Different Types of Poker Players - written by Marco Cardinal

Defining Poker Players
Being able to read poker players is a talent that takes time to recognize, but the more experience you have playing poker, the more you will pick up on the character styles of players. Basically, there are three main types of players:

1. The Aggressive Player
2. The Conservative Player
3. The Juvenile Player

The following is what you can expect when coming across each type of these players:

The Aggressive Player

Aggressive players will do everything in their power to manipulate and put pressure on you to try and get you to do what they want. They usually will choose to raise or fold, which will affect other players by pressuring them to call or muck.

Great aggressive players show a lot of confidence, and can be unnerving opponents when the stakes are high. If you give them the chance, they will control your every move and will take all of your money.

The only way to outsmart the aggressive player is to not let them intimidate you, and learn how to play their game. Know your cards, know the other players and give the aggressor a taste of their own medicine.

The Conservative Player
The conservative player is a player who only takes necessary risks, and will not foolishly bet if the cards aren't right. The conservative player is one who knows the rules inside and out, and has an excellent memory and analyzing skill. If he or she has the hand with the best odds, they will sneak up without the other players suspecting them to take the pot.

When playing against a conservative player, you will find that they will fold more often than take a risk, so be wary of the quiet opponent who stays within the hand carefully checking and calling in the first few rounds, only to raise the stakes in the later rounds.

The conservative player is a very tactical opponent, and like the aggressive player should never be underestimated.

The Juvenile Player
The juvenile player is probably the easiest player to recognize, as their poker style is incredibly immature, abrasive, cocky, overacting, careless and foolish. The juvenile player will seldom win any of the bigger pots, takes stupid risks and is usually the first to lose all of their money.

Just by the above description it should come as no surprise that these players are disliked and not respected by other players. They are easy to take advantage of, so use them as a way to gain a high chip advantage early in the game. The quicker these players are out of the game, the more money you will have to play with.