Poker Face Table Size
Almost as important as selecting the most suitable online poker room, is the selection of the best poker table to play at. Once again the profitability of each table can vary massively, so is it just luck whether or not you pick the most profitable?
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Well no, there is a logic behind it and in this lesson we are going to look at how to select the most profitable cash game table from the lobby.
What are we Looking for?
We’re looking for the fish, plain and simple. We’re looking for any signs of bad players who play too many hands against the odds and chase, hoping to hit cards on the flop, turn or river to make their hand irrespective of how unlikely it is to happen.
Now in a live casino the only way to do this would be to stand and observe the tables and spot the one with the players who are chasing.
Luckily with online poker this guesswork and time consuming observation is taken away from us, as we are given table statistics in the lobby for each and every table, which is extremely helpful seeing as there can be hundreds of tables to choose from.
So How do we Choose the Most Profitable Table?
The first step is to ensure that you are looking at the right tables. In the first stage of this course and the Poker Bankroll Challenge you will be playing at the 5cent / 10cent stake level and throughout this course you will be focused on the No Limit Texas Holdem ring (cash) game tables.
So, from the lobby, make sure you are looking at the ring game tables, and click on the Holdem tab and select the No Limit button just underneath. The tables we are looking for are the 5c/10c tables with 9 players on a table. Throughout this course we will be playing on full tables of 9 or 10 player tables so you can ignore the short-handed (6 player) tables for now.
As you look at the tables available you will see a number of statistics here, lets have a quick look at what they mean:
- Players – The number of players sat at the table and the maximum players, eg: “7/9” = 7 players sat down with 2 spare seats.
- Stakes – The size of the small blind and big blind and subsequent bets, eg: “5c/10c” = small blind is 5 cents ($0.05) and the big blind is 10 cents ($0.10).
- Limit – The type of Poker Betting Limit of the game being played, either No Limit, Pot Limit or Limit (Fixed) – eg: “NL” = No Limit
- Type – Poker room specific which will show icons for the type of game it is, for example there might be an icon for webcam poker tables, usually there is a legend explaining the icons at the bottom of the lobby.
- Average Pot – Self explanatory, keeps track of all the winning pot values and provides an average pot size as a statistic for the table.
- Players / Flop – The average number of players who see the flop, ie: the players that are not folding before the flop and at least call the pre flop bet and see the cards on the flop, eg: “45%” = at a full 9 man table this would indicate that on average 4 players (9 x 45%) see each flop, meaning there is at least 4 big blinds in most pots.
- Hands / Hour – This is an indication of the speed of the table and displays the average number of hands that are dealt in each hour, the higher the number the faster the table is acting and getting through more hands per hour.
- Wait – If a table is full then you can sign up for the waiting list for that table, as a player leaves, that seat is offered to the next person on the waiting list. This statistic shows you how many people are currently on the Waiting List.
Players per Flop: The Fish-o-meter
The statistic we are interested in to start with is the % of players seeing the Flop, or the Players per Flop column. What this number is telling us is the average % of the players at the table who see each flop. This is our Fish-o-meter as the basic rule of thumb here is that the higher this number is, then the more fish (bad players) the table contains.
Why? Because as you have already learnt, fish chase bad cards, they play hands that they should just fold, and hence you get more players trying to play each flop without any kind of proper hand selection.
A table with a lower percentage would indicate better players, so if you saw a table with 5% then this table has a lot of better players, who play hands selectively before the flop and don’t play with hands they shouldn’t.
As you can see from the screenshot above, there is one table that stands out above the others in the list with a 45% players/flop statistic – this is a really really good table to sit down at, and I would be getting my name on that table’s waiting list as soon as possible.
What we are looking for is tables with a Plrs/Flop % higher than 20%. If you can get greater than 30% then that is even better. The higher the better and the more fishy table.
The screenshot above was taken at 888 Poker and as you can see there are lots of tables above 20% and some over 30%, culminating with that fish stinking 45% table. It’s a similar case at Bovada, and just goes to backup the results of our tests that there are lots of inexperienced players at these two sites where we can make profit.
A typical casino poker table has a length of between 92 and 104 inches (234 and 264 cm), a width of 44 inches (112 cm), and a height of 30 inches (76 cm). You can expect to also add 4 inches (10 cm) to the length and width for the outer “racetrack” railing. The weight commonly ranges from 170 to 200 pounds (77 to 91 kilos ) but can go up to as high as 350 pounds (159 kilos).
Outside of casino models, there is no official or standard sizing for poker tables as it all depends on who is making it and the shape of the table. In fact, there is pretty much a table out there to fit any space. From roll-up poker mats to octagon, round, and oval folding poker tables, with and without legs. And, of course, you have the high-end professional versions that are meant to simulate casino quality tables. Let’s take a look at the various types and shapes found in home poker tables, what they are made of, and how many people they typically seat.
Please note, dimensions will be listed in the following format in inches: Length x Width x Height (cm conversion)
Oval Poker Tables
Oval poker tables are the most common design and home models usually fold up for storage.
- Sizes
Permanent home versions are often 92x44x30 (234x112x76). Foldable models are usually about 84x42x30 (213x107x76) but can be as small as around 73 inches long and 32 inches wide. - Weight
54 to 85 pounds. - Materials
Tops are usually felt-covered wood, the railing vinyl, and the legs steel. Materials can vary based on the quality and price point. - Number Of Players
Most oval tables are designed to hold 9 or 10 players, however, some of the smaller models typically only hold 6 or 7 comfortably. To truly hold 9 or 10 players, 84-inch width and up is recommended.
Octagon Poker Tables
Octagonal tables have grown in popularity since most home poker games consist of 4-6 people. These tables are nice and compact and handle that number of people easily.
- Sizes
48x48x30 (122x122x76) for foldable models. Tabletop versions are usually the same size but occasionally are found a bit bigger, around 50 inches wide. - Weight
45 to 60 pounds with legs, 20-40 pounds for tabletop versions. - Materials
Folding octagonal tables are usually felt-covered wood, the railing plastic and occasionally vinyl, with the steel legs. Tabletop versions are often felt-covered plastic, with a plastic border or “railing”. Again, materials can vary based on the quality and price point. - Number Of Players
Most octagon-shaped table, like this one found on Amazon , are designed to hold up to 8 players. However, most versions will comfortably hold 5 or 6.
Round Poker Tables
Round poker tables are actually the least common design you will see and are typically only available in permanent options.
- Sizes
48 to 60 inches wide. Tabletop versions are hard to find but are about 48 inches wide. - Weight
Too rare to put a common weight. - Materials
Varies. - Number Of Players
There’s a reason round tables are out of vogue; they just don’t hold as many people as oval or octagonal models do. Most round poker tables hold 4 people, 5 if you squeeze in.
Square Poker Tables
Square tables are also rare and about 34 inches across. Since they only hold 4 people, most people opt for a different shape, or just use a square table from Walmart. Even so, if you only hold small games, they can be a decent option.. if you can find one. Tabletop versions that can be set on an existing dining room table do exist, however, my advice is to instead get a rectangular mat… covered in the next section.
What About Poker Mats?
Poker mats are an excellent option for the occasional impromptu card game. They are light and portable as is humanly possible, since they are made of either cloth or rubber, and typically come in a rectangular or oval shape. Poker mats, like this one found on Amazon, are usually about 72×36 (183×91).
Space Needed For A Poker Table
Ideally, you want at least 3 feet (1 meter) of clearance around a poker table to allow for adequate seating and movement around the room. If you have a small square poker room, I would suggest an octagon-shaped table, as these seem to fit best in small spaces while allowing for a maximum number of people to be seated. If your room is rectangular, any oval table like this nice Amazon model, that fits within the parameters of the space will do fine.
Important Tip: When choosing a poker table make sure that you look at the actual total dimensions of the table including any railings. Often, the sale listing of a poker table will only include the dimensions of the actual playing area of the table
What About Chairs?
Remember to always leave ample space and elbow room around your poker table for people to be able to get in and out of their chairs and maneuver their poker chips. I would recommend just getting folding chairs for your poker buddies unless you are playing at a dining room table that already has nice sturdy chairs. On that front, I suggest that you invest in some heavy-duty chairs that will hold players who might be on the heavy side. Here are some that should do the job nicely. They have a really high weight capacity.
Do Covering Types Affect Table Size?
All types of table coverings can be affixed to any table dimension. Even so, while covering types do not directly affect the space that a table will fit, you may want to consider using a faster cloth in more enclosed spaces. With standard cloth, the cards will not move across the surface and someone dealing at the end of the table in a recreational game will have a hard time sliding the cards all the way to the other end on slower cloth. There are two common options for poker table coverings, or felt; standard felt or speed cloth.
- Standard Felt
This is the standard choice for the most poker tables, especially lower-priced versions. The surface has a roughness to it and often it is challenging to get the cards to slide all the way out to where you want them while dealing. However, this is the least expensive surface and is fine for most players. Even so, some people like to upgrade to a “professional” surface, called speed cloth. - Speed Cloth
A lot of poker enthusiasts and professional poker players prefer the surface they play on to be a bit faster than standard felt. Therefore, they often want to play with speed cloth. Made of a more slippery type of polyester, you will have no issues getting cards to slide from one end of the table to the other end while dealing. However, players not used to a faster surface may grumble that the cards are sliding too fast, and sometimes flying off the table. The vast majority of poker tables do not come standard with speed cloth, as it is usually an upgrade only if one is willing to pay for the option.
A Brief History of Poker Table Sizes
Poker Face Table Sizes
The earliest card tables show up in the 1700s in response to the growing popularity of card games around Europe. In fact, it was common for people to buy card tables as fine furniture for their home, prominently displayed. Many versions even had a folding top, which allowed them to function as another piece of furniture when not in use. The wealthier classes paid exorbitant amounts for higher-end tables. Most of the designs were semicircular or oval and typically 36 inches in diameter.
Poker Face Table Size Calculator
For more about finding the right poker table, I also wrote a comprehensive poker table guide to help you in your search. Thanks for stopping by!