# Villain

> Source: [Villain in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/villain)

## Definition
Villain Is Poker Slang For The Opponent In A Hand Being Discussed, While Hero Is The Player Telling The Story. The Terms Are Neutral Labels, Not Insults, And Appear In Almost Every Hand History And Strategy Forum. A Hand Review Might Say Villain Opens From The Cutoff And Hero Defends From The Big Blind.

- **Category**: Theory
- **Term Code**: `villain`
- **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Related Poker Terms

- [Range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range.md)): A Range Is The Full Set Of Hands A Player Could Hold In A Given Spot, Based On Their Position And Every Action So Far. Strong Players Think In Ranges Rather Than Single Hands, Because Opponents Act With Many Hands In The Same Way. Reading A Range Means Narrowing It Street By Street As New Actions Arrive.
- [Exploitative Play](https://smarter.poker/glossary/exploitative-play) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/exploitative-play.md)): Exploitative Play Deliberately Departs From A Balanced Strategy To Win More Against A Specific Opponent's Mistakes, Such As Bluffing More Against A Player Who Folds Too Often. It Can Earn More Than Game Theory Optimal Play Against Weak Opponents, But It Opens You To Counter Exploitation If The Read Is Wrong Or The Opponent Adjusts.
- [VPIP](https://smarter.poker/glossary/vpip) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/vpip.md)): VPIP, Short For Voluntarily Put Money In Pot, Is The Share Of Hands A Player Calls Or Raises Before The Flop. Posting A Blind Does Not Count, Only Voluntary Chips Do. A VPIP Near 20 To 25 Percent At A Full Ring Cash Table Is Typical Of A Solid Regular, While A VPIP Above 40 Percent Usually Marks A Loose Player.
- [Tilt](https://smarter.poker/glossary/tilt) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/tilt.md)): Tilt Is An Emotional State In Which Frustration, Anger Or Overconfidence Leads A Player To Make Worse Decisions Than Usual, Such As Calling Too Wide After A Bad Beat. It Is One Of The Largest Leaks In Poker. Common Remedies Include Stop Loss Limits, Short Breaks And Reviewing Decisions Rather Than Results After A Session.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [Counting Poker Hand Combinations](https://smarter.poker/learn/counting-combos) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/counting-combos.md)): Every Pocket Pair Has 6 Combinations, Every Suited Hand 4 And Every Offsuit Hand 12, For 1326 Starting Hands In All, And Cards You Can See Remove Combinations From Your Opponent's Range.

## Practice On Smarter.Poker

- [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play.
- [Virtual Poker Table Sandbox](https://smarter.poker/features/virtual-poker-sandbox): Interactive Multi-Street Hand And Range Scenario Explorer.

## Compliance & Fair Play

There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.