~ P O K E R A R T I C L E S ~
Finding Your Best Seat in the House
So you've decided to take the plunge and join the online poker community. You've picked out a trustworthy host, downloaded the software, and took a small chunk out of your retirement fund to make that first deposit. So what's the next step? Okay, you might want to ensure your job security before dipping into that retirement fund again, but I'm talking about after that. Chances are, no matter which online poker room you log into, you're going to be presented with a wide selection of game types, limits, and structures, No Limit Texas Hold'em being the current worldwide favorite (thanks ESPN). For the sake of reality, I'm going to assume that Texas Hold'em is your main interest, though the topics I will address apply to most other poker games as well. Just don't blame me when you can't find a 5-card draw pot-limit tournament.
So let's assume that you're clicking around the online lobby looking to put your Hold'em skills to the test and sporting a $100 bankroll. How do you find the best seat in the house, keeping in mind your personal playing style and interests? There are many aspects that come into play when choosing a game, just as there are many things to consider in every poker hand. But just as in individual poker hands, there are going to be a variety of ways to play, and hopefully profit from, online poker. Sitting down at the right table is just as important as folding 2-7 offsuit under the gun.
Know Your Limits
The best way to protect your bankroll, besides abstaining from the poker tables altogether, is to play within limits that will ensure its existence for days to come, even with the unlikeliest runs of bad luck. Complicating this aspect of poker theory are the varying limit structures that are offered: fixed limit, pot limit, and last but not least, no limit. With a bankroll of $100, you would be looking for fixed limit ring tables where the big bet, when multiplied by approximately 300, is roughly equal to or less than the money you have to spare. In this case a $.10/.25 table would be a very safe bet, and would allow you to handle the ups and downs of the regularly wild low-limit tables. A $.25/.50 table, or slightly higher, could surely be playable, but one long cold streak and you may be looking to redeposit. Also note that the table descriptions often list the small bet and big bet amounts, not the small blind and big blind. For example a $1/2 Texas Hold'em fixed limit table would have blinds of $.50 and $1, and the minimum bet on the turn and river would be $2.
Pot limit and no limit tables on the other hand, often list the small blind and big blind amounts, or ignore them altogether and only list the maximum buy-in. Many profitable players specifically swear by no limit tables, claiming that limit tables are either too loose or too tight to consistently win at. But while playing no limit may be the quickest way to turn that $100 into $200, it's also the easiest way to lose it all. To handle the tilt-inducing swings that come with no limit, and to a lesser extent, pot limit poker, you may want to have a significant amount of buy-ins handy, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 20 is usually suggested. This would put you at tables with a $5 to $10 buy-in where the blinds would likely be nickels and dimes. Keeping the majority of your bankroll out of play is key here, but playing the correct limit amounts is still important. Bringing $5 to a $25 buy-in game will practically secure your loss of that money, as everyone at the table and their grandmothers will have you covered. Buy-in with the right amount and at the right limit, and your bankroll will be much safer. Just remember that no-limit games aren't for everyone, though they may look fun on TV.
Step Outside the Ring
Of course ring tables aren't the only places you can pull up a chair and test your knowledge of limit structures, which I imagine by now has immensely expanded. Maybe a little? Either way, if you're looking to escape the ups, downs, ins, and outs of ring games, why not look over the fine menu of poker tournaments and see if you can order up a few fish. Tournaments also come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including all the limit structures you should now be fairly familiar with. The two main categories though, are sit n' go's (SNG's) and multi-table tournaments (MTT's). SNG's generally have seats for anywhere between 2 players to 2 full tables, and begin once all seats have been filled. Instead of plopping your own money down at the table, you pay a certain amount that goes to the prize pool, plus an additional entry fee, the tournament equivalent of a rake. However, once you pay to get in, the chips are yours to use as you wish, and as such you'll need to incorporate new strategies that aren't quite as useful at ring tables.
MTT's run along the same lines, though are generally much larger and hence feature much larger prize pools. Also, often available are re-buys and add-ons, which allow re-entries and additional chips to those who aren't having the best of luck, but still have money to spare. Both SNG's and MTT's offer new ways of playing poker, which can also be a good alternative for those that hesitate with their actual dollars and cents on the table. However, it is still important to keep the bankroll in perspective and not get out of hand. For example you may not want to dump $25 of your hypothetical $100 into a MTT with over 500 entrants, even though the first place prize would allow you to jump from the $.10/.25 to the $10/25 fixed limit tables. Choose tournament buy-ins carefully, just in case you don't hit the jackpot the first few times.
Mix it Up
If you've tried all the ring tables, sit n' go's, and multi-table tournaments, but still haven't found that perfect place to let your money ride, don't feel that you have to constrain yourself in the world of Texas Hold'em. Though it may be harder to find a good selection of Omaha high/low and 7-card stud tables or tournaments, they do exist, and taking the time to add them to your repertoire will surely enhance your overall poker wisdom. Not only that but they can even be a bit more enjoyable for some people. Heck, you get more than two cards! You might even get all 4 aces in an Omaha hand! Oh wait... you can only use two... stupid rockets. It's needless to say though, that limiting yourself to only one type of poker game will become a bit tedious, even with steady profits. Finding the best combination of poker games while ensuring the well being of your total bankroll could quite possibly be the most rewarding way to play poker, profiting in both wealth and happiness.
Best of luck at whichever tables you may choose.
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