By Tony
Guerrera
Suppose you’re the best shorthanded no-limit hold’em player in the world for online poker. You sit at a
$500-$1,000 blind shorthanded no-limit hold’em game with five other world-class
shorthanded no-limit hold’em players. Meanwhile, at the same time, there’s a
$100-$200 blind shorthanded no-limit hold’em game featuring three world-class
players and two relatively weak players. If your goal is to make the most money
per hour, which table would you prefer to site at?
Though the $100-$200 blind game is smaller, it may very well be the case that
your expected win rate at that game will be higher than your expected win rate
in the $500-$1,000 blind game. It only takes one or two relatively weak players
to affect your expected bottom line substantially – especially in a shorthanded
game, where fewer opponents can run interference. And remember that your hourly
win-rate is a function of both stakes and competition.
If table selection is important for world-class players, imagine how
important it is for you!
The Ideal Games
Many authors write about wanting to play in cash games that are loose and
passive. This basically means that people like to stay in hands, and that they
typically do so by calling. Another keyword I’d like to ascribe to these games
is straightforward. The most profitable games for you will be ones where your
opponents employ very little trickery. Against straightforward, passive
opponents, you can 1.) value bet your marginal hands to death 2.) know when your
good hands are beaten and 3.) pick up lots of free cards.
If you’re a tournament player, your goal should be to find tournaments with
overlays, good blind structures, favorable payout structures, and typically weak
fields. Play around at different venues to find the tournaments that are best
for you, and once you find those tournaments, play them religiously.
Discipline is Key
Sometimes you’ll be lucky and stumble upon a really good game. However, you
usually need to go out and find it. If you’re in a casino, walk around and
observe all the games before sitting. If there’s a board, and you have no choice
regarding where you first sit, request a table change if you’re seated at a
tough table. If you’re playing online, table hop until you find a game with the
playing conditions you’re looking for.
And regardless of how you’ve been doing at a table, don’t grow roots at your
table. Games change over time, so if a once easy game has become tough, change
tables. Be disciplined, keep your ego out of things, and you’ll be rewarded with
a rapidly growing bankroll.
About the Author:
Tony Guerrera is the author of Killer Poker By The Numbers and co-author of Killer Poker
Shorthanded (with John Vorhaus).
