Maintaining a Tight Image
Maintaining a tight image When I start playing in a poker tournament, I like to take the first few rounds to establish a tight image. I like to sit back and observe my opponents, but in addition to getting to know them, playing tight poker and establishing that image is a very handy way to ensure that your bluffing attempts will be more effective in later rounds of the tournament. Changing gears and loosening your pokergame is a great way to keep your opponents off of their game and win some money even if you aren’t getting the cards, but if you start bluffing like a maniac, your tight image will go out the window and all of your tight playing early on will have been in vain. When you decide to change gears and loosen up your game, do it gradually. Don’t come out and start trying to buy up every pot you see-a few pot buys and blinds steals won’t have your opponents putting you on bluffing hands, as long as you intersperse them with a few rounds of folding. If you find yourself getting some good starting hands, make sure that your opponents see them-if you play a big hand that you have to fold, you may even want to turn them over, just to show your opponents that you only play strong starting hands.
