What seperates a Big Winning TAG from an average TAG

[MTBlue]

I play 5/10 and 10/20 NL and was one of the largest winners of the Party Poker 5/10NL game under the screenname TheBlackDeath.

TheMatrix's "Poob" "LAG vs TAG" post got me thinking. What seperates the best NL players from the rest?

My first thought was psychology. The best NL players get inside your head. This isn't something that can be taught on this forum. However this forum gives great information on how an average TAG thinks. I've made big folds and big calldowns, by understanding what strategies these forums advocates.

2. Treats each individual player at the table as a puzzle

3. Gives the illusion of loose action. EM2 and BoostedJ both do this really well. Playing aggresively in small pots and using bet sizes that give the illusion of greater strength especially when bluffing.

4. They vary their play against thinking opponents when bets get large.

[Dan Bitel]

examples?

[MTBlue]

1. Psychology: personal favorite was AJ Fenix's Three-betting post, in the several weeks that followed unknown tags would three bet too large a range opening themselves up to make a small four bet very profitable.

2. Some players will call allins preflop with garbage. Reading PT you'd never know that open pushing AK preflop was very profitable play.

3. My personal favorite is betting 3-4/5 of your stack on the turn with the intention of committing the last bet only if you hit. I've only seen one opponent willing to muck for the last 20BBs getting 9:1.

4. Be creative.

[kitaristi0]

Hand reading

[FoldEqu1ty]

about 6PTBB/100

[MTBlue]

What is handreading based on? People like to use the term, but what does it really mean? I think handreading is better described as psychology. How will my opponent react here? What is he thinking?

Secondly against good opponents handreading is more about figuring out what handrange they have in a spot. Good opponents don't flip their hands up with betting patterns.

[Tickner]

Value betting. Missing a few value bets here and there can add up to a significan t portion of your winrate (or perhaps make you a slight loser).

-Tickner

[True]

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What is handreading based on? People like to use the term, but what does it really mean? I think handreading is better described as psychology. How will my opponent react here? What is he thinking?

Secondly against good opponents handreading is more about figuring out what handrange they have in a spot. Good opponents don't flip their hands up with betting patterns.

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no hand reading ss about what hands villain could have and how he would play them.

[w33ktight]

my biggest leak is probably making good folds. i dont make good folds enough.

[effinA]

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Hand reading

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that and good TAGS are LAGS