Calling Stations: Feed Them, Don't Fight Them
The guy who calls everything is the best thing at your table. Five exploits for turning him into your favourite opponent.
Every live table has one. The friendly bloke in seat four who's seen every flop since registration opened, calls everything, and somehow is still here. You've bluffed him three times. He's called three times. He's not going anywhere.
Good news: he's the best thing that will happen to you all day. You just have to stop trying to make him fold.
Quick note: everything below is an exploit. It only works once you've actually seen him play this way. Against an unknown or a solid reg, play your normal game.
Exploit 1: value-bet thinner than feels decent
The standard advice against loose-passive players is to value-bet thin, over several streets, with a linear range. Translation: bet your middling hands for value, a lot.
You've got on . Against a good player that's a cautious hand. Against Seat Four, who'd call with any 7 and most pocket pairs, it's a bet on every street.
Some coaches go further. Against a station who calls any pair on the river, jam second pair for value. Sounds mad. Against the right guy, it's printing money.
Exploit 2: bluff less (but not zero)
The obvious one. If he calls everything, your bluffs are just gifts. A word of caution though: bluff a bit less, not zero. Start from a normal strategy and shift as the reads stack up. Plenty of "stations" fold more than you'd think once the river bet gets big.
Exploit 3: when he bets, believe him
This is the one people ignore. A player who calls everything and suddenly raises? The rule is simple: believe him. Some strong players go as far as folding overpairs without a redraw when a value-only passive player raises the flop.
Your on is a beautiful hand. Against a raise from the guy who hasn't raised since lunch, it's a fold.
Exploit 4: play more pots with him
Isolate and 3-bet wider when the loose-passive player limps or opens. More pots against him means more chances to get paid for your thin value. You'll get called by worse, which is the whole point.
Exploit 5: don't slow-play
Trapping is for opponents who bet when you check. This guy checks behind. Fast-play your strong hands, because he'll pay you off with worse anyway.
The mindset
The station isn't an obstacle, he's an ATM that only accepts value bets. Stop trying to outplay him and just bet when you're good.
