Poker is a game of skill and strategy. And while there are many different styles of poker, aggressive poker is widely considered to be one of the most effective. Here are four reasons why:

It keeps your opponent’s off balance

If you’re always the aggressor, your opponents will never know what to expect from you. They’ll be constantly guessing and second-guessing themselves, which gives you a big advantage. Anytime your opponent is confused and not playing optimally, you’re likely to reap the benefits. Keeping opponents off balance from a GTO poker theory perspective is great for your bottomline.

It makes it harder for your opponents to play their hands

When you’re constantly putting pressure on your opponents, they’ll find it difficult to play their hands correctly. This is especially true if you’re good at bluffing. Most players want to play without scratching their heads. They like playing almost on autopilot so making things difficult for them is hugely beneficial to you.

It can win you a lot of pots

Since you’re the one doing the betting, you’re in control of how much money is in the pot. And if you’re good at it, you can win a lot of pots without even having the best hand. Winnings lots of pots, regardless of the size is also likely to enhance your table image. Your opponents will fear and respect you. Winning many pots might get you the label of table captain too.

It’s fun

Let’s be honest, poker can be pretty boring if you’re not playing aggressively. But if you are, it’s a lot more fun and exciting. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Yes you should also generate a better win rate and finish the session with more money but it’s also about the fun aspect. Who enjoys sitting and folding or playing passively for hours on end? Nobody! Therefore, we recommend adopting the more aggressive style so poker is more pleasurable too.

Conclusion

Clearly there are good arguments for playing aggressively. You’ll keep your opponents off balance, enforce mistakes from them, win lots of pots and have a better time too. If you’ve always played timidly in the past, consider trying more raises and 3 bets in future sessions and see how you get on, you might be pleasantly surprised at the results!

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