Players that play in the tight passive games are cardroom regulars who play for
recreational purposes and the game has similar attributes to at-home games (loose passive games),
except money is meaningful in this game. "Regular" players play in the same cardroom
several times a week, every week. Players play in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
However, it is the pot winnings that keep them coming back for more. When a new player
sits down at the table, the regulars will be observing him closely, as they do not know
the player's style and strategy. This is an advantage for new players. Also, the new
player will be able to pick up information by the conversation that occurs between
players at the table.
This game has very low competitiveness, and the money available for winning is low.
Players will have very good hands if they are paying to see the flop. They often hold Aces,
face cards, and pocket pairs. Chasing the pot in these games is a very common and costly
mistake. Three to four players will normally enter the pot with one to two players at the
blind position. Your opponents will be predictable and passive. You will hardly encounter
pre-flop raises and bluffing as a strategy.
Position is the most important factor. Usually, in tight-passive games the pots are small.
However, you can scoop a lot of these pots by taking advantage of late position to bet when
no one else is. In these tight passive games, you should be looking to win a lot of small pots
with aggressive play when you sense your opponents have weak hands.
Players become too tight with so little money in the pot. This is a common mistake to engage
in. Although the pot may be too small, with relatively low pot odds, you still want to bet with
decent hands to increase your chip pile.
The key is to counter the general passivity with careful aggression. You will need to know
when to be aggressive. Since the pot is not big, you still want to win pots to make little
wins add up. Players only play good cards, so the unrestrained aggression will not necessarily
intimidate them. A good strategy is to establish yourself as a tight player in the game by
playing in few hands, and showing good cards early on. So, when you sense weakness or hesitation
from your opponents, play for the pot, even if it is small. Tight passive players will only
put money in the pot when they have a lock, so there is not much money on the table. If there
are too many tight players at the table, you may want to consider finding another game.