Being able to understand the playing style of your opponents allows you to make adjustments in your play, to improve your chances of winning.

While you are playing in a game continually study your opponents. You need to Remember the kinds of hands they raise or reraise with, what they call with, and from what position. Keep notes on their play for future games, then update when you have more information. In no-limit it is very important to be able to play the player, not just the cards. Any added information you can obtain could be very helpful in making a correct decision later in the game. Below are some of the classic opponent styles you’ll come across playing poker.

The Aggressive type

raises too many pots. Loves to steal the blinds, sometimes with a hand, or without a hand. He is always trying to steal the blinds. You can usually depend on him to bet if everyone checks to him. That will make him easy to trap when you have a big hand, just checkraise him.

The Tight Type

only raises or calls with a premium hand. When he is in the pot, beware of him since you know he got something… Whenever you see he comes into a pot, make sure to note that.

The Action Type

comes to play and likes to mix it up with the other players, he likes to play big pots and Tries to get as much money in the pot as he can.

The Reckless Type

Plays lot’s of different kinds of hands and due to that he’s very hard to read.

He is liable to call, raise or reraise with a weak hand. Because of that, he can show you any two cards on the river. He likes to stay in, all the way to the river. His biggest pleasure in poker is to make a major suck out.

The Passive Type

doesn’t seem to understand the strength of his hand, so he is usually a caller and not a better. He usually on the defense, afraid to bet for value. Pay attention, he might be just calling with hands other players are raising with. You might want to save that last bet at him.

The Solid Type

doesn’t play a lot of hands, and when he does he is very selective about them. He usually plays a pot an aggressive pot. He is very capable of limping in early position with a big pair, so take caution when he limps. He might try to steal the blinds if he feels the players in the blinds are weak. Overall, a very good player.

The Thinker Type

Every decision in the game is a major one, since he likes to think and analyze every factor. He takes excessive time to act on almost every hand. He likes having everyone waiting for him.