Trying to find the right table presence–conservative or aggressive–in live games is an important step to getting you into the cash faster, especially when playing Texas Hold’em<\/a>. What happens on the felt is an extension of what’s going on above the rail in person-to-person interactions. If you’re looking for an edge, find the table presence that suits you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Playing good strategic poker is half the battle. Knowing how to handle yourself at the table to extract the most information out of your opponents while giving away the least about yourself boils down to approach. Which school of thought works best for you?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re new to the game or have no interest in learning the human element of live gameplay, adopting a conservative or GTO<\/a> approach may work best for you. The defensive approach is about eliminating as many unnecessary distractions as possible to increase your comfort level so you can play some solid poker. People are always going to try to throw you off your game, so prevent it by shutting them down and giving them nothing to work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the name suggests, shield yourself and prevent your opponents from gathering information on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There’s nothing to see, not if you’re covering as much of your body as possible. Especially anywhere that could betray a strong pulse – eyes, neck, wrist, and as much of your chest as possible. This strategy<\/a> is useful for people who feel pressure and discomfort when others stare them down, so create an impenetrable bubble to keep your focus on the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help keep you in your bubble where ICM<\/a> plays a bit role, don’t just conceal, tune out, and limit external distractions. Music is a popular choice among many players. But this can take you too far out of the game and into your own world. A good middle ground is using earplugs. They cancel out minor sounds – idle chit-chat or chips clinking – while still allowing you to engage in direct conversations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many poker masters, like Negreanu, use this style of gameplay. It’s all about gathering as much information on your opponent as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step to an offensive approach is getting info on your opponents so you can gauge how they look in different situations. To be able to gauge them, you need to engage them. Get them talking, whatever it takes for them to show you their inadvertent tells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The more information you’ve gathered on your opponents, the easier your decision making during clutch situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Playing aggressively does come with risks. Be aware of what you’re projecting and who’s watching. Before you sit down at a table, try to identify who is using a conservative or aggressive approach. This will help you decide who to engage, who to be cautious of, and who is not worth your time. And just because some players shield themselves doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to engage them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who do you want to be at the felt and why? Do you want to be the happy-go-lucky best friend, or does it pay better to be the trash-talking jerk? <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are someone’s friend, they’re more likely to give you credit, believe your bluff, and be less likely to play close-spot poker hands with you. For example, it will be much easier to get away with a light 3-bet<\/a> preflop if you are someone’s friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are an enemy, your opponent will probably go out of their way to play pots with you. If you have a good feel for your opponent and are comfortable making big calls, then playing the villain can get you a lot of extra action and profit.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Role-playing takes\na lot of skill and practice if you want to pull it off. To be a winner though\nyou don’t have to play a role. If you want to focus on the cards and play good\npoker, just be yourself. Conservative or aggressive, it doesn’t matter, just\nrun with whichever makes you the most comfortable, so you can make the best\ndecisions while at the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWinning The Game Above The Rail: Tells<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1) Conservative\/Defensive Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“Conceal Don’t Reveal”<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Protect Yourself: Hoodie, Sunglasses, Scarf<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Block Out Distraction: Earplugs, Headphones, Mindset<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2) Aggressive\/Offensive Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Engage Your Opponents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Gather More Information On Your Opponents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Betray More Information About Yourself<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Who Do You Want To Be?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Friend: More Likely To Get Credit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
An Enemy: More Likely To Get Action<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The Easiest Person To Be Is: Yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Table Presence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n