The Importance of Game Selection - Poll

[betw2outs]

That is a lesson I’m learning the hard way.

I played $.5/$1 Omaha/8 on PP for money today, my second day doing so. The table was great at first, loose and passive. I made $15 in an hour or so. Then the table got tight, and I either made a little or lost a little, since I seldom scooped the pot (another lesson needing learning).

I jumped tables several times, but they were tight or became tight shortly after arriving. There were only 3 or 4 $.5/$1 tables going. That wasn’t much to select from and I’m not ready for a higher limit, particularly with a BR that shrinks more than it expands.

The only other money account that I have is on UB. It is very small and I’m saving it for tournaments.

[Allan]

I would try to find a better game to play in. If you are trying to learn to play multiple games no harm in giving the other games a glance to see how they are playing. If they look good, join in and you get to work on that specific game for a bit. If there are no games that look like you'll be comfortable in, hang it up for a bit or go to a different site to see how the game you wanna play is doing. I would suggest not moving up or toughing it out, unless you see your favorite fish on the waiting list for your table /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

Allan

[hutz]

Your question is a good one, but it also has the awful "it depends" as the best answer. As Allan noted, there may be good reasons to stay in a game that is currently not attractive. Chief amongst those, IMO, are (1) a fish or two is swimming on the wait list, (2) the one or two worst players at the table are currently sitting out, and/or (3) things are starting to improve considerably at your current table.

I have pretty strict standards for what tables I will remain at and which I leave. At the $2/4 level, I won't play in a game that goes much below 30% seeing the flop, unless it is extremely loose-passive post-flop. I also won't stay in a game where the average pot is less than five BB. If the entire list of games fails to meet that criteria, I look for another site or check back later. With the plethora of players at online sites, the games are just like the weather in the midwest -- if you don't like them now, just wait thirty minutes and they'll change.

[Allan]

Hutz,

Sometimes the games with less than 30% flop action are really tight and passive. There are plenty of stealing opportunities for a player in this kind of game so make sure you check out the actual texture of the game and not just the number that the site is giving you.

Just a thought,
Allan