Handling a Bully in Poker: How to Deal With Aggression

What Does Bully Mean in Poker?

A bully uses their aggression as a weapon, as opposed to having strong cards. They apply relentless pressure to players to win pots without needing to have the best hand.

• You’ll see them raise often and re-raise light.
  
  

• They often target players who play passively or fold too easily.
  
  

• They rely on table control and intimidation, and not necessarily skill.
  
  

• Their main goal is to make you uncomfortable and push you off your marginal hands.
  
  

When you face a bully, you are dealing more with psychology than with cards; they often win purely by making you afraid to fight back.

How to Handle a Bully at the Table

You can stop a bully by playing smart and by refusing to let their aggression dictate your actions.

• Tighten your calling range: Wait for when you have strong hands and try to trap them with solid calls.
  
  

• Re-raise strategically: Fight back with timely aggression instead of just calling passively.
  
  

• Avoid emotional reactions: Don’t chase losses or bluff back recklessly against these players.
  
  

• Use position: When you act after a bully, you can control the pace and punish their overextensions.
  
  

The moment you show that you won’t fold easily, most bullies will back down because their power disappears when their bluffs stop working.

Common Traits of Poker Bullies

You’ll notice the same tendencies in most bullies, whether that be online or live.

• They open more pots than almost anyone else.
  
  

• They use big bet sizing to apply pressure on opponents.
  
  

• They talk or act confidently to project dominance at the felt.
  
  

• They often crumble once called down or re-raised by players.
  
  

Recognizing these traits can help you adjust quickly, and you can exploit their predictability by staying patient and letting them hang themselves with their own over-aggression.