\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}[htpb]
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{l|rc}
1st row, column 1    & 1st row, column 2    & 1st row, column 3\\
second row, column 1 & second row, column 2 & second row, column 3\\
third row, column 1  & third row, column 2  & third row, column 3
\end{tabular}
\caption{A simple table, with caption after table}
\end{center}
\end{table}

\begin{table}
\begin{center}
\caption{A simple table, with caption before table}
\begin{tabular}{lrc}
\multicolumn{2}{c}{1st row, column 1,2}  & 1st row, column 3\\
second row, column 1 & second row, column 2 & second row, column 3\\
third row, column 1  & third row, column 2  & third row, column 3\\
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{table}

\end{document}
