Marcus Bateman / Marcus Bateman / 10 December 2008 / Leave a comment

This is an effect which is frequently forgotten by online players, although one which has, and always will be, a critical feature of poker.

Being the most dominant player, or 'table captain', can hugely change the dynamic of a game. Live this effect is very obvious, as everyone is paying close attention to every hand.

There is nearly always a player who seems to always be in the thick of the action making good decisions, with every player around them worried about what move they will make. Online this is much less pronounced, probably due to the fact that so many players multi table and often ignore much of the table dynamic.

You can still see it in some games online, usually in very high stakes cash games or at the final table of a big tournament, where every player's attention is focussed on one table.

The importance of being able to establish a reputation as the dominant player at a table is not to be underestimated. Players start to shrink into their shells when dealing with you, rarely bluffing, attacking your blinds much less, and letting you steal many pots from them.

Often the dominant player gets into a kind of feedback loop, where they seem to be winning more and more, leaving the players even more passive, which allows the dominant player to win even more from them in turn.

Most of the greatest players in big bet poker are masters of this effect. Stu Ungar, Doyle Brunson, or even the new generation of players like Patrick Antonius are, or were, very well known for their ability to take total control of the table and attack it accordingly.

Some of the most interesting dynamics at the table are when two of these players sit down together, while everyone around them just seems to be playing solid poker, these players are often going wild at each other, playing crazy hand after crazy hand in an attempt to gain that all important dominance that they thrive off.

Trust your instincts when your winning and really try and pile on the pressure against your opponents - over the long run it will pay massive dividends.

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