Online Poker Table Image: TightThis is the third installment
of the "Table Image" article series. Playing tight makes the
money. It is a fact. When in doubt, play solid, tight, fundamental
poker and you are sure to make a profit. There will even be
short-handed games in which you must play tight to make a profit.
Playing tight seems easy. Pick the best starting hands and push
them. The problem is that many times you will get called and chased
out. This is a very likely possibility. You must know how to play
tight and when to vary your play for maximum profit. You also need
to know in which games a tight style will be profitable.
Vary Your PlayYou can play tight all day, but when
the whole table is folding to your premium hands you must alter your
strategy slightly. The way to do this is to limp or call raises with
some "safe hands." What I mean by this is raising the hands that
will pay you off, such as A-x suited, small pairs, or, occasionally,
in a short-handed game, playing K-x, Q-x, or even J-x suited. The
point of this is to get action on your premium hands. You always
want to keep people guessing if you can. Raising with "safe hands"
also allows you to make easy decisions on the flop. Either you hit
or you miss. If you are in a cash game you might even consider
betting your draws. There are many ways to vary your play, just
don't go overboard.
When To Play TightGenerally, I like to play tight
on really crazy tables. While this is obvious, many people fail to
do it. Waiting on hands seems to be the average online poker
player's weakness. You must exploit this on crazy tables by behaving
like a monk. Envision a win for every time you fold. On a crazy
table folding makes the most money. Repeat this over and over.
Folding makes the most money. Folding makes the most money. Awesome,
now you understand how to make the most profit on a table with
maniacs. Another great time to play tight is during the early
stages of a tournament. This is by far my favorite tactic. The
reason I prefer to fold my small blind a lot and show everyone how
tight I am is so that I can rape their blinds in the later rounds.
This way, even if I don't get the cards during any given tournament,
I will have a chance to win it by bluffing the blinds. That is my
"double whammy" strategy to winning tournaments. The last
great time to play tight is when you are unsure of the table. When
you are in a game with a bunch of players that you are unfamiliar
with always play tight rather than loose. You will get a vibe for
the overall status of the table this way. Always play tight when you
cannot choose a table image regarding a certain game. Tight is
right.
How Tight To
PlayWhen I say tight I mean it. I often fold top
pair with a decent kicker if I am re-raised on the flop. Always look
out for the turn. When someone re-raises you on the turn, you are
almost always beat if the player is decent. Also, be aware of a
re-raise on a flush card or an obvious straight. If you are even
DEBATING folding a hand, almost always fold it rather than call.
That's the rule. You are either raising in a pot with the best of
it, or folding when you are beat. | 
