What Reasons Should Cause A Table Change?

[bagadonuts]

Everything you read, hear and common sense tells you to study your opponents style of play when you aren't playing a hand. Apparantly it's a common pasttime for many to surf the net, watch TV or just about anything else once you've folded. Just this morning I was listening to a podcast that I had downloaded I think from Rounder's Radio and the host of the show was interviewing a pro who's name escapes me right now. He went on about how invaluable information can be gleaned from each player at your table and how the edge from that information will pay off in a big way later on. Anyway that got me to wondering whether or not you think there's some point where your opponents, having done that very thing, know too much about your style of play. And if that's the case, is there a good time to move to a different table where the players don't have the advantage of knowing my style of play. I guess I'm also wondering if the "element of surprise" is worth the trade-off of moving to a table where you know nothing about your opponents. Is there a right answer on this one?
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Best Regards and Good Luck!...J.Bagadonuts

"Choose a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life" Confucius

[swimfreak26]

I feel like leaving a table should be the result of what you know about your opponents...and this is especially true online where you can easily switch tables at any time.

For example, if you're seated at a table with 5 players who are tight-aggressive, and solid players...it is time to leave. If you're sitting at a table with 5 loose-passive players, and you're making money, stick around. Making money is the ultimate goal, and should be the main determinate.

To your point though, about when people "know too much about me," this is something that you have control over. Your general play style may be defined by some of the players that you've been seated with for a while, but if you mix it up on occasion, your image can be changed without truly changing your style. This is a mark of a good player - keep others guessing while maintaining a winning strategy - and you have control over your image while at a table.

[AndyinSanDiego]

change gears, you're probably not playing high enough limits where it matters anyway.

[Fictive]

Like Andy said, you need to change gears. Play differently than you would normally play a certain hand, etc... One thing I personally don't like though is people changing their pre-flop bet sizes. Each to his own, of course, put I like to bet the exact the same amount pre-flop if I decide to enter the pot, no matter what cards I'm holding.

But what it all comes down to... If you are making money, stick around. If you aren't, change tables if you believe that's gonna help out. As an example, I play NL100, and there are a few players I've played thousands of hands together with, and I know they are very good players. If I can't sit to their left, I'll just choose another table, simply because these few players are very tough, and there are a whole lot of other players I can take money from. Of course, if the table seems like a fish tank apart from for example one player, you got to sit down because it's definetely EV+.