Table Image

In the previous parts, I have introduced the topic of table images. I have discussed what an image is, as well as the most important images to be aware of, and in this column I will start the discussion of how you can artificially create your image.

First, a brief recapitulation of what image is and why it is important. Your table image controls what your opponents think about you. What your opponents think about you has a strong influence on how they will play against you. From a passive point of view, you want to be aware of your table image at all times. This awareness will enable you to play correctly when your opponents make a play based on what they perceive to be your style, and they determine this by what they think your image is. In the previous column, I mentioned that there are four important images: loose, tight, pushover, and tough defender.

Now let’s start the discussion of how you can actively create a misleading image and why you might want to do so. Why would you want to create a loose (also known as wild or crazy) image? This is simple. If the others players perceive you as being loose, they will call or even raise your good hands more often. You can make more value-bets and expect to get called quite frequently. When you have a wild image, your good hands will be more profitable, since your opponents won’t be afraid to call. A player who is truly loose plays a lot of hands. Usually they play more hands than they should, and play them longer and for more bets than they should. However, you aren’t a truly loose player — in fact, you tend to be fairly tight. So, how can you convince your opponents that you are much looser than you are?

You might think that talking about the way you play won’t fool anyone, but that is absolutely not true. If you come right out and say, “I’m really loose, and you should call me,” no one will believe you. However, try slipping in a few more subtle comments. It is your turn to act under the gun, and you intend to fold. Fold reluctantly, and make a comment like, “I’ve been playing way too many hands. Now I’m going to play tight. See? I’m folding under the gun.” If you are male, and a reasonably attractive dealer comes into the box, state that, “I always bluff a lot more when there’s a sexy dealer. I guess subconsciously I want to impress her.” (The dealer will be flattered, and your opponents may pay you off, expecting you to be bluffing more than usual.) Here is one more example. You attempt a bluff on the river. Whether it is successful or not, show your hand and make a statement like this: “I try to randomize my bluffs; it makes me hard to read. So, I’ll always try to bluff whenever I have either of my two lucky cards — the 8 and 4.” (This might create the image that you are some wild, superstitious maniac.) Don’t just use my suggestions, try to be creative and come up with some original statements of your own. Make it a point to say something designed to mislead your opponents every round.

Note that it is easier to project a wild image in a loose, easy game. It is also easier to project when you are winning and playing a lot of hands. Normally, it is sound policy to avoid increasing your variance by playing marginal hands, hands that rate to break about even over the long run. However, when you are projecting a wild image, it is great to play these hands. When the rest of the table sees that you aren’t afraid to shove your money in with some questionable hands, they won’t be afraid to call you. This means, of course, that you will make a lot more when you pick up really big hands. By talking loose and playing marginal hands, you can create a loose image without really making any bad, money-losing plays. You may be able to create a cycle in which the hands with which your opponents are calling you get weaker and weaker. This allows you to value-bet with hands that are increasingly weak, but still rate to make money against their calling ranges.

There is one other important point about the loose, wild image. It should be obvious, but when you have this image, you must be very careful about bluffing. Your opponents will call with any excuse. Perhaps a new player comes to the table; if you get involved with him, try to bluff him. New players usually start off tight and don’t want to go broke in the first few hands, so your bluff has a good chance of success. In any case, make sure the other players see it — it will reinforce you loose image. The next columns will discuss some of the other images and how to create them. ♠

Steve “Zee” Zolotow, aka The Bald Eagle, is a successful games player. He currently devotes most of his time to poker. He can be found at many major tournaments and playing on Full Tilt, as one of its pros. When escaping from poker, he hangs out in his bars on Avenue A — Nice Guy Eddie’s at Houston and Doc Holliday’s at 9th Street — in New York City.