Thu, 08/11/2011 – 23:54 – PokerPages Staff

When you start out as a beginner poker player, it’s especially important to know as much about your opponents as possible. Read on to find out the main types of player you’ll be betting against.

Loose/Aggressive players

These players play a lot of hands. After or before a flop, they’re more than willing to raise bets and it’s hard to bluff against them. They tend to win a lot of small pots but if your hand’s strong, they’ll generally lose.

Loose/Passive players

A loose, passive player is renowned for playing basically any hand. Whatever their two cards, they’ll call right up to the river and tend to lose out, due to overplaying half a hand. Nicknamed ‘calling stations’, it’s easy to win money off them due to their betting style.

Tight/Aggressive players

Regarded as the best type, they play with the best starting hand and will raise bets in order to make the most money from the hand they have. If the odds are not in their favor, they tend to simply fold. A good tip: don’t try and bluff against these players.

Tight/Passive players

A tight passive player only plays when they possess a good hand. They don’t tend to know what to do on or after a flop. They definitely don’t take any risks with their poker bets and will usually check, as opposed to raise. They can do well against weak players but not strong ones.

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Thu, 08/11/2011 – 23:59 – PokerPages Staff

Playing a game online or even in a casino for a few bucks is all very well but have you ever wondered who’s won the most money through poker? Find out who the most elite and pro tournament poker players are in the world and how much they’re (currently) worth.

#5 – John Juanda
With a total winnings of $11,993,013 in 189 cashes, Juanda comes in fifth. He was born in Indonesia but moved to the US in 1990 to study at the University of Oklahoma. He has won 24 times in first place and walked away with four WSOP bracelets.

#4 – Jamie Gold
Born in Malibu, California, Gold comes in at fourth place with $12,228,141. Known for his calm composure he has managed 23 cashes, two first places finishes and won one WSOP bracelet. He became the biggest winner in poker history when he took the pot, which amounted to more than twelve million, in the WSOP 2006 championship.

#3 – Erik Seidel
A close third, Seidel has total winnings of $13,469,689. Born in New York he actually started off playing backgammon before moving to the stock market and then poker. He’s also managed 22 first place finishes and won eight WSOP bracelets.

#2 – Phil Ivey
In second position Ivey is not far off with his total winnings of $13,873,862. Nicknamed the ‘Tiger Woods’ of poker (one of his hobbies is actually golf) he has accumulated his money in 118 cashes. Ivey boasts 22 first place finishes and a total of eight WSOP bracelets.

#1 – Daniel Negreanu
Negreanu currently stands in first place with whopping total winnings of $14,673,243. He’s managed 34 first place finishes and won four WSOP bracelets so far. Born in Toronto and already playing at 15, he moved to Las Vegas at the age of 21 to start up poker full-time.