Understanding Your Opponents
The Third Winning Skill of No-limit Texas Holdem
Understanding your opponents is the third winning skill of No-limit holdem. Your poker game strategy will often be affected by the types of poker players you are playing against. This is particularly true in no-limit holdem, where knowing the playing tendencies of your opponents is very important. We have identified a few classic types of players in this part and have given them names. This will help you recognize them in the scenarios we discuss in later sections of this Book glossary.
Action Al raises a lot of pots. When he has the opportunity to act after you do, you can usually count on him to call or raise. You've noticed, thought poker, that he often (but not always) shows down good card games. Reckless Rick is in overdrive. He raises too often, usually without any logical reason, often overbets the pot no limit holdem, and has shown some weak hands. He's usually willing to go to war with Action All. Passive Paul just calls, even when he has a premium hand. He seems afraid to get into the battle.
Notice Nancy is experimenting with no-limit play holdem poker after years of playing limit holdem. She usually either overbets or underbets the pot, and sometimes calls when she shouldn't. Tight Ted has cobwebs on his chips. When he raises, you know that he has a premium hand. Loose Louie is on a roll and has held cards over you several times. He plays a lot of hands, including middle connectors and small pairs introduction.
Solid Sam is aggressive when he plays a hand, but always seems to select the right situations and turns over strong cards at the showdown. Authority Artie is the resident critic at the table. He always has something to say about poker the way you play your hands. He can embarrass you by criticizing your play and lead you to feel very uncomfortable.
These types of players are very typical of the players you will actually be competing against in no-limit poker tournaments. Now let's look at some tips on how to play against each of the eight players we have profiled tournament hand.