Understanding GTO Poker
Game Theory Optimal (GTO) is a strategy that cannot be exploited. If you play perfectly balanced GTO poker, you'll break even against a perfect opponent and profit against anyone who deviates from optimal play.
GTO isn't about maximizing profit in every situation - it's about being unexploitable. Your opponent can't gain an edge against you regardless of how they adjust their strategy.
Core GTO Concepts
- Balance: Having the right ratio of value bets to bluffs
- Indifference: Making opponents indifferent between calling and folding
- Mixed strategies: Randomizing between actions with certain hands
- Range construction: Building ranges that include both strong and weak hands
Understanding Exploitative Play
Exploitative play means deviating from GTO to take advantage of opponent mistakes. If your opponent folds too much, you bluff more. If they call too much, you value bet more.
| Opponent Tendency | Exploitative Adjustment | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Folds too much | Bluff more frequently | They might start calling |
| Calls too much | Value bet thinner, bluff less | They might start folding |
| Raises too much | Trap more, 4-bet light less | You become predictable |
| Plays too passive | Bet relentlessly, take free cards | They might wake up |
GTO is your baseline - the strategy you default to against unknown or strong opponents. Exploitative adjustments are deviations you make when you have reads. Always know what GTO looks like so you can return to it when needed.
When to Play GTO
Favor GTO-based strategies when:
- Playing against strong, unknown opponents
- In high-stakes games where players adapt quickly
- You have no reads on your opponent
- The player pool is tough and observant
- You're being watched or recorded
When to Play Exploitative
Favor exploitative strategies when:
- Playing against weak, recreational players
- You have strong reads and history
- Opponents are unlikely to adjust
- In live games with slower adaptation
- The opponent has a glaring leak
The GTO Bluffing Frequency
GTO dictates specific bluff-to-value ratios based on bet size:
- Half-pot bet: Bluff 25% of your betting range
- Pot-size bet: Bluff 33% of your betting range
- 2x pot overbet: Bluff 40% of your betting range
These ratios make your opponent indifferent to calling - they can't profit by always calling or always folding.
Practical Application
Here's how to combine both approaches:
- Start with GTO: Use balanced ranges as your foundation
- Gather information: Watch for opponent tendencies
- Make small adjustments: Deviate slightly based on reads
- Return to GTO: If opponents adjust, go back to balanced play
Common Mistakes
- Over-exploiting: Going too far and becoming exploitable yourself
- Ignoring reads: Playing GTO against weak players leaving money on the table
- Misapplying GTO: Using solver outputs without understanding why
- Never adjusting: Playing the same way regardless of opponent