If you've played any Texas hold'em poker, you are probably aware of the concept of table selection.  Simply put, table selection means choosing a table that gives you the best opportunity to win.  Typically this means finding a table full of people who play Texas hold'em poker worse than you do.  House rules might come into play a little bit in your table selection, but for regular poker the most important factor in table selection is going to be the quality of the other players.  If you find yourself at a poker table with Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and Jennifer Harmon, you have probably not done a very good job of table selection.  (If you are trying to win, anyways.)

Is table selection important for pai gow poker?  The short answer is "yes, but for different reasons." 

House rules on banking

The most important single thing to look for is the house (casino) rule for players becoming the banker.  Playing as the banker gives you an advantage over both the house and the other players at the table.  You want to play at a casino that allows you to be the banker as often as possible.  If the casino rules for banking will permit you to be the banker less than once every six hands, you should probably not bother trying to earn money at that casino.  You can always play for fun or other VIP perks, but as a straight up cash-generating game, less than one in six hands as banker reduces your advantage to nil.

Scoping the other players

After the house rule on banking you want to look at the other players at the table.  Are they shrewd players such as yourself, looking for any edge they can get to make some money, or are they tourists who want to socialize and be entertained?  You want tourists, and you want them because they will frequently pass on their opportunity to be the banker.  They may be intimidated by the prospect, or perhaps they don't want the added volatility to their vacation bankroll.  Whatever the reason, you want to play with people who will decline being the banker when it is offered.  This should give you a higher ratio of hands where you are the banker, which adds to your advantage.

You also want to play against players (and casino dealers) who make mistakes when setting their hands.  The power rankings in the hand setting strategy section are based on the presumption that your opponent is setting their hand correctly.  If you are setting your hand correctly, but your opponents are making mistakes, the power rankings of your hands increase relative to theirs. This is not as pronounced at pai gow poker as it is in Texas hold'em poker.  About 65% of the time players are dealt nothing (high card) or one pair, and nearly everyone plays those hands correctly.  You will find, however, that quite a lot of pai gow poker players make mistakes setting two pair and three of a kind hands, and that will add to your advantage when you are banking against them.

Be Affable

One final thought - be affable.  If you have found a good table full of tourists who pass on being banker and make mistakes setting their hands don't behave as if you're working them - even if you are!  They did not come to be worked, they came to have a good time.  Don't disappoint them.  Be the life of the party.  Give them tips on great places to eat, how to get faster drink service, where to see a show.  Compliment their winning hands.  Mention how your luck has never been sweeter when you are winning a bet.  Make them want to stay at the table and make bets when you are the banker.  You'll be glad you did.