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  #1  
Old 12-25-2005, 07:37 PM
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Default Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

Hello , I have recently started 1 tabling NL600 and lost $2,500 to a combination of variance and tilt. This has got me thinking.

I've searched this forum thoroughly to not find much discussion about table selection. Clearly this is extremely crucial to determining success. Ever since I have started 1 tabling 6 max, Poker Tracker has tagged me as a SLAA(semi-loose aggressive/aggressive). I have found it necessary to run Poker Tracker on the top avg $ tables for half an hour to an hour and then get in line on the best looking tables and see which seats are available to me and if these are good circumstances for playing. I go by the guideline of, not more then 2 short stacks allowed, no good LAGs to my left, and generally players which have some obvious flaw in their play.
However, it is absolutely unclear to me which approach is the most optimal for improving your skills and meanwhile earning a nice hourly rate. There are clearly very diverse styles in this game, but I find that the passive players which are more capable of letting go of blinds but aren' that are easiest to play against and more profitable for my style because long-ball bluffs also tend to be more succesful against them. Aggressive players I find put you in far more difficult situations where I end up tilting sometimes, even with 1 table, even with the fact that I review as many hands as I can that i have from data mining in Poker Tracker for each individual player at the table. I was even considering a strategy of finding an incredibly passive table which gives up blinds a lot and playing a good selective LAG strategy to steal many blinds, while still being capable of tightening up if table image grows to that of a maniac.

I believe this is a great discussion for everyone to add their knowledge oh what is the proper way to approach table selection online. What criteria for table selection have I missed from the written above? What kind of table composition is most profitable for 1 tabling, or even multi-tabling.

I personally find that with all of the incredible hand reading and adapting to each individual that I have to do for 1 tabling that it is pretty much impossible to do the same 2 tabling without getting less information about each player individually. What is the optimal amount of tables strategy? Also, would a strategy such as perhaps buying in for half max buy in in 3 passive tables that give up the blinds and just stealing as many blinds as you can while avoiding difficult decisions, be more optimal then 1 tabling and still having to often face very difficult decisions for your whole stack ?

The skill of table selection and very in-depth dynamic hand reading is perhaps what seperates the amateur players from the professionals. This may be a great opportunity for everyone to learn something incredible for their skills.
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  #2  
Old 12-25-2005, 07:54 PM
scdavis0 scdavis0 is offline
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

you can grind out a sizeable advantage by understanding the correct 'standard' play for most all situations and simply executing much better than your unknown competition over a large number of hands
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Old 12-25-2005, 08:56 PM
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

So you support playing multi-table just using default stats about each player ignoring studying their betting patterns and making solid ABC poker decisions as opposed to analyzing the table's hands in-depth and adapting to each player individually? What are your reasons for seeing this as a better way to approach 6 max play for both profit and skill improvement?

Thanks
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Old 12-25-2005, 09:31 PM
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

I don't think having better reads on opponents would make me win 4x as much money. 4 tabling at say 75% of my potential wins more money than sitting at one table and picking up accurate reads on every player.

It also isn't hard to pick up small reads on people when 4 tabling. I'll often note that a person might call the flop with nothing then fold to a 2nd barrel or that they will chase draws endlessly.

If you want to focus on improving your skills and hand reading then I would 1 table but you will make less money.
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Old 12-25-2005, 09:36 PM
excession excession is offline
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

It's better for short term $$$ and teaches you multi-tabling skills.

It's worse for learning - why not compromise and play 2-3 tables?

For example if you play 6 max and have PAHUD up it isn't that hard to get good reads on 10 opponents - only one more than if you were playing 1 full ring table - also by mutitabling you avoid the boredom (and itchy fingers) of a dry spell of cards more often..
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Old 12-25-2005, 10:41 PM
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

How about if you played the 1 table at a much higher limit(suppose you like to 3 table NL200 well you focus on 1 NL400 or 600 table) with relatively the weakest players you can find(You would generally pick a better table because finding one ideal table is a lot more oriented then finding several) ?
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  #7  
Old 12-26-2005, 12:10 AM
Gregg777 Gregg777 is offline
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

[ QUOTE ]
How about if you played the 1 table at a much higher limit(suppose you like to 3 table NL200 well you focus on 1 NL400 or 600 table) with relatively the weakest players you can find(You would generally pick a better table because finding one ideal table is a lot more oriented then finding several) ?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the main reason why 3-4 tables are better than 1 table is because you simply cannot compensate for the lack of large winning hands at a single table vs. multi-tabling.

You are only going to be able to win so much without a strong hand. If your bluffing frequency increases too much, you are going to get picked off, not to mention the times you bluff and run into a strong hand.

As long as you play at a limit with a large number of straight forward players, you are never going to be able to win more through aggression on a single table than you can with strong hands multi-tabling.

Figure out how and where you earn the majority of your money, that will be the answer to your question.
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  #8  
Old 12-26-2005, 12:13 AM
scdavis0 scdavis0 is offline
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

[ QUOTE ]
So you support playing multi-table just using default stats about each player ignoring studying their betting patterns and making solid ABC poker decisions as opposed to analyzing the table's hands in-depth and adapting to each player individually? What are your reasons for seeing this as a better way to approach 6 max play for both profit and skill improvement?

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

I said nothing about skill improvement.

Your opponents in mid stakes NL games do not know the correct standard plays in all the different semi common situations. If you know them, the most important factor in your profit will be volume of hands.
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  #9  
Old 12-26-2005, 01:16 AM
DonButtons DonButtons is offline
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Default Re: Table Selection Strategy for 6 max NL

why not learn to do what you can do single tabling, 4 tabling...
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