Aggressive???

Dr.Mik

Dr.Mik

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Maybe you will find this to be a stupid question ...
But I've been thinking it over and over since I've started playing poker.

Anytime I read a poker book or some online advice, the first thing the author emphasizes is:
BE AGGRESSIVE!
Now, my question ist - how can I practice being more aggressive? I've learned so much about strategy and reads and tells and short stacks and so on ...
But this "be aggressive!" item seems to be sth like a categorical motto, as it is never explained.

And please, don't tell me, that you either are aggressive or not, and that this can't be practised. I am an artist, I paint pictures, and I know that you can learn to be an artist, that you can learn to paint - by practise and study and with patience and perseverance. So why the hell shouldn't I be able to learn to be an aggressive poker player?

Any suggestions? Please help me with this!!!
 
ChuckTs

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Being aggressive (in the meaning of the word that I think you're alluding to) essentially means to be betting and raising more rather than checking and calling.

Post some hand histories in the hand analysis section and you'll get some advice as to how you might/might not have played the hand aggressively enough, as well as other aspects of the hand.
 
Stick66

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OK. When you have AK on the button, what do you do? If you raise, you are aggressive. If you limp, you are not. When you see a flop, don't hit it, and 2 players check to you in last position, what do you do? If you bet anyway, you are aggressive. If you check like them, you are not.

bluffing, betting draws, and re-raising are all forms of aggression. Limping, checking, and folding are not forms of aggression.
 
Egon Towst

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There are a few fairly simple principles to follow:

Never min-raise. Pre-flop, always open for at least 3 Big Blinds (possibly more if there are limpers before you or known calling stations after you.

Post-flop, don`t make a bet that isn`t at least a third of the pot. Make it tough for opponents to call.

Don`t be a caller yourself. That "check" button should only rarely be your choice. If you have a strong hand, raise. If not, why are you in this pot ? If you don`t have a good answer, fold.

Remember that there are two ways to win a pot - by having the best hand, or by making the other guy fold. You can only do the latter by raising.

I`m not suggesting that you should be a maniac and raise with air (at least not often), but when you have a hand press your advantage.
 
shinedown.45

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Dr.Mik said:
Maybe you will find this to be a stupid question ...
But I've been thinking it over and over since I've started playing poker.

Anytime I read a poker book or some online advice, the first thing the author emphasizes is:
BE AGGRESSIVE!
Now, my question ist - how can I practice being more aggressive? I've learned so much about strategy and reads and tells and short stacks and so on ...
But this "be aggressive!" item seems to be sth like a categorical motto, as it is never explained.

And please, don't tell me, that you either are aggressive or not, and that this can't be practised. I am an artist, I paint pictures, and I know that you can learn to be an artist, that you can learn to paint - by practise and study and with patience and perseverance. So why the hell shouldn't I be able to learn to be an aggressive poker player?

Any suggestions? Please help me with this!!!
Click to expand...
The best way to practice being aggressive is to forget about the check/call option on the screen so your left with the bet/raise or fold buttons.
It has been said before, if the cards are good enough to enter a hand with, they're worth a raise pre-flop.
 
shinedown.45

shinedown.45

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shinedown.45 said:
The best way to practice being aggressive is to forget about the check/call option on the screen so your left with the bet/raise or fold buttons.
It has been said before, if the cards are good enough to enter a hand with, they're worth a raise pre-flop.
Click to expand...
An example of aggression, notice that even though an over hit the board that I did not slow down.

pokerstars Game #11508469622: Tournament #58392968, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/08/15 - 20:39:15 (ET)
Table '58392968 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: lumag (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: jam32 (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: PkrSteveo (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: 1shodan1 (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: Cooster (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: Orion469 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: Liking4real (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: TapiocaExp (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: CHRISTCHILD (1500 in chips)
jam32: posts small blind 10
PkrSteveo: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Orion469 [Qc Qh]
1shodan1: calls 20
Cooster: calls 20
Orion469: raises 80 to 100
Liking4real: folds
TapiocaExp: folds
CHRISTCHILD: folds
lumag: folds
jam32: folds
PkrSteveo: folds
1shodan1: calls 80
Cooster: calls 80
*** FLOP *** [7d 4h Kc]
1shodan1: checks
Cooster: checks
Orion469: bets 220
1shodan1: folds
Cooster: folds
Orion469 collected 330 from pot
Orion469: doesn't show hand
 
N

nick1611

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shinedown.45 said:
An example of aggression, notice that even though an over hit the board that I did not slow down.

PokerStars Game #11508469622: Tournament #58392968, $5.00+$0.50 Hold'em No Limit - Level I (10/20) - 2007/08/15 - 20:39:15 (ET)
Table '58392968 1' 9-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: lumag (1500 in chips)
Seat 2: jam32 (1500 in chips)
Seat 3: PkrSteveo (1500 in chips)
Seat 4: 1shodan1 (1500 in chips)
Seat 5: Cooster (1500 in chips)
Seat 6: Orion469 (1500 in chips)
Seat 7: Liking4real (1500 in chips)
Seat 8: TapiocaExp (1500 in chips)
Seat 9: CHRISTCHILD (1500 in chips)
jam32: posts small blind 10
PkrSteveo: posts big blind 20
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Orion469 [Qc Qh]
1shodan1: calls 20
Cooster: calls 20
Orion469: raises 80 to 100
Liking4real: folds
TapiocaExp: folds
CHRISTCHILD: folds
lumag: folds
jam32: folds
PkrSteveo: folds
1shodan1: calls 80
Cooster: calls 80
*** FLOP *** [7d 4h Kc]
1shodan1: checks
Cooster: checks
Orion469: bets 220
1shodan1: folds
Cooster: folds
Orion469 collected 330 from pot
Orion469: doesn't show hand
Click to expand...

if thats aggressive then im a mainiac, when im in a 3 way pot and they both check before me i will almost always raise
 
dj11

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Watching the World Poker Tour last night, I saw Sexton, in a video blurb, describe exactly what was stated by Chuck, MrStickler, and Egon.

If your in it to win it, don't skin it, Raise it!

That said, I find I limp probably too often, especially with mediocre stacks.
Limping seems to be a luxury for the big stacks, and on those occasions i found myself with big stacks, I afforded myself that luxury.

I am not as tight as I should be, but my ability to be aggressive and how I express that aggression has improved. Via practice.

So the simple answer to your query is yes, you can learn to be aggressive.
 
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