Anyone using the "Game time" feature on Poker Tracker to select tables?
 

Sorry about all the poker tracker posts, but it's on the brain.

How many of you are using the "game time" feature to select tables?

Lately, I'll pull up 3 tables, import their hands as an observer (which I think may only be available on Party), and plug the players into the game time window.

For those who don't know, the game time window displays all of the statistics in real time (basically) of the players at the table.

So, after about 45 minutes to an hour, I'll look at the three and then pick 2 to play at judged on profitability.

I've been doing that for a week, but I haven't had a losing session yet while doing it. I like it. Anything to get any edge. Anyone else?

This is a great, great idea. I do use the PT Game Time window sometimes when I play, but I've never thought to use it to help with game selection. I usually just fire up three of the tables with the highest average pots, figuring that's where the loosest players are. I wish Party would show each table's FS% like Stars does, but they don't...

How do you import Hands as an observer?

And once you have your data, (exactly) how do you decide which two tables to play on?

Last question: Is there anything preventing you from watching 10 tables as an observer and picking which to play from those? Figure the bigger your sample, the better your eventual game selection will be.

Depending on what your poker goals are, this could be a fantastic idea for increasing your BB/hr rate.

I have mixed feelings on PT and GT+. I think they can be great tools and in the long run are worth far more than their costs.

However, if you rely on it too much, it can become a crutch and erode your own table reading skills for when you truly need them.

Just some thoughts, I'm not here to criticize those who chose to use it.

Okay, to do this, you need to go to the auto-import feature and set it up to import hands. The second screen, which has the "status window" for the automatic imports has a button that says configure to import observed hands. Hit that button and common sense takes you from there.

Deciding which tables to play on isn't an exact science by any means. I look at the VP$IP #s and look for the loosest table. Also, looking for calling stations who are going to showdown a lot and winning under 50% of those.

Just an overall idea of how the table is playing. Usually, what happens, is I eliminate one table where 8 out of 10 players are seeing the flop 18% of the time or less.

I use 3 tables because I'm on dial up and I don't like to stress the hamsters, but I see no reason why this wouldn't work.

Tip: Once you sit down, if you're still using the GT window (which I do), make sure you disable the importing of observed hands. It fucks shit up.

Not Sure..
 

Isnt 45 minutes: A) Way to long to wait, and B) Long enough that the context of the table has probably changed? I like the concept, but in 45 minutes of playing with me most tables have lost all there money and have broken up. heh.

I'm usually doing this "data mining" while I am smoking my shtuff and scanning this website. Yes, the people at the tables change, but if you're observing the tables, you're still getting data from the new person that comes in. So, you just plug their name in really quick and the table data is updated. It's still numbers you wouldn't have otherwise. Also, if you play alot, you may already have data on some of the players from past sessions.

You don't have to wait 45 minutes, and I don't everytime.

People may argue and say, "well, I hope you are basing your strategy/image of me on 45 hands cause that's just not a significant sample size" or whatever. Yeah, it's not a huge sample size, but for me, it works. I have a small edge that I didn't have without this device. I'm disciplined enough that I'm going to take whatever info I can get, even if it's not perfect.

It's worth it to me.

Well, with PT, you're not just looking at the table averages over x amount of time... you're actually looking at the exact numbers of the players who are on the table right then.