O-Poker

The simple answer is Yes. Sometimes I am Loose Aggressive (LAG); Sometimes I am Tight Aggressive (TAG). I will often switch back and forth from a LAG to TAG style on the same table. Somtimes, I will be playing TAG on two tables and LAG on two tables. It depends on several different things. (Most of this refers to cash games, but a lot it is the same in SNGs and Tourneys.)

1. Position, Position, Position - Position is extremely, extremely important. I can't emphasize that enough. I will often play LAG on the button or cutoff and TAG in the blinds. Depending on the other players at the table, LAG can be very difficult out of the blinds. Suppose you have AQo (NL game) and the flop is a rainbow A102. You bet or check-raise and your opponent re-raises. You really don't have much of a choice but to fold or put your entire stack on the line with only top pair, 2nd kicker. This won't be profitable in the long run unless you have a really good read on your opponent or he is a maniac capable of putting all his chips in with a draw or a weak ace. It is best to play a lot tighter out of position and give up to major resistance.

2. Table Image - If I have been raising a lot without showing down my big hands and have a LAG image, I will switch to a TAG image. People will start to think you are playing less than premium hands if you have been raising a lot and may start to play back at you with marginal hands. By switching from a LAG to TAG style, you with get paid off by some of the guys that decide to "take a stand" against you. The opposite is also true. If you have been playing TAG at the table for a while and have only shown down monster hands, you can switch to a LAG style and re-raise (in position) with some draws and get others to lay down their hands.

3. Do they think you are tilting? - I love it when I have just lost a big pot (that's not the part I love) and get dealt a big hand the very next hand. Some players will think you are steaming/tilting if you make an overbet after losing a big pot, especially if you were sucked out on. A recent example of this for me - I was playing in a tourney and was dealt KK. I was top 10 in chips and got all in preflop against a medium stack with AJ. The AJ made a 5 high straight and I lost more than half of my stack. To my pleasant surprise, I was dealt AA the very next hand. There was a raise by the time it got around to me. I immediately went all-in hoping he would think I was steaming. No tricky AA plays here. A very solid player called my overbet with QQ without hesitation. The same player may have laid down that hand if it didn't look like I was steaming. (probably 50/50 for him instead of insta-call.)

4. Stack Size - I will play more of a LAG style with a big stack whether it is in a NL cash game, tourney, or sng. You can put a lot of pressure on the smaller stacks and take down more uncontested pots. Also, Your bets usually get more respect if you have a big stack.

There are several other factors that lead to playing a LAG or TAG style, but I think there is a key them. In cash games, if you are going to play a pot you have to be Aggressive!! Without aggression it is very hard to tell where your hand stands and you will also let them catch a hand a lot.

Feel free to comment and shoot holes in my thoughts above. They don't always apply to all situations, especially if you have some tricky players at your table that have played against you a lot.

cmitch