Table Image

When most people think of table image, they think about being the dominant player at the table. They imagine the best image to have is one that intimidates their opponents and allows them to steamroll to pot after pot. If you will permit me to play amateur psychologist for a moment, I believe these players are using poker to play out their alpha-male fantasies and they care more about looking cool than about winning money. With all do respect, real sharks don't want to look like sharks.

Which of the two following scenarios is the most profitable to find your self in?

Scenario A: You have been running over your opponents for the last hour. Every move you've made has worked and now everyone knows you are a really tough, talented and smart poker player. With such a table image firmly established, you are certain you can now steal a few pots by bluffing. Your opponents are so scared of you that they will fold everything but the nuts. So you raise the pot five times the big blind pre-flop. It doesn't matter that you have 4 5 off-suit, because you expect everyone to fold to you. You do get caller though - the big blind, who rather nervously calls. That's ok - you will probably be able to bluff him off the pot later, right? The flop comes down 7h 2h Jh - a really good flop to bluff because it is very unlikely your opponent is holding two hearts, and the other hands he could have that hit this flop are JJ or AJ, again remote possibilities. Your opponent acts first and just checks. Good. Now, a big bet here would look like you are protecting your hand from the flush draw, so it wouldn't look like the bluff it is. Confident in your image as a strong player you make a pot sized bet.

Scenario B: You have been playing a lot of pots in the last hour. In addition to playing strong starting hands, you have been playing a lot of speculative hands as well and people at the table have started making jokes about how you don't know how to fold. You have won some big pots hitting your draws on the river, but you have lost about as much attempting some silly bluffs. You are sure everyone thinks you are crazy. You are dealt pocket kings in late position and someone bets 4 times the big blind in front of you. You make a raise that is 8 times the big blind. Everyone folds except the original bettor, who calls. The flop comes down 3 9 K, rainbow.

So. Would you rather find your self in Scenario A or Scenario B? I hope it is obvious to you that Scenario B is far and away the best situation to find yourself in.

In Scenario A, your dominate image will probably win you that pot that is only worth 10.5 bets. Probably. But there is still the risk your opponent does have two hearts or something else he simply will not fold: AJ, JJ, AA or KK for example. You run the risk of losing a minimum of 15.5 bets and maybe more if you "fire the second bullet" and bluff after the turn as well.

In Scenario B, you have established an image as a maniac, so that when you hit a monster hand you are very likely to be paid off. The trick is to make the same sized bets you've made up to this point - making a small bet here when you've been making pot-sized bets until this point will only set off alarm bells! If anything, a bigger than normal bet will likely convince your opponent that you are bluffing. Play this hand well, and you will make a lot more in this single pot than you have lost in the last hour by playing like a doofus.

Looking like an idiot can be profitable - if you can minimize the money you lose while establishing that table image. Sharks refer to money you lose in this manner as "advertising" - an expense that, hopefully, will lead to greater returns later.

And always remember: It's not how many pots you win, it's how big the pots are that matters.