what is the benefit of ppl thinking you suck?

[maldini]

i see often that players like to portray themselves as having less skill than they actually do. anyone want to comment on how this is useful? what does this belief by the others at the table make them do that can be capitalized on?

the only trick i have is to make people think i'm tighter than i actually am so that i can steal/bluff in good spots and get a bit more respect. for instance, i will often fold the SB when folded to me just to show that i'm tight.

thanks

[AngryCola]

Your value bets get called more if they buy your act.

That being said, I'm pretty quiet at the tables.

[maldini]

i tend to hope people think i'm solid. i like it when people fold. seems to be much more benefit there.

maybe this is a limit vs. nolimit thing. you want respect in NL and want to be called in limit?

[Jazza]

I think it depends on the opponents

if they are calling stations, you don't want them tightening up at all against you, so you want to appear weak

if they are all tight weak passive, you want them to respect you so they fold to all your bluffs

[Harv72b]

You're UTG with AA. Table is your typical mix of decent players & donks.

If your opponents all think you're a tight player, you raise & might maybe get 1 caller, who then folds UI on the flop. If your opponents all think you're a whack job, you get cold-called in a couple of places and then 3-bet, and the whole world wants to play back at you when you flop your set.

It's key to remember, tho, that against most online players, table image doesn't really matter. If they're good, they're probably multi-tabling & only looking at your stats for reads (if even that). If they suck, they aren't thinking about what you might have until the river, no matter if you've only played AA-TT in the past hour. Online table image really only makes a big difference when you're talking about decent, but not so great players.

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
the only trick i have is to make people think i'm tighter than i actually am so that i can steal/bluff in good spots and get a bit more respect. for instance, i will often fold the SB when folded to me just to show that i'm tight.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your answer is the opposite of the above.

Getting action on your good hands.

b

[Pinga]

[ QUOTE ]
It's key to remember, tho, that against most online players, table image doesn't really matter. If they're good, they're probably multi-tabling & only looking at your stats for reads (if even that). If they suck, they aren't thinking about what you might have until the river, no matter if you've only played AA-TT in the past hour. Online table image really only makes a big difference when you're talking about decent, but not so great players.

[/ QUOTE ]

I see this a lot and I disagree.

At least 5 out of ten people I play against show some sign of mental activity. Perhaps as high as 9. There is no question they react to things.

Working the table is highly underrated. Properly done it can generate a ton of action.

There are two things people can think when you are taking their money.

"That guy is good and I should stay away from him"
"Why that lucky fish... I'll get him"
--
Pinga

[Harv72b]

I'm sure this is dependent on the limit & site, and I should have specified that in my first post. My observations are based almost entirely on Party skins, up through 5/10. I can't tell you how many times I've sat around playing my normal TAG game, showing down nothing but very strong hands, and yet I still get 4 cold callers when I raise UTG with JJ. In my experience, the vast majority of SS players simply don't think about what their opponent may have and don't pay any attention to how tight/loose you are playing, or are multi-tablers playing pretty much ABC poker. They do tend to notice a maniac, of course, but I don't think anyone is advocating acting like that to generate action. If anything, I think a lot of people at this limit will stay out of pots against a "hot" player, regardless of what kind of poker he's playing.

I remember doing a steal raise from the Button on one 3/6 table with 63s, which somehow miraculously won at showdown after I flopped a 3. It just so happened that I was dealt AQs and TT, respectively, on the next two hands. I raised both times, and got no callers.

[Pinga]

[ QUOTE ]
My observations are based almost entirely on Party skins, up through 5/10.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me, too. I've been trying to stick to 2/4.

This is a low limit thing. I would expect diminishing returns beyond 2/4 or 3/6, as fewer poor players are coming in with big stacks. Fooling around will just lose you the couple of BB you can manage to squeeze out of the table to begin with.

[ QUOTE ]
They do tend to notice a maniac, of course, but I don't think anyone is advocating acting like that to generate action.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just do it by accident when I'm drinking and having too much fun. Don't do this at home kids.

[ QUOTE ]
If anything, I think a lot of people at this limit will stay out of pots against a "hot" player, regardless of what kind of poker he's playing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some people will leave. A few will target you. Some of the players who are there more for fun than profit will enjoy you and put more money into play.

You can splash some of the profit around to be a little less hot. Come in with that bad hand UTG. If it doesn't flop, fold out and let someone else be a winner. If it does flop, job well done. Heads up against one of the weaker players? Call a couple bets and see if you get lucky.

[ QUOTE ]
I remember doing a steal raise from the Button on one 3/6 table with 63s, which somehow miraculously won at showdown after I flopped a 3. It just so happened that I was dealt AQs and TT, respectively, on the next two hands. I raised both times, and got no callers.

[/ QUOTE ]

This sounds like the play of a thinking player. If you had told them you were going to raise every 6 that might have bought you something.

[Paul2432]

Another benefit not mentioned in this thread is that sometimes if people know you are a very good player they will leave and go to another table with bad players.

Paul