Poker players may be divided into different categories of playing styles.
The most
prominent of these is undoubtedly the Tight-Aggressive Player 6️⃣ – or “TAG” for short.
In
this article, we’ll examine:
Precisely what a tight-aggressive player is,
How you can
spot them.
The starting hands 6️⃣ that he typically plays.
How he differs from a
loose-aggressive player (LAG)
How you can exploit him.
Defining Tight-Aggressive
Simply
put, a tight-aggressive player 6️⃣ is one who tends to play very few starting hands. When
he elects to play a hand, he generally plays 6️⃣ it aggressively. He does not like to call
with his strong hands – but rather bets or raises to drive 6️⃣ out opponents or make them
pay a steep cost to see future cards.
This style of play differs from that of 6️⃣ a “rock”
or “nit”, who tends to play an even narrower range pre-flop (especially from late
position), and who lacks 6️⃣ the aggression of a typical tight-aggressive
player.
Identifying Tight-Aggressive Players
The simplest and most accurate method of
identifying a tight-aggressive player is 6️⃣ to watch how many hands he plays and how
aggressively he plays them. If, after a couple of orbits, an 6️⃣ opponent has played only
15-20% of hands, typically with a raise or 3-bet, you are almost surely dealing with a
6️⃣ tight-aggressive player.
You can confirm this diagnosis by making sure to observe any
hands that are shown down or otherwise exposed. 6️⃣ If a large percentage of them are
high-quality starting hands, you can conclude that your suspicions were correct.
You
may also 6️⃣ be able to accurately identify tight-aggressive opponents even without waiting
for a full two orbits. There are other “secondary characteristics” 6️⃣ that typical
tight-aggressive players display. They tend to keep their chips in even stacks of 20 –
sometimes even with 6️⃣ the stripes on the side of the chips lined up.
Their physical
betting of the chips is crisp and neat. They 6️⃣ are often very attentive, serious, and
earnest in their demeanour. This is not to say that loose-aggressive players or other
6️⃣ types of players can’t affect this behaviour as well. It’s just that tight-aggressive
players usually behave in this way most 6️⃣ of all.
Finally, be aware that the most skilled
players may change their style (known as “changing gears”) just as you 6️⃣ think you have
them figured out. So be ready to alter your assessment, even after you have confirmed
it.
Tight-Aggressive Player’s 6️⃣ Range
A tight-aggressive player’s range will change
depending on his position, of course. Specifically, a tight-aggressive player’s range
in early position 6️⃣ may be no broader than QQ+ (QQ, KK, AA) and AK. In middle-position,
he may widen that range to include 6️⃣ TT+, ATs+, KQs, QJs, and JTs. In late position, he
might broaden it further to include AT+, A2s+, KQs, KJs, 6️⃣ QJ, and all 22+.
Recognise
that there are all sorts of variations in the range any particular player may have –
6️⃣ including these tight-aggressive players. There are degrees of tightness and degrees of
aggressiveness. Similarly, these ranges are not necessarily static 6️⃣ – as players may
become tighter or looser as their mood, game conditions, and their opponents
change.
They may have some 6️⃣ calling range – but it tends to be much narrower than a
player who is not tight-aggressive. Typically, this TAG 6️⃣ player is raising with his
entire range in early and middle position, and only calling in late position with his
6️⃣ pairs 22-88, and his suited aces A2-A9.
Tight-aggressive players are also ready to
3-bet in many situations when their hand strength 6️⃣ justifies it. So, for example, their
3-bet range would be likely to include KK, AA and maybe AK and QQ 6️⃣ from early position;
JJ+ and AK from middle position, and TT, AK, and AJs+ from late position. Keep in mind
6️⃣ that individual TAGs may each play a broader or narrower range than these.
It’s
important to realise that the TAG playing 6️⃣ style does not exclude the possibility of
including a broader raising range, a broader 3-bet range, and even a reasonable 6️⃣ number
of bluffing hands. Good tight-aggressive players may adjust their range to fit the
general conditions of their table, their 6️⃣ own image, and their specific opponents – just
as any good player would.
It’s just that the range is generally tighter 6️⃣ than most of
the other players at the table, and they tend to play their hands more aggressively
than the 6️⃣ typical player.
Tight Aggressive (TAG) Vs Loose Aggressive (LAG)
A
loose-aggressive (LAG) player is much more likely to play a much broader 6️⃣ range than the
tight-aggressive player and to play it aggressively. This strategy includes raising and
3-betting light. A tight-aggressive player 6️⃣ is much more likely to have higher standards
than the LAG for raising and 3-betting.
One straightforward way of understanding this
6️⃣ is to look at the TAG player’s range from late position. It includes many sub-premium
hands like suited Aces and 6️⃣ other non-pair hands. The loose-aggressive player might play
this range from any position pre-flop – and will play it for 6️⃣ a raise, or for a
3-bet.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Tight-Aggressive Play
There is nothing inherently
strong or weak about the tight-aggressive 6️⃣ style of play – or any style of play for that
matter. All methods of play may be used by 6️⃣ an expert to win money from the non-expert.
Weak players will lose no matter what style they adopt. In that 6️⃣ respect, no one style
is clearly or definitely better than any other. Great players utilising a
tight-aggressive style can win 6️⃣ a lot of money from mediocre opponents. But, so too can
loose-aggressive players win a lot of money from mediocre 6️⃣ opponents.
Changing Gears
The
key is recognising the strengths and weakness of each style – changing gears (going
from one form of 6️⃣ play to another) just as your opponents are figuring it out. Then,
when they start to shift their play to 6️⃣ adjust for the type of player, they think you
are, you should move on to a different style. When they 6️⃣ finally catch on to this
switch, you switch again – ad infinitum until you have turned them in a quivering 6️⃣ mush
of self-doubt. They end up leaving your table with their spirit and finances
crushed.
The key is recognising the strengths 6️⃣ and weakness of each style – changing
gears (going from one form of play to another) just as your opponents 6️⃣ are figuring it
out. Then, when they start to shift their play to adjust for the type of player, they
6️⃣ think you are, you should move on to a different style. When they finally catch on to
this switch, you 6️⃣ switch again – ad infinitum until you have turned them in a quivering
mush of self-doubt. They end up leaving 6️⃣ your table with their spirit and finances
crushed. Predictability
Tight-aggressive play tends to be more predictable than
loose-aggressive style – since 6️⃣ the narrower pre-flop range restricts the likely range
as the hand develops. Since the TAG’s starting range is much more 6️⃣ restricted,
perceptive opponents will be better able to put a tight-aggressive player on a very
narrow. This scenario is less 6️⃣ the case with a LAG. He starts with a much broader range.
Therefore, it is often unclear whether a flop, 6️⃣ turn, or river helped his
hand.
Tight-aggressive play tends to be more predictable than loose-aggressive style –
since the narrower pre-flop 6️⃣ range restricts the likely range as the hand develops.
Since the TAG’s starting range is much more restricted, perceptive opponents 6️⃣ will be
better able to put a tight-aggressive player on a very narrow. This scenario is less
the case with 6️⃣ a LAG. He starts with a much broader range. Therefore, it is often
unclear whether a flop, turn, or river 6️⃣ helped his hand. Lower Variance
One advantage of
a tight-aggressive player over a loose-aggressive player is that tight aggressive play
is 6️⃣ less costly than loose-aggressive play, with lower variance. Since the TAG is
playing many fewer hands than the LAG, he 6️⃣ is spending much less money on speculative
hands. With fewer hands, in a stronger range than his LAG counterparts, he 6️⃣ will have
less variance. Accordingly, he can fund his play with a smaller starting
bankroll.
Aggressive Betting
Against inferior opponents, who do 6️⃣ not pay much attention
to their opponents’ style, and thereby fail to shift their play accordingly, the
tight-aggressive style has 6️⃣ many advantages. This type of player will win money from his
opponents when he aggressively bets his higher quality hands, 6️⃣ but will not lose or
waste money by being aggressive on his lower-valued hands. He doesn’t need to play as
6️⃣ wide a range because his weak opponents will not be observant enough or disciplined
enough to avoid him when he 6️⃣ is selectively aggressive.
On the other hand, by being more
predictable, his observant and skillful opponents will learn to avoid him 6️⃣ when he is
aggressive, diminishing his likely wins when he does win. So, though his losses will
likely be less, 6️⃣ so too will his potential wins.
Overall, whether the TAG does better
than the LAG will be a function of how 6️⃣ good an overall player he is and how bad his
opposition is. There is nothing inherent in the style of 6️⃣ play that dictates whether the
TAG will win or lose more in the long run than the LAG.
Techniques for Exploiting
6️⃣ Tight-Aggressive Players
Once you have identified a tight-aggressive player, you will
be able to attempt to exploit him. Your ability to 6️⃣ do so will depend, at least in part,
on how good he is – and how capable he is to 6️⃣ adjust his play once he notices your
attempts to exploit him.
But assuming he is no better than average, here are 6️⃣ some
techniques that are likely to work:
Aggression = Strength
First, recognise that his
aggression generally indicates true strength. So, when he 6️⃣ bets or raises, refuse to
give him action unless you have a hand that is either already strong or has 6️⃣ good
drawing potential. If he is extremely tight, you may do best by not playing against him
at all.
He will 6️⃣ be in so few hands, that you needn’t worry about your ability to make
money off the other players at 6️⃣ your table. Just resolve to fold your hand on the rare
occasion when he bets – and wait for the 6️⃣ next hand, which he is unlikely to enter
because he doesn’t have Aces or Kings.
Speculate Against the Sticky TAGs
Against other
6️⃣ tight-aggressive players, who have at least a reasonably broad range – especially from
late position – you can use a 6️⃣ few “moves” against them to extract some profit. Realise
that tight-aggressive players tend to continue to push their hands aggressively 6️⃣ through
the flop and turn – even when others may improve.
Accordingly, with their rare AA, KK,
or QQ from early 6️⃣ position, they will continue to bet it unimproved, in increasing
amounts each bet – wanting to extract maximum profit from 6️⃣ the narrow range they
play.
They aren’t liable to return fire as a loose-aggressive player – since they play
so few 6️⃣ hands. They tend to be quite “sticky” when they have one of their few playable
hands – not wanting to 6️⃣ give. Against these tight-aggressive players, you can call their
pre-flop raises with many speculative hands. If you miss, you’ll fold 6️⃣ to their bet on
the flop. But if you hit, you’ll let them bet themselves into penury against your two
6️⃣ pair, sets, and flushes.
Position becomes extremely important, as you want to see his
betting action before you enter a hand 6️⃣ against them. Their betting will be a window
into the real strength of their hand, given their ABC-style of tight-aggressive 6️⃣ play.
You can play against them as if they are playing with their cards exposed.
Example of
Exploiting a Typical TAG
Here’s 6️⃣ an example of how that exploitive play against a
typical tight-aggressive player may work. (Bear in mind that I am 6️⃣ not recommending this
against a solid player – but rather against an average, mediocre or worse
tight-aggressive player.)
Pre-flop you are 6️⃣ in the cutoff seat in aR$1/2 game with
aR$500 effective stack against the eventual Villain who is a typical, tight-aggressive
6️⃣ player.
UTG folds
UTG+1 callsR$2
UTG+2 folds
UTG+3 folds
Villain is in the lo-jack
position. He raises toR$15.
Everyone folds to you. You have Qh Th.
If 6️⃣ he were an
extremely tight TAG, you might just fold – figuring that you needn’t bother fighting it
out with 6️⃣ him. Folding is undoubtedly a reasonable and safe option against a
particularly tight TAG. You’d remember the mantra “don’t feed 6️⃣ the nit” and just wait
for another hand.
But, assuming he’s not quite as tight as all that, you can call 6️⃣ here
– even though you know that you are far behind. You can call becauseR$15 is only 3% of
your 6️⃣ stack – giving you enormous implied odds if you hit your hand of two pair, trips,
a flush, or a 6️⃣ straight.
As a typical tight-aggressive player, he’s likely to keep
betting, in ever-increasing amounts. So, you call his bet on the 6️⃣ flop, and then either
raise him on the turn or wait for him to donk off his chips to you 6️⃣ on the river.
Using
the Bluff, Selectively
The other move that may work against some of the better
tight-aggressive players is to 6️⃣ selectively raise them on the flop as a bluff – to get
them to release their hand, fearing that they 6️⃣ are now second best.
Being selective,
some good tight-aggressive players are still mindful of the possibility that the flop
may occasionally 6️⃣ give their opponent a very strong hand – surpassing their likely
premium pair.
If, for example, they raise pre-flop, and you 6️⃣ call, and then an Ace
flops. They bet, and you uncharacteristically raise, they may figure that since this so
seldom 6️⃣ happens to them, they are better off not chancing that you hit Aces-Up or,
worse, a set. They are then 6️⃣ likely to fold, congratulating themselves at their
excellent laydown (they may even show it to you).
Sometimes they will call your 6️⃣ raise
on the flop, hoping for a perfect turn, and you have to fire another bet on the turn
for 6️⃣ them to fold. Again, used very selectively, this is often an effective move against
the reasonably good (but not great) 6️⃣ tight-aggressive opponent.
Comparing
Tight-Aggressive Player (TAG) to Loose-Aggressive Player (LAG)
In Conclusion
Poker
games are populated by all sorts of players with many 6️⃣ different playing styles. You
will want to be able to identify just what type of player you’re up against, so 6️⃣ you can
apply the correct tactics to exploit them.
Fortunately, tight-aggressive players are
relatively easy to spot. If they are very 6️⃣ skilled, you should avoid them altogether. If
not, you can make money off them by applying some of the tactics 6️⃣ we’ve explored in this
article.
