Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

The Player Type Survey Are you an online player or a live grinder? Will you be the next Jason Mercier or you dream of the elusive private games in Macau? What playing style better fits your personality? What skills should you sharpen to better exploit your opponents? Through this easy yet exhaustive test, you’ll find the answer to all of these questions and, as a result, be more aware of your own strengths and get the most out of your talent. Answer the following statements with a 1 – 5. Be truly honest with yourself. For the most accurate results do this exercise with someone who intimately knows you and your game. Ask for their opinion to ensure that you’re truly being objective.

1 = never/no/incorrect 2 = usually not, rarely 3 = sometimes/depends/situational 4 = usually, probably, likely 5 = always/yes/correct

Online or Live? […] I like socializing with other people while playing poker. […] Picking up on physical tells is a big strength of mine. […] My image plays a big factor in how others perceive me. […] I’m really observant of everything happening around me while at the table. […] I enjoy being around other people while playing poker.

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

[…] Driving and seeking out a poker game is part of the fun. […] Traveling to play poker appeals to me.

TOTAL SCORE …… Tournaments or Cash Games? […] I like playing short sessions. […] I like playing deep stack poker. […] I frequently get tired while playing poker. […] I get frustrated during long sessions. […] I struggle in playing my best for a 12-hour session. […] I don’t need to be in the spotlight. […] I dislike the highly technical and mathematical aspect of poker. TOTAL SCORE …… Passive or Aggressive? […] I check raise my opponents a lot. […] I consider myself an aggressive player. […] I continuation bet if I’m the original raiser. […] I prefer to 3 bet my opponents rather than flat call. […] I often reraise people on a bluff. […] I prefer gambling if I have a big draw instead of playing it conservatively. […] I raise when I’m the first one to enter the pot pre-flop. TOTAL SCORE …… Tight or Loose? […] I like to play lots of hands so my opponents can never get a read on me. […] I like playing small suited connectors. […] I’m usually one of the most active players at the table.

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

[…] I play all pocket pairs from any position. […] I frequently call reraises and bets out of position. […] I don’t fold to 3 bets. (1 is often, 5 is never) TOTAL SCORE …… How Strong is Your Mental Game? […] I tilt while playing poker. […] I find myself telling bad beat stories. […] Getting sucked out on bothers me. […] I lose focus after losing a big hand or taking a bad beat. […] I get frustrated toward the end of my sessions. […] I notice that my play declines if I play a long time. […] I’m bothered about hands I lost even after they are over. […] I lack motivation or purpose when I play poker. […] I struggle in deciding when to quit. […] I’m afraid to bet all my money on a read or if I have a gut instinct. TOTAL SCORE …… Are You Living Like a Pro? […] I regularly make goals for my poker playing, especially before each session. […] I eat a healthy, balanced, whole foods diet. […] I don’t need to drink caffeine while playing poker to stay alert. […] I exercise before I play poker. […] I’m highly energized during my poker sessions, feeling mentally vibrant and alert. […] I regularly review hands after my sessions.

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

[…] I frequently discuss poker with other like-minded, talented players. […] I take breaks to clear my head while at the poker table. […] I approach and treat my poker playing like a business.

TOTAL SCORE …… Bankroll: Defend It or Run It Up? […] I have never gone broke in the past. […] I never risk more than 5% of my bankroll in any poker session. […] I have financial backing for my poker playing. […] I have other sources of income outside of poker. […] My poker roll and my life roll are two separate things. […] I have a well thought out, secure backup plan if I decide to stop playing poker. […] I have well implemented stop losses that I never exceed. […] I keep diligent records of my wins, losses and expenses. TOTAL SCORE ……

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

Score Time! Here you are: it’s time to look at yourself in the mirror and understand what your answers truly mean. To make the most out of this exercise, keep these results in mind as you shape the direction of your poker career. Check back in periodically to make sure you’re energy and ambition are continually aligned. Keep in mind, this is a general guideline and should not be taken as the absolute truth. But it’s a good starting point and something to consider when assessing your strengths and weaknesses. Poker is a journey. Experiment on your own to find what works for you! Online or Live? A score 25 or higher indicates you prefer live games. 15 or lower indicates online. Anything in-between is a hybrid of both. It’s not uncommon to want to play a mixture of both. Follow your energy. Tournaments or Cash Games? A score 25 or higher indicates you prefer cash games. 15 or lower indicates tournaments. Anything in-between is a hybrid of both. It’s normal to want to play a mixture of both. Follow your energy. Passive or Aggressive? A score of 25 or higher indicates you play an aggressive style of opponents. 15 or lower indicates a more conservative approach.

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

Keep this in mind when taking into account how others perceive you at the table. Tight or Loose? A score of 20 or higher indicates you may be playing too lose. 10 or lower is a bit too tight. Ideal range is 13 – 18. Given the choice, it’s better to be too tight than too loose. Even if being too tight doesn’t maximize profit, it’s still a winning style whereas if you are too loose you will simply bleed away chips. How Strong Is Your Mental Game? The lower the score the better mentally prepared you are to tackle the game of poker. Ideally you want a score of 15 or lower. With the game of poker evolving faster than ever, and more information available than any point in history, one needs to be mentally fit to gain edge over their opponents. The mental game is truly what separates the good players from the great ones. Are You Living Like a Pro? Scores of 40 or higher indicate a well-prepared poker player. If you score lower than 32, you should consider making necessary adjustments in areas of weakness. Success in poker starts when you wake up and ends when you go to bed. The decisions you make along the way will affect your ability to play A game poker while at the table. Start living like a pro and you will become one. Bankroll: Defend It or Run It Up? Scores of 35 or higher indicate a very well managed bankroll, leaving minimum risk for going broke or future financial trouble. If you score lower than 30, it’s time to consider altering how you do business. It’s always better to preserve what you have than it is

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

to attempt to gain more at the expense of going broke. And since money is the tool of the poker player it’s extremely important that you learn how to effectively use it to your advantage. Find ways to diversify and manage your risk so you can outlast downswings. Bonus: 4 Pro Tips for Success 1. Tight and aggressive (TAG) players generally do well against loose and passive opponents, because their strong holdings and fast playing style dominate those whom play too many hands. They struggle against loose and aggressive (LAG) opponents who put a lot of pressure on them. 2. Tight and passive players are the snuggest. They have the potential to do well against every player type simply because they always have a premium holding. However, a very real concern is that they miss value because they bet too infrequently. Another caution: due to their extremely conservative image players simply aren’t willing to play back at them unless they have an absolute monster. 3. Loose and aggressive (LAG) players are generally the toughest players to play against. They apply tons of pressure and force others into compromising situations. When they exercise discipline, they have the potential to win the most money. In exchange for pursuing the most expectation, they experience the most variance. They struggle against TAG opponents because their hands are frequently dominated when entering the pots. Advanced Tip: If you play a LAG style, don’t leveling yourself into thinking that

Four Step Poker by Alec Torelli

others are making a move just because you play so many hands. Generally, your opponents just wait to pick you off! 4. Loose and passive players thrive against tight and passive ones. The looser players will quickly adjust and run over tight players who wait for hands. It’s important to note that loose and passive is a very tricky style to play and is not recommended unless one has a profound understanding of the game. This is because they are involved in lots of pots, and generally without lot of information, thus putting themselves in many compromising situations. They rely heavily on their superior decision making skills, intense grasp of psychology and hand reading ability to gain an edge over their opponents. They don’t necessarily struggle against any particular type of opponent, but they experience lot of variance and can often find themselves paying off too many bets.

Did you find yourself in this profile? Do you feel like you need more direction? If you are ready to give poker the commitment it requires, check out my online course ‘Four Step Poker’ and become the most

successful poker player you know!