Knowing your table
 

A friend and I have been arguing over the importance of knowing the table that you are playing at. He's tight and plays that way no matter the tabel texture. I tend to start tight and then base hand selection on the players at the table, my position, and the action in front of me.

Every so often, I'll raise or call with a hand that boggles him and when I say that I based it on knowing my table, he goes balistic.

Shouldn't your play be based on knowing your table?

Re: Knowing your table
 

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Shouldn't your play be based on knowing your table?

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Absolutely. Just don't overadjust if you don't have to. Or adjust, just to do it.

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Every so often, I'll raise or call with a hand that boggles him and when I say that I based it on knowing my table, he goes balistic. He's tight and plays that way no matter the tabel texture

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Ballistic? Your friend is a mope. A one trick ABC pony soon to be table coach unless he learns how to really play the game. I love these types of guys on my table as they are so damn predictable.

It sounds like your game is much farther along than his. If he doesn't learn this concept, he will be greatly limiting his profits, if any, to only 1 type of table that that style will take advantage. Sure, there are many tables at his limit that will play to his style a bit, but should he move up in limits with this mentality, he will likely eventually get killed.

b

Re: Knowing your table
 

Thanks for the feedback Bernie.

My friend is a winning player online (though not at a B&M) and his persistence had me wondering if he was right.

Re: Knowing your table
 

do peas and carrots go together?

Re: Knowing your table
 

Hi Demana,

Bernie's reply is terrific. Although I want to add that if you play normally in tables where they are ALWAYS bad, then just solid poker will prevail and you should leave the fancy stuff at home. But if you have a couple of players that are very intuitive and can see/predict your moves, then they will toy with you and your session will suck. I have discovered through experience that when you have a good grasp on poker theory and hand selections, you must know your opponents very well if you are to evolve from a good player to a great player. Multiple adjustments during a session will be essential.

Re: Knowing your table
 

There is certainly an advantage to knowing your table... that said, i would guess that more money is lost by players who over-adjust for their read on the table than by players who make no adjustments.

[ QUOTE ]
A friend and I have been arguing over the importance of knowing the table that you are playing at. He's tight and plays that way no matter the tabel texture. I tend to start tight and then base hand selection on the players at the table, my position, and the action in front of me.

Every so often, I'll raise or call with a hand that boggles him and when I say that I based it on knowing my table, he goes balistic.

Shouldn't your play be based on knowing your table?

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Knowing your table
 

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Every so often, I'll raise or call with a hand that boggles him and when I say that I based it on knowing my table, he goes balistic.

Shouldn't your play be based on knowing your table?

[/ QUOTE ]


This is good...as long as you are doing it to take advantage of a situation, and NOT as an excuse for playing more hands without even realizing it.

Re: Knowing your table
 

I think knowing the table is one of the "big three" in successful poker (in no particular order):

-Understsanding the players
-Understanding the game (when to start with what, how to play post flop, reading the board, position, bluffing etc)
-Understanding the odds

The second one is definately dependent on the players in the game. I often lower my starting standards when playing in a real soft game. I think you have to. And you have to be able to read the players to know how to adjust your play (preflop and postflop).

Come to think of it, I think it's the most important item of the "big three" - the other two items are (or should be) adjusted based on the information gained from reading the players.

In NL, it's everything!