How to Find the Most Profitable Poker Table, Live or Online

Position, Comfort, and Visibility

One aspect that often goes overlooked is ensuring you have both comfort and a clear line of sight. If the dealer or a tall chip stack obstructs your view, or if you’re squeezed into a corner seat, you might miss subtle tells—such as a player’s sudden interest in the pot or their chip stack movements. Also, sitting to the left of the most aggressive or biggest-stacked player can be a huge advantage because you’ll see their actions before deciding what to do.

Comfort matters. If someone nearby is acting annoyingly, smoking (where allowed), or otherwise distracting you, your mental edge can slip away. Sometimes, it’s better to choose a slightly less “juicy” seat if it means you can focus without distractions.

Read: Poker Positions Explained

Playing Live Tournament

In the early stages of a live poker tournament, blinds remain low relative to your stack. This setup allows you to play more hands selectively and gather information on your opponents without committing too many chips. Analyzing other players’ tendencies—especially how often they limp or raise—can give you a clear advantage as blinds increase later. However, don’t let this “low-pressure” phase lull you into calling too loosely; each chip is still precious. A well-timed double-up here can set the foundation for a deep run, but a big misstep can seriously dent your stack early on.

Be observant of who’s willing to gamble right away and who is more cautious. Some players use small early pots to test their image and see how others react. You can do the same, but remain disciplined. Pinpointing an opponent’s over-aggressive style or tight-passive approach now can pay dividends when the blinds become more significant.

Adjusting to Different Skill Levels

Live tournaments bring together a wide mix of players, from recreational newcomers and satellite qualifiers to experienced pros. This variety is exciting but also requires adaptability. You might see someone with an unorthodox style making odd bets and calls; it could be a weaker player, or it could be a crafty pro mixing up their game. Rather than snap-judging, watch how they behave over multiple hands—do they show bluffs, do they fold under pressure, do they react quickly or with hesitation?

Meanwhile, plenty of recreational players feel intimidated by live conditions and become overly cautious. If you spot someone folding too often or never 3-betting, you can exploit them with well-timed raises and continuation bets. Conversely, if you’re seated with a few recognized pros, you might want to tighten up and pick your battles more carefully.

Staying Mentally Fresh

One distinctive feature of live tournaments is the scheduled breaks. Use this time to stretch, get some water or a light snack, and refocus. Live poker can be mentally draining, especially in larger tournaments where you might play for many hours. Quick mental resets help maintain your edge—if you’re tired or hungry, you might miss obvious tells or misjudge pot odds.

Pay attention to stack sizes if your opponents leave their chips on the table. You can also replay any big hands in your mind, noting which players showed aggression, who folded early, and who seemed to be on tilt.

Adapting to a Changing Table

Even if you find the perfect table initially, the dynamic might shift when certain players leave or new ones arrive. If you notice that the main “fish” (a weaker player with a lot of chips) has left and you’re now surrounded by tough regulars, it’s often wise to move on. Many players mistakenly decide to “stick it out” to recoup losses, but if the table has become unprofitable, you’re only making it harder to succeed.

Making Table Selection Part of Your Game Plan

Like other aspects of poker—bluffing, range analysis, and bankroll management—table selection should be a routine practice. It’s about more than just your cards; it’s about who you’re up against and how that table environment suits your style. Sometimes improving your profits is as simple as changing your seat or leaving a tight, disciplined table for one that’s more relaxed and action-heavy.

Flops = Limping = Fish

An average player that practices excellent game selection, only plays in games he’s a big favorite in, and leaves whenever the table gets bad will be significantly more profitable than a very good player that exercises zero game selection.

When you first fire up your poker client, look at the lobby. The best way to find good tables is to sort by viewed-flop percentage.

Generally, more players seeing the flop means more multi-way pots. This means more limping, which almost always means more fish.

What percentage makes for a good table is debatable and varies from site to site and from limit to limit. But a higher number usually means a better table.

Tracking Your Bankroll

While live tournaments require strong observational skills and the ability to adapt in real time, online poker demands thorough record-keeping to stay profitable. A simple but effective approach is to maintain an Excel spreadsheet (or use a similar tool) to track wins, losses, and any relevant notes about your sessions. Break it down by stakes, buy-ins, and game type (cash games, SNGs, or MTTs), along with comments on the quality of your table selection.

This data gives you invaluable insight into your profitability over time, helping you decide which stakes or game formats best suit your skill set. You can spot negative trends—like consistent losses at a certain stake—and make adjustments. More advanced options include specialized bankroll-tracking apps that integrate directly with poker clients or HUD (Heads-Up Display) software. Regardless of the method, the key is consistency. Regularly updating and reviewing your bankroll metrics keeps you grounded in the reality of your results and prevents emotional decision-making at the table.

Read: How to Track Your Poker Results Using a Poker Log Excel