Do You Have a Game Selection Plan?

For many poker players, time is so limited that once they have entered a cardroom, they jump into the first game they can. Depending on your reasons for playing poker, this could be a good idea or a bad one. With the huge growth of the game as of late, and new cardrooms popping up and existing ones scurrying to expand to keep up with the demand, there is another phenomenon that's part of the game. What is it? The list! Ah, yes, the dreaded list. So, instead of casually walking into the cardroom, checking things out, and getting into the game of your dreams, you rush from the car, knock over women and small children, and arrive out of breath in the poker room to claim the first unoccupied chair. It surely beats being 38th on a list, right? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? For me, a selective player, it is a good thing. I find myself playing against people who are not playing in games that are right for them, which can get to be expensive for them. Many don't care, as they just want the action. They are the players I want in my game. I heard a funny line from my friend and fellow poker player and writer Tommy Angelo. He said, "Game selection is easy and overrated. Game rejection is hard and underdone." I found that rather profound.

There are so many games out there now, each one being played at several limits, that it is easy to just grab a seat and play. But what happened to the days of yore when game selection was an art, when players surveyed the room, scouted and scoped, and looked for the "fish" and tourists. Now, getting into action seems to be everyone's first thought. Play now, think later. What that often translates into is play now, pay now! What I have done that has worked very well for me is learn several different games and be willing to play at several different limits. There is no shame in stepping down in limits, especially if that is where the good action is. I have learned which types of games are the best games for me. Those ramming, jamming games in which every hand is capped before anyone sees the flop are not the games for me. I don't have enough gamble in me. Many people do, however, and those games are ideal for them.

What I look for when choosing a game is one with lots of happy people. I don't like a game that's overly testosterone laden, and I don't like to play with bullies or nasty people. Mind you, I realize that women are guilty of those behaviors, as well. I like a game in which everyone has an ample supply of chips, at least a rack per player. I don't like playing against players who are playing short money. I want them committed to the game and not playing to survive. I want to be paid off on my good hands and I don't want them going all in to see free cards. I like a game that is a mix of solid players and live ones. When there are too many maniacs, I become the live one. I haven't the feel for those games. I like a game that is balanced, with maybe three or four live ones and the rest solid but predictable players. I never like to play with professionals. As a general rule, if I know everyone's name who is in the game, the game isn't the one for me. I also don't get a thrill out of playing with world-class players. Some people do, I don't. I want to play with no-names. I want to play with folks who are having fun and have cash to burn. That is my idea of nirvana!

If I select a game and the makeup of it changes, I will move along, as well. I will often put my name on a few different lists so that I'll have options. I am not suggesting that you put your name "across the board," as this is very disruptive to a cardroom and is poor etiquette, but I might put my name on both the hold'em and Omaha eight-or-better lists at a few limits while I see which game looks to be the best.

Change of topic: My dad, an avid poker player who plays in the Seattle area regularly, told me a funny story. A few issues ago, I wrote a column about the importance of paying attention when in a game. Recently, a man in the seat next to my dad was reading that column while he was playing. That struck me as funny. Hmm, read about paying attention in a game, and then don't pay attention. He had a losing session, by the way – the man, not my dad. Class dismissed.

Please contact me with your poker-related questions and comments. I will personally reply to each e-mail. For information on poker cruises, tournaments, and conferences, please visit www.cardplayercruises.com. Also, there is still time to book a room for the Oasis Open poker tournament in Mesquite, Nevada, Sept. 3-8. See the Oasis Hotel and Casino ad in this issue for details.