Book Discussion: Theory of Poker, chapter 16 and 17

[F Paulsson]

Loose and tight play - how to adjust your strategy to your opponents. Specifically, semi-bluffing in loose vs. tight games.

Position - it's not always just absolute position that counts.

In a game of incomplete information, position makes a bigger difference than most players may think. You can read more about position in our articles section.

Adjusting to the condition of the table is usually not necessary to show a profit at the lower limits, but it will make a big diffference to how much profit you show.

/FP

NOTE: Please do not quote the book. This thread is to help broaden the understanding of the book, not rip off the copyright of it. Feel free to discuss, but try doing so without infringing on David Sklansky's and 2+2 Publishing's intellectual property rights. Thank you.

 

[Xandit]

Semi bluffing in loose games is not a very good play due to the fact that 2 of the reasons the semibluff is good is that 1 your opp will fold. this is not the case in a loose game. 2 a scare card comes out your opp is more inclined to keep you honest and call. So the only way to win is make your hand. On the flip side, you need to bet your draws so that you can get paid off when you hit them. The fact that the game is loose also causes you to be careful with your "good" hands against many players.

In a tight game you need to semibluff/bluff more and really play your draws as cheap as possible. Your draws will not get paid off when you hit them. Also your good hands loose some value due to the big hands your tight opp are playing.

Position, most of us know that this is very important, we get to see all the action that is happening before us. this is something i am working on and have been doing this. The first thing i factor in before the hand is dealt is my position at the table, I use this as a main factor before i even concider my hold cards, this keeps me from playing "calling" the specualtive hands out of position. One other thing to remember is that you do not have to be in the cutoff/button to get position, If you raise you can get position on the table by making those after you fold. Now rember that is is eaiser to get 1-2 people to fold than 4-5 people.

 

[joosebuck]

well said xandit. i, too, am trying to take position into my decisions more now.

 

[chickensuit]

if they are loose play tight.

I think that the style of your table is more important than your position. If they are playing tight you should play more aggressively and if they are playing loose you should play tighter in the number of hands you play but more aggressively in the way you bet them. The vast mojority of playerss have no clue how you are playing so at a loose table you can disappear from most hands then come in for giant raises when you pick up a big hand and most people will not be able to tell you from the maniac next to you.

 

[Xandit]

If they are playing tight you should play more aggressively and if they are playing loose you should play tighter in the number of hands you play but more aggressively in the way you bet them

This is not exactly true. It's a simple way to deal with the table, but as stated. when the table is loose you do want to semi/bluff less and bet for value more. At a tight table you need to semi/bluff more and bet for value less as your opp. will have stronger hands. it's not enought to play opposite the table. you need to have a plan as to how to exploit the table and players.

The vast mojority of playerss have no clue how you are playing so at a loose table you can disappear from most hands then come in for giant raises when you pick up a big hand and most people will not be able to tell you from the maniac next to you.

This I do agree with,most players are only playing their hands, which is a mistake on their part, which is why we need a plan to attack them and their playing style.

 

[joosebuck]

there is a difference, too, between playing "tight" and playing solid. you want to be aggressive when you enter a pot, and that is what tight players do not do.