Simple seat selection question.

If I have a buddy-lister sitting at a table, is it dumb of me to sit to the left of him if there is a good TAG in between us (and no one else)? I figure if I avoid battles with the TAG, I should be all right...

[damaniac]

In a full ring game I don't think this is a huge concern: the number of times the TAG will pick up good isolating hands AND you would have wanted to raise instead should be pretty rare. You'll either have more multiway pots which will keep you and him from trying this with weaker hands, you will have more people left to act afterwards who could pick up a hand, forcing you to tighten up your iso-raises, and you'll still be acting after him on 8 out of 10 times.

SH, whole different ball game. There should be a lot more isolating with weaker hands, so you will probably be denied more opportunities than you'd like. You also now only get to act after the fish on 2/3 of the hands instead of 5/6 if you were next to him, which kind of sucks.

[Carmine]

I don't think it is a bad situation. You have position on both and it will be important to use it to not only isolate your buddy lister but the tag who will be trying to make isolation plays with a wide range of hands. Once the tag catches on to what your doing you will have to keep switching gears to keep him off balance. If you're not willing to take on the tag then move on because he will beat you to the punch to often.

I think if someone is sitting inbetween you 2, it's ideal for it to be a TAG and not a LAG. Most of the time the TAG will be folding, allowing you to isolate the buddy. When the TAG does come in, it'll usually be for a raise, so you can just fold most hands and wait for another shot. A LAG on the other hand will be playing more pots making it difficult to isolate.