Picking tables..

[kenewbie]

Lately I've read a lot on this forums about "picking the right table" (especially from bison?).

Is this really good advice to a new player? Personaly I sit down at a table and only leave if it becomes short-handed. I dont care if the people there are eating me up. This is micro-limit, I'm here to learn not to earn money. Yes I'm building a bankroll to go to higher limits, but more importantly I play to improve my game.

While I understand the reasons for scouting out a nice table when you are in the moneymaking business I think people who are still just learning the ropes will improve a lot faster if they dont jump tables until they find one they can beat.

Thoughts?

k

[Webster]

I agree - sort of.

I leave a table when I don't like the action. I don't jump around but if the pots are to small or for some reason somebody is pissing me off - I leave.

At Party you really can't tell what sort of table you are getting on and they change every 15 minutes anyway.

Leave if you don't like it, stay if you do,

[Sam T.]

To me, there is a big difference between choosing a table carefully, and table-hopping. When I sit down, I choose the table with a large average pot, and I stay there. If it tightens up unreasonably, I'll give it another orbit, and then move on.

I'm reluctant to move on a whim, simply because the reads I gain over time are tremendously valuable, and I don't want to lose that advantage.

[Freudian]

If too few see the flops, and if they don't pay you off when you have good hands reads is the least of your worries.

I can see the educational value of playing against rocks and tight-aggressive players, but if there aren't any poor players filling up the seats between me and them, im off.

[Sam T.]

[ QUOTE ]
If too few see the flops, and if they don't pay you off when you have good hands reads is the least of your worries.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree - that's what I meant about moving on when a table tightens-up too much.

[StellarWind]

[ QUOTE ]
Is this really good advice to a new player?

[/ QUOTE ]
"It depends."

For some new players good table selection is the difference between winning and losing. Not everyone can afford to lose while they learn.

I also play primarily to have fun and improve my game. Table selection is an extremely important poker skill. Doesn't practicing it improve my game?

Acclimating quickly to a new table is another skill online players need to develop.

There is an (American) football adage that applies here: "You play like you practice". Whatever I do while I'm "practicing" in the micros is how I will someday play middle limits.

I seem to have a leak that sometimes I get comfortable with the players at a table and forget to check the lobby for other games. Suddenly I wake up to the realization that the last big pigeon left two orbits ago but I've been coasting because the rocks aren't threatening me. I've decided not to wait until I reach 10/20 to fix this.

However it is absolutely true that some players will get the best results by picking a table and sticking with it. There is no substitute for being comfortable at the table. Which brings me full circle.

"It depends."

[Thebram]

[ QUOTE ]
Lately I've read a lot on this forums about "picking the right table" (especially from bison?).

[/ QUOTE ]

I've noticed this too, and have started to think a lot about game selection.

One of the biggest noticeable improvements to my game that came after I learned how to classify players as loose/tight, passive/aggressive and then how to play against each type of player. I feel as though the next evolution in my game is to learn how to classify tables and then how to play against each type of table.

I realize that at this stage, all of my play is a "learning" experience, but shouldn't I still seek out "ideal" tables (or just preferable tables) before I try and beat tough ones?

On a side note, I was just discussing table selection with a friend the other day, and I was surprised at how much our table selection has already changed without putting much conscious thought into it. We both used to look for tables with low pots and low % of players seeing the flop. Variance and aggressiveness scared the begeezus out of us. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[afk]

I'll usually sit down at a table with a large average pot size and players/flop above average as well. None of this is really all that hard to find at microlimits. If I see a table with a bunch of known 'good' players, I'll be less likely to sit down there. All of this is pretty straight forward.

The only thing that really affects my decision to stay at a table is whether it gets shorthanded or not. I'll say flat out that I don't know very much about the adjustments I need to make to play short handed. Though once I get more full ring experience I'd love to learn how to play short handed. I'll usually pack up and leave if the table drops below 6 players.

[Soggy Salmon]

I agree with the original post. I did the same thing most of the time playing the .5/1 tables. I sat at any table and stayed there. Even when it became short-handed and even to heads-up. The only time I left because of the other players was when it was down to 3 people and it was obvious they were completely outplaying me and tearing me up. But I still hung out there for a little while just for the learning experience.

I think it has helped my game a lot. There is no question that playing at really tight .5/1 tables has helped prepare me for 1/2 which is much much tighter. Also, I honestly think my game is starting to change to adapt to table conditions without me thinking about it too much now.

Just last night I was thinking about this. I was wondering what another player at the table thought of me. I was at two tables and he was at both of them also. At one, there were a bunch of players who would see the flop and call down with anything. The other table was mostly a bunch of rocks. I was playing two completely different styles. I was curious what his read on me was. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Of course table selection is important. And I can definitely see the differences in my bankroll when I am at a "good" table. But I am not too concerned with profits until I reach 2/4. So until then, I will keep playing at the first table open. It's good to be able to play at any kind of table.

[bisonbison]

Guys, I'm not saying that you should avoid good players like the plague that they are. I'm saying that you should always have in the back of your mind the idea that certain table textures are simply not very profitable.

If you are conscientious about picking tables that have loose and passive players or easy to read maniacs or someone obviously on tilt, then you will run into (and learn to deal with) every kind of table, because there may be other good players there, because the lineup will change or because even unskilled players vary their play depending on their mood.

We all want to learn, and the people at non-party micros may indeed have an early learning advantage on those at .5/1 party who can bask in the mythical loose/passiveness, but game selection is also a skill, and one that you can and should practice.