Exploiting Loose-Passive Players

In poker, most loose-passive players are fish. They play a wide range of hands and are very reluctant to fold preflop.

In this article, we will discuss key strategies to effectively exploit such opponents, maximize your profits against them, and minimize your losses.

Table of Contents:

- Isolation in Position

- Fold to Limp-Raises

- Bluff with a Single Barrel

- Optimize Bet Sizes

- Fold to Postflop Raises

Isolation in Position

When loose-passive players enter a hand by limping, it is very profitable to isolate them, especially when you have a positional advantage. Position allows you to exert pressure on opponents, control the pot size, take free cards, and fully control the flow of the hand.

When playing against folding fish, you can make a continuation bet on any flop texture. Mathematically, with their wide range, they will rarely hit the flop well, forcing them to give up many small pots to you, making your bluffs profitable in the long run.

However, if you face a stubborn calling station, it’s better to avoid bluffing on the flop with hands that have no potential for improvement. Instead, you can check and cheaply realize the full potential of your hands using your positional advantage.

In Hand2Note 4 reports, I selected situations where one or more players limped preflop before me, and I played in position against the limpers:

In the “Next Actions” report, comparing the Action Profit metrics, we can see that over the long run, an isolating raise is the most profitable action.

You don’t need to isolate limpers with completely worthless hands, but if you have a reasonably strong hand and are in position against a fish, it’s far more profitable to play aggressively. This approach ensures you maintain the initiative and exploit the fish’s weaknesses postflop.

Fold to Limp-Raises

Usually, limpers do not balance their ranges, and if they are dealt a strong hand preflop, they make an open raise instead of a limp. But some of them act more cunningly and limp with their entire range, including premium hands. Thus, they set a trap, intending to limp-raise if someone tries to isolate them.

In multi-player reports, I selected all loose-passive fish with VPIP over 40% and PFR under 10%, for whom I have at least 100 hands in my database. I also used a filter to select scenarios where these players limped preflop:

As we can see, on average, their limp range is very wide, at 47%. However, when it comes to limp-raising, we are dealing with a very narrow and strong range. This is indicated by the limp-raise frequency, which does not reach 3%. Such a range will predominantly consist of premium hands like AA, KK, QQ, and AK.

Therefore, if you encounter a limp-raise from a fish, in most cases, it signals that they have a monster hand. You should not continue with hands like AQ, AJ, or KQ, which are often dominated by the fish’s premium hands. Even though they look pretty good, it’s best to part with them preflop to minimize your losses.

Bluff with a Single Barrel

Postflop, loose-passive players are divided into two types: some often fold on the flop if they don’t hit a strong hand or strong draw, while others will chase gutshots to the river and call you down with a third pair.

Therefore, against passive fish, you should avoid complex and expensive multi-street bluffs. Your main bluff should be the continuation bet on the flop.

If a cautious folding fish does not fold on the flop, they usually won’t fold on the turn either.

In multi-player reports, I used the same sample as in the previous example. In the filters, I specified that loose-passive players first called an open raise preflop and then a continuation bet on the flop:

In the Hand2Note 4 smart reports, we can immediately see the opponents’ tendencies in related spots.

According to the report, after calling a c-bet on the flop, these players fold to a second barrel on the turn only 38% of the time, and the bluff will not work often enough. Therefore, when considering a bluff against fish, it’s better to limit it to a flop c-bet.

Optimize Bet Sizes

Against fish, you don’t need to balance your bet sizes. You should play as exploitatively as possible.

This means that with strong hands, you can make larger bets to maximize profit. When bluffing, it makes sense to bet smaller to minimize losses and make the bluff more effective.

The range with which fish continue against your bet will not be very elastic. Usually, with all the hands they are willing to call a small bet, they will also call a large bet.

I filtered situations where passive fish called an open raise preflop. Then, by clicking on the “Fold 2 Continuation Bet” stat, I moved to the scenario where they folded to a continuation bet on the flop:

Opening the “Bet Sizes” tab in the new report on the right, we can see that they fold to bets of 1/2, 2/3, and 3/4 pot with almost the same frequency. Based on this data, your optimal adjustment will be to increase bet sizes with strong hands and decrease them with bluffs.

Fold to Postflop Raises

Aggressive actions from a passive fish are a sign of a very strong hand. Passive players rarely show aggression, especially in response to aggressive actions from an opponent.

If you make a continuation bet on the flop and a loose-passive player raises it, they usually have either a strong made hand or a powerful combo draw.

I selected situations where loose-passive players raised the flop against a continuation bet from their opponent:

In the “Hand Strength” report, we can see that combinations from top pair and stronger make up 61% of their range, and weak hands only 26%.

Facing a raise from such an opponent, you can calmly fold all your medium-strength hands without significant potential for improvement.

Against loose-passive opponents, play solid and strong poker. Aim to play as many pots with them as possible, especially when you are in position, and use every situation to the fullest.

Using Hand2Note 4 will help you quickly identify loose-passive fish at the table, analyze their tendencies on each street, and exploit their weaknesses most effectively.