Can someone define a tight aggressive player for me please???

Hi.

What is a tight aggressive player???

I tried playing a tourny recently. I decided only to play premium hands. An hour and a half later I was blinded out - In that time I got AK twice, put in a 5 times bb raise and missed a flop. I was last to act but on both occassions the guys before me raised the pot size. I got delt 99 on the button, raised 4 times bb, got called. Missed flop (again) SB went all in - he had me covered.(flop Q, 8, 3) I folded.

Ended up having to put all my chips in with Q10s UTG - I only had 5 times bb left. Got 2 callers, beaten by KJ.

A hand I would normally play, A6s in middle position, I folded (TAG?) I would have flopped nuts with two of the guys going all in with same 2 pair!!!

So, the question, how do TAG players ever win???

Any ideas guys???

If you're looking for a definition, a TAG player plays a small number of starting hands but bets them fiercely. Phil Gordon is the man who tends to come to mind to me.

Relating to your specific situation, I can offer a few attempted reconciliations:

* Position matters! A TAG would fold A6 from early/middle position but might raise a wide range of hands from the button if the SB/BB are likely to fold.
* Keep a close eye on your M score (chips divided by SB+BB+antes). You said you went in UTG with QTs with 5x BB left. That's an M of like 3. Harrington, who's pretty TAG himself, would probably tell you that he'd have been in well before that from late position with worse cards. Position position position!

Anyone else?

TAG doesn't mean to only play premium hands, especially in an MTT. Early on, sure, but once the blinds start going up, you want to use the tight image you've built to steal some blinds with not-so-great hands. If you're in late position with an 87s and nobody's come in yet, it may be a good time to raise 3 or 4 BBs. If you can steal the blinds 4 times every 3 orbits, (not to mention what you accomplish with your actual strong hands) you'll actually be profitting and building your chip stack instead of letting it sink. Also, you can't let your stack get so low that you have to push all-in UTG with only 5 BBs, if you can help it. You probably waited far too long to go all-in. You don't always have to be pushing in with premium hands when you're shortstacked. If you aren't getting dealt any decent pairs or high cards, look for situations where you're in late position with a hand that's unlikely to be dominated, like 68 or something (preferrably with at least 8 or more big blinds, or else you're going to get called too often) and consider pushing there. Even if the BB wakes up with AK and calls you, you're going to win 35-40% of the time.

If you haven't read Harrington on Hold 'Em volume 2 about M and Q and the different zones relating to the size of your stack, I strongly advise you do so, because it sounds like it will help you tremendously. If you have, maybe read it again to refresh.

Hmmm... I might be picking at nits here, but when you use the tight image you've built up early on to loosen up and win a few uncontested pots, are you not effectively shifting from TAG to something a little looser?

I always thought it was: solid tourney play is to start TAG and loosen up from TAG. And so loosening up isn't inconsistent with good play, but it's still not the same as TAG.

Semantics one way or the other. Combu's advice for you is spot on.

It might be coincidence, but the more I play the worse my results seem to get!!!

I have been playing for almost a year and I have noticed my results are gradually getting worse. All I can think is that I am now thinking too much!!!

This is especially the case in MTT.

You might have a point, Beriac. As you said, it's basically semantics. I still sort of consider it part of an effective TAG game, since using your image to win steadily growing uncontested pots later on is an important aspect, but it wouldn't be incorrect to say you're changing from a TAG game to a looser one. I tend to sort of just look at the entire MTT in terms of a good TAG strategy, which inevitably means loosening up later and maybe not being so TAG at that point. Anyway, good point.

I go through definate monthly up and down swings in results, and with some retrospective thought I think that when I have a good month, I tend to think that I am outplaying the other people, but simply its because I am loosening up my starting hand requirements.

Best advice I can give is whether you play tight, or loose, be DAMN AGGRESSIVE!!

MTTs are very different than say cash in terms of TAG play... In MTTs you need to survive the early stages .... the bloodbath ..... so you play as tight as the proverbial ducks a***. On a very passive or conservative table you may be able to steal from a good position. On a more aggressive table you will stay very tight... The art of the mtt player is the ability to change gears as the tourney progresses.

The key to a TAG is the Agression.. so not just the pre-flop bets or 3 - 4 times the BB but also the follow on post flop bet.. Your opponents need to feel that if they call you that they better have the nuts or they will be in for a rough ride.

Any way that is my 2 cents worth

Can someone define a tight agressive player for me please???
A poker playing nun who has had too much wine?


(hope this doesnt offend)

LLLOOOOOOOOOLLLLL

So what about a TAG heuer then? or am I getting confused again.....

ACTUALLY THOUGH - (and I really should know this) what the heck does ROFL stand for?

I`m a Catholic tea total Priest. Please ban this person from this site. Thank you and God bless you all

Blasphemy!!! Can you please report this person??? Stone him!!!

to late, I'm already stoned, but thanks for the offer

ROFL -Rolling on floor lauging.
Couple more just in case you don't know
LMAO - Laughing my ass off (or LMFAO where f is well you know)

Something super funny ROFLMFAO!!!!

I keep thinking of starting a thread about internet/poker abbreviations that y'all could use to look up some of these. I will admit to a term or two I don't know and such a thread could be helpful.

-hijack over-

Cheers Lodog, Beat you to it,

http://www.cardschat.com/showthread....565#post460565

had a search about on google and found another site on my network that has thoughtfully posted them!