aggression..can it be learned?

[Jetto]

yea it can be learned but it can also be addicting to some.

[johnnypaws]

I was thinking of aggression as related to poker and specifically hold'em the other day on my way to the local B&M to play cards.

There is a term in the sports world called "legal discomfort", what that means, is that you try to make your opponent as uncomfortable as possible, but within the rules. Like in wrestling, pressing down with your chin on a pressure point, or football, hitting your opponent with closed fists in the ribs as he fires off the ball.

I have been trying to use that concept in both limit (although it should be considered more well-timed aggression) and NL Sit and Go's I play online. With aggression, try to combine the texture of the board with your table image to put your opponent in an uncomfortable position. I believe that this is what makes Greg Raymer one of the better poker players out there. In interviews, other pros say that he puts the pressure back on them, and makes them reactive instead of proactive.

You have to not be afraid to lose. Therefore, you have to open for 4x the BB or make that 3 bet, with the intention of following through with a c-bet or check raise, sometimes when you don't have the nuts. It took me awhile to figure this out, but it has made me a better poker player.