{"id":2541694,"date":"2025-04-17T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/?p=2541694"},"modified":"2026-05-02T01:53:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T01:53:37","slug":"game-selection-in-poker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/game-selection-in-poker\/","title":{"rendered":"Game Selection in Poker: Find the Most Profitable Game"},"content":{"rendered":"\"tournament<\/a>\n\n\n\n

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Game selection in poker is the process of choosing which table, game, or stakes gives you the highest expected profit based on the opponents present rather than habit, ego, or proximity to an open seat. It is one of the most impactful decisions you make in any session. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have seen this pattern at every level I have played and coached: technically solid players sitting in the wrong games and earning far less than their skill should produce. Where you sit is often more important than how you play once you are seated.<\/p>\n\n\n

\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\tTLDR:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Game selection is about finding the most profitable table, not the most exciting one. High-action games are not always the best games. Loose-passive tables where you are the only for-profit player often produce more consistent profits with less variance. Check the room regularly. Move if a better game opens up.<\/span><\/div>

1. Prioritize Game Selection<\/strong>
The most crucial decision in a poker session is choosing the right game or table. This choice significantly impacts your potential profitability, often more than in-game tactics.
2. Seek Profitable Tables<\/strong>
Ideal games feature players who are loose and passive, creating opportunities for consistent gains. While high-action tables with aggressive players might seem enticing, they often come with increased variance and tougher competition.
3. Avoid Ego-Driven Decisions<\/strong>
Don’t let pride dictate your game choice. Opting for a lower-stakes game with more favorable conditions can be more profitable than challenging higher-stakes games filled with skilled opponents.
4. Regularly Reassess Your Table<\/strong>
Continuously evaluate the game’s dynamics. If the table becomes less favorable, be prepared to change tables or adjust your strategy accordingly.
5. Understand Your Edge<\/strong>
Recognize that your profit comes from the skill gap between you and your opponents. Selecting games where this gap is widest enhances your earning potential.

By focusing on strategic game selection, you position yourself for consistent success in poker.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t

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  1. Your Most Important Decision is Where To Sit<\/a>
  2. What to Look For When Choosing a Poker Game<\/a>
  3. Why High-Action Games Are Not Always the Most Profitable<\/a>
  4. Why Loose-Passive Tables Beat High-Action Games for Profit<\/a>
  5. \u201cYour Game\u201d Is The Best Game In The Room<\/a>
  6. Online Poker Game Selection: What Changes<\/a>
  7. Summing Up The Search<\/a>
  8. Frequently Asked Questions About Game Selection in Poker<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n

    Your Most Important Decision is Where To Sit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In my experience, the players most resistant to thinking about game selection are the ones who already consider themselves good. They assume their skill edge is large enough that it does not matter who they sit with. That assumption costs them a significant amount of money over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It perplexes me that of the effectively infinite amount of poker training material that exists on the Internet, almost none of it talks about game selection. I guess game selection is not as interesting a topic as check\/raise bluffing, or the latest Truth revealed by the solvers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Poker<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, depending on the market you play in, your game choice may be as narrow as a hot dog stand menu (with, or without chili?) or as broad as a Cheesecake Factory menu. But in all but the tiniest of markets, you have at least some choice \u2013 if not venue, then at least which stakes and table you choose within a room. If you play online, depending on your tolerance for gray (or deep gray) markets, you have at least half a dozen online sites to choose from, and then all the stakes and tables within those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019ve been banging on this drum for years now. In fact, I called poor game selection in poker one of 3 big mistakes low stakes players make<\/a>. That article was over a year ago, so I\u2019m delighted to revisit this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What to Look For When Choosing a Poker Game<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The most profitable game is not the wildest game. A table that looks chaotic can drain your bankroll faster than a table of straightforward loose-passive players where you are the only person playing for profit. I target loose-passive games whenever I have a choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The traditional wisdom about game selection in poker, reaching back to O.G. Mike Caro in the 1980\u2019s, is that you\u2019re looking for a happy, gambly table, with jokes being traded, people laughing and having a good time. For extra credit, plenty of alcohol flowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is definitely a true statement, but it\u2019s more nuanced than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For instance, suppose you see a nine-handed $2\/3 NLH game in which one player is straddling every hand (because the room has a Mississippi poker straddle<\/a> policy). When the action gets to that player, they shove all-in without looking at their cards. If they lose, they rebuy for the table max of $300. Otherwise, they let their winnings pile up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is this a good game? Yes, definitely \u2013 the other eight players are certainly +EV in this situation. However, it\u2019s not going to be easy to realize all that EV. Suppose there are three limps in front of that player, who then shoves $300 without looking. You find pocket 8\u2019s in your hand. Is 88 ahead of the maniac\u2019s random hand? Yes, 70%-30%, a fine gamble if ever there was one. But what if one of the limpers knew what was likely to happen, and quietly flat-called the $6 straddle with QQ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Furthermore, while 70-30 is a great gamble, it\u2019s nothing like a guarantee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why High-Action Games Are Not Always the Most Profitable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Players are drawn to action because action feels like opportunity. What they often miss is the variance that comes with it. Art Papazyan’s story in this section is not unusual. I have coached players who ran badly for weeks because they kept choosing high-variance games instead of softer, steadier ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My experience in playing live poker is that most people, even the \u201cfor-profit\u201d players, tend to gravitate toward games such as the above, where there\u2019s crazy action. They\u2019re looking for pots with 200-300 big blinds in them. Blind raises, multiple straddles, and people playing their hand after looking at only one card. In short: tomfoolery, shenanigans, mischief, and monkey business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Certainly such games can be very profitable, but that profit is often buried in a snake\u2019s nest of variance. Consider the following tweet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    I showed up at the great commerce casino last night for a chill 20\/40 NL game.

    Before calling it a night, a very loud and obnoxious player sat down and claimed he would shove blind preflop.

    He made good on his statement.

    More below<\/p>— Art Papazyan (@ArtPapazyan)     August 26, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>