Tight Play in Poker - Advantages of Method

What is a Tight Poker Table?

A tight poker table does not refer to the table itself rather to the method of play used by the players. Tight poker players are described as those who play very few hands pre-flop. Tight players will normally only raise with strong hands. They will play these hands because they are strong and stand a good chance of winning. Normally, a player has to wait a considerable time to be dealt a strong hand.

Not all tight poker players are the same. To bid against a tight player you must firstly have a strong hand yourself. This is vitally important if you are to call a raise from a tight player. Secondly, it is less likely that when a “scare card” (possibly an ace while the tight player is holding maybe a pair of kings or queens) is dealt he will call a large raise.

Tight Poker Table Strategy

Strategy adjustments must be made to your game when playing against a tight poker player. You should be less tempted to call a raise from a tight poker player. You should be ready to open a pot for a raise yourself. Tight players will often “tip the table off” if they hold a very strong hand by re-raising. Watch for this and act accordingly. Strong poker players will often fold if there is a show of strength from any player or players at the table.

Tight poker players tend to be a little easier to read than loose players but this does not mean that it can be more profitable to play against them. You have to make some assumptions about them hitting the flop when the values of the revealed cards are displayed.

Advantages of This Method

The advantages of tight poker are today far outweighed by the disadvantages. The rise in popularity of poker both online and in casinos has caused tight poker to become more obscure. A tight poker player may only play 10% of the hands dealt. It is the rise in online poker that has caused the decline in tight poker. Because there are now so many more players wanting to actually play the game new players appear not to want to sit and wait for the one special hand to be dealt.