No matter how much time and effort you put into honing your poker skills, poker can still be unpredictable. Of course, that plays a significant role in the game’s thrill and why it has many players worldwide.
Poker is considerably more than just the cards you’re dealt and the randomness of this particular facet of the game, as all gamblers who play the game are aware. It also involves your ability to read people and adjust your poker tournament strategy in light of the different types of opponents you’ll be up against at the table.
The good news is that most amateur and intermediate players play their cards so that you can identify their “tells.” However, what happens when you’re against a player who prefers to play unpredictably regardless of the cards they’re holding?
How to Deal with An Unpredictable Poker Player
There is a difference between a skilled player who adjusts their strategy as the game progresses and a player who rushes headlong into the action without pausing to consider their cards or evaluate their odds.
This kind of player is exceptionally loose, seldom ever folds, and doesn’t even blink while calling frequent wild bluffs with nothing to support them.
Unfortunately, these wild actions frequently result in the player beating their rivals, who are all scrambling to identify a pattern in the individual’s moves. But in practice, it’s rare to spot a usual trend.
Best Move for Beating an Unpredictable Player
First and foremost, it’s crucial to avoid letting a careless opponent catch you off guard. All you can do is play your own hands to the best of your ability, keep your head in the game, be patient, and accept that you’re not going to “figure them out.”
When playing against a particularly loose gambler, many poker professionals maintain that adopting a strategy that is entirely at odds with theirs is essential.
Play carefully and only move forward with hands that you are reasonably convinced will put you in a position to win.
Throwing caution to the wind and playing as carelessly and haphazardly as your opponent can only result in an ego clash. It will lead to both players forgetting to use their poker skills and relying instead on the chance of the draw to defeat their rival.
Do not play like them. You have to remember the basics and skills you have used in the past to win a game.
Finding the Balance
Whether or not you were successful in challenging a “crazy” gambler at the poker table, you’ll realize how frustrating the experience can be. As a result, you’ll likely want to take steps to ensure that your playing style won’t be perceived in a similar light in the future.
How can you strike the delicate balance between playing altogether irrationally and playing more strategically to prevent becoming “too predictable” in your choices?
The solution is relatively straightforward: always think before you act! Remember this general principle when playing in a Texas Holdem game:
- Mixing up your raising range and continuing bets.
- Avoid operating in the same ways again (for instance, raising right away when dealt strong hands).
- Depending on the strength of your hands, do not raise the same amount.
- Using a greater range when barreling.
Optimizing Your Poker Skills
Improving your poker skills is the only surefire approach to playing against an unpredictable player.
Fortunately, there are many chances to do this to improve your poker game. Of course, you’ll want to play as many online poker games as possible to get as much practice as possible.
Enjoy a balance between playing online poker for cash and having fun with friends and family if your bankroll is constrained.
You may consider hiring a poker coach, enrolling in a poker course, and reading poker books for practice in addition to playing online casino games (but make sure the authors are reputable table game experts with a proven track record!).
Reading about some professionals’ different poker strategies can also help you gain more insights. There are also plenty of videos online where you can watch poker players like Daniel Negreanu play and learn from them.
Utilizing the many study aids at your disposal, such as poker analysis software and poker solvers, is also beneficial. However, some online casinos prohibit using real-time assistance (RTA) tools while playing in tournaments.
Conclusion
Poker can be unpredictable, and so can the players you might face now or in the future. Preparing a strategy when you encounter them is necessary so that you will know what to do during the game.
You can do various things to optimize your strategy, but it all boils down to strategic thinking before you do anything else. It will also greatly help your game if you already have the skills to play against these players.
Do you want to practice before playing to see if you can face an unpredictable player? Play poker online at GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room. Who knows, you might meet a wild poker player, and you can test the skills that you have learned.
