Fish
The loose-passive recreational player who calls too much preflop. Limps frequently, cold calls raises wide, and rarely takes aggressive preflop actions. The most common villain type in live poker.
Player Statistics
VPIP
PFR
Limp Frequency
3-Bet %
Cold Call %
Identifying Fish Players
Fish are the most common recreational players in live games. Look for these telltale signs:
- Limps frequently: Enters the pot by calling rather than raising, especially with marginal hands
- Calls too wide: Cold calls raises with hands like K9o, Q8s, or any suited connector
- Rarely 3-bets: Only 3-bets with premium hands (QQ+, AK)
- Loose VPIP: Plays 30-45% of hands, way above optimal ranges
- Passive aggression: Calls more than raises, checks back strong hands
- Showdown value: Frequently shows up with weak holdings at showdown
🎯 Quick Identification
If you see someone limp-call multiple times in 10-15 hands, they're likely a Fish. These players are the bread and butter of live poker profits.
Preflop Tendencies
- Limps frequently: Opens the pot with a limp 20-25% of the time instead of raising
- Limps behind: When someone limps in front, they love to limp behind with weak hands
- Cold calls too wide: Calls raises with any pocket pair, suited broadway, suited connectors, weak aces (A9o, A7s)
- Rarely 3-bets: Only 3-bets 3-5% of hands (QQ+, AK)
- Never squeezes: In multiway pots after a raise and call(s), Fish just calls or folds—never squeezes
- Over-defends big blind: Calls too wide from BB against steals (40-50% defense frequency)
- Completes small blind: When action folds to SB, Fish completes with any two cards rather than folding or raising
- Passive preflop: Much higher VPIP than PFR (30-45% VPIP vs 10-20% PFR = lots of calling)
Preflop Counter-Strategies
Opening Ranges vs Fish
- UTG-MP: Open tight (22+, A9s+, KTs+, QJs, AJo+) since Fish calls wide and you'll be multiway
- CO: Open value-focused (22+, A8s+, KTs+, QTs+, ATo+)
- BTN: Widen slightly (22+, A5s+, K9s+, Q9s+, J9s+, A9o+, KJo+)
- SB: Play tight—Fish defends BB wide and you're out of position
Iso-Raising Fish Limps
- Sizing: Raise 5-7x the limp (if Fish limps $5, raise to $25-35)
- Range: Iso-raise with 22+, A9s+, KTs+, QTs+, ATo+, KQo
- Goal: Play heads-up in position with a range advantage
- Frequency: Iso-raise 40-50% of the time when Fish limps and you're in position
3-Betting Fish Opens
- Fish opens, you 3-bet: Only 3-bet for value (QQ+, AK) since Fish calls 3-bets wide
- Sizing: 3-bet to 4-5x their raise size (if Fish raises to $15, 3-bet to $60-75)
- Don't 3-bet bluff: Fish calls too wide, so your bluffs don't work
Responding to Fish Aggression
- Fish 3-bets you: Fold everything but QQ+, AK (they have a premium hand)
- Fish 4-bets: They have AA/KK—fold everything else
⚠️ Key Concept: Tighten Up Preflop
Against Fish, play FEWER hands preflop, but build bigger pots when you do play. Don't try to outplay them—just make strong hands and extract value.
Preflop Examples
Example #1: Iso-Raising a Fish Limp
Situation: $2/$5, 100bb. Fish limps UTG for $5. You're BTN with A♥J♦.
Your Action: Raise to $30 (6x)
Result: Fish calls. Blinds fold. Heads-up in position with range advantage.
Why it works: Fish calls wide regardless of sizing. Large raise builds pot when you have equity edge.
Example #2: Avoiding 3-Bet Bluffs
Situation: Fish opens MP to $15. You're CO with K♠9♠.
Bad Play: 3-bet to $50 (bluff)
Good Play: Fold
Why: Fish calls 3-bets with AJ, KQ, 99, 88, suited connectors. Your K9s is behind their range and plays poorly OOP if they call.
Example #3: Defending BB vs Fish Open
Situation: Fish opens BTN to $15. You're BB with Q♣9♣.
Your Action: Fold
Why: Q9s plays poorly OOP vs Fish's wide opening range. Fish won't fold enough, so you can't bluff them off better hands. Save your money for strong holdings.
Expected Win Rate
Against Fish opponents, skilled players can expect:
- Heads-up vs Fish: +15-25bb/100 over 10,000+ hands
- Multiway pots with Fish: +8-12bb/100 (reduced due to other players)
- Session variance: Moderate (Fish call down, so you see showdowns often)
Fish are the primary profit source in live poker. Master exploiting them, and you'll have a sustainable edge in any $1/$2–$5/$10 game.
