A fish in poker is a player who makes many errors and consistently loses games or tournaments. These players are easy for good players to exploit and profit from. The opposite of a fish is a shark, which is a highly skilled and experienced player who is a long-term winner in the game.
If you want to be a profitable poker player you need to be able to spot the fish at your table. This can be done in a variety of ways including using HUDs or trackers, but it is also possible to do it without any of these tools. All you need is to pay attention and be able to read your opponents and the game environment. There are a number of tells that can indicate if a player is a fish and some simple strategies that will allow you to take advantage of them.
One of the most common tells is a player limping into a pot preflop. This is a sign that they don’t understand the game and aren’t thinking through what their opponent might have in their hand. You should be raising these players often and trying to get as much value out of your hands as possible.
Another common tell is a player who doesn’t adjust their play to the game situation or the other players at the table. This is a sign that they’re not adapting to the situation and are just following a formula. You should raise these players with strong hands and try to isolate them as much as possible to profit from their mistakes.
You can also spot a fish by their bet sizing postflop. These players are typically making half pot, two thirds pot and full pot bets after the flop. This is a sign that they’re afraid to bet small and aren’t trying to maximize the value of their hand.
Lastly, you can spot a fish by their calling station tendencies. These players are often passing off weak hands and letting their opponents steal a lot of pots. You should be playing aggressively against these players and trying to take down pots with your strong hands.
Fish can be found in any poker game whether it’s a cash game or tournament, and it’s essential for you to know how to exploit them if you want to make money. Luckily, it’s not hard to do and you can use a variety of tactics such as raising, cold calling, three-betting and bluffing on the turn and river. These simple tactics will allow you to profit from the mistakes that poker fish make at the table and improve your own game in the process. Good luck!
