The Loose Aggressive Poker Player LAG
You want action on the poker table? This style of play is going to give it to you. The loose aggressive (LAG) poker playing style has massive chip swings. They're going to either make lots of chips or lose them, often in the same session.
It's not unusual for players of this style to be active and raising with up to 40% or more of the total range. A variation of that very wide range of hands is shown below highlighted in blue. They are often applying pressure with a raise. Bluffing very often is just one way how they win or lose lots of chips.
One of the greatest strengths about this style of play is that they tend to get max value of chips won for their good hands. It's because they are so often raising with such a wide range its hard to spot when they really do have a good hand. So opponents often call down or raise when they are beat and the LAG gets lots of chips.
Another strength is that even bad hands can and do flop good sometimes. This is a disaster for the Tight Aggressive proudly holding and betting pocket Aces. They were loving it when the LAG 3bet them again as they been doing all session. Many players will just smooth call because they are at the top of all ranges. The board flops 3 low cards. Those Aces should still be best. No-one 3bets low cards... right....wrong, the LAG does and can often. If they hit 2 pair with junk it's again hard to spot but it's still better than those Aces. They often get paid well for splashing around with bad cards.
Of course the down side of LAG play is more often than not the board misses them and their bad hand is beat. If they cannot get their opponent to fold its going to cost lots of chips as they give it a try.
Like the previously covered Tight Aggressive (TAG) to play the LAG style effectively you need to have a keen eye of the competition. You want to have a good read on the styles and ranges that you're up against. The smart LAG will use this information to avoid some of the dips that are sure to come playing this style. Played correctly LAG style is considered the most profitable single style of play. It's the quickest path to going bust when played incorrectly. LAG players need a big bankroll and use proper bankroll management for this style to work.
The LAG must play different variations of the style depending on what type of player they are up against. Action versus a loose passive should be done differently than verses a tight aggressive. Below are links to 3 other types reviewed that the LAG should know to adjust to.
https://steemit.com/gaming/@potplucker/tight-aggressive-poker-player
https://steemit.com/poker/@potplucker/tight-passive-poker-player
https://steemit.com/poker/@potplucker/the-loose-passive-poker-player
Want to experiment with a new style? Play for free! Win some steem dollars! Steemit account holders find great poker action at http://www.lucksacks.com. Hope to see you there.
Thank you for reading this post. Look forward to comments. Best of luck on the tables.
@potplucker
Want to increase chance of your post being viewed? Check out the link below.
https://steemfollower.com/?r=5582
LAG is to complex for new players coz if u do it wrong you bust very quickly they should experiment with more simple styles at first
I agree, it is a very complex style to play. Certainly if new to trying to play at advanced level its good to start out as a Tight Aggressive and look for spots to attempt Loose Aggressive play. Thanks for the visit and comment.
I love how you share you love of this game and even explain it to others. Great post
Thanks for reading. It's your guidance that I mean to use to make much better blogs.
Nice
Ty for the visit and vote.
I need to take notes
Your mind is a steel trap. No need for notes, just visit again if needed. btw ty
Hi Pot, was just checking #steemitbloggers gaming and here you are. :-)
How did the game turn out? I got busy attempting some table Xmas graphics and never checked.
here is the link
Cheers
Was able to sneak into 6th. Had about 4 big blinds left and on the big blind with an A10. Plenty strong enough to get all-in verses all but the tightest of players. Little blind was big stack @Rawdawg with an AK. Ace did flop and I was calling for a 10 that never got there. He went on to win it.
The smart LAG also looks who is in the blinds and on the BU. Fe if you have a BU who 3 bets a lot you have to tighten your range.
Is this range for cg or tournaments. Seems very loose even for a LAG for mp
Thank you for the comments and questions. Yes, all that you say it true. Knowing the player styles of everyone acting behind, specially the blinds and button are very important. The range given is just an example of what it could look like it they were playing about 40% of available hands. On average I would submit that most of the poker community would consider loose play at about 25% or more of available hands. The example range given is not the top 40% of hands but allows the LAG to open up with a large percentage of the groups containing lower suited connectors and 1-3 gapers. There are certainly lots of junky hands in the range submitted.
Per your suggestion If a LAGs range is tightened due to a 3 betting aggressor behind they are really not playing the LAG style fully. If they no longer open with half the hands in example it seems to suggest they are not longer playing LAG style but have changed to a TAG style. That's fine, it just kind of means that the 3 betting aggressor is maybe the better LAG at the table and has taken the style away from the other player. Or the 3 better is a TAG just waking up with some great hands frequently enough to deny the LAG their style in the moment.
Its the combination of loose and aggressive that makes the LAG style so effective. In true LAG style there would often be 4 betting back at the 3 bet. Someone is going to submit by calling or folding or they get it all in pre-flop. Either way that is as likely to happen more often verses when true LAGs change their style. On a side note I think the best players are able to change styles as needed for the conditions. But the blog was mainly to talk about the LAG style of play.
The style range given is and example that could apply to both cash games and tourney play. If it is a tourney that has re-buy and/or re-entry still in effect the LAGs wide range allows for playing many more hands and opportunity to grow a huge stack before the rebuy is closed. That large stack allows them to continue playing the wide range at the mid size stacks. They would need to consider what to do when eventually when the small stacks re-raise all in on them. Those stacks are just looking for a chance to get all in favorably. This is a time that more often causes smart thinking LAGs to tighten up some. As for cash play, that's where bankroll management comes in and game size chosen. A LAG with $100K in the bankroll has no problem playing the style at a $500 buy-in game. If they get caught its and easy reload for their bank. A LAG with just a $5k bankroll would be better staying in the $100 game, even then they only have 50 reloads. A few days on a run bad can wipe that out with this style.
You bring up a great point about LAG range verses their position. That is a much more complex conversation. Position was not addressed in any of the posts defining basic styles of play. Thank you for bringing that up. Certainly position is very important when considering what to open. I agree ranges should be tighter from early and mid positions. But that is the beauty of playing LAG style. It can be done from any position, especially if they are the ones to open the pot. Players behind have to deal with the pressure no matter how many.
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by Potplucker from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP. Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.