Table selection

1.Most important factor is to have recreational player on table. When you see only regular players then there is no point in playing - you will all end up losing.
2. You want to have position over recreational(one of two positions to his left). Keep in mind that position is very important in poker. Often its better to quit table when fish is directly to your left - you will get only scraps from his loses and that may not be enough to cover rake.
3. Always label players you meet. Is he reg? recreational? Or maybe huge whale?
4. Look for best tables all the time. Join waitlists and dont be afraid to quit table before BB if seat on table with whale you know is waiting.
5. Its very likely that player without full stack is recreational.

Thanks for the complex answer. I always try to sit at the table with the biggest avg pot. Is it a good strategy?

Its better than nothing - just pay atention and quickly leave table if you cant identify recreational player fast.

I will play a few orbits to evaluate the other players, since I don't know much about anyone when I first sit down.
I look for aggressiveness, positional awareness, and range selection.

Most of the games I play that aren't hold'em pretty much always have at least one other reg at the table -- but that usually isn't a big problem since they play predictably and (usually) sanely. If everyone is well-known to me then I just play an orbit or two then leave

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
positional awareness

How to recognize anyone is positional aware?

I look for them opening way too wide in early positions, or folding too much in Button.
Someone open folding in button more than about 40% of the time is essentially throwing money away.[1]

Same with defending the blinds -- when I first join a table, I play really tight for a couple of orbits, and pay close attention to the two on my left, and the two on my right and go from there.

[1] I'm not sure about the percentage -- I can't open Equilab right now 'cuz I'm playing on PokerStars

Table selection is the most important thing In online poker. There will always be games, in which you are the fish and others where you will be the shark.