Table Selection

[M50Paul]

I am a new player and have playing for about 6 months. I like live games and play at a Casino and a few home games.
I play $2-4 limit holdem mostly. So far I am running at a small profit. Typically I win maybe $30 per seesion when I win and have won as much as $300 in one game but I have also lost as much as $100 in a session. I would categorize my self as tight somewhat aggressive (not too aggressive). I play as close as possible to the Lee Jones low limt strategy. I am not afraid to bet, raise, and re-raise if I think I have the best hand. My weekness is in reading what others have and I have burned myself in this area. Here's my question: What table characteristics best fit my profile? I played at a table the other day where I thought I should have won $300 but lost $50. There were about 5 out of the 10 players that called all the time, played marginal pre-flop selection and bet and raised with what I thought was crap e.g High pair low kicker (pair made from board). I played about 6 hrs and lost $50. I was drewling thinking it was a great table but lost. This was the second time I found myself in that situation. Any help/ideas appreciated. Have I miss read the table selection? I figured these tables were loose/ moderate to passive and fit my table selection for possible winnings.

[Smokey98]

With this type of table play very tight but when you do play, play very aggressive. Make them pay you off when you have it.

[skibum]

I'd recommend SSH by Miller as a good way to upgrade your game at this stage. Your results at that one session can't be extrapolated into a meaningful diagnosis of your play. It just wasn't your night is the best guess I can come up with. WLLH got me on the right track for sure, but it's not the only (or best) way to play. That table sure sounds ripe for the plucking, and a good fit. There are lots and lots of good books out there that will help you out immediately. Also look at Improve Your Poker by Ciaffone for ideas that can immediately help a player of your self-described caliber. If you sit at that same table again, you'll usually win. I think Miller will put you on the fast track towards improvement. Your play sounds a lot like mine did before I started reading more. I played for a lot of years before reading WLLH, and it was the perfect first book for me. Keep reading.
Cheers

[bwana devil]

These sound like the exact type of games you want to be in. The looser the table, the more profitable for a good player. However, there is higher variance also. Without knowing enough info about the games, I'd suggest this as a possibility.

I'll have to disagree w/ Smokey. I'd play just a tad looser than usual. And as Smokey says, when you hit, then play aggressively. Middle pairs usually aren't going to win. High pair, no kicker usually won't fly. Hands that you can usually push hard against one opponent, sometimes won't even be third best hand at a showdown w/ five people.

so (a) see slightly more flops in loose games (b) continue w/ only better post flop hands.

[Smokey98]

I don't remember what book it was, but I read that when you sit at a table with a maniac or two you should play tight or just as you normally do. If it's "just" a loose table then yeah I think you should play a little loose. hands like AT, KJ up front. Does that sound too loose?

[bwana devil]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't remember what book it was, but I read that when you sit at a table with a maniac or two you should play tight or just as you normally do. If it's "just" a loose table then yeah I think you should play a little loose. hands like AT, KJ up front. Does that sound too loose?

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds like a winning combination. So if you play KJ from early position and the flop is AJx, consider folding if things get heavy. If there are five others in the hand, you can just about guarantee that someone is holding an A (and you can usually assume it was a bad-preflop call).

Regarding maniacs, if you throw in a maniac or two in the mix, then you're right to tighten up. Maniacs are some of the hardest players to play against starting out simply because a new player doesnt get much exposure to that play because they're rare. I would suggest if you're starting out and run into a maniac and quickly find yourself having difficulty, leave the table. I wish I would have figured that out when I started out. My stubborn pride kept me at the table trying to get the better of the maniacs and I usually lost.

EDIT: I didn't answer your question. If there are 6-8 people to the flop, yes I would play AT and KJ from early position.

[M50Paul]

Thanks. I appreciate all your comments. I thought I had the right table just one of those days. Again thanks for the reassurance