>[!abstract] >Table selection, generalized from poker to market competition, is the strategic choice of which competitive arena to enter, recognizing that outcomes depend not only on one's own skill but also on the relative strength and behavior of others at the "table". Just as skilled poker players maximize expected returns by playing against weaker opponents or favorable conditions, firms or individuals can improve performance by carefully choosing markets, segments, or contexts where their advantages are most leveraged. The concept emphasizes that competitive success is shaped as much by situational positioning as by intrinsic capability, making entry strategy and context awareness as critical as execution. >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): [[Competitive strategy]], [[Porter's Five Forces]] >- **West** (similar): [[Blue ocean strategy]] >- **East** (different): [[Red ocean competition]] >- **South** (downstream): [[Market entry decision]]