Here’s How VPIP Poker Affects Your Game
There is no denying the fact that poker’s current mainstream popularity is a direct impact of the game being embraced on digital platforms. Live poker is still loved, and players enjoy the experience of a real casino and to feel the cards between their hands. There is a tension and atmosphere that is genuinely addicting about poker that can be felt only in live games. With that being established, live poker is not nearly as convenient or beneficial as online poker. VPIP poker is very popular, very useful, and today we will learn why that is.
Playing from the comfort of your home and being able to multi-table is an advantage most players are familiar with. However, the major game-changer comes in the form of being able to use licensed and authentic tools and software that aid in calculations of probabilities and likelihood. VPIP poker is one such tool that gives you some much-needed insight about whom you’re up against. Through VPIP poker, you can effectively know how aggressive your opponents are, how likely they are to play poker hands, and how to make changes to your strategy accordingly.
VPIP Poker Meaning
VPIP is a poker tool that allows you to know if you’re against a tight opponent or a loose one. It shows you what you can expect, provided the sample size is at least made up of 10 hands or more. VPIP stands for Voluntarily Put $ in Pot. It is a fundamental software that is legal to use in online poker, and it tells you about how much your opponents are likely to contribute to the Pot before the flop.
If your opponent is known to be loose (someone who plays way too many hands), then you can value bet against that person and bluff less post-flop as they may hold a wider range of hands than average players. Similarly, if your opponent is a tight player, then it is better if you value bet less while holding mediocre hands and instead aim to bluff more often.
How is VPIP Calculated?
Calculation of VPIP is automated by the software you have installed, but here is how the numbers show up:
- If you make a raise pre-flop, you will see an addition to your VPIP percentage.
- If you call a pre-flop raise, you will once again see an addition to your VPIP percentage.
Basically, your VPIP stat reflects the number of hands you prefer playing with. The higher the number, the more hands you choose. An important point to know here is that the blinds do not add to your VPIP since there is no voluntary action of adding to the Pot with either of the blinds, they are forced bets. This means that if you see a flop after you have checked on the big blind, it won’t affect your VPIP.
VPIP Ranges
You may wonder what would be a typical low VPIP or what would qualify to be a high one. All of this depends on the game you’re playing and the opponents you’re facing as there are no fixed factors to determine VPIP ranges. However, here is a table giving you a general overview of the tiers involved for a 6max No-Limit Texas Hold’em game. While this isn’t accurate by any means, you can use it as a reference to know how aggressive or conservative your opponent is.
VPIP Percentage Player’s Gameplay
1 - 14% Very Tight
14 - 23% Tight
23 - 32% Loose
32 - 40% Very Loose
40%+ Fish
What this shows is that the higher the VPIP number, the more hands you must add to their range. However, upon hitting the ‘very loose’ or ‘fish’ mark where their VPIP is over 30%, it gets meaningless to even construct a range of hands for such players. These poker players play so many hands that it is not very practical for you to determine their gameplay, at least in the initial stages of the hand. However, as the game proceeds forward, you can better understand their range during the later streets.
Wrapping it Up
One of the biggest differences between all the opponents you will ever face in poker is the degree to which they play tight or loose. This is where VPIP helps you stay a step ahead by giving you this additional information about your opposition, and hence it has become such a valuable tool in online poker games. When you’re playing fast-paced multi-tables, it is easy to lose track of who you’re up against, but VPIP helps you have the numbers right before your eyes know how to play against whom.
If you haven’t equipped VPIP in your poker arsenal, you might want to do so before it gets too late. You might also want to download the official Spartan Poker app where you can be part of a positive poker community, learn how to play poker if you’re new to the game, or enjoy playing the different poker tournaments we have in store. Join Spartan Poker and give yourself the best poker experience online.
