How Table Selection in Texas Hold'em can Affect Your Chances of Winning
There are several aspects you should consider when you choose poker tables. One of them is the skill level of the opponents you are playing against. Ideally, your opponents should be of the same skill level as yourself. In case you get a seat at a table where players are more skilled, it is best to leave the game. Most online poker rooms allow you to do this. This makes table selection easy when you play poker on the internet.
Online poker rooms typically feature a large number of tables. Details about these tables are provided in the poker lobby. Some of the details you will have access to are the number of players at a table, pot size, stakes and limits. Sites also show how many players on average reach each flop. Based on this information, you can decide which table to play at.
Pot Size on Average
The average pot size at a poker table will indicate how much money the players are wagering in a game. High pot size averages indicate that the amount of money you will most likely make if you play a good hand will be big. So, it is important to play at tables where the pot size averages are high.
Number of Players Per Flop (Average)
The number of players (average) who make it to the flop at a table shows whether the game-play is tight, loose or average. In case the average is high, it is possible that the starting hand requirements of the players at a table are low. These players generally play hands that are weak and strong. If you come across a poker table where the average number of players at each flop is high, opt to play at it. Such tables are very good options for players who follow a tight playing style. This is because these players use only strong hands, which have a good chance of beating opponents' hands that most likely will not be as good.
Tables with a low average of poker players who see the flop are not good options. At these tables, players tend to play only the best hands, so they fold pre-flop if they are not sure they can win. This is a tight playing style, which shows that players who make it post flop are those with hands that are quite strong. Winning against these strong hands can be quite challenging. Loose players can play these tables. A loose player will most likely proceed in the game even if he has a weak hand, but his opponents will fold if they don't have the best. If all opponents fold and the loose player stays in the game, he will get the chance to win a small, but unchallenged pot.
Select Time of Play Carefully
The time of play at a table can affect your chances of winning in poker. Some of the best times to play poker are when the number of sharks at a table is small. Sharks are players who are very skilled and playing against them can reduce your chances of winning. Most sharks play poker online to make money. They generally play between 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays. Avoid playing at during these hours. The ideal time for playing poker is when the fish or inexperienced players are at a table. These players play when there are few skilled players at a table. Generally, this is after 6pm on weekdays.
Use Provision to Search for Weak Players
A few online poker rooms allow you to search for other players. In case the site you play at offers this provision, you should use it. If, in previous games, you have come across players who are not skilled, note their names. Then, using the search feature, you can look for these players. Once you find a table at which one of the weak players is seated, opt-in to play there. This way, you can be sure that you are playing against at least one weak player.