Tight VS Loose Poker Play Style

January 9th, 2011

There is nothing sweeter than the buzz of winning at poker. Even loosing can be fun, because this game will have players on the edge of their seats. While some players like to throw caution to the wind and take chances like nobody`s business, others play their hands close to their chest, quite literally. And those already `in the know` about poker, know that there are names for these differing styles of play: Loose playing and tight playing. But which is likely to win the player more hands?

TIGHT VS LOOSE PLAY

Loose players, as the name suggests do not keep such a tight rein on the number of hands they play. You won`t find a loose player folding very often - whether they have a good hand or not. Tight players, conversely, play fewer hands and also fold more often. Not giving much away, they will not waste their time with weaker hands. For the player who likes to bluff, this strategy is less effective when playing with loose players, as they are not likely to fold, whatever the circumstances. It is therefore possible to guess an opponents playing style by watching to see how many hands they actually play. The player who loses lots of hands is in the `loose` player category. The player who does not play a lot of hands is considered to be a `tight` player and some would say that `tight is right` when it comes to excelling at the game.

IS TIGHT ALWAYS RIGHT?

However, it could be argued that this form of play is not always the best strategy when playing in a big tournament or even sit-n-go tournaments. Experienced players are flexible enough that they can make a decision to play either tight or loose poker depending on the style their opponent is playing and play the opposite. By playing diverse hands, the tight player, which is the most common, will be kept on his or her toes. By adding some loose elements the opponent is baffled by the style. The player who does not vary his style can become predictable and this in itself is a weakness because other players are able to guess their hand. Consequently the tight player will get bluffed more often and will not reap the benefits of premium hands. The trick is to keep changing your style. You will spot a loose player by the frequency with which they will call and raise several hands in order to outplay a player with a stronger hand. This is a predatory player who will often bluff and is more than capable of exploiting the weaker opponent or the tight player who does not want to take risks. It can be argued, therefore, that by playing aggressively at the beginning of sit-n-go tournaments, the player is better placed to handle whatever comes their way later in the game.

KNOW THE OPPOSITION

But remember, in order to use the loose style effectively, it is necessary to study your opponent and to get to know their style, only then should you decide upon which style to play. A great benefit these days is the readily available information. With sites such as UK poker it should become less of a mystery and keep the ardent poker player one step ahead in the game.

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