Re-assessing your table situation

Well, I was walking a girl home just now, so on the way back I needed to occupy my thoughts with something else than the freezing cold. I started thinking about poker, and I was thinking of this, so I decided I'd share it.

When im playing 6-max, im often listening to tunes, watching tv sometimes, talking on MSN inbetween hands. Im 4 tabling so im pretty much go-go-go.

Anyways I sometimes find myself playing at a 3 or 4 handed table, and I never realized that people had left. Im a tagg player, so this has a big effect on me. Instead of getting 4 off-blind hands (UTG, UTG+1,MP1,MP2), im only getting 1 or 2 hands off the blinds (UTG, UTG +1), and im paying for 2 blinds each orbit (obviously).

I'm thinking this must be really hurting me, as im not picking up as many hands for free, and im paying alot more in blinds than im supposed to.

So I have decided that every few minutes, ill make a conscieous effort to re-evaluate my table situation. If theres a couple empty seats, ill sit out on that table until its back to 5 or 6 (5 if its a soft table that im itching to jump back into, 6 if the table is proving a bit tougher but I think I'll be able to get alot of money off a certain player)

There are however situations in which im not sitting out 3 or 4 handed, maybe even HU.

If theres a really weak player, who I know I can stack fairly easily, I don't want to be sitting out, missing chances to hit this guy hard, in this spot you really want to stick it out, pay the blinds, and hope you get this guy. I think the -EV of the less free hands will be outweighed by the +EV of playing with an uberdonk.

If im at a table full of nits, the odds of them picking up a hand are less likely than a full 6max table. This might acutally work to my advantage, since I will be able to steal and steal and steal... and steal
and steal. (get the point?)

Anyways I was thinking this was worth discussion. I'm nice and warm now, so I can get back to my work.

Discuss!!

i realized, that watching tv, chatting or just not paying attention was a serious leak in my game. i moved up one limit to play 2 tables instead of 4 and tried to focus on really focussing on the table.

I love playing 3-4 handed just as much as 6 handed. My raising range is proabably around 35% when 3 handed and as long as you have an edge over your opponents and are not fold fold fold and only wait for hands you should do fine. In fact, just being shorthanded over bad opponents should give you even more of an edge.

PS - I've been listening to classical music while I play and I love it. I also do not turn on my tv nor do I chat on aim... too much of a distraction. Instead I'll take a break 2-3 hours in for like 30 mins then play again.

At UB this used to happen to me all the time but I never would leave the table except if it was against any one of maybe 2 or 3 players I didnt like to play against. I think a good player would have a higher winrate in these shorthanded game, you just have to make some adjustments.