I think there are quite a few players out there who have read the statement “aggressive poker is winning poker” and stopped right there.
Thinking they know everything there is to know, they go out to implement their new winning ways.
I am sure we have all seen them at tables. Constant pre-flop raising, firing at a pot, still firing when the flop isn’t favorable, etc.
It isn’t just aggression that wins. It’s smart aggression.
The players that play for aggressions sake (loose aggression) are the ones that build up a chip stack early but are out after a while (for those old PCS players, I only need to say one name, Dallas). If this happens to you (build a chip stack early but never make it to the final stages of a Tourny) and your style is aggressive, then this could be one of the reasons.
I love finding those people at the table. I eat them for lunch.
Here are a couple of tricks for playing the loose aggressive player.
Play tight – play good hands. The loose aggressive player bets at pots no matter what so give your self a chance of hitting a good hand.
Don’t chase – The loose aggressive player will keep betting so chasing a hand can cost you a lot of chips.
Be PATIENT – you need to wait for your opportunity. When it comes, you will earn a lot of chips.
Try a check raise – Check raising one way of determining if the player is loose aggressive. The typical loose aggressive player will keep betting until challenged. Once challenged, they will fold. But, be smart with your challenge. Don’t check raise when a 2 comes out on the turn. Wait until a high card hits or a str8 draw presents itself. Be careful though, the loose aggressive player may still call.
Trap – This is the most effective way of getting the chips. Let the aggressive player bet for you. Some people would be tempted to raise a bet after a flop against the aggressive player because they have hit their hand. I, sometimes, will just call. I will call the bet on the turn too. When it comes down to the river, that’s when I would raise, and raise big.
Watch the table closely – This is important in the early stages. You need to determine whether the aggressive player is being tight aggressive or loose aggressive. The best way to determine this is to watch a few hands get called down. Eventually someone else is going to get a hand and play them so you need to watch and look back to see what cards were played, etc. This will help you when it’s “your turn”. It’s funny. You can almost see the mentality of the table change when a loose aggressive player gets called and looses a couple of hands. Other people at the table will start challenging more and before you know it. The loose aggressive player is out.
If you are the one that takes the loose aggressive player out. Be prepared to get yelled at. Why, you ask? Here is what happens. The loose aggressive player doesn’t realize that other people are paying attention or they think a A 5 off really is a good hand (lol). The other people at the table see the loose aggressive player push pots with over cards, middle pairs, draws, etc. So, when bets by the loose aggressive player are made (especially if they don’t change their betting style) people stop believing as much as they originally did.
Now, lets say Mr. or Mrs. Loose Aggressive gets pocket Q’s and bets like they have been or maybe even a little more. Mr. or Mrs. gets one caller who happens to be on a A 10 suited. The flop comes 8 4 2 rainbow. Mr. or Mrs. bets. The caller who has seen Mr. or Mrs. bet like this a lot decides that Mr. or Mrs. probably didn’t hit the flop and is likely playing a weak A so he calls. The turn shows a J. Same bet out of Mr. or Mrs. so A 10 calls again. The river shows a A. Mr. or Mrs. bets again (cause that’s what they do), the caller raises (the caller is smart enough to raise enough to get them to call and not so much they fold) and Mr. or Mrs. looses a big pot.
Now, the talking starts by the loose aggressive player. “I can’t believe you called with that crap”. “What a Donk!”, etc. The loose aggressive player has failed to realize that they lost respect at the table. People were getting tired of all the raising and were more willing to gamble with marginal hands.
So, the moral of this story is…
Evaluate your play. If you play a lot of hands, bet aggressively, and are trying to figure out why you don’t win more or why you “always get sucked out on”, maybe you are loose aggressive.
My fellow members of the SKYPE CREW can help. We can watch you play and make a honest evaluation of your style. I think the loose aggressive player tends not to realize that they are.
Anyway, this one has gone on too long. I hope it helps.
See ya on the felt and good luck!
Comments welcome….
