Theoretical Question- Tight or Loose image?

Assuming your opponents wouldn't change their opinion of you based on future play, what image would you permanently like etched into your opponents heads? Very tight or very loose? Which would you be able to take greater advantage of. Remember, any hands you play WILL NOT change their perception of you as this is completely hypothetical. I have my own thoughts but I would like to hear what other people have to say first.

[Matt Williams]

I think the looser you appear, the better. You have to keep in mind the other 8 players at the table. Looking tight is
-EV a lot of times because everyone will fold to you whenever you raise. Also, they will know they can raise you out of pots. I know I have personally raised people w/ pocket kings or queens out of pots with rags when an ace flops.

IMO, the only time looking tight helps is in tourniment play when you can raise all in with rags when you suspect other players don't have premium hands.

[Jimbo]

Since this is hypothetical I would like them to think I was so tight I'd only raise with the nuts. Then I would raise every hand preflop and steal the blinds over and over.

[Guernica4000]

[ QUOTE ]
Since this is hypothetical I would like them to think I was so tight I'd only raise with the nuts. Then I would raise every hand preflop and steal the blinds over and over.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed since more often than not you wouldn't have a hand.

[winky51]

Tight that way I can raise with more hands preflop and semibluff more successfully. Them thinking you being loose means you need a hand to collect since they will call you down.

I would rather win pots I should have then win a little bit ore on pots I am winning anyways but there is a small chance they suck out.

Perfect example when I am running hot players fold and I win more money. I bluff more, I raise with more hands. When I am running bad they call down more and mess with me more.

[Lash]

I really don’t know strategically which image (tight or loose) would yield more profit in your hypothetical. It’s hard to say for certain vs. robotic opponents who do not change perception. However, I personally would like opponent’s to view me as loose.

Obviously you would destroy your average poker game with either image when your opponents can’t adjust. That is key here… in reality they can and do adjust, but on average they are itching to GAMBOOL!

First off I think it’s important to recognize that a tight image does have many benefits, but those benefits are primarily pre-flop. Your average player is not going to fold AX to your utg raise, even when you have an ultra tight image. They are going to play AX (and many other hands) no matter what. So we know these loose players are coming along pre-flop (usually behind), and that’s a good thing when you have a tight image. So in that respect, a tight image benefits you pre-flop since before the flop hits the felt, your loose opponents are usually taking the worst of it.

Problem is… most of your edge vs. run of the mill hold’em players is manifested post flop when decisions tend to get much more complicated. When your average opponent does not even know if they have pot odds for a five outer, are in reality drawing dead, and still call with bottom pair…That’s where the money is in limit hold’em. Average opponents are itching to make post flop mistakes (and we give them 3 post flop betting rounds to make them). Not folding mistakes, CALLING mistakes. They will make calling mistakes more readily vs. someone they view as loose.

I understand that a tight image has advantageous post flop implications as well, but lets face it, most of the errors your opponents make are calling errors. I’m with Caro in this regard, play off your opponents most common mistakes / tendencies. They want to call, give them a reason. Not many players are looking for a reason to fold.