Table Selection

I am a relative SH newbie, and I have a few questions about table selection. I know the purpose is to find fishy (LP/P)tables, but how do you go about this? Do you use Pokertracker, or just the stats given by the site for the table? (Avg pot/ players to flop)

Thanks for the help. I play on stars, if that makes a difference.

[Alobar]

Unless you are playing at a smaller site or really high limits where there arent many table options, scouting out tables is IMO a giant waste of time. The tables change so fast that by the time you've picked out a "winner" it completely changes after sitting at it for 5 minutes, or even by the time you get to sit at it.

At a place like party, I just look at the lobby window and pick the table with the highest avg pot size that I can sit at, and then sit there. If I find the table sucks then I leave and go to another one. If Im at a table and it starts to suck, then I leave.

[imported_leader]

I think seat selection is pretty key. If I'm sitting to the right of a TAG, I'll generally get up and leave. Same goes for having a total wacko on my left. Of course if the table is totally sweet otherwise, I'll stay.

[Wynton]

What levels are you playing? I think as you go lower and lower, the less important table selection is.

But I'll tell you one approach that I think is key, and which unfortunately no one stressed to me when I started six-max: do not hesitate to get up and find a different table if the situation does not seem right, i.e., if your position is bad, the combination of players seems wrong for you and/or you happen to be losing a lot at that table. I believe I would have avoided some very bad sessions had I stuck to this approach.

[Surfbullet]

I agree with Wynton, and it's an important point that it takes many awhile to learn... there's no need to stay and try to get "unstuck" at a particular table. Also, don't be satisfied with a "ehh, i guess it's okay" type table. If it's not that good, get up!

Surf

[NateDog]

I usually fire up 6 or so random tables, and let PT look at em for aobut 10-15 minutes. Not so much for table selection, but to find the best seats. Mind you I'm a 1/2 to and sometimes 3/6 player, and there are soooo many bad players, just about any table will do. Keeping the loose passives / LAG's to my right has really helped me as of late.

[admiralfluff]

A good quick tip to table selection-

As important as the overall table conditions is your relative position to different players. You want to keep the LPs on your right, and the TAGs on your left. A quick way to reduce all available seats to a set that likely meets these conditions is to open a table, watch for a couple of hands, or take the seat and watch before posting. If you see any of the players to the right of the open seat OPEN-LIMP, it is likely a good table.

[RustyCJ]

I like to see the % of players to the flop > 55% and average pot size of 5 to 6 times the BB. Party doesn't offer the % stat so I just go with pot size then see how the table feels after I sit down.

Tonight I was actually at a table for about 200 hands that only had 45% to the flop and 4.5 times the BB average pot size but there were 2 players I had a good read on and control over. 1 was remarkably tight with 13.5% VPIP and the other was 62% VPIP and only a 3% PFR. The tight player was 2 seats to my left, so everytime I had the button, the SB and him would fold with my raise, leaving me HU with the extremely loose calling station almost everytime. This was the most unique situation I've ever found myself in, but shows how seat selection can be very important.

I also like Absolute because once I find a passive calling station I can try to move just to their left.

[tallstack]

[ QUOTE ]
But I'll tell you one approach that I think is key, and which unfortunately no one stressed to me when I started six-max: do not hesitate to get up and find a different table if the situation does not seem right, i.e., if your position is bad, the combination of players seems wrong for you and/or you happen to be losing a lot at that table. I believe I would have avoided some very bad sessions had I stuck to this approach.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is gold. I think that table image and your confidence at a table are of amplified importance in short-handed tables. All my worst single-day losses have involved staying way too long at tables where I was running very badly. Quite often in these sessions I was up on say 8 of the 12 tables I played on, but lost my shirt on the few that I stubbornly refused to let go.

Dave

[Monty Cantsin]

[ QUOTE ]
...do not hesitate to get up and find a different table if the situation does not seem right...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, this is extremely sensible. But, there are those who disagree (http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Board=holdem&Number=1816127 &Searchpage=1&Main=1813064&Words=childhood+Peter_r us&topic=&Search=true#Post1816127).

/mc

[tallstack]

I like the reference! I have learned quite a bit from searching through Peter's old posts. His analysis of why it is best to always bet an ace high flop when you put in the raise PF has probably made me more money in shorthanded play then any other single bit of advice.

I think that Peter is really focusing on being a student of the game in this post, not on what makes the most money. Or maybe it was just the mood he was in that day. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

I still feel that most of my success in poker comes not from any great play on my part, but simply in taking advantage of sitting down against the worst players I can find. Wynton's post is an extension of this. Instead of proving yourself in difficult situations, just move on and find an easier situation. It is a double-edged sword for sure, but when you remove your ego from your play it is solid advice. Hopefully, I can get to the point where I play for pure enjoyment of competition and the thrill of beating the best, but until that day ...

Dave

[admiralfluff]

"childhood in my ass" is my new favorite phrase.

[Monty Cantsin]

[ QUOTE ]
"childhood in my ass" is my new favorite phrase.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's understoodable.

I've drawn a lot of inspiration from different posts on 2+2 over the years, but perhaps none more than this one. It is both rational and irrational in a way that I deeply admire.

"I want to be the best, and until in poker it's nearly unreachable i always have some problems to decide so my mind is usually full of thoughts and my life's full of aims."

And his pockets are full of money, too.

/mc

[MyTurn2Raise]

I look for fish...have big buddy lists...and try to sit left of them. I just open tables 'til I find a 'buddy,' usually the table averages will reflect one or two good ones. I table hop frequently and have multiple sites open.

I look for very high VPIP and low aggression...perfect


Does your name reflect
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy? Just wondering...I went there back in the day