What exactly is the definiition of "loose" or "tight"?

I'm meaning this question towards specifically the VP$IP% stat. Is there just one number that is the threshold between loose or tight? Or is there a "tight range", an "average range", and a "loose range"?

I bring this up because I've run across this question a couple times recently. Once was in my recent "AA w/rag board" thread and the other time was in a thread about autorating in PokerTracker. It seems there is a difference of opinion around here.

Anyway, is 25% tight or average? Is 35% average or loose? I'm confused.

Here's my latest Poker Tracker autoratings for further discussion:

Autorate Rules Begin
Aggression:Y

ARI_2 1 WP- Fish
15 4 1.00 Aggression Factor - Total is less than or equal to 1.00
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 1 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is greater than 45.00
21 2 12.00 When Folds - Flop % is greater than or equal to 12.00

ARI_12 2 WP+ Calling Stn.
15 4 1.00 Aggression Factor - Total is less than or equal to 1.00
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 1 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is greater than 45.00
21 3 12.00 When Folds - Flop % is less than 12.00

ARI_8 3 WAG Caller
15 1 1.00 Aggression Factor - Total is greater than 1.00
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 1 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is greater than 45.00

ARI_7 4 LAP Chaser
15 3 1.00 Aggression Factor - Total is less than 1.00
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 1 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is greater than 45.00

ARI_10 5 LAG Wild
15 2 1.00 Aggression Factor - Total is greater than or equal to 1.00
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 1 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is greater than 45.00

ARI_14 6 sW Flopper
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 5 35.00 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is between 35.00 and 45.00

ARI_5 7 sAP Avg Player
15 3 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is less than 1.50
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 5 35.00 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is between 35.00 and 45.00

ARI_4 8 sAG Avg Aggro
15 2 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is greater than or equal to 1.50
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 5 35.00 45.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is between 35.00 and 45.00

ARI_13 9 WTP- Weak
15 3 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is less than 1.50
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 3 35.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is less than 35.00
3 3 25.00 Went To Showdown % is less than 25.00

ARI_9 10 WTP+ Rock
15 3 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is less than 1.50
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 3 35.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is less than 35.00
3 2 25.00 Went To Showdown % is greater than or equal to 25.00

ARI_11 11 sTAG Avg Tight
15 2 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is greater than or equal to 1.50
2 4 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is less than or equal to 5.00
1 3 35.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is less than 35.00

ARI_6 12 TsAG Good PF
15 3 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is less than 1.50
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 3 35.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is less than 35.00

ARI_15 13 TAG- Good Plyr
15 2 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is greater than or equal to 1.50
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 3 35.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is less than 35.00
13 3 7.00 Win Rate Per 100 Hands is less than 7.00

ARI_3 14 TAG+ Excellent
15 2 1.50 Aggression Factor - Total is greater than or equal to 1.50
2 1 5.00 Pre-flop Raise % is greater than 5.00
1 3 35.00 Vol. Put Money In Pot % is less than 35.00
13 2 7.00 Win Rate Per 100 Hands is greater than or equal to 7.00

Autorate Rules End

Hmmm

Ok when im not drunk ill have a proper look. You should really be basing you game on how to play against these ranges rather than playing them though.

Illl prob be sober around tuesday

I consider loose / tight:

Loose: Calls blinds every time, takes chances.
Tight: Never calls blinds unless he is the big blind and only calls when he has something. Never calls hoping for a runner runner or a 1 way straight draw, etc.

Just to remind everyone so far.
VP$IP% = Voluntarily Puts Money In Preflop
Meaning the percentage of hands a player voluntarily put money into the pot preflop.

As you can see by my Poker Tracker autoratings above, the VP$IP threshold numbers I use are:

Tight = Less than 35% VP$IP
Average = 35-45%
Loose = More than 45 %

Does anyone have any meaningful opinions on what their own or any published VP$IP thresholds are?

it's all relative. 25% is tight on a table full of 35%+ vpip

ummm ummm ummmm 34% is tight on full ring or 6 max?

because if you are talking full ring and think 35% is tight that is just nuttie, Lag players are concidered like 20% - 35%. Tag players are like 10% - 20%. anyomne over 35% are just maniacs.

6 max it changes a little bit but I think your range is pretty off.

Great, Stormy! That's exactly the type of feedback I was looking for.

I kinda based my numbers on a combination of sources, but the one that sticks out in my mind was when I saw Annie Duke on a show once and she said that a good player should see 3 out of 10 flops (full table). I interpreted that to mean 30% VP$IP, but I guess an unraised pot played from the BB might mess that up. So I guess my thinking is a bit flawed.

I'm interested in more opinions from folks and possibly some sources of reference. Keep 'em coming.

I'm getting ready to change my autoratings again. Anyone else have opinions on the VP$IP% stat??

My rankings are similar to Storms - under 20% on a full table is tight, 20 - 35% is semi-loose, above 35% is very loose.