Online Poker Table Selection

December 16, 2007

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be looking at some of the strategy of online poker which includes many of the popular poker games. Today we’re going to look at something basic, but so important to the game of poker. It is table selection. While this sounds simple, there is a lot more involved when picking out a table to play on. There is such a thing as a bad seat at a great table, and even worse, having a bad seat at a bad table.

After you decide what limits to play, you then need to figure out how many people you want to play with. Many poker sites have smaller tables made of 6 people or larger tables made up of 9 or 10 people. Personally I have found that full tables with 9 or 10 people are generally harder to win at because the fact is you just have so many people in the pot, although for some people this is a definite plus. However, as you go up in limit size this will change because the people generally get better. Of course they generally become more aggressive at the same time.

Before you join any table you need to look at the players. Find out who is a limper and who is the aggressive one. Look at who plays tightly and who is the loose player at the table. You also want to find out what the stacks are. If you have one person with all the money then it probably isn’t worth your time to play, but if you have a couple of good stacks on the table then it may be time to sit down. Watching the pot average is also a good way to decide if you want to pick that table as well. If you have a particularly large average for the limits in which you are playing then you know the players are raising, capping, and generally trying to get the most out of everyone. If this is your thing then go for it, but if you want to play a more conservative game, it is best to look for a smaller average.

Watch the game for a couple of hands and see if you feel comfortable with that type of betting. Now the question becomes where you sit. By choosing a table that is not completely full, you will get a choice of a couple of seats. You want to make sure you have position on some of the loose or aggressive players because they are going to be where you get most of your money from. You do not want position on a tight player because they just won’t play that many hands, or have the chips to pay you off when you have the nuts. You generally want to be able to hide between the looser players bets as well as being able to lose less money when you have to fold weak cards to them after they bet or limp.

You do want to make sure you see signs of players calling a lot of raises after limping in with weak hands, and players that show weak hands outside of the blinds. This means players continually play with ace-little card off suit and unsuited connectors. This is when you are going to win some money in the long run for sure. Also, outrageous raises on the nuts are always good to see because that means that you know when to fold and when to call. Lastly, it is good to see players limping or raising only a little bit with top notch hands. That will save you money if you do lose the hand.

It is important to stay away from tables that get down to the blinds consistently because you are just not going to win any money. Although you don’t want to be at a table with all the players playing as if they had a million dollars, it is important to be able to win something. Lastly, stay away from the tables where several people are going all in on every hand. Not only is it annoying, chances that they suck you out even once or twice is fairly good.

You may find as the game goes on that you don’t like the table. That is part of the allure of online poker - you can simply get up and find another table. The point is that you need to do this. Don’t stay on a table you are not comfortable with because that is a sure way to lose all of your money.

Written by Tom · Filed Under Poker Strategy |

Online Poker Table Selection

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