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Lesson: 39
Know Your (Table) Limits
Paul Wolfe
December 12, 2005
In the 18 months that I've been playing poker at Full Tilt Poker,
the one question I am asked most often is a variation on the following:
"Hey Paul? What are you doing in this $10-$20 No-Limit game?
Ivey, J-dags, and Matusow are at the $25-$50 No-Limit table, and
E-dog is playing in the $50-$100 Limit game. Why don't you join
them?"
The first thing I do when I walk into a poker room is put my name
on the lists of games I'm interested in; the next thing I do is
have a good look at the particular games I've just signed up for.
More often than not, I'll sit at the first available table when
my name is called, but I immediately take stock of the game and
behave accordingly. Often times, everything is just fine, but sometimes
I'll ask to be added to the table change list. Other times, a seat
change button is enough to make the game palatable. On rare occasions,
I simply leave the table.
As I play, I take note of the loose players and tight players,
and then use that information to decide which seat will be most
profitable. Likewise, I keep a casual eye on the other games. If
I get called for a table change, I make sure the new game is the
more lucrative one; if it's not, I'll stay put and ask to be put
at the bottom of the transfer list. And while I have seen unbeatable
$3-$6 games and very soft $10-$20 games running side by side, it's
safe to assume that higher limits mean tougher games.
If you're playing to learn, nothing will challenge your poker skills
like being at a table with Howard Lederer and Phil Gordon. If you're
playing poker for entertainment and making money isn't your goal,
by all means choose your tables according to where you'll have the
most fun. But if your only goal is to make money, forget about everything
except picking the weakest game at a limit you can afford, even
if it's the $1-$2 game when you're itching to play $2-$4. In ring
game poker, it is better to play smaller at the table you're likely
to beat than it is to play bigger at a tougher table. You also need
to take your time about moving up a level. I have seen many $1-$2
players sustain steady win rates at those stakes for a month, then
disappear for weeks after taking a shot at the $2-$4 game.
Knowing where to play is as important as knowing how to play. If
you pay close attention to your game selection, you'll grow the
kind of bankroll that will allow you to have more games to choose
from.
Paul Wolfe
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