Poker Table Selection

Why Table Selection Matters

Table selection is one of the most underrated yet impactful skills in poker. While players spend countless hours studying hand rankings, perfecting their bet sizing, and mastering bluffing strategy, many completely neglect the simple truth: your win rate depends more on who you play against than how well you play.

Consider this scenario: a strong winning player crushing 5bb/100 at tough $2/$5 games could potentially win 15-20bb/100 at softer $1/$2 games with weaker opposition. The hourly rate might be comparable, but with significantly less variance and mental strain. As poker legend Phil Hellmuth famously noted (and as Card Player Magazine has documented), the biggest winners aren't always the best players—they're often the best at finding profitable games.

According to research published in the Journal of Gambling Studies, player skill distribution in poker follows patterns similar to other competitive games—meaning there are always softer spots if you know where to look. This guide will teach you how to identify those spots and maximize your edge through smart game selection.

Core Principles of Table Selection

The Fundamental Truth

You make money in poker by exploiting mistakes. The more mistakes your opponents make, the more money you win. This isn't about ego or proving you can beat tough players—it's about maximizing profit. A table full of experienced regulars offers far fewer opportunities for profit than a table with several recreational players making fundamental errors.

As documented by the American Gaming Association, most poker players are recreational—they play for entertainment, not profit. These players create the ecosystem that makes the game profitable for those who approach it seriously. Your job is to find them.

The 80/20 Rule of Poker Profits

In most poker environments, roughly 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your opponents. These are the players who make significant mistakes—calling too wide, bluffing poorly, not understanding positional play, and failing to adjust. Finding tables with multiple such players dramatically increases your expected value.

Opportunity Cost

Every hour you spend at a tough table is an hour not spent at a softer one. If you're breaking even at a table of regulars while a juicy game runs at another table, you're effectively losing money. Always be aware of alternative games—both within your current casino or poker room and at other venues.

Identifying Profitable Tables

Live Poker Indicators

In live poker, you can gather significant information before even sitting down. Walk past tables, observe a few hands, and look for these positive signs:

Negative Indicators (Avoid These Tables)

Some tables are clearly unprofitable. Watch for these warning signs:

• Multiple players wearing headphones (focused regulars)
• Players discussing hand histories or solver outputs
• Small average pot sizes with quick folds
• Everyone buying in for the same amount (organized game)
• Known tough regulars dominating the seats
• Silent, serious atmosphere

Online Poker Indicators

Online table selection requires different skills. Most sites provide lobby statistics that reveal table quality:

If you use tracking software like PokerTracker or Hold'em Manager, you can identify specific recreational players and note which tables they frequent. Building a database of player tendencies is invaluable for online table selection.

Recognizing Player Types

Understanding player tells extends beyond reading individual hands—it includes categorizing players to identify the most profitable opponents. Here's how to spot the players you want at your table:

The Recreational Player

These are your primary profit sources. Recreational players:

• Play for entertainment, not income
• Buy in for random amounts (not optimal 100BB)
• Play too many hands from any position
• Call too often (classic "calling stations")
• Don't understand concepts like pot odds or equity
• Show emotional reactions to wins and losses
• Chat frequently, often about non-poker topics

The Gambler

Gamblers bring action and volatility. They:

• Make oversized bets without clear reasoning
• Love to bluff and make hero calls
• Rebuy frequently without adjusting strategy
• Play hunches and superstitions
• Create large pots that reward patience

The Tilting Player

Players on tilt (as covered in our mental game guide) are temporarily exploitable. Signs include:

• Playing more hands after losing
• Making frustrated comments
• Aggressive betting without strong hands
• Quick, impulsive decisions
• Rebuying immediately after busting

Players to Avoid

Some players reduce your edge significantly:

• Tight regulars: They only play strong hands, giving you few profitable spots
• Study-focused players: They're constantly improving and adapting
• Short-stackers: Their strategy limits your ability to extract value
• Nits: They only enter pots with premium holdings

Optimal Seat Selection

Once you've found a good table, choosing the right seat maximizes your advantage. Your seating position relative to different player types significantly impacts your win rate. This connects directly to positional concepts—you want to act after tough decisions and before predictable ones.

The Golden Rule of Seat Selection

Position aggressive players to your right and passive players to your left.

When aggressive players act before you, you gain valuable information before committing chips. When passive players act after you, they rarely put you in difficult spots with raises or re-raises. This arrangement maximizes your decision-making quality.

Practical Seat Selection Tips

• Request seat changes: Don't hesitate to ask for a seat change to improve your position
• Note empty seats: If a good seat opens, move quickly before others take it
• Consider the button: Observe which seats get the button position most often relative to weak players
• Watch for table changes: When key players leave, reassess your seat's value

Table Selection: Online vs Live

As detailed in our online vs live poker guide, the two environments require different approaches to table selection.

Live Poker Advantages

• More observable tells before sitting (walk around, watch)
• Recreational players easier to identify (appearance, behavior)
• Social dynamics visible (friends playing together, drinking)
• Can request table changes easily
• Time of day and day of week matter more (weekends softer)

Online Poker Advantages

• Lobby statistics provide objective data
• Can open multiple tables simultaneously
• Player tracking software identifies regulars
• Easy to leave and find new tables instantly
• Can note players for future sessions

Multi-Tabling Considerations

Online players often play multiple tables. This creates a trade-off: more tables mean more volume but less attention per table for optimal selection. Find your balance between quantity and quality. It's often better to play four soft tables than eight tough ones.

Knowing When to Leave or Change Tables

Part of good table selection is recognizing when your current game has become unprofitable. Never let ego or sunk cost fallacy keep you in a bad game.

Signs You Should Leave

• The fish have left and only regulars remain
• Your main source of profit has cashed out
• The game has become tight and boring
• You're being consistently outplayed
• You're tilting or playing sub-optimally (see tilt management)
• A better game is available elsewhere
• You've been playing too long and losing focus

The Session Mindset

Don't think in terms of "sessions"—think in terms of your overall poker career. According to research on poker psychology from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, players who view their results as one long continuous game make better decisions about when to play and when to quit.

If you're losing but the game is excellent, you should stay. If you're winning but the game has turned tough, you should leave. Your current results are less important than your expected future results.

Common Table Selection Mistakes

Advanced Table Selection Strategies

Building a Player Database

Serious players maintain notes on opponents. This helps you recognize profitable players in future sessions. Track:

• Player names (or usernames online)
• Playing style (loose/tight, passive/aggressive)
• Specific tendencies (always c-bets, folds to 3-bets)
• When they typically play
• How they react to different situations

Time-Based Selection

Game quality varies significantly by time and day:

• Weekend evenings: Typically the softest games (recreational players)
• Holiday periods: More tourists and casual players
• Late night: Tired, intoxicated players make mistakes
• Weekday mornings: Often tougher (mostly regulars)
• After major sporting events: Gamblers looking for action

Venue Selection

Different casinos and card rooms attract different players. Tourist destinations tend to have softer games than locals-focused rooms. Online, different sites and stake levels have varying player pools. Track which venues provide the best games for your style.

Using Variance to Your Advantage

As explained in our variance simulator, higher variance games can be more profitable despite being less consistent. Tables with loose, gambling players have higher variance but also higher EV. If your bankroll can handle the swings, don't avoid these games—embrace them.

Responsible Approach to Game Selection

While this guide focuses on finding profitable games, remember that poker should remain enjoyable. The National Council on Problem Gambling emphasizes that responsible gambling means playing within your means and recognizing when gambling stops being fun.

If you find yourself constantly hunting for soft games to recover losses, or if table selection becomes stressful rather than strategic, consider whether your approach to poker is healthy. Good table selection is a skill, but it shouldn't consume your enjoyment of the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

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