Loose and Tight Play
A poker player can be characterized as a loose player or a tight player. A good poker en ligne player shifts gears, moving between playing tight and playing loosely as position, tables conditions and situations call for such adjustment in posture.
Tight Play
If you are a tight FullTilt player, it means you play a select range of hands. In first position, a tight player might only raise with AA, KK, QQ, AK and fold everything else. This is different from a “nit” that only plays premium hands – a tight-aggressive player is positionally aware and will open up their range towards the button.
For example, if I am playing in a full ring (nine-handed) cash game I will raise AA, KK, QQ, JJ and AK from first position (under the gun). Everything else is folded, when acting first.
However, put me on the button when the action is folded to me and watch me let loose – assuming two unknown players in the big blind I will raise most all pairs, any ace (suited or off-suit), any suited K, Q, J or T, suited connectors, off-suit connectors, suited one-gappers, most suited two-gappers, most off-suit connectors and pretty much anything else I feel like.
Tight play on everestpoker has the most consistent win rate of the two winning styles. Because you very often start with the best hand, or the best position, or both, you will often win a showdown. Tight play also breeds aggressive play – if you are only playing premium hands you will be betting a lot, because after all, they are premium hands!
Loose
By now you should be able to work out what a loose player is, but do not be carried away. There is a difference between loose play and spew. A loose player will still have some starting hand requirements; they will just be much larger.
Remember the tight player under the gun? He raised AA, KK, QQ and AK. A loose player in the same situations might raise all pairs, any two face cards, suited aces and some high suited connectors from that same position.
Neither style is wrong, however a loose-aggressive style has far more variance for your bankroll to cope with – see the bankroll management article for more information. This does, however, come with the advantage of a greater win rate.
A complete beginner should start playing tight aggressive. In fact, new players are best served playing a little tighter than average, until they have grasped many of the concepts necessary to emerge from novice status. Your poker inexperience will be made up for by the fact that you are often playing premium hands.