The 'perfect' TAG player

[CommonZens]

Hello everyone. Hope you're all in the mood for a mental exercise.

I am trying to make a mental picture of what the idyllic TAG player strategy would look like. Of course the play style of everyone should change depending on the circumstances, however for this thread let's suppose that at the beginning no one at the table has information about the hero, the hero does not bluff, and he will play exactly how we propose to, without considering how his opponents had played in the past.

My proposal is the next one:




PRE-FLOP. only bet/Raise big or fold


-Any position: AA,KK,QQ,AKs


-MP or LP: JJ, TT, AKo, AQs


-LP: all remaining pairs (99-22), all suited aces, Ace with high kicker (AQo, AJo, ATo), suited hands bigger than TT (KQs, KJs, KTs, QJs, QT, JTs) and suited connectors (T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s, 65s)




POST-FLOP. makes calculated raises


-If he makes a hand: bet/raise


-If he makes a draw: call or raise as little as possible until he makes a hand or fold against big raise


-Fold anything else





We all learn that for a beginner the best strategy is to be a Tight Aggressive player. In your experience, do these hands approximate what a TAG player play? What are the limits of this strategy? How long can you play like this TAG in a table before people find out and began to take advantage of you? If you follow this strategy religiously will it at least let you break even? What would you change?


Remember, I am not advocating for anyone to play this rigidly. It's just for fun and also I am curious about what your thoughts will be about this. Have fun.

 

[Lorpugo]

late position hands are little too light for a tag, if these are tight ranges what would look not tight ones?. Postflop play is so complex so cant be assumed in a couple of lines but it is not good to check raise all draws, some are call some fold.

 

[CommonZens]

late position hands are little too light for a tag, if these are tight ranges what would look not tight ones?. Postflop play is so complex so cant be assumed in a couple of lines but it is not good to check raise all draws, some are call some fold.

I read somewhere that a TAG plays something like 20% of the hands, so that's how I chose the ranges. At flopzilla this hands where something like 21%. And you're right about the draws, I meant to say 'call or raise'. I think a TAG would pay as little as possible to see if his draws become a hand, but fold to any big raise.

 

[This Fish Chums]

My proposal is the next one:

PRE-FLOP. only bet/Raise big or fold

-LP: all remaining pairs (99-22), all suited aces, Ace with high kicker (AQo, AJo, ATo), suited hands bigger than TT (KQs, KJs, KTs, QJs, QT, JTs) and suited connectors (T9s, 98s, 87s, 76s, 65s)

I think if you going big would be fine with the Ace with a high kicker hands, but the other hands in this range should be a call. In late position you will miss a lot of the times with the other hands and would have to be bluffing at the post-flop hand to have a chance at winning the pot.

In your experience, do these hands approximate what a TAG player play? What are the limits of this strategy? How long can you play like this TAG in a table before people find out and began to take advantage of you? If you follow this strategy religiously will it at least let you break even? What would you change?

1. I do think these hands approximate what a TAG would play, although I do think the hands I mentioned above do call for a limp.
2. You could probably play for a good 5-10 orbits before people catch on.
3. I don't think you would break even following any one strategy. You MUST mix up strategies to break even in poker.
4. I'd allow for bluffing. You can't be "truly aggressive" post-flop without it.

 

[ssory83]

Hmm, it's hard to talk about a particular style of play. As all fingers in a hand are not equal, we will never find 2 or more players with the same style of play. In my opinion.

 

[Alucard]

There's no such thing. You cannot label a player as a perfect TAG. Everything is situational.


Also your ranges are way too nitty.


What I'd do is study some hand ranges & start playing accordingly.
With time you'd be able to identify players who play tight/loose/aggro/passive.


If you have a Hud, then recognising player styles/patterns would be easier.
But as I said, everything is situational.


Keep on playing & learning.

 

[tojobaggins]

#positionpositionposition

TAG players wait for good pre-flop positioning, and they make you ****n pay them to see a flop they will be presiding over it. They both sense and show no weakness, by the time the bet gets to their top pos, they will raise the check, re raise the bet, no matter what - HEAFTY raise. The only way to scare them off is to go all in before them... which is always scary because usually they freakin wait for top hands, so any top pair that you have is likely to be out kicked by your opponent. Chasing down rivers with suited connectors under 10s, only would happen with a TAG player if blinds are low, and the fish are plentiful... noobs throwing money chasin down 4 card inside straight draws.... even then... I wouldn't, and I'm not all that tight.

 

[royalflush122096]

I would play that style as well because it is what most players are labeled as at the poker table!

 

[CuddlyBobcat30]

I don’t think a TAG is always calling or raising minimum on drawing hands (depending on the opponent). This is a good way to become predictable. If you’re only ever raising when you’ve made a hand, it doesn’t seem like you’re balancing your range with any bluffs. I think a good percentage of the time it is good to be using bets on a draw as semi bluffs, especially on the flop/turn. For example, if your opponent has top pair on a draw heavy board you want him to be unsure if you are raising him with air or with a hand that has him beaten. This way it’s less predictable, and you’re more likely to get folds on hands you miss and calls on hands you hit. But it’s all dependent on table dynamics and play style.

 

[CuddlyBobcat30]

Also a TAG will be folding most draws to a bet, unless pot odds or stack to pot ratio is right for a call. And also worth noting that a TAG can use their table image to more easily get a fold when they’ve missed a hand.