Poker Strategy - The Secret of Adaptation
Poker Strategy - The Secret of Adaptation
Chris Ferguson does not think of himself as having a particular style because he adjusts his play to fit his opponents. He thinks of his style as trying to give his opponents as much trouble as he can and make their decisions as hard as possible.
I want to force my opponents to play a style they're not used to - said Chris during our interview.
If they're playing too many hands, I will make them pay to play. I am going to put pressure on them and make them shift to a style where they're going to want to see a lot fewer hands. So, in effect, I am going to play around them. If they're playing too few hands, once again I will put pressure on them and raise more often, but if they come into a pot, I'm more likely to let them take it. In essence, I'm saying, "Play more hands, steal the pot," because that is a style they're not used to. If my opponent folds his blinds too often, I am going to raise him frequently. I am going to try to force him to play pots against me and defend his blinds more. Now, he is playing a game he is not comfortable with. If he defends his blinds all the time, I am going to tighten up slightly. I am going to tell him, "Well, you should throw those weak hands away because when I come in I have a good hand." I am forcing him to change his style to play a little bit more conservatively. If he is always raising me and trying to steal my blinds, I am going to start playing pots against him. I am going to punish him for raising me with those weaker cards by playing more hands. If he does not want to play a lot of hands, and is not raising enough, I will let him steal my blinds. I'll only play my best hands. So again, in one sense, I am trying to force him to play a style he is not used to; or I am punishing him if he does not change. To me, that is a win-win situation. If he does not change the way he plays, that is fantastic because I am really taking advantage of him. If he does change the way he plays, now he is playing a game he is not used to. He is playing a style that he does not want to play. It is not his natural style and the fact that he is going to be slightly out of his element is going to be an advantage for me. So I think you could say my playing style is really geared to my opponents. I try to adjust to them as much as possible.
This poker strategy tip reprinted with permission from the author and publisher of Poker Wizards.
Chris Ferguson does not think of himself as having a particular style because he adjusts his play to fit his opponents. He thinks of his style as trying to give his opponents as much trouble as he can and make their decisions as hard as possible.
I want to force my opponents to play a style they're not used to - said Chris during our interview.
If they're playing too many hands, I will make them pay to play. I am going to put pressure on them and make them shift to a style where they're going to want to see a lot fewer hands. So, in effect, I am going to play around them. If they're playing too few hands, once again I will put pressure on them and raise more often, but if they come into a pot, I'm more likely to let them take it. In essence, I'm saying, "Play more hands, steal the pot," because that is a style they're not used to. If my opponent folds his blinds too often, I am going to raise him frequently. I am going to try to force him to play pots against me and defend his blinds more. Now, he is playing a game he is not comfortable with. If he defends his blinds all the time, I am going to tighten up slightly. I am going to tell him, "Well, you should throw those weak hands away because when I come in I have a good hand." I am forcing him to change his style to play a little bit more conservatively. If he is always raising me and trying to steal my blinds, I am going to start playing pots against him. I am going to punish him for raising me with those weaker cards by playing more hands. If he does not want to play a lot of hands, and is not raising enough, I will let him steal my blinds. I'll only play my best hands. So again, in one sense, I am trying to force him to play a style he is not used to; or I am punishing him if he does not change. To me, that is a win-win situation. If he does not change the way he plays, that is fantastic because I am really taking advantage of him. If he does change the way he plays, now he is playing a game he is not used to. He is playing a style that he does not want to play. It is not his natural style and the fact that he is going to be slightly out of his element is going to be an advantage for me. So I think you could say my playing style is really geared to my opponents. I try to adjust to them as much as possible.
This poker strategy tip reprinted with permission from the author and publisher of Poker Wizards.
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