TABLE CHANGING

In a perfect world I’d table change to tables where I can find a few villains with higher VPIPS

If I was comfortable with my game playing LAG then tables with weak players in CO/BTN/Blinds are my ideal fit that fold and only play the top of their range with 3!

I typically don’t table change for at least an hour +

at 10+ games it shouldn't matter that much, change when the table sucks or when you spot a really good one. Table changing matters more when there's only 2-4 tables available. But with 10+ games there's always a good rotation of players that come and go.

I really like sitting in either the 1 or the 8/9 seat. Since I usually play approximately four hours in a very large room with a lot of turnover--MGM Nat Harbor--I don't move out of either of those seats unless the game really sucks or I have a player to my left abusing me.

Walk around the room, figure out the best game, transfer to that game. If the game you’re seated at is particularly bad, transfer to any better table while trying to transfer to the best game.

Table selecting is probably half the game at low stakes

None of this. In a typical place with high rake and capped buyins you generally just want to be at the table that has the most money on it.

I don't have 10+ tables to choose from, usually two 1/3 tables and occaisionally a 2/5 game. Our room is also full of winning grinders (somehow they all live here I don't know why) compared to other casinos I've played in that are much softer. When 2/5 runs it often attracts a lot of the winning pros and semi-pros (we don't really have 'pros' per se but guys that play full time for a living but not sure how much of a living it is) - this makes the 1/3 games a lot better because the player pool gets weaker, and keeps me at 1/3. There's a rare occurrence where the 2/5 is also full of fish in which case I'll play that if I'm in the right mindset/mood (turned on, sharp, well rested, etc). Otherwise I play 1/3 (so most of the time).

Now within the 2-3 tables of 1/3 there will be several nits and 1-3 winning regs and my approach is basically one of "via negativa" or by subtraction - meaning instead of looking for juicy players to sit down with I look for players to avoid. Most of the nits are older and asian.

The other day I came in when it was quite busy, maybe 7 tables of 1/3 going and noticed that each table had precisely ONE winning reg and we were all kind of avoiding each other - I've realized we have this sort of unspoken code where we try not to tread on each other's game (but I might be overthinking it).

But basically this is my approach, there's also some juicy players, I know almost all the regs so when I walk in I immediately surveil the entire room just at a glance and whatever table they send me to I can just say "transfer to ___" and we have a list system (as opposed to getting a token thing at the table from the dealer).

I would estimate table changing to increase my winrate by at least 1 BB/hr.

Edit: also if there's no good games I'll leave and come back in a few hours, this happens once in awhile.

I'll table change when my game sucks and / or if I see a better game. There's a value in getting to know how your opponents play, but they're also getting to know how you play.

I'm more likely to stay at a table when I'm winning, less likely when I'm losing.

The room's rules regarding stack size when you table-change would play a part. I'd rather be able to sit down with a big stack when table-changing, but some rooms limit you to the max buy-in unless your last game broke, forcing you to rat-hole your profits from the game you left.

I don't mind being forced to rat-hole $100-$200 to table-change if I'm playing 1/3, but if I'm up more than a buy-in, I'll just stay where I'm at. Alert regs will notice if you're constantly taking profits off the table. That sort of reputation can affect how much action you get, and your win rate.

My room typically has 4 tables +/- running when I'm playing and most everyone in the room (including myself) is at least somewhat known. It is often very clear what table is the action table (with the better players lined up to get on to it), the OMC table, the under-the-radar table, etc. Sometimes all the tables are ~similar, although that can change in an instant if the right guy gets up and the right guy sits down.

I mostly change tables if it is obvious that I'm sitting at the worst table and conditions don't look to be changing any time soon. I keep a careful eye on who at my table has asked for a table change and may consider riding it out.

As a shortstacker who feels very out-of-my-element when playing deep versus dangerous opponents, a huge part of my decision comes down to my stack size. I have zero problems sitting on the crazy table when short, but as soon as my stack becomes deep I'll often look for a shorter stacked table or one with non-difficult deep stacks. This pretty much trumps all other considerations for me.

GcluelesstablechangingnoobG

I play low stakes in relatively small rooms. Therefore, I rarely change tables. There just aren't any whales that are going to stay in place long enough to get to the table to make it worthwhile. In addition, tight players almost never exist in low stakes. People are mostly willing to call a few bucks for a raise. The main circumstance to consider a move is if the table has a large number of players waiting to play at higher stakes. I've got a sense of whether the room manager is going to open a table or not. If they aren't, then I'd move.

If you build up enough of a roll to climb out of the lowest stakes, the floorman will often make this decision for you: there are must move games.

Often the must move will be much softer than the main, so just quit for a few hours when moved. If the opposite is true it's good to buy in for the minimum to limit your exposure, then add on when you're moved to the softer main game.

If there is a must move feeding multiple main games, usually only one will be good, and there will be a table change list. If this list is more than 2 people, you're usually better off quitting when moved to a bad main game.

I might be in the minority here, but the room I play in has 10+ 1/3 tables often (bellagio) and I don't table change:

- I eventually want to move up to 2/5 5/10 and need to be able to play against all type of players

- working on improving my game and exploit my opponents mistakes instead of just playing "solid" ABC poker so I need reads

- regs change tables when they see me and fish will often take their place (although a lot of bad regs are fish and I don't mind when they stay)

Sometimes I get a table with fish who will limp and fold to raises. Or sometimes a table with decent aggressive players. Then usually I have found table changing works well and you get a table that wants to gamble.