Lobby and Table Selection

When you activate the poker site, the first place you go is to the site lobby. Just like a land based casino, the lobby will give you a fairly decent view of what is available to you. Usually a listing of games based on type, Hold’em , Omaha, Stud, Tournaments ect… Take a good look at the lobby and see what is there. A menu of items such as forums, help, support, cashier, and site services will also be located here. When ever you have a question or concern, this is the first place to go. If the site has it, it should be listed here if not anywhere else.

Most have sub-lobbies as well, that will separate the games into the type of poker being played, and tournament lobbies for regular events, WSOP satellites, freerolls, sit and go’s and rounders. Browse through all of these to get a feel for the site. Think of it as doing a walk through of a casino to see where the action is. It will be important for you to know where to go to get into the type of game you want to play whether it is a Fun Money game or Cash game. You can see what is available to you and if you have any questions you can always go back to the main lobby and find a section in the menu that will explain it. All sites have sections that explain game rules and how to play. If you are even the slightest bit unsure, read this section before you put chips on the table. This is a common mistake made by new players. For instance, if you do not fully understand the rules of Omaha, don’t play with your own money until you do. No matter if it is a different version on poker, hi/lo, limits no limit, or any type of variation, you do not want to lose because you didn’t know. There is not a lot of mercy at a poker table and at low stake tables and ones marked as “beginner tables” there will usually be some shark swimming around waiting to take advantage of you. Use all of the information the lobby provides, that’s what it is there for and if you have questions, there is a help section and support section to look at or contact.

Tournament lobbies mostly show times for registration, start times, number of registered players, max number of players that can register, and so forth. Read this information before making a decision about joining the tournament. While almost all will allow you to unregister if you chose to do so at least 5 minutes prior to start, your money can get tied up waiting to be transferred back to your account. Also, some tournaments, especially freerolls, fill up fast, as in a few minutes of registration opening.

Table lobbies again list the type of game and stakes, number of players and waiting lists if the table is full. Most however, list other information you need to be familiar with. The number of hands played per hour, average pot size, and viewed flop percentage are common listing in this sub-lobby. This information can be used to give you a rough idea of how tight or loses a table is being played as well as the speed the players seated are playing. These are important aspects of the game. Learn what information the lobby is offering and how to use it to best help you chose the right table.

Sit and Go Tournament sub-lobbies are also found. If you are unfamiliar to these types of tournaments, read up on them in the main lobby’s information section. They vary not only in size and buy-in but in speed. Turbo games are not the same as others just as no limit tables are different than fixed and pot limit. Sit and Go Tournaments are a great place to learn tourney skills but if you are unsure of the tournament rules and structure, it can be a disaster.
Make the lobby your break area. Read through all the information provided, ask questions and most importantly learn your way around the site through it. The lobby is your doorway to the site so learn it and keep you watching it for updates and changes. It is the lobby where news and changes are posted. Anything related to the site can be found or linked from the lobby.