Profitable table selection on Bovada

D

dad2adrina

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Total posts
34
Chips
0
Its common knowledge to most online poker pros and even live pros that table selection can make or break your session; however, unlike either the majority of online sites and live play, bovada's anonymous play format to adhere to the more casual player makes game selection a tad bit trickier.

On carbon poker where i used to play the freerolls and free step up sitngos i found notes on players and their styles to be very helpful and even when id gain a win or two and enter in the micro stakes, beibg familiar with a persons play proved to be advantageous.

On Bovada there are plenty of regs who feast on the fish who join poker as thing to with some extra sports betting winnings, but even some of them can be donkey calling/betting or spew monkeys in hopes to take out the fish who put them on tilt with 5,2o and hitting trips on the river with a board of 5, A, K, 10 suited. And although as uncommon as that would seem to be, it happens way more than it should.

With these complaints in mind i still enjoy bovada for their smooth working software, their promotions, great customer service, even better deposit and withdrawal option and delivery time, and not to mention the traffic for us players is next to none. So i have a hard time committing to a switch to another site.

That being said are there any tips to table selection for cash games like 5NL or 10NL where the likelihood of fish and donkeys is common but eith no true way to tell the quality of those tables without sitting in them for a few orbits where in the mean time you may lose a couple hands just to figure out they fished/donkey kicked you and then you adjust and thats when they hit the juts to your second nut hand later in thr table. I realize thats poker at micro stakes but it gets rather tilting.
 
jordanbillie

jordanbillie

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Total posts
3,742
Awards
3
Chips
161
When I start a session on Bovada, I sort by players/flop and play the top 4 tables that are within my BR.
 
Fonzonwheels

Fonzonwheels

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Total posts
1
Chips
0
I play Bovada on a regular basis. I am in agreement that the layout does make selecting a good table tough, so with Bovada I kind of "test the table." Within the first five rounds....approx 50 hands..... I take note of the literal play of the players affect my mood, am I seeing countless suckouts, how many "playable" hands have I seen. If the overall "feel" of the table isnt ideal, Ill usually open a different table. Otherwise its play ABC poker and wait your turn.

Just an opinion of course, but its worked ok for me at times....
 
jordanbillie

jordanbillie

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Total posts
3,742
Awards
3
Chips
161
Table selecting based on suckouts seems a bit silly to me.
 
LeanAndMean

LeanAndMean

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 2, 2007
Total posts
1,560
Awards
4
Chips
0
I play the limit games, HE, stud, omaha, there are so few running there is no way to be selective. You gotta play what you can get on.
 
Theromeo2k

Theromeo2k

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Total posts
876
Awards
1
Chips
2
A good way to find out how good/fishy a table is, is to look at their flop percentage or PLRS/FLOP. The higher the %, the lower the aggression pre-flop; thus the weaker the players will be. Look for tables with a percentage of flops seen 35 and above, and you will generally find a lot of weak players.
 
D

dad2adrina

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Total posts
34
Chips
0
I appreciate the responses. Yeah it has been a few trial rounds per table before i usually decide on the table but i 5hinkbi will start to look at flop percentages and pot amount to get a better gauge quicker instead of ending up sitting at the table too long when there could be dead money elsewhere
 
Casinoboy2k

Casinoboy2k

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Total posts
11
Chips
0
I absolutely positively understand what OP is saying here.
I only play at Bovada and I love it. Period.

BUT,
Last night I am sitting there holding AKsuited and the board shows AK2.....of course I dont shove entirely at first, but place a substantial bet letting the table know I had the hand. Villain literally shoves. I get sucked out by what?...a...2.

Villain is holding pocket 2s.
I am now feeling like I was 'set-up' to fail. Not cool. And, no i'm not a donk and im cognizant of both the player psychology of my players as well as when to hold and when to fold a hand. And yes, I was in position with my hand. I was playing a cash game. This suckout cost me $100+.
 
Casinoboy2k

Casinoboy2k

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Total posts
11
Chips
0
CORRECTION

After going back into my HH I realized that I got this mixed up with another hand I got sucked out on. I was holding AK in another hand where villain (QA) flopped a Q on the board and my A nor K never showed up.

The hand I was discussing previously showed that I was holding Q4 and I flopped a Q giving me a pair. It was just me and villain HU as everyone folded. Villain shoves on a Q82 board holding pocket 2's! Good for him. Sucked to be me at that time. He actually made off well with that.
Lesson: Never play poker while sleepy and mentally tired.


I absolutely positively understand what OP is saying here.
I only play at Bovada and I love it. Period.

BUT,
Last night I am sitting there holding AKsuited and the board shows AK2.....of course I dont shove entirely at first, but place a substantial bet letting the table know I had the hand. Villain literally shoves. I get sucked out by what?...a...2.

Villain is holding pocket 2s.
I am now feeling like I was 'set-up' to fail. Not cool. And, no i'm not a donk and im cognizant of both the player psychology of my players as well as when to hold and when to fold a hand. And yes, I was in position with my hand. I was playing a cash game. This suckout cost me $100+.
 
Bovada Poker - Bovada Casino
Top