I try to balance passive and aggressive play based on the table. Aggressive usually works better—it builds pressure and controls the pot. But smart passive players can trap too, so timing is key.
I used to play more passive out of fear but slowly learning when to raise, fold, and play smarter. Poker is a mind game, not just cards.
I used to play more passive out of fear but slowly learning when to raise, fold, and play smarter. Poker is a mind game, not just cards.
Aggression wins in poker. It’s really hard to win a tournament with strictly passive play. Checking and calling means every time your hand gets turned up it must be the best hand to win, this is almost impossible to do when you are up against a full table.
There are spots to play passively. Generally if you are heads up against an aggressive opponent, it’s good to play passively here.
The problem with passive play is you never get any folds from the other players. We need them to fold in poker.
Aggressive play, betting, raising, check raising, etc gets us those folds, gets us from playing 8 players to possibly playing against only one player. We can bluff one player, not 8 players.
Smart aggressive play is what to strive for.
There are spots to play passively. Generally if you are heads up against an aggressive opponent, it’s good to play passively here.
The problem with passive play is you never get any folds from the other players. We need them to fold in poker.
Aggressive play, betting, raising, check raising, etc gets us those folds, gets us from playing 8 players to possibly playing against only one player. We can bluff one player, not 8 players.
Smart aggressive play is what to strive for.
Aggression without the cards works sometimes, but the best players tend to be patient and wait for the right moment. I'm always surprised at those who don't even bother trying to 'play' their strong hands and just shove with any pair and any AX. I've seen thousands of times it comes down to pair over pair with an AK or AQ in the mix all-in pre-flop. If anything is guaranteed in life, that is it.
That said, a bigger raise pre-flop almost always means a bigger hand. So reading the tea leaves is a handy poker skill to have. Is aggression with the cards really aggression or is it simply value betting? In my experience, it's the latter.
I just played a hand. I opened 2X UTG with AA. The guy right next to me had been having luck shoving rather than 'playing'. He shoved with AKo, nobody else played, I called and I doubled up. I wasn't aggressive (the other guy was) and it paid off in spades for me.
That said, a bigger raise pre-flop almost always means a bigger hand. So reading the tea leaves is a handy poker skill to have. Is aggression with the cards really aggression or is it simply value betting? In my experience, it's the latter.
I just played a hand. I opened 2X UTG with AA. The guy right next to me had been having luck shoving rather than 'playing'. He shoved with AKo, nobody else played, I called and I doubled up. I wasn't aggressive (the other guy was) and it paid off in spades for me.
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Generally using these two actions in poker requires knowledge if you want to be profitable in the long run. Generally being aggressive at a very loose table, with premium cards or high pairs, and being passive at tight tables and in early situations and tournament bubbles. Being passive or aggressive requires a good analysis of the table, the type of tournament, your bankroll and your patience, there is an advantage and disadvantage if you do or do not make a good reading of your opponents.dienesantosc said:
I think the best option for a successful player is to combine your strategy depending on the playing style of your opponents, position at the table, stack size, the value of the tournament and the speed of the blinds changing. 🤔
I just watched a hand (actually I folded on the flop) where an aggressive player with AKs (of the wrong suit) played very aggressively hoping to take down a big pot. Problem was another player flopped the nuts (A-hi flush) and I folded what would have been the second best hand (K-hi flush). Our aggressive hero dropped well out of first place in a flash a few places away from the bubble. Our actual winner just kept (passively) letting our aggressive player bet himself into oblivion.
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Previously, many years ago, when I just started playing poker, I played more passively. And then when I started reading a lot of different information about poker, improving my knowledge and skills by working on my game, I read in one of the articles that in order to be a good player and so that opponents could not read my style of play, it needs to be changed periodically. I started to take more risks and play a little more aggressively than I played before, and I can say that I like playing this way much more, and it brings a much better result from the game. Well, now I have a moment that I need to work on, I do not take risks as often as I need to, especially in the early stages of the tournament, and I often regret it. And as for the styles of play, here you need to be a universal player and be able to play in all styles, periodically changing them and then you will be unpredictable for your opponents.
Aggression, especially the skill of the C bet works well in the majority of cases but it can also be a players downfall. I know of many players who rely on an aggressive play when they haven't hit the flop or cannot lay down a premium hand - like ever.
I feel the real skill lies in being able to switch gears when the game calls for it, whether that be in position or not, it is not just a case of having one style of play in poker, you adapt and hopefully learn.
The more games you play on CC, the more patterns become familiar with players, you eventually know who to check trap, who and when to re-raise and who has a table image that can switch from manic to tight quite quickly.
I feel the real skill lies in being able to switch gears when the game calls for it, whether that be in position or not, it is not just a case of having one style of play in poker, you adapt and hopefully learn.
The more games you play on CC, the more patterns become familiar with players, you eventually know who to check trap, who and when to re-raise and who has a table image that can switch from manic to tight quite quickly.
