"If you can't spot the sucker within the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker." - Amarillo Slim

When you first enter a poker room, online or offline, it can be intimidating. But having a general understanding of the best table to sit at will help ensure that you're not the sucker at your table.

The concept of table selection is simple: choose games where you have an edge. A good player looks for loose games with weak players and large pots.

When deciding what table to play, here are some of the things to check:

• In the lobby, check out different games and look for ones with high percentages of players who see the flop (or 4th card in 7-Card Stud). This means that the games are loose.
• Also check in the lobby for games with large average pot sizes - at least 5 times the big blind.
• Watch a few hands at a potential table without sitting in to see if there are weaker players than you. Leave your ego at the door or you will be leaving your bankroll at the table. Search for games with plenty of weaker players and try to sit to their left so that you have position on them.

As the players at the table change frequently, always keep an eye on the indicators to see if the table is still favorable. If not, leave and pick a new one. The idea is to increase your bankroll and you need a good table to ensure that happens.