Poker is not only just a card game, but a game of players played with cards. The game is not only about the cards you are dealt, the odds, and the psychology, but also about knowing your opponents. It is one of the most popular casino games in the world, and the facial expression “poker-face” is used by most Poker pros to not reveal their emotions anytime during the game. 

Whether you are looking to play Texas Holdem Poker or any other variant, it is always essential to identify the mindset and personality of your opponents to increase your chance of winning in the game. Let’s look at the six types of Poker styles that exist in the Poker game. Whether you are playing online poker or traditional, you can pick up on their habits, psychologically and emotionally, as you notice the kinds of choices your opponents make. This will help you to decide how best to play against them.  

The Calling Station: 

The Calling Station, also known as loose-passive players, refer to a player who plays a lot of starting hands but barely raises or bets. Regardless of what cards they hold, the calling station likes to see the Flop. After seeing the Flop, even if they don’t have a good hand, they may call to see the cards on the Turn or the River. 

These players rarely take chances or become aggressive while playing. Players who have been playing for long or even novice players fall into the trap of calling. These players are easy to spot and target. The Calling Station can sometimes get lucky when they call with their terrible hands, and the cards fall in their favour after the Flop.

The Maniac: 

The Maniac is a player who will play all hands in any position. Regardless of the expected value, these players play more hands, place more bets, raise, or re-raise until the game is played for larger stakes. Usually, maniac players don’t have much knowledge about the strategy of the game and the game theory.

They are extremely aggressive, and by adding many swings to the bankroll, they ruin the game of other players. Often, maniacs may sound easy to play with, but they can bring the whole table to tilt. By doing so, they create a profitable situation for a player who is playing with correct strategies and in a calm manner. 

The key to beat these maniacs is to withstand their massive swings and observe their betting pattern. They make a lot of wild bluffs, but don’t have enough Poker skills to play strong hands the same way they play their weak hands. They are long-term heavy losers, and if handled properly, they can be a source of profit.

The Newbie: 

The newbies are new to the exciting world of Poker. Most of them are around for short term thrill-seeking. These are the players who have very less or no experience in playing poker. Usually, these beginners have preconceived ideas and assumptions about playing Poker.  They are easy to spot, and one can easily notice them when they constantly look at their cards. They play poker for entertainment and recreational purposes. 

Most of the players that make up this category either play live with the lowest stakes or play an online poker game with micro stakes. One can also recognise the newbies in a traditional casinos when they are not able to control their drinks or being over-emotional about wins and losses. Like all novices, other common mistakes Poker beginners make are to keep counting their chips visibly and keep asking as to whose turn it is to not to miss out on their own turn.

Mr ABC Poker: 

ABC poker players are those who play by following the complete rule book of Poker. The ABC player will play in the same style and stick to the Poker game rules. These players play straightforwardly. 

Instead of playing blindly, they play more strategically and are very well aware of when to bluff and raise a hand. It is hard to read such players as they play their game smartly. Of course, since they play by the book, their game lacks imagination and creativity. 

They are well-versed with the theoretical aspect of the game like blind structure, elementary play, etc. and are also skilled enough in the practicality of the game. Such players play fast and aggressive when they have strong hands and don’t get involved in weak hands. To win through the ABC strategy, one has to find the right game, otherwise, you may just be breaking even if not losing.

The Rocks: 

The rock is a player who plays few hands and rarely bets or raises. If you see a rock player calling an action, you can be pretty confident that they are holding a strong hand. The rocks are also known as “tight-passive” or “nit”. The only thing that interests them the most is the premium hands. So, proceed with caution. 

These players don’t bluff and can sit through as many hands as possible and bet on nothing other than the blinds. You can easily spot the tight-passive after playing a few hands.  The rock players play only Pocket Aces, Pocket Kings, Pocket Queens, and Ace-King.

The Sharks: 

The sharks, as the term implies, are the clever poker players of all. Sharks are all-rounders in every facet of the game and can adjust their playing pattern according to their opponents’ playing style. They don’t play many pots. They play selective hands and play it aggressively. They are also known as “tight-aggressive” players.  

They wait patiently for the best opportunities to strike. The sharks are very good at reading their opponents, and they know how to look when they are chasing or having a bad hand. They bet more, raise more but play only good hands. They are the worst enemy of any aggressive player due to the difficulty to read them. Such traits help Sharks to draw as much money as they can out of hand, particularly from an aggressive player

So, which one of these types of poker player are you? If you don’t know yet, download the Gamentio app, play free online Poker and find out what kind of Poker player you are playing against!