Subtle Gear Changes to Improve Your Poker Game

[Ventoman777]

A good article from which I learned that in poker, you can change gears by changing your style of play from very aggressive to defensive, from clock to loose, from bluff to game without bluff and in the opposite direction. The purpose of this gear shift, I understand - to confuse the opponent.
You need to switch gears only to confuse your opponents or to improve your image. And there is no other reason for this.
I also want to add that when you play in high gear and control the game ... you should never lower the gear in order to play a good hand more deceptively. Just keep betting and raising. Take full advantage of your aggressive image for as long as it works.

 

[Tammy]

Being subtle enough to change the image of your style in other peoples eyes, gives you a big advantage, but only against those with the clues to notice how you play.

That's a very good point! I wonder how (or if ) it would work on the micro tables?

TY 4 the article =)

The only thing I would add is : dont over-adjust and/or over level. this can be your own demise.

This is so true. Getting too "tricksy" can end up being a detriment to you for sure!

Love that article

I'm constantly changing gears based on table dynamics, tourney stage and stack size. Problem is I tend to overdo it. Too tight to too loose and vice versa.

The above can be successful but there have been many times I've kicked myself for being eliminated due to maniacal play. Time to try a smoother approach.

Yeah, I hear you, I can get quite spewy myself. Gets me in trouble a lot!

 

[Syltan]

After reading the article, I really realized how important it is to switch gears especially in tournaments, not that I would not pay attention to it before I read the article I tried how to apply gear shifting, but to be honest I did it in not quite suitable situations. Now I will try to heed the advice in the article and put it into practice. But still to create some kind of image is quite difficult in the presence of opponents XM2 and Pokertracker 4.

 

[Rufun2]

after reading this it makes alot on sence

 

[Bricxjo]

I enjoyed reading the article and thought it was well written. Great job. I think someone already mentioned some bubble play, and I would like to add that there is a bubble that is not for the money, but for playing the next day in a live tournament.

Also I think there could be some mention of how full the table is that you are sitting at. Sometimes in a tourney, your table turns into something more like a 6 max (or may suddenly turn into a full table when all the players are reshuffled). There is definitely a case for changing gears in this case.

Another minor point, sometimes in a tournament, someone gets seated at your table with starting chips indicating a late registration (so it is a good idea to know what the late reg period is). Looking at the possibility of someone coming in and being bingo, it might be advisable to tighten up.

 

[This Fish Chums]

A word of warning. "Switching Gears" to a playing style you don't know how to play isn't switching gears, it's veering into oncoming traffic. Make sure if you switch to a new style of play that you actually know how to play that style. Learning a new style can be done by playing freerolls or low stakes in nothing but that new style for a while until you are comfortable playing it. If you have no clue when to fold or raise 9To then switching gears into a 9To hand is going to break you.

Also, you have to remember it takes time to build up your table image in order for a gear shift to be effective. If you only play 1 orbit tight before switching gears then odds are the people at the table don't really know you're a tight player. Also, if you've been playing tight for 30 minutes and then switch tables, the people at the new table know nothing about your table image at the other table. Don't get caught switching out of your comfortable playing style when the table doesn't have an image of you yet.

Finally, it would probably be absolutely the best if you had 3 styles of play in terms of tightness and started out in the middle style so you can choose to either up or down shift on-the-fly. I haven't developed this skill yet, but sounds good in theory.

 

[georgi krastev]

The article is very useful.I myself tried something like this recently.I had some success. But the game of cat and mouse is dangerous.



Thank you.

♥

 

[m0t22]

A word of warning. "Switching Gears" to a playing style you don't know how to play isn't switching gears, it's veering into oncoming traffic. Make sure if you switch to a new style of play that you actually know how to play that style. Learning a new style can be done by playing freerolls or low stakes in nothing but that new style for a while until you are comfortable playing it. If you have no clue when to fold or raise 9To then switching gears into a 9To hand is going to break you.

Also, you have to remember it takes time to build up your table image in order for a gear shift to be effective. If you only play 1 orbit tight before switching gears then odds are the people at the table don't really know you're a tight player. Also, if you've been playing tight for 30 minutes and then switch tables, the people at the new table know nothing about your table image at the other table. Don't get caught switching out of your comfortable playing style when the table doesn't have an image of you yet.

Finally, it would probably be absolutely the best if you had 3 styles of play in terms of tightness and started out in the middle style so you can choose to either up or down shift on-the-fly. I haven't developed this skill yet, but sounds good in theory.

Very well remembered. Nice job friend!

First of all it is worth studying the fairness of the ranges of openings along with what you want to open or even how to change the gear.

Play and justify that it was for feeling, it will not help you to evolve.

Reflect on the topic and seek improvement.

Have you stopped to read the topics here?

As I myself have done and I advise everyone who is starting ... Leaim the whole forum ....
Of course it pays to use valid information, but whenever you have questions ... ask !!!

 

[Bee]

Very good article, I learned a lot. It is bad became predictable. I think I use some of that advice already

 

[whosdaboss25]

Tammy this is a great article I use this every time I play I start off A SNG or tournament using suited connectors and one gappers and as blinds go up I tend to tighten my range do to stacks to blind restrictions and BB getting shorter as blinds going up making cost of poker go up the deeper you get into the tournament so that makes me thighten up my hand requiements shifting gears to the top of my range of course.

 

[Andrew Popov]

In order to switch from TAG (aggressive-aggressive) to LAG (free-aggressive) game style was successful, you must not only own these game styles. You should also be well aware of what other players at the table think about your usual style of play. Only if they know your usual style well, and think that you play it, will it give a good switching effect.

A simple example is that you can begin to steal blinds more often, with a wide range of hands, if your villains believe that you only play your best hands. Conversely, you will be more likely to play with stronger hands if you know that you are playing very widely.

Changing the style works if your style is known.

 

[Aracaju]

find it possible to be. player poker without using the famous huds?

say this because I believe I play well even without huds but I think it's unfair against those who use them.

 

[weezy1312]

this is what makes a difference between a regular player and better players , both enter the game with the same preset strategy , one will stick to it and become a target because by now he is easy to read and players will profit from him but the other will adjust his preset ranges as the game goes , depending on the players with him , his read on opponents , what stage of the tournament they are in... many variables that he adjust his ranges to and makes his deceiving plays even more powerful since players are getting a hard time getting a read on him, as always nice article from cc , keep the good work )

 

[ammje]

Thank you very much for this excellent article, where it says are quite right, you do not always have to esperare premium hands often can take advantage of your table image and open your range.
It is also true that we must control our stack, and villains, often forgotten me, this article is worth reading a couple of times.:driver:

 

[DiegoRamos]

Excellent article, I think it is the first forum to address the subject.
I see some professional players warning about this point, but I really think it's the first forum post.
Well, I think this is an important action to take.
Using as an example, the January monthly challenge, early in the tournament I was the chip leader of the tournament getting a little over 5 ~ 6 times more chips than the second in my table rankings.
With the blinds in the beginning made me play 70 ~ 80% of the always aggressive hands but watch out for all the actions. This made my chip chart go to a grand ancestry. I kept this game until semi FT because at that moment I had to change gears, because the 2nd and 3rd went to my table, where they both had a little more than half of my stack, putting my life in the tournament at risk.
In short, when I am deep, I try to play as many hand as possible, eliminating only hand rubbings.
But always conscious, always analyzing range, stack, position, player style ...
Situations like these are to be explored, but we need consciousness to know exactly when to slow down .

 

[Spaceman]

If we are talking about tourneys not changing gears is suicidal. You should play differently based on antes, how much blinds you have, how close you are in bubble, whats your table and your position. If someone dont manipulate their image when they have competent opponents who keep notes, but keep playing they same is the same as never bluffing in poker. Foolish.

 

[juninhigh]

I start changing gears when i know already sold my image to the table. This article made me adjust my range about playing suited low connectors, when i had position and saw weakness i used to play like 6 being my top card, sometimes worked, but it cost me everything hitting a weaker sequence yesterday at CC's tourney. I'm having difficulty at changing gears during the late stages of tourney, one error can cost half of your stack, but i hope that i'll adapt better to this situation with the help this article. Thanks !

 

[bablovod]

this article will be very useful for me. since I do not know how to switch, now I will learn this new strategy for me. time will show how it will affect my game. Thanks.

 

[Rijckenborg]

Oh, I found out that I must be pretty predictable.
My opponent can take note on me so I should change my style of play more often.

 

[akmost]

I will try to do it , by reading those articles is very helpful for my game improvement overall. The more you read about poker strategies the more confused you get and you understand how fish you are. Unfortunately I have nothing to add to the article , very informative.

 

[PHX]

First off you must know what the gears are and what is the purpose of each gear. You must also be proficient with the styles of play. It makes no sense to start playing aggressive if you are not comfortable with it. You must have a purpose and goal of shifting gears, e.g. tightening up to make itm or loosening up to accumulate chips

Simply shifting gears randomly to throw you opponent off and to mix up your play style is not a good strategy. You must take into account you surrounding and your table image as well as the blind structure and effective stacks.

The easiest way of gear shifting is doing so in mtt. Early on you play loose see a lot of flops. As the tourney goes on you tighten up. If you have a big stack at bubble you may choose to play LAG if small stack TAG.

You can also shift gears while in hands this particularly useful for pot limit games and for cash games where in the latter the blinds do not increase.

 

[Ivansito26]

very interesting and informative this article, poker always evolves and we must evolve and adapt to changes and new modalities, and here we can learn how to improve or change our game at the tables, always read and continue studying in poker because it is like medicine every day we must improve and learn more ... and I recommend you follow the advice of the first two topics of this article .. greetings

 

[RidersFan]

I definitely do change gears. I play aggressively at the beginning of a tournament and then tighten up as my stack nears 20-25 bbs or as the bubble approaches if my stack is around 30-40bbs. I do find once I tighten up is hard to switch back to playing aggressive, I guess this is something I should think about more so I don’t get complacent.

 

[vovqa93]

Haha. I remember the change-gear tips from one old VOD's, where the Hero was doing lets say some intentionally loose pot when your opponent see your hand (with showdown), one or 2 times in a row, and very often this is enough to make your opponent think you are total loose player and then make big mistakes in a much more hands and tilt

 

[Muzyka1996]

I always change gear at a subconscious level in anxiety from the circumstances at my table. Need to play in such a way as to confuse the head of my rivals and be with them and win the situation.