What is a whale? Simply put, Whale is the name given to someone who is extremely bad at poker. You’ll often hear people using the term disrespectfully in place of fish or donkey, but there is a difference.
Though all three types of players do dumb, unpredictable things at the tables, the whale tag applies more aptly to the biggest losers in poker.
How to Spot a Whale
The easiest way to spot a whale is to watch how many hands they are playing. Whales aren't used to winning, so they usually play poker to gamble and have fun rather than make a profit.
It’s hard to have fun from the sidelines, so whales play a lot of pots. Whether this is down to optimism or impatience, this liberal hand selection is one of the main reasons they lose so much!
Whales don’t care about strategy or even learning how to play poker correctly. Even if they are aware of some tactics, they will typically choose to ignore them.
They don’t need a good reason to play a hand, either.
- They’ll rock up with T2o because they read Doyle Brunson’s book
- 34s because it’s their favourite hand
- 69o just to make a dirty joke
- 72o to win a side bet in a strip poker game
Whales don’t care about playing well either. As far as they’re concerned, strategy is for nerds, and GTO is a type of sports car. As such, they will turn up with the most random hands at showdown, which is a good way to spot them.
Whales are immune to bet sizing. They have no concept of pot odds or equity and will chase draws regardless of bet size. A call is a call irrespective of price – so if they're in for a penny, they're in for a pound.
They came to have a good time, and since folding doesn't make many people's fun lists, whales often play as if their fold button broke.
They will see a lot of showdowns and rarely fold post-flop, calling bets whenever they have any kind of hand. Needless to say, it’s an expensive habit.
Aggressive Whales
Some whales are stubborn and aggressive when they get frustrated or don't have a good hand. And I don't mean aggressive in a violent, flipping-everyone-off kind of way, of course, but tossing out big bets and raises.
Although a strong player will do the same occasionally, good players tend to have strategic logic behind their aggression. Not a stubborn whale, however, they will do it out of pride, YOLO or simply because ‘why not?’
A whale’s stubbornness makes sense. Being unfazed by losing a lot of money suggests that many whales are successful in life away from the tables. Successful people are often competitive, disagreeable people, and poker variance is a badge of honour for them!
Aggressive whales play with a lot of ego and see folding as losing some kind of duel. Instead of tossing in the towel, they will attempt to bully their way through a hand, trying to bet or raise their way out of trouble.
Whales are more likely to be aggressive when tilting or taking things personally at the tables.
- It’s not uncommon to hear a whale declare war on another player after they got lucky.
- You’ll see whales go overboard to try to beat someone who has a strong poker reputation, especially if they have been getting the better of them.
Aggressive whales can be scary to play against because they aren’t bothered by big pots and rarely slow down.
They can be real cash cows if you can find some good calling hands, but they can ruin your night if they run well.
How Much Does a Whale Lose?
Becoming a whale isn’t like joining Mensa: There are no official criteria, entrance exam, or membership fee to pay. As such, the loss amount to get the ‘whale’ tag is a matter of perspective.
It’s not about money, either. A player who dusts off an average of $1 an orbit in a 10-handed $0.01/$0.02 game will lose less money than someone losing $4 per orbit at $200/$400 blinds. But we can only classify one of them as a whale.
Stakes skew results in poker, so losses can only be fairly measured by looking at how many big blinds are lost (win/loss rate).
We can see why if we convert these two players’ win rates to big blinds per 100 hands, which is the standard way to measure this stat in poker.
Here are the results:
- Player A: loses 50bbs every 10 hands = -500bbs/100
- Player B: loses 0.01bbs every 10 hands = -0.1bbs/100
Anywhere from 1-4bbs/100 is considered pretty damn good in poker. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why Player A is a whale but not Player B.
Despite losing, $200/$400 is a tough stake, so Player B is actually an okay poker player, better than anyone you know.
Since the value of money is relative, you’ll find whales at all stakes, chasing bad beat jackpots and the like! It’s also possible for players to be winners at some stakes and whales at others since games get more challenging as you move up.
For example, the best 5c/10c winners would most likely get stuffed at NL1k.
How To Play Against a Whale
Whales can be unpredictable, unlike nits or rocks, who have a typical play style. You’ll often see people going out of their way to play pots with the whale. Although you should play a little looser, it’s crucial not to let your standards slip so much that you begin playing like a whale yourself.
To beat a whale, the first thing to consider is what kind of whale you are dealing with.
Versus Loose-Passive Whales
If you are playing a loose-passive whale, they will not fold very often, so you shouldn’t try to bluff. The easiest way to beat them is to make a hand and value bet BIG.
Since whales usually call with any made hand, you should be more inclined to go for thin value bets, which is the poker term for betting with a slightly weaker hand than usual. They will often be insensitive to the size of the pot. Aim to bet as big as you think you can get away with, especially with your strongest hands.
Versus Aggressive Whales
Against aggressive whales, the game plan is slightly different. It’s not a good idea to bluff these guys. You should choose hands that flop well, like big cards, pairs, and suited aces. Since they will put a lot of pressure on you, this strategy will help you make hands that can stand the heat.
They will raise you a lot, too. So, you should avoid making thin value bets and being forced to fold. Instead, check more and give them a chance to bluff.
Respect the Whale
Players often use the term whale disrespectfully, but you should try not to do so yourself. Instead, make whales feel as welcome and valued as possible. In addition to being in your interests, whales are vital to the poker ecosystem.
- Whales are recreational players who replenish the funds that leave the game in the way of admin costs, license fees and player withdrawals. Without these deposits, the games wouldn’t survive.
- Whales make the games easier, which helps a more significant proportion of players win and, therefore, be less likely to quit. This result leads to a larger active player base and a greater variety of games to play. Poker becomes more fun and accessible, which helps support its longevity.
Since many whales play poker to have a good time, respect them and ensure they do have fun.
After all, you’ll probably win a lot more money with a whale at your table.
