Is having the initiative a fundamental advantage?

[elindauer]

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Is having a good table image a fundamental advantage?

Perhaps the most compelling argument against table image being important in and of itself is this: any player could defeat this advantage by simply ignoring everyone's playing tendencies!

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I think you are using this as a counter-example to prove that the initiative is an advantage. I might argue that all you're proving is that "having a good table image" is not a fundamental advantage either.

Having a good table image is only useful if you can use it to convince your opponents to make exploitable mistakes, convincing them, for example, that you would never bluff in a particular spot even though you should. If they just ignore your weak-tight image and play as though you will bluff correctly, then your "table image advantage" has been negated.

-Eric