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No-Limit Texas Hold'em Cash Game Strategy | The trick to table selection

The trick to table selection

In the last two years, online games have become tougher. You cannot just get into a game and expect it to be good.

If you want the soft, 2025 style tables you have to select the type of game you want. Actually, game selection can be a very important skill in the life of a poker player.

To be a winner in poker, you do not have to be a pro on the table. You only need to be better than most of your competitors.

This is why game selection is very essential.

A normal player that practices good game selection, plays only in the games that he is a big fun of and leaves every time the table becomes unfavorable which is quite profitable than a good player who exercise no game selection.

What to look for

When you fire your poker client, look at the normally, a good way to get the best tables is to sort out by viewed percentage.

When players see the flop it means that more multi-way pots. This obviously means more limping which is also the same as more fish.

The total percentage that makes for the best table varies from one site to another. However, a number which is high normally means a much better table.

The viewed-flop percentage cannot be used independently. A lot of tables have got a false high viewed-flop percentage since they have lately been playing shorthanded.

You are in a position of telling if a table has been playing short by looking at the hands for each hour. Normally, an increased number of hands every hour means more chances that the table has to fill up.

A six-handed good game should not often be getting more than 100 hands for every hour. If you find a table with 50% viewed-flop percentage and 150 hands for every hour, you can then bet the table.

Color-code your fish

You can have the option to add the color-coded notes on sites like Full Tilt.

The best practice to get into is to tag the fish you get a specific color. This way, when you take a look at the lobby, and get to see the player names at the table you can be able to identify the tables with the fish on them.

Color code not only the fish but everything else: the bad regulars, and the regulars you fear also.

When you have put in a nice sample size of the hands you can now recognize the best tables and the worst ones by only looking at the lobby.

Begin your own tables

The only reliable way of getting the bet tables is to begin the tables yourself. Find an empty table and sit.

A lot of short-stacked fish will join you immediately and other players will be drawn by that fish and the game will begin.

You can also leap in with another regular starting the game. If you are good at playing the heads-up, then that is a very effective way of beginning the game.

Normally, you do not have to wait for the few hands before a fish comes in.

When two regulars begin the game, the third player to join is just like the fish and no regular wants to play in a game that has got two regulars.

Other tricks for recognizing the fish

Another different way of recognizing the fish in the lobby is to study the players that are not playing with a complete stack.

It does not necessarily mean the short stackers as there are a lot of short stackers that are not fish. Nonetheless, they mostly maximize their edge by having an allowable on the table.

Normally, a regular wants to have complete stacks on the table every single time so when he makes the big hand he can win the entire stack.

Therefore, he has an auto top up on. If for example he does not win the 20bb pot, the software tops up his stack up to 100bb and he has the maximum table.

A fish does not. A fish plays in any way he feels like. If he buys for 100bb and loses a pot, he normally doesn't top back up.

In simple terms he is excited to play with less than 100bbs since he does not have an edge to maximize.

When players with 88bb or 94bb are at the table, this means that they are like the fish with almost complete stacks. Fish with money normally means a good table.

It takes some effort 

When you are beginning your session, always look at the viewed-flop percentages. Do you have an idea what the names of the players from the lobby are? Are there fish playing?

If yes then get to it.

A lot of players waste their time learning the game and debating close choices, however they get into the game without thinking if they are good or not.

You can add your win rate if only you out more effort.

The last advice

A section of playing the good table means that you can also be aware of the tables that are not good.

It is not a big deal if you are stuck with only two buy-ins at the table. If the fish departs, and you only have five other regulars, you should stop playing at the table immediately.

Continue to re-analyze your tables. Leave the ones that are not good and find ones that are better.

A lot of people say that the games are tougher, but there is always a nice game going. All you have to do is add more effort to finding it.

The players that put more effort are the ones who are going to benefit.

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