Combating Various Playing Styles

Okay, so a few days later here's my second post.

Here are a few ways to combat the playing styles mentioned in my last post. They're fairly broad, but tailoring them to your own purposes will help your chip stack grow, as opposed to dwindle.

1. Combating Tight Players - Essentially, what you need to do to combat a tight player is play more loosely than you normally do. Chances are, if you've identified a player as tight, and they've raised preflop, they have a big hand. If there's no paint on the flop, and the player has checked, throw out a 3/4 pot sized feeler bet. If the player calls, they may have hit a piece of the flop (possibly top pair with top kicker, if there's a 8 or 10 on the board). At this point you might decide that they're trying to slow play a big pocket pair, or they're just calling in hopes of hitting their A or K. Your next move is up to you, but depending on their body language, and your previous study of the player, betting again on the turn will most likely get them off their hand (unless the turn is an A, K, Q or J). Use discretion, but playing more loosely against players like this, and being more aggressive, will usually do the trick.

2. Combating Loose Players - Biggest tip I can give you for combating a loose player is to not let them see flops. I, personally, LOVE to see flops, and those that let me usually get into a lot of trouble when I do. If you have a good hand, bet it. If you have garbage, fold. Loose players will call small bets to see the turn and river, so playing aggressively is a must if you want to get them off their hands.

3. Donkeys - In my last post, I mentioned that figuring out if a player is a donkey is the first step to felting them; and my combative method (including calling with bottom pair if their story doesn't add up from preflop to river) should be utilized against players like these.

4. By-the-book Players - The best way to beat these types of players is to figure out their formula. Even if you haven't read any of the books, chances are you'll be able to figure out how they play after seeing them in action a few times. Messing with their formula is the best way to get them off a hand; if you think you know they're going to bet the pot to try and get you off your hand, ship your stack, they'll probably fold. If you think you know they're going to check behind you to see another card for free, don't let them. Figure out their formula, whether it be textbook Super System, or anything else, and mess with their heads.

Try to see if you can utilize some of methods and link them with the various player types I mentioned in Post 1. Good luck at the tables!

Nick