Question for Ray Zee

[KSU78]

I just read Ray's essay entitled "The Different States of a Player's Life". I found the article interesting and I appreciated the aging metaphor of the sphinx. But I am struggling with one particular sentence near the end of the article. It is: "Whether he keeps the money depends on his ability to find good games at limits within his bankroll." I have many different interpretations of this sentence. Would you please help me understand what you meant?

[Ray Zee]

gee i think its self explanatory. but here it is-- after you won money the way to keep it is to find and play only in good poker games, and play limits that are within your bankroll.
many or most good players dont do these two simple things and get broke.

[KSU78]

I know what lead to my confusion now. I was placing too much emphesis on the term "expert". However, if I substitute the term "good player" for expert in the paragraph, it is quite clear.

[AmericanAirlines]

Hi Ray,
Where exactly does one find these "good games"?

I've read over and over that "Game Selection is #1".

But, at prime time at the Bellagio or Mirage, you get the next available seat, in my experience. Then what are you supposed to do... say to the brush... "Hey that game over there looks full of fish... put me over there!"

How are you even supposed to notice, if you're paying attention to the game you're in?

And what about the player population. I'd really like to know what percentage of the seats in Mirage, Bellagio, Foxwoods, Commerce, etc. are filled with experts and pro's?

I mean if the percentage is too high, where's the fish?

Also, since poker is becoming very widespread, fewer folks would come to Vegas to play... and if they did... they might be practising "back home"... no edge in that situation.

Further, I suspect very few tourists are going to LA or San Francisco just to play poker? So where's the fish there?

Just curious, because it's been my experience that the mix of players at the table really does make a difference... but I'm not aware of any magical "fish bowl"!

:-)

Does this lead to a need to travel to new markets where new card barns are opening up? Or are there really that many bad players available in the usual poker orbit? (Mirage, Bellagio, Foxwoods, Commerce, Bicycle, Bay 101, Binions and Binions Tunica, etc.)

Sincerely,
AA

[Ray Zee]

at all casinos there are good games going most of the time. you just have to walk around and look at all the games and try to get into the good ones. if you only play one game or one limit then you are hampered of course.
yes if you only play at prime time when there are waiting lists you may end up in bad games. so then you need to move to another table or casino. if you are not flexible then you will not be a big winner. you should also always have your name on multiple lists so you can jump to wherever the games are best.
plus you dont have to have lots of fish, you just need enough players that play a worse than you in general.