark)
This type of player is amongst the better category of player, and if you believe a player to be in this category, you are best off not entering into large pots with them. This type of player will generally only start with premium hands, and play them aggressively if they hit. They are generally experienced players who know what they are doing at the table.
Calling station
This category usually refers to novice players. They will limp into a lot of pots without really considering the odds. To them, every starting hand is a potential winner. They will very often chase hands with few outs, in the hope of hitting or to see if you are bluffing. These players generally loose a lot, and do not stay in this category long as they learn to play properly.
Tight-Passive-Aggressive (Rock)
These players generally have little effect on the table until they hit a big hand. However, when they do hit that hand, they will play it very aggressively. It is hard to get many chips out of a rock, as they are unwilling to bet unless they have a good chance of winning. However, you can occasionally steal blinds from them due to how selective they are of the cards they play.
It is best not to get too involved with this type of player in large pots unless you have the nuts, as they are unlikely to play anything less then a premium hand.
Aggressive-Passive (Fish)
These players are quite easy to take chips from. Usually, players in this category are new players who have advanced out of the 'calling station' category, but are still learning the game. They will often take a stab at a pot with a weak hand, and if you are able to re-raise them after then you will generally get them to fold.
Passive-Passive (Fish)
These are an even easier opponent to beat than The aggressive-passive fish. They will see a lot of flops, but they will not remain in a pot unless they have the nuts. A bet or a raise against this type of player will always see them folding.
Tight-Passive-Passive (Mouse)
The mouse will only ever play premium starting hands, and will fold to any bet if they miss on the flop. These players do not often get involved in big pots, but if they do they usually win. If you can convince a mouse that you are a tight player, you will always get them to fold to your bets.
Maniac
As the name suggests, these are a very difficult opponent to play against. They will often make huge raises, and then become passive. A manic cannot be predicted, so you should not try bluffing them or bullying them. It is better to allow a manic to be a manic, and just be patient. As soon as you get a good hand, take them to the cleaners!
Aggressive-Aggressive
An aggressive-aggressive player is a player who likes to control the betting, but he will do this too much. He will bet, raise and re-raise less-than-premium hands, and they are a good target for a player who likes to trap opponents through slow play. You can let this play bet and bet if you have a good hand, without fear of scaring them away. The check-raise is also a good way to get chips out of them.
Passive-Aggressive
The passive aggressive player is one to watch out for. They will try to trap you by slow playing, and entice you to bet or raise against them when they have a monster. It is possible to take chips off these players as they are willing to risk their chips, but if they are staying in a pot, you can be sure that they have a good hand.
Choosing your table wisely - watch and learn!
When you sit at the table, you need to decide beforehand how you are going to play. Don't go on to a table unprepared unless you have to! If you are playing cash games, then you are able to check out the table stats in most of the lobbys of on-line poker rooms. Choose a table to suit your play. If you are going to play as a rock, then there is no point sitting at a table populated by other rocks (these tables will have a low percentage of players seeing the flop coupled with a lower average pot). You should look for a loose table (characterized by a high percentage of players in the flop and a high pot value), as a tight player will likely do well. However, if you are going to play aggressive-aggressive, then you should avoid this table as you are unlikely to scare people out of the pot.
In tournament play, things are a little different. Normally, you will have no insight into the type of players at the table, so you must watch them, and learn their various styles.
Case study - Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey is perhaps one of the most recognisable faces in poker. With his cold stare and aggressive play, he is able to dominate any table that he sits at. However, he is by no means a one dimensional player. When playing cash games he will often seem a far more relaxed, friendly player who puts others at ease - whilst at the same time taking their chips!
Phil Ivey is currently sponsored by Full Tilt poker - you can find out more about him here. Choosing your style - Know yourself
There is no point saying that you are going to play as a rock if within 5 minutes of sitting down you are going to become bored and start playing poor-quality hands just for amusement. Make sure that you know what style you can play, and you make the most of it!
Every style of play can be capitalised on. Just ensure that you know what you want from the game. You should ask yourself - why are you playing poker? It sounds silly, but there are many different reasons people play.
- The competitiveness
- Social atmosphere
- To make money
Once you know why you are playing, you will be able to choose a style and a game that suits you.
The final hurdle - projecting your image
Once you have chosen how you will play, the time has come to decide how you want others to perceive you. This is hugely different to how you actually play.
As a short example, let us take two types of tables. Once is populated by loose players, one by tight players.
Loose table
On a loose table, you want to appear as a loose player. This may sound contradictory to what is said above but remember - this is not how you will play. This is how you will appear to play to your opponents. Let me explain;
You want the players around this table to think that you are as loose as you are. That will mean that they will not be afraid of entering into large pots with poorer cards. They will assume that you will also play poor cards. Of course, you will never, ever enter a large pot with anything less that a premium hand - but they don't know that.
The way that you can achieve this image, is by playing any cheap pot that you can - and showing weak cards. For example, if you are sat at a $0.25/$0.50 low stakes table, and the opportunity comes to play a hand all the way to showdown, do it. It doesn't matter what cards you have - you are trying to get them to believe that you are a loose player. By playing this $1 and showing 5/7 offsuit, when you have A-K or similar, the chances of getting a large pot are much, much higher.
Tight table
At a tight table, you want to appear as tight as they are. This is because most tight players can be forced off anything up to top pair frequently with a good bluff. If these players believe that you are tight, then they will believe that you are ahead.
A tight image is the hardest of all to fake, and can only really be achieved over time by playing tight. Never, ever, get tempted to play a hand that you are unsure of - even if you win at showdown, if your cards are not strong it can weaken your table image.
In summary, the most important thing to remember is that the best weapon you have against other players is table image. If you can fool another player into thinking you are something that you are not, then you have opened them up, and they are ready to give up their chips!
See more guides
Strategy Guides
- Staying in the game
- Check your position
- On the flop
- Turn and river
- Slow playing and trapping
- Large stack dominion
- Short stack aggressiveness
- Table image
- Choosing your table
- Choosing your style
- Projecting your image
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