Table Image Part I

[Fonzi]

As a serious player, student or casual poker enthusiast, I'd be willing to bet you've come across some variation of the saying “play the man, not the cards.” Its meaning has been interpreted hundreds of ways by various poker authors, pros, and even movie directors; perhaps most famously immortalized by Matt Damon's character in Rounders, who insists he can “play it blind” when pitted against less formidable opponents. “The cards themselves hardly matter,” he tells the judge.

Though it might work in the movies, I don't advise that you play too many hands blind. On the contrary, you should play every hand, even the ones you're not in, with wide open eyes. Though “play the man, not the cards” typically pertains to physical tells, or visible mannerisms that can tip off a player's hand, I would argue that in order to best “play the man” you have to observe how he plays his cards, which in turn means the cards matter a whole lot.

From the minute you sit down at a poker table, your attitude, your outfit, your betting habits, the frequency with which you call, raise or fold and the quality of the hands you expose all combine to create a snapshot of your playing style in the eyes of the other nine people at the table trying to separate you from your money. Your opponents' perception of your playing style, also known as your “table image,” often determines how an observant player chooses to play against you and you against them. So what if we could control how other players perceive us at the poker table and use it to our advantage?

Fortunately, we can! Being aware of your table image and knowing how to take advantage of it is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. Before you decide to be creative and make a play based on image alone, it is important to consider which of your opponents is capable of recognizing and applying the concept of table image. Assuming that everyone at the table has been watching and keeping track of your every move can be a costly mistake. You'll often find more opponents than not who will be too preoccupied with a game on TV or a conversation with their neighbor to notice that you haven't played a hand in an hour, so be sure that the target you attempt to exploit has been watching.

Most poker texts categorize playing styles into four major groups: tight, passive, loose and aggressive. The terms “tight” and “loose” are typically used to describe the range of hands a player is likely to play. A tight player folds most hands before the flop and only plays the upper echelon of starting hands, such as pocket aces, kings, queens, AK, etc. A loose player will get involved with a much wider variety of starting hands, including small pairs and small suited connectors. “Passive” and “aggressive” are terms used to characterize players' betting habits. A passive player does a lot of checking and calling, while an aggressive player makes a lot of bets and raises.

Part II will discuss ways to exploit table image, both projected and perceived.

By Garry Gates
- Poker Expert