Selecting an online game

[MBTIGUY]

Online guys, when selecting a game to sit in, what do you look at in terms of %/4th street and average pot size?
It would seem that low % and low pot sizes are too tight to win any money; high % and high pots too loose, i.e. "let's deal all seven and see who wins".
Any rules of thumb out there for the game structure and style you play?

[Wombat6]

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Online guys, when selecting a game to sit in, what do you look at in terms of %/4th street and average pot size?
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"let's deal all seven and see who wins".
Any rules of thumb out there for the [7 stud high] game structure and style you play?


[/ QUOTE ]

for the most part the smaller the ante in proportion to the large bet the tighter you can play. the smaller the bring in in proportion to the large bet the more speculative hands you should be willing to call with "if" you can get in for this small bring in bet. Position and game texture play largely in determining if you can see 4th street for just a bring in sized call.

In a raked game (every on line game is a raked game and most low limit casino games.) you should play tighter overall. And conversely, looser in a game where the collection is taken by time or by a ante rip off. Some schools of thought recommend about 10% tighter for the raked game. This is because the winning hands profit is exposed to the rake and by playing a hand with a slim margin (especially heads up ) the margin isnt large enough to off set the monies eaten up by large rakes.

these two distinctions seem to be at odds with calling many speculative hands and exposing thinly valued hands to the rake, and they are. Key to showing a profit with these hands is playing those where the value is *greatly* increased (in proportion to the spectrum of hands one might be facing) with the addition of one of a number of key cards.

This brand of "limping" is even more correct if the play on 5th street is weak tight as well. However in micro or even low limit on line games this is usually not the case they are usually weak yes but loose passivity is their main distinguishing hallmark. However, the rake in these (on line) games is about half (when viewed as a product of percent ) that that of a steel and concrete casino game.
Because of this you can get away with playing a few more of these speculative hands with somewhat less of an improvement. But do not go overboard because extreme fluctuation will or loss ( over the spectrum of these hands ) may occure as a result of doing so.

As your experiance in and exposure to these types of games increase and as you true understanding of the concepts pertaining to them and to their occupants will also increase, as will your performance in them. As well as your ability to grasp upon the correct strategies prior to and in the heat of the battle. Thereby increasing your ability to manipulate the risk to profit ratios greatly towards your favor.


Wombat6

[sjguppy]

I play only 1/2 and 3/6 at party so at other sites or higher stakes you may want something else. I don't worry about % of hands. At these low limits people stay in way to long anyway.

The things I look for are low stakes. I don't find that this means the game is tighter but that players are too passive in their betting. I also look for a players stake. Since most players enter a game at the amout set by the table stakes I like to find a table with players under that limit. 3/6 party has the standard buy-in at $150.00. I like to see most of the players under that or even better down around $50.00. This usually means that they are losing. Conversely, I stay away from tables where players are above $200.00. Yes, I know that some players just throw whatever money they have in their accont on the table to try and scare you but if I find more than one of these players at a table I skip it. Why take the chance of playing against good players when there are plenty of other tables available.

Probably as important as anything else is looking at my notes on the players at the table. Once I know that a table is full of weak/poor players I am inclined to jump in no matter what the pot size or player stake. This takes time to get notes on players but unlike hold-em there are a limited number who play at this level. Over time I have amassed a pretty good collection of notes on players and usually can find at least a couple or regulars at the tables I pick.

Hope this help a bit.

[MRBAA]

I play a little 3-6 but mostly 1-2 at Party/Empire and it's darn hard to find a really bad game at either. SJ has the right approach -- look for the good players and if there's more than one of them at a table, look elsewhere. But I'd say 90% of the players range from insane to pretty bad.

[Nikita]

I may have played way too long on Paradise but in comparison Party 1/2 and 3/6 is the softes game in town
I do not agree with your observation that is hard to find suckers at 1/2 and 3/6 tables at Party. If the pot is above 20 for 1/2 table that means that there are loose players there. Over 55 is my rule for 3/6.

[MRBAA]

Reread my post

[Nikita]

and it's darn hard to find a really bad game at either

As song as you mean that that games there are worst than really bad, I agree, otherwise your observation does not seem to be valid to me.

[MBTIGUY]

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Hope this help a bit.

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This helped more than bit, it helped a lot. It's best to remember that poker is a game of people first, and a game of cards second.

I think the best way for me to use the data is to just get a braod sense of whether it is - at the time I enter - playing tighter or looser than I do. Then, I can start paying attention to who is playing contrary to that which will probably be the better players.
I do always look at the stacks, though. At Stars, the buy-in is 10 big bets and so I look to see who is below that and who enters with that amount. They are almost always passive calling stations who will only raise when they've hit something.

[bisonbison]

I actually had my first cardroom stud play on Saturday at Bay 101 in San Jose, had a lot of fun and won 25BB, and I'm wondering if there are any online sites that offer a similar setup for a microlimit game, since I understand that with the party setup its hard to play tight.

The Bay 101 game is 4/8 fixed limit with $1 ante/$1 bring-in. An 8-handed table drop is $4, taken from the antes. No rake.

[MRBAA]

bison, I think there are other sites that offer an underante. but if you are willing to pay 1-2, the stud tables at Empire/Party with .25 ante and .50 bring in will yield handsome profits to the tight player.