The majority of poker players have a recognizable style of play and can be classified as a type. These include rocks, maniacs, and calling stations. The beauty of poker is that one type of player may match up very well against another type, but be no match for a third type. Yet, that third type is by no means unbeatable. Her style of play might put her at risk against another specific style. Let’s look into this in more detail…
If you are a passive player who likes to see a lot of flops, also known as weak-loose in the poker parlance, you are unlikely to beat any other type. You are known as a calling station, and good players will line up to fleece you. The problem is that you call a lot of bets and rarely raise or fold. Unless you hit your hand and get dealt perfect cards you cannot win, and perfect cards do not come around frequently enough for this to be a viable strategy.
If you are the opposite – an extremely aggressive player who will launch a raise at every pot than you are known as a maniac. You are strong-loose, playing lots of pots and always trying to bully. Maniacs can have success at lower limit games, but generally have to adapt and tighten up when they face better players and higher limit games. Risking it all can have big payoffs but it can also spell a quick end to a session.
A lot of experienced, older players are rocks. A rock is a very tight player who rarely plays a hand. When a rock plays he usually raises, and understands basic betting strategy, but unfortunately gets little action because good players know that the rock must have a big hand in order to play. Rocks are predictable but if they tangle up with maniacs they can have a lot of success and end up as winners. Playing tight when you start out at low limits is a solid strategy.
The best style is to mix it up and be unpredictable. If you raise with trash (once in a while), call with premium hands (once in a while), but also bet for value, check-raise, limp in, fold when you know you’re beaten, and never chase slim draws you’re on your way to being a tough competitor. If you’re typecast the poker table you have a problem. Always look to maximize your profit when you’re ahead, in a hand or over the period of a session, and be smart enough to cut your losses when you’re far behind.
