Table Image: Make Yourself Difficult To Read
The first thing I do when I join any game is feel out the players at the table. I try to point out the suckers and see who the squeezers and who the loose cannons are. I’m not the only person that does this, so with that being said representing a deceptive table image is a good strategy to winning big pots. It is important to know that your table image is not based entirely on how you play, but more specifically on how your opponents see you playing.
It’s a pretty basic concept, here’s a scenario; let’s say you get dealt a reasonably shitty that n experienced player wouldn’t normally play, such as K♣9♥. Someone opens up the pot with a raise. You call preflop and the board comes A♦10♣5♥. You got nothing and the player who opened the pot throws out a continuation bet, you then call. The turn is a 9♠ giving you 3rd pair on board, no type of draw, basically nothing. Your opponent bets again, representing an Ace or a strong hand. Check your cards a couple times, take you’re time like you really have a tough decision to make and make the call. The river is dealt 3♥ which is a complete dud. The opponent then puts out a value bet, knowing his hand is best since he’s representing an Ace with a good kicker. At this point you call and without hesitation show the weak 3rd pair you made. Obviously you’re going to lose the pot and some of your chips BUT consider it an investment. Think of what the other players at the table are thinking about you and how weak of a player you made your self out to be with that play, “wow this guy is a fucking moron”. You called a raise preflop with a K9 os and the flop with absolutely nothing, you made a pair of 9s and called it down to river thinking it was the best hand. This is information that will be used in your favor with later pots you’re involved with and you’ve just increased you’re chances of actually being paid off for the big hands you make.
Table image is such an underrated aspect of the game yet I see the same people playing their ultra tight game at the tables and I know never to get involved in pots with them with a weak hand, since they peddle the nuts (only play big hands). These players are usually easy to take pots off, but if they do call you’re bet you might as well give up on the second or third barrel and check it down. Most of the time, you should concentrate on playing your cards correctly and using whatever table image you happen to acquire. However, under certain circumstances, you can take advantage of opportunities to intentionally cultivate a deceptive image.