starting tables is the nuts

Most of you long time CCers probably know this but for newer members here's a tip (especially US Players). If you are on Merge you don't have the luxury of dozens of tables with open seats and fish due to the lower volume.

However, you can start a table and its very +EV. If you sit an empty table or join one with one player already sitting you can play heads up for a few minutes and I promise the table will fill up with fish. I think weaker players are scared of getting stuck playing heads up and/or they aren't patient enough to wait on an empty table but as soon as they see action and open seats they come running.

Don't worry if your not great at heads up. You don't need to be Durr or Jungleman12. Just play abc poker for a few minutes, railse your buttons and swap blinds with your opponent etc. Of course if you get AA or something great but mainly just play tight and wait for the fish. When ever I start a table (or join one person) I end up with 3 to 4 fish at my table. I'm no poker guru but even I can make money in that situation.

Anyways, I don't make a lot of "strategy" posts but this is working for me and maybe someone will find it useful.

good advice, I do this also, works like a charm.

Hm, never thought of it that way -- thanks for the tip!

I never thought about this too, so thanks for the advice, Im going to try it in 888 micro.

You used to get double comp points (as they were called then) for starting up tables too. But i'm pretty sure they stopped that a while back.

I always get on my waitlists and then open an empty table. If that one gets some action and I still don't have enough other tables open I do it again. Great way to get on some juicy tables.

and in addition to the goldmine that opening tables is, open tables with 2 players or 3 sitting down too, often other regs (who are clever like us) will do this too and you can steal "their" fish off them, this ensures you get direct position on the fish as sometimes when we start tables the fish sit opposite us and a few regs will steal them... Such a sneaky business is starting tables, trust no-one and steal fish relentlessly