Tuesday 7 December 2010

Year 1 as a Pro - Game Selection


I don't think there is a huge amount to say about Game Selection, other than it is very important you get it right: from the poker site you play at, to the actual game and limits right down to the seat you are sitting in. As to which ones you pick (within Bankroll Requirements), its a very personal choice. You also need to be aware of the effect of the day of the week / time of day on each game and limit you play.

I colour code players when at the tables which makes it easier to select the good and avoid the bad tables. Simply, I just try and pick tables with as many bad (and preferrably deep) players as possible. There are tools out there to help with table selection, but playing as few as I do I don't normally bother with them - the only one I use on occasion is Table Scan Turbo. I tend to ignore the players/flop and avg pot stats in the lobby, although if you don't have any more information to go on, it can point you towards the better tables.

If you can't find tables then starting them can be a great idea, especially when the waitlists are full and there aren't many/any short tables running. Bad/casual players don't like to wait so you often find it filling with them as soon as the table gets going and you are in the best position to take advantage.

I seem to be a little more aggressive with seat selection than most - a luxury afforded by playing fewer tables, but picking the correct seat can make the spots you get into much easier to play and potentially more profitable. Ideally you want tight players on your left, and bad players on your right. It is pretty rare that I'll leave a table due to my seat when there is a bad player, but sometimes the conditions mean that it is going to be very hard to win pots or you'll have to be playing oop a lot. If it does get really bad I'll sometimes leave the table and rejoin the waitlist in the hope for a better seat.

If you consider the situation where there is one bad player at the table opposite you with no seats next to them, but there is an empty seat to your left I will often swap to that empty seat. It makes no difference regarding the fish at the table, but think how much better it will be if another bad player takes your old seat and sits to your right. Sure, it will often be filled by another reg, but for the times a fish sits, why wouldn't you want position on them? Being aware of the empty spots at the table and how it will effect things if filled can definitely help you make the most of a table.

0 comments: