Fish in Poker refers to the terms in Poker that describe players who do not have much experience or skills to win.
Typically, they become the common prey at the table as everyone hopes to claim high rewards from the big pot throughout the game.
So how can you identify a fish? What are the ways to take care of them to make them willing to spend large amounts of money? Let’s explore right after this.
What is Fish in Poker?
Fish in English means fish, however, if you apply this term to real money Poker games, it refers to players who are poor, lack experience, and are willing to lose in every match.
Simply put, if a master is a bloodthirsty shark, then a wealthy rookie is just a naive small fish who does not know what the future holds for them.
In addition to the nickname fish, these types of players are also known as “chickens” in Vietnam.
Accurate signs to identify fish in Poker
To know who the truly bad players are – Fish Poker and who are the foxes in sheep’s clothing, you need to pay attention to the following 5 factors:
1. Frequently calling
Only those who are easily led will act like other players when playing Poker.
And the call action is the first sign of this habit.
Most players who only call along with others usually lack their own opinions, reasoning skills, and are very prone to mistakes.
2. Illogical betting
The large discrepancy between the amount of money you spend and the reward when playing Poker can also be seen as a sign of a poor player.
This is asserted because no one is willing to spend $1000 just to win a $30 pot when all other players have folded.
3. Overconfidence
The next common trait that a skill-lacking player exhibits is overconfidence, often laughing and talking, looking down on other players with less capital.
Bragging about Poker playing experience or their own stack is not a smart move because all Poker masters want to keep their circumstances hidden, making it hard for others to guess.
4. Early all-in
Except for rare situations where players have strong hands right from the pre-flop to go all-in, all players who burn their accounts at this point are “chickens”.
Accordingly, in rounds like flop, turn, river, it requires quite a lot of special calculation skills – something that fish do not possess.
Therefore, as long as they have a good hand, they will be ready to go all in.
5. “Strange” Logic
Poker has never been an easy game for players, so it is impossible to eliminate the situation where beginners make mistakes by thinking with strange logic.
Below are two specific example situations for this:
- Believing that the odds of hitting a flush are as high as 50% when the actual probability is only 25%.
- Thinking that in a heads-up situation without a pair, the chance of winning preflop is 50% and deluding themselves about winning. However, according to calculations, the chance of winning with any two cards is always 50%.
What to do when you know there is a bad player in Poker?
When you realize there is a fish at the betting table, what is your next action to maximize your winnings? The answer lies in the following 4 tips:
1. Ensure a fun atmosphere
Ensuring a fun atmosphere that encourages the bad player to continuously add money to the pot is the first thing you need to pay attention to.
If the fish is not having fun or feels threatened, their sudden decision to stop playing will bring you significant losses.
2. Do not pressure the bad player
Many wealthy players participate in Poker just for entertainment and experience, so if you want to earn big rewards, why not cater to them?
Instead of criticizing, belittling, or looking down on poor players, what you need to do if they lose by going all in or spending big money is to encourage and motivate them.
3. Eliminate opponents who want to attack the fish
Each Poker game has many players involved, not just you and the “chicken.” And of course, even if you do not intend to attack the fish, other players may still do so.
The only solution is to find ways to eliminate or minimize the impact of other sharks on your target prey.
Do not let the fish feel suspicious or harmed by the opponent’s attack.
4. Avoid talking about strategies
Finally, it is about talking and sharing information during the game of Texas Hold’em.
Discussing topics like experience or strategy is not 100% prohibited, but it should be limited because the fish can completely recognize the “truth.”
You should remember that you also started from zero and gradually became a professional player by learning from experience and interacting with many other skilled players.
Some other interesting Poker techniques that beginners need to grasp:
- What is Double Barrel Poker? #5 Tips for continuous betting in Poker
- What is Check Raise in Poker? | Effective application timing
Conclusion
Fish in Poker will provide you with a primary source of income, especially when players have encountered too many experienced high rollers.
However, not every fish is “foolish” enough to let the table play be manipulated without realizing it, so you must remember the 4 special care tricks I shared above as well as accumulate more experience from some good books on Poker.
