Multi-Tabling

Multi-Tabling within the terminology of online poker is defined in the following way: The individual player is playing at more than one table (that is to say, he/she is playing more than one hand) simultaneously. This can be done either within one single poker room, or in various poker rooms. Multi-tabling has become increasingly popular amongst regular online players.

Over time, poker software has, generally speaking, undergone a development which has made it more suitable for multi-tabling. One might say that the function of multi-tabling has become an integrated part of most modern poker software products. Consequently, more and more poker rooms choose to give the players the opportunity of multi-tabling.

Playing at more than one table at a time (multi-tabling) online can have its advantages. The benefits will depend mostly on the individual player considering multi-tabling, along with some other factors that control the feasibility of doing so successfully. Ability, motivation, personality and stamina are just a few traits that will determine one’s candidacy for profitable multi-tabling.

Why Multi Tabling?

The main motive behind multi-tabling is to increase a player’s win rate per hour. If you are a consistent winner at the $100NL table, imagine how much more you could potentially win per hour by playing 2 tables at once instead of 1. How about opening up 3 or 4 tables at once? It all seems pretty simple, open up some more tables and you could be doubling, tripling or even quadrupling the amount you are currently winning per hour. However, there is one important factor that we have to take into consideration before assuming that things are this simple. We have to take into account that fact that our play will deteriorate for every extra table we sit down at.

Every time we multi-table we can assume that the amount we expect to win every hour from each individual table will decrease. This is because our attention is now going to be divided between two or more separate tables, whereas we would be able to focus all of our concentration on one table if we were not multi-tabling. It will be more difficult to pick up reads on players because we will normally be too busy making our plays on one table to analyse the plays of our opponents on another.

However, this is not necessarily such a bad thing, because there is still a good chance that we will be making more money overall. Say for example when we play $100NL one table at a time we win $8 per hour, and when we play two tables at a time we win $5 on each of the individual tables. Therefore overall we will be making $10 per hour multi-tabling instead of $8, which means an extra profit of $2 per hour.

The Basic

One of the most important things to consider when attempting to multi-table two, three or more games is the type of game you choose to play. Try to avoid mixing up different (yet similarly formatted) games among many tables to avoid unnecessary confusion. For instance, playing 7-Stud at two tables and Razz at two others can easily cause too many mistakes. It’s just too simple (especially while playing at such a quicker pace) to inadvertently fold a strong Stud holding because you erroneously thought it was one of the Razz tables suddenly calling for your attention.

Even Cash games vs. Tournament games deserve segregation during multi-tabling, as the style of play in each becomes increasingly different as the tournament enters its late stages while the ring game remains the same. In the cash game, you are consistently playing only premium hands, while the last few rounds of, say, a Sit and Go require much more aggression with a wider range of hands as the table gets short-handed and the blinds become more valuable. The same K9 you might normally push with in tournament play to steal the blinds could be folded by accident if you mistakenly think it’s the cash game that comes to the front of your screen asking for your decision.

There are also some logistic considerations to multi-tabling. The most obvious would be your actual computer hardware and set up. You will want to be sure you can clearly see each table without them overlapping (too much) and/or constantly appearing and disappearing as each requires your immediate attention. (The software of most sites offering the ability to multi-table will usually keep bringing to the front of your screen that table which most urgently needs your decision.) If you are going to be multi-tabling on a very regular basis, invest in a quality monitor capable of up to 1600x1200 resolution. At this setting, 4 typical online poker tables can be viewed without any overlap. If you aim to become one of the “extreme” multi-tablers, you will eventually be facing a “dual monitor” configuration.

Multi Tabling Strategy

The best strategy for multi-tabling is to play standard ABC poker, where you bet your strong hands and fold your weak hands. It is difficult to find enough time whilst playing multiple tables to be able to make any tricky or advanced plays. If you try too hard trying to analyse the styles of each of the players at the tables you will simply become too exhausted and your ability will deteriorate even further. Just think of your opponents as robots and play a solid style of poker against them. You are not going to be able to outsmart all of them all of the time, but if you play better than the majority of them every time you sit down at the table, then you will be a winner in the long run.

Consider your level of mental fatigue that comes along with adding extra games. More games means more decisions which will require more mental energy. If you’re the kind of player who can handle three games at a time for 4 hours a day, but adding that fourth game means after an hour and a half you’re ready to call it quits, you’ll almost certainly make more money in a less labor intensive way if you stick with three games.

On the forums, you usually see people referring to playing continuously or in sets. In continuous mode, you usually maintain a specific number of tables (say 6) all the time. So, if you bust in two of the tournaments, you immediately start two more to keep the number of running tables at 6. Some people prefer playing in sets, where you play a set (usually 8) games to completion, and then start another set.

There is always a debate on which strategy is best, but you should try both and see which one works for you. Do continuous mode if you are playing less than 6 tables, but play in a set, if you are 8-tabling, as it is quite draining to play 8 tables continuously. Playing in sets allows you to take a break after a set, and is easy on your brain.

Multi Tabling Tips

Don’t mix your games when multi-tabling - Keep it not only to the same type of game but the same blinds, the same limit structure (No Limit/Pot Limit/Fixed Limit etc.) and preferably the same site, you have already introduced an element of complication by choosing to play on several tables at once, do you really want to make it any more complicated, making a mistake because you get confused about which table is which or pressing the wrong button because you got confused between your sites are examples of easy but very likely to be costly mistakes to make.

High Resolution Monitor - Think about getting a high resolution screen which at a minimum supports 1600x1200 resolution, in fact if you are serious about poker like me you may even think about getting 2 monitors, these days most graphics cards are capable of supporting 1 analog and 1 digital monitor. I will give you a helpful tip as well buy the same type of monitors, my monitor is a DELL - Dell Ultrasharp 2001FP 20" performance LCD Flat Panel Monitor which supports 1600x1200 resolution. This allows display of up to 4 tables without any overlap from most poker sites. Check out the following example of playing 4 tables on party poker at same time with no overlap.

Turn chat off - Think about turning chat off, the less distraction to your play now the better. True you do pick up some information from chat but it’s minimal and is another variable.

Fully concentrate on poker - No looking at poker articles, internet chatting or heaven forbid porn! You have enough to concentrate on without Pamela Anderson adding to it.

Make use of poker software - Use some software such as the excellent popular pokertracker to monitor your online play, you can also get a free program GameTime+ which works in conjunction with pokertracker, this displays some info on your opposition such as their calling and raising percentages, this means that when you are involved in a hand with them you have some information about them that you may otherwise not have had because of your divided attention.

SNGs - Don’t start 2 sngs at the same time as near the latter stages of these you will be getting very busy and every decision becomes critical do you really don’t want to be faced with these kind of big decisions on 2 or more tables at the same time.

Burnout - Though poker can be a serious money earner, it is after all a hobby and should be enjoyable, if multi-tabling is stressful and just plain unenjoyable even if you can manage it then I would advise not doing it.

People’s ability to multi-table successfully differ - It also stands to reason that every successful player’s ability to multi-table successfully will differ, while some players can eventually successfully play 8 or more fixed limit games not everybody can manage this, you are going to have to do an honest assessment of how you are faring.

Evaluation - Multi-tabling is a great option for players looking to increase their win rate per hour or are looking to liven things up with their online poker. It takes no special skill, nor is it as difficult as you may think to play at more than one table at a time. It is recommended however that you ease yourself in by playing 2 tables at first, and then increase the number of tables as you become more comfortable with playing at numerous tables.