Player Types

1. Loose Passive (Fish)
The loose passive player is the weakest player. Fish are also called Calling Stations.

Characteristics of a Fish:
Like the action.
They just want to play and have fun, so will play just about anything. Fish don't last very long in a cash game or tournament because they'll call just about everything, hoping to pull something out of thin air.
Most of your money will come from Fish.

Common Fish Plays:
- They will pay to see the flop no matter if there is a raise.
- When faced with a better hand (as when a straight or a flush is on the board and they do not have it), they will just call it down.

Caution:
Be extremely cautious with them,because they could be calling or raising with anything!

How to catch a Fish:
Play only your premium hands!


2. Loose Aggressive (Maniac)

Characteristics of a Maniac:
The Maniac is an loose aggressive player and will use their aggressive betting to make up for their lack of good hand.

Common Maniac Plays:
- Maniacs aggressively bet or raise with just about anything
- They play far too many starting hands
- A Maniac plays as many cards as a Fish does, but is inclined to raise and re-raise hands that he shouldn't (like A5 off suit, Q9s, etc).

Caution:
Two or more Maniacs in a game make for a large pot. Lots to win, lots to lose.

How to tame a Maniac:
You'll recognize a Maniac. No one gets great cards all day. If a player raises three hands in a row, chances are not all those hands are premium.
When Maniacs raise, they don't always have pocket Aces, so you can play against them with hands that you would normally just call with. Re-raise when you have a decent hand to try to isolate a Maniac.
Of course, even if they raise every hand, they will get a good one now and then. Play with courage and use patience in poker to tame the maniac...


3. Tight Passive (Rock)

Characteristics of a Rock:
Rocks are typically a tight passive player and can last a long time because they hold on to their chips like a child clings to its mother.
- These players are very easy to bluff out of a pot, since they avoid risk-taking unless they have a real, strong hand.
- These players tend to play honest. They will usually bet according to the strength of their hand, which makes them easy to read.
Rocks can survive a long time at a Texas Holdem table since they do not risk many chips.

Common Rock Plays:
- This player only raises with strong starting hands.
- This player gets tired of being run over and starts playing poorly by calling raises out of position.

Caution:
When these Rocks seem to suddenly "wake up" and start betting significantly, get out of their way, unless you have a strong hand.

How to crack a Rock:
Bluff a Rock out of a pot. A Rock avoids risk-taking unless he has a real strong hand.


4. Tight Aggressive (Pro)
The preferred style of play for no-limit Texas Holdem is tight-aggressive.

Characteristics of the Pro:
The Pro risk chips only with a strong hand. Pros bet heavily, and quickly build up a stack by winning just a few key hands.

Common Pro Plays:
- The Pro is very selective about his poker starting hands.
- The Pro bets or raises significantly if he does play.
- The Pro risks his chips only when he has a strong hand.
- On the Turn and River, the Pro makes an aggressive bet or raise when he hits his hand.

Caution:
This style is easy to spot, so if you use it, other players using this style will quickly identify you.

How to Probe the Pro:
The best way to beat a Pro is to make fewer mistakes than he does.
Watch for weaknesses and look for opportunities to put him under pressure.
Choose your Texas Hold em starting hands carefully and only get mixed up in a big pot with a Pro player if you’re confident that you’ve got him beat.
To overcome this, the tight aggressive player needs to occasionally change gears to keep his opponents off balance, to keep them constantly guessing.