Identifying the habits and patterns of your poker opponents is one of the key components to being a successful poker player. That said, being a poker player with no discernable tendencies or singular style puts you at an advantage over the other players at your table.

A huge key to controlling how your poker opponents think of you is to cultivate an image. Establish a pattern and have your opponents thinking that you are an aggressive player, or clam up and have them thinking that you’re tight. When you see that they’re expecting you to act in a certain way, then it’s time to switch it up.

If you’ve been cultivating a tight betting style, start raising. If they’ve been paying attention, your opponents will put you on a good hand and fold, giving you the pot. Eventually, they’ll pick up on your new style, and then you can switch back to playing tight again. Hopefully, you’ll drive them insane and they’ll just hand their chips over. Conversely, watch for other players that are employing the same strategy. Keep an eye on their tendencies, and watch for sudden changes in their betting. It takes a thief to catch one, and if you catch one, you usually end up with their stack.