How to spot different types of poker player

Playing poker online is something that millions of people around the world do every day. There are so many different sites on which you can play, whether you’re interested in playing for high stakes or just want to play for pennies and get to learn how the game works, you can find a site to suit you.
If you’re just starting out on playing poker, check out the different sites before you decide which one to join. Many sites like 32RED casino will offer great bonuses to new members, and it’s worth comparing the different deals on offer. At 32Red, for example, you’ll get a welcome bonus of up to $1000 when you make an initial deposit and there’s a 30% rakeback every time time you play at the poker table – for all players, not just VIP players. Other sites have similar welcome offers; at 888poker players who download the software and sign up with an email address will receive a free cash bonus, with no deposit required. SkyPoker has something called Turbo Tuesday, which is a £4000 Turbo Open Tournament every Tuesday at 8pm and it’s just £11 buy-in.

Once you’ve settled on a site and signed up, you can start enjoying the game of poker. And just like at school or in the workplace, you’ll find that poker players fall into different character types. Here we’ve listed a few of the main types of poker player, with some suggestions on how to deal with them at the poker table.

Passive poker player

In all walks of life, you meet people who try to blend in with the crowd. So it’s not surprising that they appear at the poker table too. Passive poker players are those who know enough about the game to play, but don’t really ever develop their own poker playing strategy. Instead, they follow the lead of other players, waiting for someone else to make a decision and then making their own decision based on what others are doing. So, you’ll see them betting when others have, raising when others do and folding when others do. Playing poker with these guys is a bit like playing with lemmings – they’ll follow and copy your every move. You can work this to your advantage though – as they’re easy to bluff.

Aggressive poker players

Just as in school, you’ll always find the strutting roosters in a crowd. At the poker table, these are the people who seem to ooze self-assurance and confidence. They play aggressively at the table, betting high and raising frequently. They go at full tilt, hoping that they will scare other players off and be left with the pot. If you find you’re up against an aggressive player, try to ignore their antics and concentrate on your own strategy to secure a win. If you have a good hand, you could always call their bluff and put them in their place.

Tight poker players

You will also have met many people in life who avoid confrontation and stick to the rules. They don’t take risks and avoid trouble where possible. These people translate to the timid or tight poker players. They never risk continuing play if they have a bad hand, and while they like the idea of winning money their focus is on not losing it. Tight poker players can limit the size of the pot, and need subtle encouragement into betting for a few more rounds to increase the pot. But if you want them to fold, all you need to do is raise the bet and they’ll exit the game. Watch out though, if a tight poker player raises twice; they’ve probably got a winning hand!
When you sit down to a game of poker, don’t assume that everyone playing has the same approach you do. Look out for these kinds of characters and play them to your advantage.