Part I one of this series said that most players won't use checklists because they think they don't need them. It also said that they would get better results if they accepted that their memories are fallible. If they used checklists, they would use more information to make their decisions. Part II provided a checklist for deciding whether, where, and when to play.
This article will provide and explain a checklist to help you to select the right game. The explanations will be brief because checklists are just reminders to do things that you already know should be done.
Many players don't think much (or at all) about game-selection. If a game has an open seat, they sit down, start playing, and may not even look around for a better game. Even if they think about this decision and consider other games, their analysis may be superficial. They base their choice on only one or two factors. If you use this checklist, you’ll consider more factors when choosing your better games.
Choosing a game without careful analysis is a huge mistake. Mason Malmuth said it best: "Once you reach a certain level of competence at poker, your most important decision by far is game selection."1
You don't have to sit down at a table to see what kind of game it is. You can get a fairly good idea by walking around and looking carefully at all the games you might want to join. This checklist can be used at any time, not just when you first arrive at a cardroom. For example, if your game isn't that good, get up, look at this checklist,2 and walk around. You may find a much better one.
Checklist: Evaluating Games Quickly
- Is there a waiting list?
- How many players are in the game?
- How much money is on the table?
- How many people are seeing the flop?
- How large are the pots?
- How does the players’ skill compare to yours?
- What are their styles?
- Are they drinking?
- Is anyone on tilt?
- Are they laughing?
- Rate the game from 1-9 (terrible to great)
- Why did you give it that rating?
- Should you request a table change?
- Why or why not?
- Should you go home?
1. Is There A Waiting List?
A waiting list suggests that it may be a good game. Of course, other people’s belief that it’s a good game doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you. Your criteria may be different.
2. How Many Players Are In The Game?
It's an easy question to answer: just look around the table. Unfortunately, unless the game is really shorthanded, many people don't carefully count the players. They are especially unlikely to count how many players have left or joined a game after they sat down.
You need to know how many players for two reasons. First, your strategy should change to fit the number of players. Second, some strategic adjustments may be so uncomfortable that you can't make them effectively. For example, if you're so risk-averse that you can't become much looser and more aggressive, don’t play in games with six or fewer players.
Conversely, if you’re loose and aggressive, shorthanded games are the right ones for you. They force the tighter, more passive players out of their comfort zone.
3. How Much Money Is On The Table?
Lots of chips suggest that it’s an action game and most players are committed to playing. The longer they play, the better a skilled player will do. However, big stacks can be intimidating in no-limit, especially when tricky, aggressive players have them.
4. How Many People Are Seeing the flop?
This information is so important that most online rooms automatically provide it. It’s a quick way to assess a game’s tightness. When you’re playing in B&M rooms, keep track during a few orbits to get a rough estimate. If the game gets substantially tighter or looser than you prefer, start looking around.
5. How Large Are The Pots?
Websites also provide this information, and it’s harder to get in live games than the number of players seeing the flop. If you watch only a few hands, random factors can unduly influence your conclusions.
6. How Does The Players ’ Skill Compare To Yours?
It's not how well you play that counts. It's how your skill compares to the other players’.
If you play better than they do, your expectation will be positive. If they play better than you, your results should not be as good in the long run. However, if there are just one or two very bad players in the game, especially if it is no-limit, it can still be a good spot even if there are also several people who play better than you. Also, keep in mind that many people overestimate their own skill and underestimate their opponents. Make sure you don't do it.
7. What Are Their Styles?
There are three stylistic dimensions, loose-tight, passive-aggressive, and straightforward-tricky. In general, it's harder to beat tight, aggressive, tricky players. So, to maximize your profits, choose games with loose, passive, straightforward players.
8. Are They Drinking?
Moderate drinking suggests that they’re relaxing and playing for fun. Heavy drinking is both good and bad news. The good news is that heavy drinkers usually play poorly. The bad news is that many drunks are extremely irritating. They slow the game down, can be obnoxious, and can drive other bad players away from the game.
9. Is Anyone On Tilt?
You can often see that someone is on tilt and throwing away money. These players are good-news/bad-news in the same general way as drunks. So relate this information to your motives. If you just care about profits, go after drunks and tilted players. If you want to relax and enjoy yourself, you should probably avoid them.
10. Are They Laughing?
Frequent laughter is a reliable indicator that they’re playing for fun. So the game should be softer. However, it may not move as quickly as you’d like.
11. Rate the Game from 1-9
If you have analyzed your past results, strengths, and weaknesses, you should know what kinds of games to seek and avoid.
Consider all the factors that are important to you and rate the game from 1 (terrible) to 9 (wonderful).
12. Why Did You Give It That Rating?
Explaining your rating will clarify both what kind of game it is and what you really want. If you can’t explain your rating, re-evaluate the game and/or your motives and selection criteria.
13. Should You Request A Table Change?
If your rating is 4 or less, you should usually request one. If it's 6 or more, you should usually stay where you are unless you can see a much better game. Of course, you can't tell whether there is a better game unless you look around the cardroom. If they are in okay or good games, most players don't bother. It's a mistake, but not a big one.
14. Why or Why Not?
As always, you should examine your thought processes. For example, if there are other games, and you rate yours as 4 or less, but don't want to change, something is wrong with your thinking. If you examine it, you may improve not just this decision, but your general decision-making ability.
15. Should you go home?
Countless players have played in bad games and regretted it. So continuously evaluate your game and your other options. If it looks like you won’t get into a good game tonight, go home.
