They type of player you meet on the tables depends on a number of factors. The table blinds, the stage of the tournament etc. It is worth trying to categorise different players on the table. The average player will generally stick to one type of play.

Tight or Loose

Tight - A tight player plays only the best hands. They don’t get much action. Tight players play only a few hands and usually win the pots at the showdown, however if they get identified as tight players, most other players won’t stay in a hand with them. Be very careful when playing a tight player.

Loose - A loose player plays many hands, strong, weak or indifferent. They generally don’t understand the odds of poker and therefore will stay in hands when the odds are truly against them. They win less showdowns but get a lot more action as they play more hands.

Aggressive or Passive

Aggressive - An aggressive player bets and raises often. This tends to be pre-flop with a strongish starting hand and also on good drawing hands. These players bluff often but are difficult to play against because they often bet big.

Passive - A passive player prefers to call or check rather than bet or raise. They may have a good hand but would rather slow play than bet. They’ll check good drawing hands and let people get ‘free’ cards.

Strong or Weak

Strong - A strong player knows about the game. He does not only consider his own cards but those that others may have, position and betting patterns. He knows how to calculate the outs he has at every stage of the betting. Knows when to bluff and when to lay down.

Weak - A weak player only focuses on his own hand. Has some appreciation of what others may have due to position and betting but overall plays when the odds aren’t in his favour. Will call a big bet on an inside straight draw, go all in with a top pair and low kicker, etc.

Its the strong players that switch between tight/ loose and aggressive/ passive that you have to watch out for. The easiest player to play against is the weak, loose and aggressive player. You just need to wait for the time when you have the nuts and you will clean up.

Another way of thinking about player types in in terms of animals. In the book Play Poker Like the Pros WSOP winner Phil Hellmouth describes 5 types of poker player.

Eagle
- Rare player as is one of the best 100 players in the world.
- He flies around high in the sky and swoops down to eat other animals’ chips when he’s hungry. Learning to play like an Eagle is a lofty and worthwhile goal
- Skill cannot be learnt from a book or website.

Elephant
- The elephant is a fairly loose player.
- Never folds when he is supposed to fold as often believes other players are bluffing.
- Therefore impossible to bluff.
- Not very bright and isn’t dangerous to most players
- Elephants do well against jackals as Jackals will keep trying to bluff elephants.

Jackal
- A jackal is a loose and wild creature.
-Appears to be little or no logic to his play. Appears crazy to some people.
- Will get involved in nearly all games.
- Puts in many bets and will raise often.
- has big swings in his bankroll.

Lion
- The lion is a tough competitor playing fairly tight poker.
- Will play the top 10 hands but does’nt limit himself to them.
- Will bluff with excellent timing and knows when being bluffed.
- You could do a lot worse than play like a lion!

Mouse
- The mouse is a very conservative creature.
- Will only play the top 10 hands (if that!). For example a mouse is probably unsure about playing even a 7-7 or 8-8 hand.
- A mouse hardly ever raises. If he does better fold unless you have the nuts.

Look out for these player types at your table and remember the old poker saying
“Look around the table. If you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you’re the sucker.”