Online Poker Table
In No-Limit Texas Hold'em, table image is everything. It can mean
the difference between a losing session and a winning one. There are
a few rules you must learn before learning how to exploit your table
image for maximum profit.
The first rule is that if you plan on showing a loose table
image, you must be playing players who will acknowledge it. You
cannot go to a low limit table where players go all-in with anything
and expect to make a profit by showing them how loose you are. The
best way to beat a low limit game is by playing the cards. Table
image becomes a factor when you are playing the player rather than
the cards.
The second rule about table image deals with giving too much
money away on trash hands. If you plan on playing like a maniac,
show your opponents that but don't go overboard and start playing
stupid. It is very easy to fall into this trap. As a maniac, your
goal should be to showdown a few cheap pots with trash hands and to
raise some pretty crappy hands pre-flop. A lot of times you will
raise trash and hit top pair. Don't get carried away with this and
let it go if it must be done.
The third and most important rule is to always play tight on the
flop. Even if you are acting like a maniac, do the raising pre-flop.
Only call down for a good image and show a stupid hand if the pot is
really cheap.
The Three Table Images
The three table images I will discuss have varying degrees. I
will outline the basic concepts and requirements for each image. The
goal we are trying to accomplish here is letting our opponents make
mistakes based on how we are perceived. We are trying to get them to
lay down top pair when we are bluffing with a tight table image.
Likewise, we are trying to get them to call us when we have the
stone cold nuts and are playing like a maniac.
- Maniac
- Tight
- Crazy (Unpredictable)
You can learn to play any of these images and I advise you to
master them all. On a daily basis, I might use all 3 table images if
the table demands it. Table image should be chosen based on the
current status of a table.
Which Table Image To Choose
Choose your table image based on whether the table is loose or
tight.
- Tight Table- Tight Image
- Loose Table- Loose Image
This may look weird considering most people say play tight on a
loose table and loose on a tight table. That is right. But you have
to remember, we are talking image here, not the way we play. It
doesn't matter WHAT image I choose, I always play tight on the flop
no matter what. Even when I am playing the role of a maniac, I will
very rarely call down without nuts or a premium hand. I will
occasionally show down a bad hand on purpose if it is a cheap pot
overall.
The reason we want to show that we are tight on a tight table is
because most of the time the players will give up top pair. You will
be able to steal the blinds and bluff as much as you want so long as
the tight players THINK you are tight.
The reason we want to show that we are loose on a loose table is
because we want our opponents to think we are stupid players as
well. Sometimes, on a really loose table, all you need to do is sit
there and you will still get action on pocket aces. If they are
folding to your premium hands, then make a few stupid calls here and
there and raise some trash hands pre-flop so they know you are there
to play and not there to take their money.
The crazy table image is best when playing against players that
you know are capable of reading you. Opponents that pay extreme
attention to your every move can only be countered with one table
image, the unpredictable and crazy image. These types of players
(crazy/unpredictable) are winners over the long run because you will
never peg them on a set hand. They know when to give up flops and
know when to bet you out of the pot.
In the future, there will be 3 follow-up articles discussing each
image in detail. Although table image is not always a necessity, it
is a good element to add to your overall play, and learning about it
can only enhance your ability to win in the long run. |
