Generation Next -- Josh Bergman

A great poker player bobs, weaves, and jabs like a skilled boxer, looking for an opening to deliver a knockout punch. By paying close attention to each hand dealt, crucial insights into an opponent’s style, habits, and experience are revealed. Most players know this conceptually; it’s not an eye-opening revelation. But it’s how that information is mentally filed away and used that separates the good players from the very best in the game.

Online star Josh “JBT449” Bergman has built his game around keen observation and taking advantage of an opponent’s tendencies. It’s been the single most important key to his seven-figure success in online tournaments. “You have to tighten up when you need to, and also play very loose when necessary,” said Bergman. “You must constantly be adapting to your table. I believe it’s the most crucial aspect to pay attention to, especially when the antes come into play.”

Bergman’s eye for detail has earned him more than $1.4 million in online cashes. What’s most impressive is that the Drew University sociology major has built his bankroll over the last three years on a part-time poker schedule, eschewing the theory that massive daily tournament volume defeats variance. Until graduation, classes take precedence.

Card Player tracked Bergman down to glean some of the subtleties of adapting and accumulating chips during the early stages of a tournament.

Craig Tapscott: Are you aggressive right out of the gate at the start of a tournament?

Josh Bergman: It tends to be pretty table-dependent. Each time I play, I have to feel it out and know who is at my table and what they are capable of doing. If someone is aggressive to my left, I try to tighten up a bit. The best thing you can do with a table draw is play each situation as well as you can, and tighten up your range against some guys who think you’re going to be playing crazy poker. Some players will realize that you’ve tightened up and will adapt, but most players are focused on what they’re doing and are not as focused on how other players are playing.

CT: How active are you before the antes kick in?

JB: I’m pretty tight when I’m playing a lot of tables, but when I’m playing only a few events, I’m probably way too active preflop and before the antes kick in. I’m more active than most players for a reason. I find that there are a lot of spots early on in which you can chip up, and many regulars aren’t picking up on them because they’re playing so many tables.

CT: The games seem to be getting more and more aggressive. How do you adapt and use this to your advantage?

JB: The players who are doing well against an aggressive player are the ones who can tighten up their ranges in certain spots and make the other player make the mistakes.

CT: Share with us a standard situation you can take advantage of.

JB: Take for example an ace-high flop. If you hold an ace, you can check behind.

CT: Why?

JB: You can get more value on later streets. As you start to play with the same players over and over again, you have to factor in how you played the ace-high flop the last time you had it. It’s really important to merge your range.

CT: Explain, please.

JB: It’s important to merge hand ranges preflop by playing your speculative hands and A-A and K-K the same way. It’s especially valuable late in tournaments, when the stacks are shallower and there’s not as much room for play. Next, it’s really important to be able to open a lot of pots. You will be able to put yourself in some spots to build a huge chip lead. But if you’re not as active preflop and you open a pot, you’re going to get called only in certain spots, because of your tight image. People are going to tighten up against you, and you’re going to be limited in regard to how many chips you can acquire. The more dangerous players are the ones capable of not having a hand at any given time.

CT: Where else can you apply pressure to accumulate chips?

JB: When an opponent has a stack size of around 20 big blinds, I will make a small three-bet, as it will put a competent player to the test. He will feel that he has to risk all of his chips or fold. People tend to assume that you have it until you prove that you’re capable of being light in that spot. That’s a good way to accumulate chips and not have to play post-flop against some of the really good players.