how to select the correct game and table--a must read

online poker has one advantage casino poker alot of times dont have, due to the huge number of different tables u can choose to sit at. nor do they have all the tools pokerstars has to help u select the right table. (such as the average pot size, the percentage of people in the pot etc, all of which are highly impt). they say one of the main things to winning at poker is selecting the RIGHT game.

people who are good in ALL KINDS OF POKER, ----not just NL holdem--- have an edge, and i think thats why so many of the pros love mixed limit variations of horse. sometimes when im trying to decide what table to sit at, i go back and forth for some time before i actually take a seat. there is NO excuse really not to do this online, and people shouldnt just sit at the first table they see.

Like tonight for example. i was stuck $200 earlier, mostly from playing WCOOP satellites trying to win seats. but since i know how to play most any game well and not just holdem, i looked for over 10 minutes moving about frequently, first in draw games, then in stud hilo, then omaha hilo, both NL and fixed limit, omaha high, and then glanced over at holdem too. after moving tables around quite a bit, i finally settled in a $2-4 pot limit 5 card draw game, because i saw over 35% of the people were in which is pretty good for $1-2 and higher Pl draw. not only that, i had EXTENSIVE notes on the players at the table i clicked on. and i knew 2 of the players bluffed too much. so i sat there, and after 2 hrs, i had back the $200 i was out plus an extra $33. then i quit and as soon as i finish writing this article im gonna SLEEP.

yes there is no reason not to take advantage of the note taking availabilities pokerstars gives u. i probably have notes on 250-1000 players on stars. im sure thats way more than most players on this site have, if any, and someone on this site ought to start a note database everyone can contribute to and look at if there was enough interest. having these notes also comes in really handy to selecting a table. too bad pokerstars dont have an online buddy list like partypoker used to have where u can add alot of FISH to ur buddy list and see when they are online.

alot of times in holdem, particularly in NL games of 50c-1 and up, theres not many tables with a high % of people in the pot. i used to play and still do play NL hilo omaha alot, but the percentages of people in the pot aint near as good as they were 2 yrs ago. prima used to be a wonderful gold mine. i blame the US govt for the way games online have toughened up. its harder to win money online now than it was 2 yrs ago, thats why u gotta take advantage of any opportunity u can. no reason not to take notes.

yeah look thru all the tables, at all the different games BEFORE taking just the first seat thats open. learn all forms of poker. thats whats so nice about playing online, a lot of casino dont have nothing but holdem. that and the fact u dont have to tip the dealer when u play online. also when searching thru tables on stars, u can arrange it so it will list all the percentages in the pot from 1% to 100% simply by clicking on the 7th column over that says PLAYERS/FLOP and it will put them all in numerical order for u in the tourney lobby. just go to the bottom of the page and look for the closest percent to 100%. they go up til u hit the limit u prefer. do the same thing for all the differnet forms of poker ur good at. and when u sign a waiting list online u dont have to wait near as long as u do at a casino.

------------------------------------------------------------------------please comment on this article by posting on this forum underneath me and tell me what u think of the article, ive reposted it on many forums.

I think part of the problem with the poker explosion within the last few years is that everyone plays hold'em and very few actually branch out from there. I really notice this trend a lot when I play HORSE. I will break even or come out slightly ahead during the HO rounds, then I clean up during the stud rounds because people just don't understand the other games.

I would rather be an average razz player sitting at a table full of below average players than an above average hold'em player sitting at a table full of other above average hold'em players.

Also, if people don't take notes, they are really losing out. Whether it's using the online capabilities built into many sites, or just writing stuff down on a piece of paper, taking notes can dramatically help your play against people.

Your note taking theory, and fish list, fails to account for the fact that not all fish remain fish.

If you jot a note for every player without playing against them multiple times, for extended periods of time, you are just getting a snap shot of them. For instance, if you saw me donk off a hand for information, you would think I was a donk and not have a clue that I generally do not play Loose Agressive.

I agree that table selection is crucial to being a winning poker player.

I think people that take notes are the type of people that will continuously update their notes based on current sessions and compare it to past trends (at least I do that, don't know about others). The only real downside is relying *only* on what your notes are saying about how the donk plays, and trapping yourself because you don't adjust when he improves his play.

All well said. I keep my notes in Word and also at the sites; I don't trust anyone w my info.

Online reading is an ongoing process. Reading fish in Vegas is a snapshot, unless u live there.

See u in ten years.

M

BTW I think I busted one of you, just dont have yr Absolute name.

I enjoy holdem less and less everyday, but versions of omaha and stud I still really enjoy. I like to sit and watch a couple of rounds at any ring game before sitting down, especially if I have no notes on the players there. Thinking before sitting is important.

I've just started taking notes on players on UB. You are correct it is just a snapshot of that particular game/tourney but it is a place to start. I won't pigeon hole anyone into one category unless I've played against them a few times. I look around also and try to find a table where people seeing the flop is 40% or more or a high pot avg.

bumping this thread cause its just as good advice today as when i first wrote it.