Have I been selecting tables incorrectly?

KingOtter · #1 02-10-2005, 10:13 AM

I just had a lightbulb go off in my head as I wondered this morning why in the world I have such trouble at Party vs. anywhere else (at 5k hands, down ~80BB, -1.69BB/100). And I'm thinking it is my table selection.

What I've BEEN doing is sorting by average pot size, and hitting the highest pot-size with empty seats. Well, what am I really doing?

Usually the average pot sizes that I hit are around $12-10. How do you get $12? Through a lot of aggression, that's how. What does table aggression do to a tight-aggressor like me?

It keeps me out of a lot of pots that I won't have the hand to keep going, or a hand to limp in with pre-flop.

At the same time, early aggression on the hands I can call with may keep me in high-variance hands. Gutshots, backdoor draws, etc.

I don't think my marginal hand-game is at the point where I can handle aggression of that sort.

So I'm thinking... instead of going for the big $$ tables when I play tonight, I'm going to open 4 tables with moderate average pots ($7-9). Mine them a bit and watch the vp$ip and pfr numbers, and choose based upon that, rather than merely pot size.

Anyway... this may be in a FAQ somewhere (I read a few after I thought about this, and I didn't see it specifically mentioned like this). Just thought I'd share it and see what thoughts you all had concerning the matter.

KO

jaxUp · #2 02-10-2005, 10:37 AM

Given your analysis of your own play, I think that you idea is very good. Once you get more comfortable with aggression I find it's a load of fun to play at wild tables and can be very profitable.

Dangergirl · #3 02-10-2005, 10:39 AM

Try datamining potential tables that you want to sit at. Open up at least 8 of them and use Poker Tracker and Player View so that you can have some stats before you go in. Is this your first 5k hands? If it is, then it's too small a sample size to prove or disprove anything.

If you are playing at .50/1, then you will notice that sometimes the fish are raising with anything. Make sure you watch them and know who's a fish and who's solid. Don't let them take you out of your game.

threei · #4 02-10-2005, 10:40 AM

In my limited experience with Party, I've found that the tables with high avg pot size are not good. Not because they are aggressive, but they are usually dead. I'm not sure how Party calculates the avg pot size, but I've found it to be meaningless. At first I would join the waiting list for about 6 tables at the top of the list (the ones without the long wait lists). But, when I got in to the game the vpip would be in the low 20s (or worse). Now I just join for the first table with an empty seat and 8 or more players. This may be a random way of doing things, but it works out better for me. I've been able to find 4 good tables with vpips in the 30s much quicker than before. I can usually tell within one orbit if the table is going to be good or not, or at least if there is some hope.

Dimitzu · #5 02-10-2005, 10:52 AM

I play .25/.5 at Pokerroom and I always choose a table where flops seen is 60% or over and average pot between 5-9BB. Is this bad? Should I start playing at tables where average pot size is bigger?

davelin · #6 02-10-2005, 11:10 AM

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...amp;PHPSESSID=

KingOtter · #7 02-10-2005, 11:14 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Try datamining potential tables that you want to sit at. Open up at least 8 of them and use Poker Tracker and Player View so that you can have some stats before you go in. Is this your first 5k hands? If it is, then it's too small a sample size to prove or disprove anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is my first 5k hands, but there is consistency in the downward march. I've only had one sustained upward trend.

I also have 7k hands on Paradise where I'm quite in the green (unsustainably high in the green, so I expect that to come down).

KO

Twitch1977 · #8 02-10-2005, 11:15 AM

In my opinion I'd stick to tables where flops seen is as high as you can get it and wouldn't worry much about pot size. If you're playing aggressively and lots of people are playing the pots, the pots you play will be large anyhow.

Now we just need to get Party/Empire to start displaying the flops seen % :/

T

jaxUp · #9 02-10-2005, 11:19 AM

The thing is, over 5K hands, you might net even be playing that badly. It could just be a downswing. Good idea to improve table selestion, but don't get too disheartened over 80BB

KingOtter · #10 02-10-2005, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the link Davelin... I haven't been paying much attention to seat position as I'm usually just happy to land at a full table.

I have noticed it when I get a 90+ VP$IP a couple to the left of me that I can't clear blinds when I want to isolate a limper, that sort of thing. Having a TAG to the right would be good so that when they PFR I can get the heck out of dodge.

KO