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Do you want to become a good poker player with the strategies of the most successful poker players online? Do you know what the different styles of play in poker are? Before getting into the specific personality types of poker players, let’s define the game we’re discussing: No-Limit Texas Hold’em poker.
No Limit Texas Hold ‘em is a form of poker where you are trying to get the best 5-card hand. Every player is dealt two Hold Cards face-down, and the group uses the same five Community Cards from the center. After the Hold Cards are dealt, there is a betting round. The first three cards are dealt face-up; this is called the Flop. After the Flop, there’s another betting round. The fourth card is dealt, called the Turn. Another betting round takes place, then the final card called the River is revealed. One last betting round ensues, and the remaining players show their cards to determine the winner.
What makes No-Limit Texas Hold ‘em so exciting is that on any bet a player can push all their chips into the center and say they are All In. The only limit on your bet is how much you have. If this is your first experience with online poker we recommend that you try video poker for free before continuing. Those are the basics. Now let’s get into the 5 different types of poker players:
1) The BLUFFER poker player
How they play poker:
It’s okay to bluff. It’s actually a pretty essential thing to know how to do, but the Bluffer takes it too far. They don’t know how to read their opponents, so rather than bluffing based on how others are playing, they tend to bluff as a way to make the game more exciting.
This type of player often doesn’t know how to back down after starting a bluff, which can lead to them being sucked into an All-In situation with no hand at all. Now there are certainly some situations where it’s a smart move to bluff with an All-In, but the Bluffer doesn’t really understand how to recognize these situations. They are mostly just counting on luck.
Player personality:
The Bluffer is the type of person at the party who speaks before they think and doesn’t use subtlety. You never know if they are telling the truth or just trying to get attention.
Are they successful poker players?
No, they are not. The Bluffer doesn’t understand the poker game well enough to win consistently. Bluffers are often new players or players who are just really stubborn.
2) The ROCK poker player
How they play poker:
The Rock is a “tight-passive” player that doesn’t bet often. They almost never raise and because of this, if you see a Rock getting into a hand, you can be pretty confident they’re holding something spectacular. Proceed with caution.
Player personality:
The Rock is someone that bides their time. Sometimes it works out for them, and they get what they’re waiting for. Other times it feels like they missed out through their inaction. They’re a dreamer not a doer.
Are they a successful poker player?
The Rock doesn’t play many hands, which means they don’t have to worry about the slow trickle of losses that can accompany a player eager to see every Flop. A Rock can come out on top if the rest of the table is aggressive: when everyone else is betting, the Rock can let their good hands sneak in with the rest of the crowd without alerting anyone by actually placing the bets themselves. The problem with playing a Rock is that due to the lack of betting other players are often able to see the Turn and the River without much cost, giving the Rock the chance to make a straight or a flush.
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3) The TAG poker player
How they play poker:
Lots of bets, lots of raises, but not many hands. The TAG is a “tight-aggressive” player who waits for a good hand then plays it aggressively. They have a couple of ways to win: either they win with their better hand or they cause more cautious opponents to fold.
Player personality:
The TAG knows what they want. They’re the kind of person who waits for an opportunity, then fully applies themselves. TAGs understand the value of patience, but when they commit they really commit.
Are they a successful poker player?
If the TAG is playing with a group of players that know what they’re doing, there’s a good chance they’ll catch on to a TAG’s style and change their play to beat it. If the other players know a TAG is playing tight it’s easier to steal the blinds. However, as a strategy, the TAG style of play is the most profitable in the long term: bad hands are thrown away, and good hands are pursued with the support they need to make the win.
If you’re new to poker, or even if you’re a pro, the TAG strategy is a good one to use. If you’re really new to poker, try playing Video Poker first. It will give you a good overview of which hands beat which, plus the chance to win some cash.
4) The Calling Station poker players
How they play poker:
This type of player invests a whole lot of early interest with no real strategy. The Calling Station likes to see the Flop. Even if they still don’t have a hand after the Flop, they may call because they want to see what’s coming on the Turn or the River. They seldom bet or raise for fear of causing their opponents to fold nor do they want to push when others are playing. The Calling Station is just along for the ride.
Player personality:
The Calling Station is someone who just wants to be liked. They’re never going to say anything that might offend others, they laugh at all of your jokes, and they agree with pretty much everything you say.
Are they a successful poker player?
The Calling Station can get lucky; sometimes they call with a terrible hand and that hand ends up looking great after the Flop. The other players aren’t expecting them to play with a bad hand, so they can be surprised by an unlikely match. That said, there’s a reason no one is expecting the Calling Station to call with a bad hand, simply because it’s a bad hand. At the end of the day, luck doesn’t last, and the Calling Station will find that neither will their chips.
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5) The LAG poker players
How they play poker:
The LAG is a “loose-aggressive” player. They play a lot of starting hands, and they also like to bet and raise. However, they don’t often call. The LAG gets to see a lot of hands, which means that sometimes they hit a big one. They also bet even when their hands aren’t great. This means that other players have trouble reading them and figuring out what they’re doing.
There are successful poker players who use the LAG strategy, but it’s not something recommended for those who are still learning the game. A LAG has to be aware of their ratio of cash coming in and cash going out. Since LAGs are constantly playing and betting, they need to make sure enough of the other players fold to their aggressive moves to justify the cost.
Player personality:
The LAG is someone who knows how to read people. They’re incredibly enthusiastic but are still guarded with their own feelings. A LAG is someone you love to have around, but you have a hard time getting truly close with.
Are they a successful poker player?
LAGs are successful poker players if they know what they’re doing. If you can read your opponents, keep a good poker face, and manage your bankroll with ease, then the LAG strategy could be for you.
So who’s the most successful poker player out of all the personalities?
Overall, it would be hard to avoid naming the TAG as the most successful poker player. The TAG can dominate over new players with aggressive bets as well as keep their bankroll safe from more advanced competitors. The TAG relies on patience, which can make the strategy hard to pull off. Whatever your level of play, the TAG strategy is one worth trying.
Honorable Mention: The LAG. LAG is a more advanced strategy, but many poker pros are able to make it work with smashing success. Just make sure you’ve had enough practice before venturing in with this high risk/high reward style of play.
So, which type of poker player are you:
1) The Bluffer – doesn’t understand the game
2) The Rock – tight-passive player
3) The TAG – tight-aggressive player
4) The Calling Station – calls all of the time, rarely bets or raises
5) The LAG – loose-aggressive player
If you don’t know yet, hop on to CoolCat Online Casino and find out what type of player you are up against!
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Video poker is far from the first choice among players who enjoy electronic gaming. Instead, many gamblers prefer slot machines, which have evolved to offer better graphics and more features.
Video poker, on the other hand, has been stagnant in these areas. Many video poker machines are the same ones that were introduced in the 1970s and 80s.
It’s easy to see why gamblers are attracted to the sights and sounds of slot machines. But these same players are overlooking video poker attributes that slots can’t match.
Keep reading to find out 7 reasons why you should play more video poker on your next visit to the casino.
1 – Video Poker Gives You a Strong Chance to Win
Video poker may not compare to slots in terms of 3D graphics, detailed bonus rounds, and multimillion-dollar progressive jackpots. But one decided video poker advantage is a higher return to player (RTP).
Many machines pay at least 99% or higher when good strategy is used. This means that a knowledgeable player can win back $99 out of every $100 wagered.
Of course, you don’t have to settle for just 99% payback. Instead, you can find video poker machines that feature close to 100% RTP or even better.
Understanding that different games pay more than others is the first step to finding video poker variations with high RTP. For example, Jacks or Better offers up to 99.54% payback, while Bonus Poker delivers up to 99.17% RTP.
Both of these are outstanding payout percentages when compared to the gaming world as a whole. But you can see that JoB has a decided advantage.
After familiarizing yourself with the different games, you need to find the “full-pay” the versions. Full-pay simply means the top paytable for a specific variation.
Jacks or Better’s top paytable is the 9/6 version (99.54% RTP). The 9/6 refers to how this version pays nine coins for a full house and six for a flush.
9/5 JoB, on the other hand, pays nine coins for a full house and just five for a flush. This one coin difference drops the highest possible payback to 98.45%.
The next step is to find out which land-based and online casinos offer video poker variants that pay well. VPFree2.com is the best tool for doing so when it comes to a land-based casino.
This website offers filters that allow you to find out what video poker games are offered in a specific casino destination. If you want to look up Atlantic City, for example, you simply choose this from the available filters.
Online casinos are a different story, because you want to focus on the software providers. If you’re playing at a casino with Realtime Gaming (RTG) video poker, then you know that the games offer the same payback across all RTG-powered sites.
I encourage you to look up your favorite software providers and see what video poker RTP they offer. Here are the best-paying variations that I’ve found:
- Microgaming All Aces (Double Bonus) = 99.92% payback
- RTG 8/5 Aces & Eights = 99.78%
- Bovada Double Jackpot = 99.63%
- RTG 7/5 Aces & Eights = 99.63%
- 9/6 Jacks or Better (offered by many providers) = 99.54%
2 – You Can Win Big Payouts
Big prizes attract gamblers in large numbers. If you’re part of this crowd, then you’ll appreciate how video poker machines offer big payouts.
The size of payouts depends upon how much you wager per hand. Refer to the Bonus Poker paytable below for an example:
8/5 Bonus Poker Pay Table
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1,000 | 4,000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 2s-4s | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 8 | 16 | 24 | 30 | 36 |
| Flush | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pairs | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
You stand to win the following large payouts when risking the 5-coin maximum:
- Royal flush payout worth 4,000 coins.
- Four aces prize worth 400 credits.
- Straight flush payout worth 250 coins.
You’ll also notice that the royal flush payout increases disproportionately when betting four versus five credits. This disproportion increase means that you should wager five coins every time to get the maximum value from your bets.
Royal flush and straight flush prizes aren’t the only big payouts available in the video poker world. Some games feature progressive jackpots just like slot machines.
The largest video poker jackpots don’t grow as large the biggest progressive slots payouts. Even still, I’ve seen prizes worth thousands of dollars.
Your odds of getting a royal flush are approximately 1 in 40,000 depending upon the specific game. But these odds are far better than your chances of hitting a progressive jackpot on the average slot machine.
3 – Video Poker Involves Stimulating Strategy
One of the biggest divisions when it comes to casino games is whether or not they involve skill.
Most skilled games give players a better chance to win, because they actually have to put in effort to improve their odds. Some gamblers really appreciate this aspect since using strategy keeps them more engaged.
If this accurately describes you, then you’ll love how video poker offers some of the most-stimulating strategy in gambling.
Your decisions on every hand will impact your long-term odds of winning. Specifically, you need to make the correct holds and discards during the draw round.
The idea is to keep hands together that give you the best chance to win long-term profits. Of course, this is difficult when considering that optimal strategy changes based on the game and paytable you’re playing.
The same strategy that works on Bonus Poker won’t be optimal on Deuces Wild. Likewise, perfect strategy for 9/6 Jacks or Better is different from what’s needed for 9/5 JoB.
If you’re looking for a starting point when learning strategy, then I highly recommend Jacks or Better. JoB features a simple pay table and forms the basis for every video poker variation.
Looking at a strategy chart is the easiest way to learn JoB in the beginning. A strategy chart shows what hands you should keep in order of their expected value (EV).
Below you can see a strategy chart for 9/6 JoB:
- Royal flush, straight flush, 4 of a kind
- 4 cards to a royal flush
- Full house, flush, straight, 3 of a kind
- 4 cards to a straight flush
- 2 pair
- High pair (aces to jacks)
- 3 cards to a royal
- 4 cards to a flush
- Unsuited K-Q-J-T
- Low pair (10s to 2s)
- 4 cards to an outside straight with 0-2 high cards
- 3 cards to a straight flush
- Suited Q-J
- 4 cards to an inside straight with 4 high cards
- Suited K-Q; K-J
- Suited A-K; A-Q; or A-J
- 4 cards to an inside straight with 3 high cards
- 3 cards to a straight flush
- Unsuited K-Q-J
- Unsuited Q-J
- Suited J-T
- 2 unsuited high cards with king high card
- Suited Q-T
- 2 unsuited high cards with ace high card
- Jack only
- Suited K-T
- Queen, king, or ace only
- 3 cards to a straight flush
You’ll notice how the chart advises keeping partially made hands over made hands in some cases. For example, you want to keep four cards to a straight flush over a two pair and high pair.
Partially made royal flushes and straight flushes have better EV when compared to a high pair or two pair.
Video poker training programs offer another way to learn the game’s strategy. These programs point out when you make mistakes while you’re playing.
Here’s an example:
- You’re dealt: 9s-2h-Qh-4c-4d
- You hold Qh.
- The trainer shows that you should’ve held 4c-4d instead.
Regular video poker machines don’t alert you to these mistakes, which is where a training program’s value comes into play.
Using trainers begins with picking the desired game and paytable. Your options vary based on if you’re using a free or purchased program.
Free trainers include the most-popular variants, such as All American, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, and JoB. Free trainers are perfect if you play any of these games.
But you’ll need to purchase software if you want to practice a larger variety of machines. Some of these programs even allow you to customize pay tables to practice any existing variation.
Video Poker for Winners ($49.95) and Optimum Video Poker: Advantage Trainer for Windows and Mac ($59.95) are examples of software that you can buy.
These programs help you naturally learn what is and isn’t a correct play. You’ll eventually master the strategy as you gain more repetition through trainers.
4 – You Can Enjoy a Large Number of Video Poker Games
Video poker has numerous games within itself. Each of these variations presents a different paytable that can offer bonuses prizes, larger payouts, or more-frequent small prizes.
Check out the JoB and Double Bonus tables below for comparisons:
9/6 Jacks or Better Pay Table
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight flush | 50 | 100 | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| 4 of a kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Full house | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pairs | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
10/7 Double Bonus Poker
| Hand | 1 coin | 2 coins | 3 coins | 4 coins | 5 coins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| 4 aces | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 |
| 4 2s-4s | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 |
| 4 5s-Ks | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Full house | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
| Flush | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 |
| Straight | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 3 of a kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 pairs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Double Bonus is an exciting game, because it offers bonuses for various four of a kinds. The drawback, though, is that you receive one fewer credit for a two pair.
JoB is nice in that it offers a more-even payout distribution, giving you a stronger chance to win in the short term. But the downside is that it doesn’t offer many big prizes beyond the royal flush and straight flush.
Video poker is filled with different games that allow you to find a paytable that suits your tastes. Here are more examples of different variations:
- Aces & Eights
- All American
- Bonus Poker
- Bonus Poker Deluxe
- Deuces Wild
- Double Double Bonus
- Double Jackpot
- Joker’s Wild
- Loose Deuces
- Pick’em Poker
- Super Aces
- Tens or Better
- Triple Double Bonus
You can also look forward to unique video poker variations that include special features. IGT has made a number of these games over the years.
One example is Hot Roller Poker Multiplier, which sees dice roll randomly after wins. The dice combination determines what multiplier you receive.
Peek and Play allows you to see the first-available draw card before making discards. This is obviously helpful in that it allows you to make better decisions during the draw round.
The main drawback to these games, though, is that it costs more money to activate the features. But they’re still fun if you’re looking for something totally different.
5 – Tournaments Let You Test Your Skills Against Other Players
Video poker tournaments allow you to pit your skills against other players. You may even be able to win long-term profits if you’re skilled enough, because there’s no house edge.
The first skill to winning in tourneys is making correct decisions on the fly. The more hands you’re able to play within the allotted time limit, the more chances you have to win money.
Also keep in mind that the best strategy in regular play isn’t always optimal in tourneys. Those who finish first in big tournaments often get a royal flush, which only happens around 1 in 40,000 hands.
Given these facts, you should consider adopting a strategy that centers on getting royal flushes. Here are tips to execute this plan:
- Discard all cards that won’t help you make a royal flush.
- Examples include 3 of a kinds and 4 of a kinds that don’t include royal cards.
- Simple tip: always discard anything with a 10 value or lower.
- Another simple tip: keep any suited high cards.
You can practice this strategy by buying a video poker trainer and using customized royal-only strategy. Doing so helps you get used to this unorthodox method.
Even if you don’t get a royal flush, you still might be able to finish in the money by getting lucky with straight flushes and other payouts.
You can also use a conventional strategy in smaller tournaments. Royal flushes are more unlikely when dealing with small field sizes.
6 – Video Poker Offers Solitude
Some gamblers prefer the solitude offered by machine-based gambling. And their main two options include video poker and slot machines.
I covered earlier how slots are more popular than video poker. In fact, they’re vastly more popular than any other casino game.
But video poker is a nice machine-based alternative if you enjoy using skill and having a great chance to win.
You can find plenty of video poker machines in quiet corners of casinos. You and a buddy can even visit the casino together and find games that are away from the action.
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Of course, online video poker is also great if you like gambling alone or with a few friends. You can access numerous online variants from your smartphone or PC.
7 – You Can Win Long Term Profits
Perhaps the most-exciting thing about video poker is that it’s one of the few games that gives you a chance to beat the house.
Of course, you must choose games that offer positive EV. Here are common +EV video poker machines:
- Full-pay Deuces Wild = 100.76% payback
- Full-pay Joker Poker = 100.64% payback
- 10/7 Double Bonus = 100.17% payback
- 10/6 Double Double Bonus = 100.07% payback
I use the word “common” lightly, because you can’t find these games outside of Nevada casinos.
Gambling establishments fully realize that video poker strategy is more prevalent than ever. Therefore, they’re less likely to offer +EV machines.
Luckily, you can still find games that deliver over 100% RTP. Refer to the VPFree2.com site that I covered in point #1 on how to locate these variations.
When using VPFree2, you’ll notice that plenty of Las Vegas casinos still have +EV video poker. The main key, though, is that you need to practice enough to the point where you’re capable of beating these games.
Most free video poker trainers don’t cover full-pay Deuces Wild, full-pay Joker Poker, 10/7 Double Bonus, and 10/6 Double Double Bonus. Therefore, you’ll need to buy software in order to practice these variants.
Another point worth mentioning is that you shouldn’t expect to make a living from +EV machines. The problem is that most of these games feature quarter denominations, meaning $1.25 is the most you can wager per hand.
Here’s an example that shows how little you’ll make per hour, even with perfect strategy and rewards included:
- You’re playing full-pay Deuces Wild (100.76% RTP).
- You play 800 hands per hour.
- You’re betting $1.25 per hand.
- 800 x 1.25 x 0.0076 = $7.60 profit
- You earn 0.1% cashback.
- 800 x 1.25 x 0.001 = $1 cashback
- $7.60 + $1 = $8.60 profit per hour
Also note that it’s nearly impossible to maintain perfect strategy as you play more hours. Therefore, your profits will likely be even lower than this.
As long as you’re not expecting to get rich through video poker, then it’s fun to play and beat +EV games. Plus, the luck factor gives you a chance to get royal flushes and beat the house even further.
Conclusion
Video poker offers plenty of reasons for you to choose this game, including high RTP, stimulating strategy, variety, tournaments, and more.
My personal favorite aspect of video poker is how it gives you a good chance to win. 9/6 Jacks or Better, which is rather common, offers up to 99.54% RTP.
Most casino games don’t even come close to matching this payback, making video poker one of your best opportunities to beat the house. It even gives you a chance to win long-term profits with the right variations.
Big payouts are another entertaining element of video poker. You receive 4,000 coins for royal flushes and can even play for larger progressive jackpots.
The sheer variety of video poker games is another thing to like. You can enjoy classics such as Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild, along with unique variants like Hot Roller Poker Multiplier and Peek and Play.
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If you’ve had your fill of slot machines and are looking for a new machine-based challenge, then video poker is definitely worth trying. It gives you a strong opportunity to win and offers enough game variety to keep things interesting.