Paul Wolfe
December 12, 2005 In the 18 months that I've been playing poker at Full Tilt Poker, the
one poker table 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 poker table, and E-dog is playing in the
$50-$100 Limit poker table game. Why don't you join them
at those poker tables?"
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 poker 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 poker table change list.
Other times, a seat change button is enough to make the
game palatable. On rare occasions, I simply leave the
poker table.
As I play, I take note of the loose poker players and
tight poker
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 poker 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 poker 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 poker 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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