There are generally 4 main categories of poker player types. The 4 main styles of poker player are:

 

Loose-Aggressive Style - Known as The Maniac - A.K.A. The Gambler. This is the guy who you'll hear holler "GAMBLE!" as he shoves his entire chipstack into the pot on a stone cold bluff. Learn all about poker's Loose-Aggressive Player including how to play this style successfully and how to beat a loose-aggressive poker player!

 

Loose-Passive Style - Known as The Calling Station - A.K.A. The Bluff Police. Ever hear anyone at the poker table say, "I guess I have to call," or how about "I had to call!" Well, now you know who said it... that's right, it was the Loose-Passive Player who, although he can be quite a frustrating opponent, is not impossible to beat. As a matter of fact, a strong poker player can make a good living off of the Calling Station. Check out our page on how to beat loose poker players like the Loose-Passive Player.

 

Tight-Passive Style - Known as The Mouse - A.K.A. Who? This is the player who you might not have even noticed was there at the table until they got up to leave. Follow the link to learn more about the Tight-Passive Player.

 

Tight-Aggressive Style - Known as The Eagle - A.K.A. The Poker Pro. Most professional poker players agree that playing tight-aggressive poker is playing winning poker. But tight-aggressive is not invincible. Read more on how to beat this difficult beast at the poker table, the Tight-Aggressive Player.

 

Now if you've been around the poker world for a bit, you have probably already at least heard of the 4 types of players listed above. But the truth of the mater is, it doesn't stop there. Poker itself is a game of astronomical possibilities, circumstances, and situations. The game of poker itself is as widely varied as the many colorful charactars who play it. The 4 types of players listed above are just the easiest to classify categories, basically the black and the white. But there are many gray areas and many different sub-styles of play. 

 

First let me give a real quick explanation of the terms.

 

In a term like "tight-aggressive," the first part of the phrase, tight (or loose), refers to what types of hands the player will play and how many hands they will play on average. "Tight" players are more picky about what they play and therefore play less hands, while "loose" players are less finicky and tend to play a greater percentage of the hands that they are dealt.

 

The second part of the phrase, aggressive (or passive), refers to the player's betting style. The more a player bets or raises, the more "aggressive" that player is considered to be. Conversely, the more a player checks or calls, the more passive they are considered to be.

 

A few examples of some less explored poker styles are:

 

So go ahead, play some online poker now and find out which styles are the easiest for you to beat, and which styles best suit how you play!