Loose
Playing a wide range of starting hands. The opposite of "tight."
iGaming Journalist & Crypto Casino Analyst
What Is Loose?
A loose player enters many pots, sometimes with speculative or marginal holdings that tighter players would fold. Looseness by itself isn't inherently bad, but it must be paired with either passive or aggressive postflop tendencies to define a full playing style, such as loose-aggressive or loose-passive. Loose players are generally harder to read but also make more costly mistakes if their looseness isn't well calibrated.
Examples
His VPIP of 40% marks him as a very loose player who rarely folds preflop.
The table became loose after several big stacks started limping in with any two cards.
Strategy Tips
Identify loose opponents early using stats like VPIP, and value bet them more heavily since they call with weaker hands. Avoid bluffing loose-passive players (calling stations) since they call too often for bluffs to work. Tighten your own continuing range against loose-aggressive opponents who apply pressure with a wide variety of holdings. Adjust your preflop ranges based on table looseness, playing tighter at loose tables to let others make mistakes.