It takes all sorts, poker, and never more so that sat around a live table. From the Wild West to the East End, The Aria to Aspers, there no people as diverse as poker players. But forgetting the obvious need to categorize players in terms of their play, what are the characteristics that typify each of them? Can you put them into groups? Well don\u2019t worry, because we have.
\nIf you\u2019ve ever pitched up at a live poker tournament, you might recognize some of the players we describe below. If you\u2019re wondering which type we fit into, just picture that dog from the painting who folds tens pre-flop like an idiot but wearing a hat that doubles as a beer-holder.<\/p>\n
This guy has been around since cars were invented, and back then he could smoke at the table, too, Goshdarnit. Whatever country you\u2019re from, the remnants of the Wild West days of poker live on. The more \u2018mature\u2019 live poker player can be found leaning forward on his elbows to see flops, calling out of position and folding to most c-bets, before chewing some baccy and launching it into a spittoon.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re only half-joking. What were once the only players around a poker table now make up a frighteningly low percentage of any table fraternity, which is a shame. They can be a lot of fun, have great stories to tell and so much respect for top-pair, top-kicker that they once proposed to it outside the saloon. Buy them two fingers of sippin\u2019 whiskey, because by the end of the day, they\u2019ll have put your kids through college.<\/p>\n
Wearing their hood over a baseball cap which references a video game console you\u2019d probably try to use to heat crumpets, these players are like ninjas. By which we don\u2019t mean by that they\u2019re deadly, but rather covered in loose fabric, uncommunicative and sleep next to a sword they never get a chance to use. Playing online for 99% of their adult life, they can be identified quicker than any other player type thanks to the white glare of chronic zinc-deficiency in each fingernail. If you\u2019re not sure, ask if they like a piece of fruit at the break. Should they look at you like you\u2019re communicating in another language, you\u2019ve struck gold.<\/p>\n
Giving off more live tells than an episode of Judge Judy, the Internet Warrior will play off the charts. No, literally! Simply learn the charts, pick your way to beat them and hope they stick to their rigid plan of making calls if they\u2019re +EV even if you\u2019re dancing on your chair singing the theme tune to the old Cadbury\u2019s Fruit \u2018n\u2019 Nut bar advert.<\/p>\n
In the 1998 film \u2018Rounders\u2019, Joey Knish was the nit grinder. He never did anything special, but he puts his kids through college. Don\u2019t confuse this type with \u2018The Reg\u2019 (we\u2019ll talk about them later). Joey Knish is not going to step out of line. All he wants to do is make his baseline money and get out of there. Nit Grinders are the Ayres Rocks of rocks. They play only premium hands, always have it and can often be found at the front of dinner queues at the break. How did they get there so soon? They spent a week in advance plotting the best route from the bathroom to the plate station, because that\u2019s what nits do. And that three-bet they just made when you looked up from this article was with aces or kings. Scratch that, only aces.<\/p>\n
This type is becoming more and more prevalent in the game. There will always be someone who wants to control the table. They want to be the most active, but only in terms of VPIP, as they often look they might struggle to run for a bus that was jacked up in the garage they themselves work in. Three-bet, four-bet, peel, float, pas de bourree, button squeeze, it\u2019s all just one big dance to them. They must assert their authority on the other seven players. They can even resort to, and you\u2019ll excuse the term here, metaphorical saddle-swinging. Harsh words, but true.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re often found busting out just inside the money in a coinflip for 150 big blinds. Still, no matter, they chug on, stopping off on the way home for fried chicken. Captain\u2019s gotta cap.<\/p>\n
Perennially found at buy-ins they consider lower than their true worth to the game, these guys know how to own the trend. Snapback? Gold-trim. Vodka-popular-energy-drink? Theirs is a double, because sleep was something they grew out of the moment they got a backer. Make-up? They\u2019re in the hole like six kids in a Hollywood horror remake. But just because they\u2019re sat in pumps and you\u2019re wearing trainers, they have a three-button grey cardigan on and you\u2019re wearing regular clothes doesn\u2019t mean that you can\u2019t get the better of them. They fancy the high life, so give it to them when you launch them out of the tournament. If you can bust them before nonchalantly producing a home-made sandwich from your careworn knapsack and chomp out a bite while giving them a smile, we\u2019ll buy you an orange squash to celebrate.<\/p>\n
Everyone knows this type and they\u2019re not recognizable solely from the poker table. Do you remember the boy from school who the day after Shrove Tuesday would always have to top anyone\u2019s feat of pancake-eating? No-one eats seventeen pancakes and survives the night, we know. Anyway, that kid learned to play poker. He\u2019s always had it worse and won it bigger. So you took down The Jab the night before this tournament for $1,200 from a $5.50 buy-in? They fell asleep twice heads-up on another site and still \u2018binked it\u2019 for $1,250. So you were bad beat with quads under quads on that other table? He lost with aces against aces all-in pre-flop. Twice.<\/p>\n
Should he win a pot, it\u2019s all skill. Should he lose, it was all bad luck and frankly he\u2019s had enough of it. Are we generalizing by deciding these guys are only men? No. These guys are all boys. Suck out on them, go on. Do everyone a favor.<\/p>\n
Aren\u2019t regs annoying? They know when to steal from the blinds, they always three-bet you when you\u2019re weak and when you decide to get frisky and three-bet bluff them, they four-bet own you with a premium hand. They always price it just right, always catch on the river when you let them get there, have that one hand you can never put them on. What\u2019s even worse is that they\u2019re always here, aren\u2019t they? Playing every stop on the tour. You keep seeing them run deeper than you and the pathological need you have for owning them in a pot is bordering on the sequel to Single White Female. What can you do?!<\/p>\n
Talk to them. Get to know them away from the table. Respect them, learn from them, and identify with the plays that hurt you and figure out how they do it. Maybe you\u2019ll really get on with them and they\u2019ll be your poker buddy. Then one tournament you\u2019ll realize that four friends ago, you all became friends from that one conversation. You all started running deeper together that day. Others are talking about you now, watching the five of you walk past, silently cursing you. Because you always get there. You four-bet own, steal blinds, always price it exactly right. That\u2019s so annoying. You\u2019re reaching the big payouts and having fun at the same time.<\/p>\n
You are\u2026 The Reg.<\/p>\n
With so many live poker events taking place over the coming weeks and months, you have ample opportunity to find all seven of these player types. Head to the Grand Prix Poker Tour at Dusk Till Dawn<\/a>, the Irish Poker Festival<\/a>, or event the Caribbean Poker Party<\/a> and see which of these seven players is sat at your tables.<\/p>\n Get all the latest partypoker updates from your favourite social media outlets. You can Follow us on Twitter<\/a><\/strong> and Like us on Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It takes all sorts, poker, and never more so that sat around a live table. From the Wild West to the East End, The Aria to Aspers, there no people as diverse as poker players. But forgetting the obvious need to categorize players in terms of their play, what are the characteristics that typify each<\/p>\nKeep up to date with all things partypoker!<\/strong><\/h3>\n