Changing Styles

[housenuts]

i am predominantly a tight player. probably a TAG like most posters here. lately i've been trying to change my style in MTTs and become a little looser and more aggressive. i remember seeing a little snipet with Annie Duke, or maybe I read it, whereby she was going through a change in her playing style. she said it was hard at first and she wasn't doing so well, but eventually she was better because of it.

i think this is what i'm trying to go through now. i see myself reverting back to the old TAG style but having the ability to change gears in my arsenal.

how have you gone about changing styles, and what sort of effects has it had on your short-term and long-term game?

[zaxx19]

Yeah I only started playing like 6 months ago and was rock rock tight. Now Im pretty much TAG, but i like to see cheap flops with alot of creative hands.(one gappers....q-10,j-8...). Im guessing that your taking the worst of it since you changed and thats normal. As i loosened up (thanx DOYLE) I started of with a long dry spell in tourneys then learned how too better incorporate looser play and now have better overall results. I really think poker is a game of constant adjustments and continual refining. Im curious as too what you have really changed in your game though so shoot off some specifics if you got the time.

[Bernas]

I think the key here is to try one thing at a time. See if it works or not before trying anything else. Also, playing looser doesn't work for everyone. You have to be very confident in your play after the flop.

For instance, I usually play pretty tight aggressive until I find several players at my table that I know I can outplay after the flop. Then I will loosen up on my starting hands whenever they are in the pot.

Cheers,
Brad

[tiger7210]

Changing style from a tight player to one who is looser simply menas you now have to be able to read your opponents that much better.

I think the key to opening up your game is being able to take it to another level where you can put your opponent on a hand and what type of player they are so you can now play their cards instead of your own.

I think the key to cahnging your style from being a TAG rock is to really watch your opponents play and always try to figure out what they have even when you're not in a hand.

I try and do this with a buddy of mine by watching him play then IM him and try and guess exactly what he has.

If you try and loosen up and can't read your opponents well you'll be doomed for failure cause you have to be able to outplay them after the flop since a lot of times you won't have the goods.