Table selection

Also: game selection, seat selection, bum hunting

Choosing to play in games where the opponents are weakest — and taking the seat to the left of the biggest fish. Table selection is one of the largest edges available and is why serious players are picky. Doing it aggressively online is called 'bum hunting'.

Example. Rather than sit with six regulars, she waited for the game with the two tourists in it.

Related terms

Full glossary

Whale

A very wealthy recreational player who plays huge stakes and loses large amounts without much concern. Whales …

Fish

A weak, usually recreational player who loses money over time. Not a term to use at the table; "recreational p…

Position

Where you sit relative to the dealer button, which decides when you act. Acting last ("in position") means you…

Alpha (bluff break-even)

The percentage of the time a bluff needs to work to break even: bet ÷ (bet + pot). It is the mirror image of m…

Balance

Having a mix of strong hands and bluffs in the same line so that an opponent cannot tell which one you hold an…

Bankroll management

The discipline of only playing stakes your bankroll can survive. Rules of thumb: 20–50 buy-ins for cash games,…

Blind steal

A late-position raise with a weak hand whose main purpose is to win the blinds and antes uncontested. Steals f…

Block bet

A small bet made out of position, often on the river, with a medium-strength hand to set a cheap price and dis…