Good morning, class! Ready for your first lesson? We sure hope so, because itís an important one. In Lesson 1 weíll look at a crucial poker concept, one of those strategic moves that many people forget to consider: game and seat selection. Letís get started.

When entering a poker room, game and seat selection should be at the top of your priority list. When you select a game, go to where youíve got a handicap. In other words, if youíre ranked #8 on the worldís list of best poker players, itís not a good idea to sit at a table with players #1 through #7. Then again, if youíre ranked #8 in the world, you probably donít need poker lessons, do you?

Simply said, if youíre after some money, go sit at a table with inferior competition. Sometimes that includes going to where the limits are lower. Trust us, youíll be happy you sat at a table of fish when the betting has finished. Even if it takes longer, even if itís boring, you simply stand a better chance of making money when you play with others who are worse than you. Although itís sometimes tempting to try your luck at a tough, high-limit table, itís not usually a guaranteed payoff. Itís often the opposite.

Once youíve chosen your game and table, youíll have to choose a seat at that table that earns you the most value for your money. How? Well, since poker is played in a clockwise direction, the money usually flows the same way. Therefore, try to identify players with big bankrolls and loose attitudes. (Youíll get better at this in time.) Once youíve identified the high rollers, try to sit to their immediate left. That way, most of the betting and raising will be completed by the time the action reaches you. Sneaky, yesóbut necessary for survival when youíre just starting out.

Good luck and have fun.