Exploitative Poker Strategies: Adjusting Your Play for Maximum Profit

How Does Exploitative Poker Differ from GTO

Game theory optimal (GTO) is one of the hottest discussions in the poker community. It refers to a system whereby players make mathematically sound decisions to make them unexploitable. Essentially, it boils down to randomizing your play so opponents can’t spot and exploit flaws in your game.

Even if you try to mix things up, you will likely play to specific patterns, and opponents can read these and use them against you. GTO methods differ from exploitative poker as the former is designed to make you unexploitable, while the latter is about exploiting others.

Moreover, learning GTO requires charts and computer models, as it focuses on the ideal randomness to create unexploitable play. Learning to play exploitative poker is more about utilizing a traditional poker skillset — staying patient, reading tells, and paying attention to how hands are played.

The Best Strategies for Poker Exploitative Play

Proper exploitative poker requires you to be adaptable. It cannot be accurately planned in advance, depending on the type of players you face. Therefore, one of the first things you should do is pay attention when you’re at the table. Don’t laser-focus on your hands and ignore all others. Whether you’re in the hand or not, you should look at how your opponents play the game.

Every time they fold, think about what they might have had and why they gave up their hand. If they make it to the showdown, think about the bets they made on their way there, as they may follow the same patterns in future hands.

If you’re playing attentively, you’re already halfway there and can start thinking about the following exploits:

How to Play Exploitative Poker Against Aggressive Players

When there are a lot of chips at stake, going up against an aggressive player is a daunting experience. They may bet and raise everything; every time they do, they increase the risk and make you slightly more anxious. But that’s what they are hoping for.

You must remember that they can’t have the best hand every time but will probably play like they do. The trick is to wait until you have a bluff catcher and let them do their thing. If you have been watching how they play, you’ll know when they are likely to bet and raise, whether that means betting a check, calling/betting a limp, or 3-betting a small raise.

You know how they will act, so make those moves and let them throw all of their chips into the pot.

Once you sting them once or twice, they will be wary of you and may jump out of the hand as soon as they sense it is going the same way. This is the point that you can start bluffing them, provided you have a good read on them and are confident they don’t have a strong hand.

How to Play Exploitative Poker Against Easy Folders

Easy folders are some of the easiest players to exploit. They are also very common, as many novice players adopt this passive stance.

They usually stick to a very small range, bet, or call when they have good hole cards, and then continuation bet when they catch something on the flop. If they miss the flop, they may try to check or fold.

It’s common for this type of player to call small bets after missing the flop, as they have been sitting out many hands and are desperate to catch something.

You can make small bets knowing they will call when you have a good hand. They might catch something if you have the nuts and then get aggressive. At this point, you can think about 3-betting them. If you don‘t have anything, a simple continuation bet or raise should be enough to scare them off the hand.

Don’t give up the bluff at the first attempt. If they’re calling and not raising, they’re probably waiting for an out to make them more confident about their hand. Keep betting to chip away at that confidence and force a fold when they don’t hit their out.

Tools to Help You With Exploitative Poker Play

If you’re playing poker offline, your options are limited to what you can see and hear. Playing in a busy casino might be tricky, as a lot is happening, and keeping track is hard.

It’s easier at home—see how to play poker without chips if you’re interested in upping your poker home game.

Online games are much easier to track. You can download programs that use heads-up displays (HUDs) to track other players and their hands (some websites forbid using this software). Poker programs also include hand histories, so if you miss something or need a refresh, you can look back.

Summary: How to Play Exploitative Poker

Unlike blackjack, no mathematical model will tell you the best way to act in every hand. There are too many variables at play. Stay focused, remain patient, pay attention to your opponents’ actions, and adapt. That’s how you play exploitative poker!