Hey Mr. Richie Rich

One thing that can help you when you are playing Texas Hold’em or really any poker game is to pay attention to the way that people play their hands.  We all have a personality at the poker table and learning someone’s poker persona can help you to know when to call, raise or fold.  I found that making up nick names for people in my head helped me to remember what others tendencies.  Here are some examples and how I might play against them.

Sneaky Squeaky – Someone who plays conservative cards usually only playing the best starting hands for example is considered a “tight” player. Sometimes you run into someone who talks and acts like they are a “loose player” someone who plays a lot of high risk hands, but if you watch their actual play you will see they are really “tight” So I call this person a Sneaky Squeaky in my head to remind myself they are likely playing only the best cards and to not listen to what they say.

Damsel in Distress  – I use this term for someone who claims to not be a skilled player and yet somehow manages to win a lot of hands and stack a lot of chips.  Another thing this type does is play into the sympathy’s of other players.  This person on closer inspection usually has a decent handle on the game and is using this helplessness routine to distract others from their actual play.  Even if this person really is “in distress” my goal is still to win every hand so I have to keep my sympathies in check with this kind of person. Just so you know, I use this one for men and women….

Mr. Richie Rich – There are a certain set of players who play like they have unlimited money to lose, even when playing tournaments where everyone starts with the same amount of chips.   They raise all the time, call every bet and throw chips in the pot even when they have a losing hand.  This might result in me being able to make a lot of money off them, but there is often a problem.  The problem is that sometimes they get lucky and make the best poker hands when they should have folded.  Because they play all their hands with the same over betting,  raising ect it is difficult to predict what hands they are playing.  Personally I just try to stay out of hands with this type of person, unless I have an excellent hand I am likely to fold my hand rather than risk a lot of chips in a hand with someone playing recklessly.