Multi tabling
Hi everyone, i'd like to your thoughts on multi-tabling. How many tables should be your starting point ? AND......... what are your thoughts on tactics ? Premium hands only. Positional hands only ? Im new to this forum and looking forward to your comments.
Comments
I did a little online multi table experiment myself, I didnt put 100% effort into it, and my outcome may be a little biased because i came out a loser. Either way, what it all seems to boil down to figuring out your objective and then game and table selection.
At first I decided that I wanted to experiment playing strictly the odds, only calling when I was getting the best of it post flop, meaning mostly draws. I was playing anything twogapper suited, any connectors and any Ax Kx suited. I found this only works in really small limit games, because your opponents have to be playing extremely loose. The amount of money that you give up by folding hands that could win with just top pair is too great to be playing in any meanigful game. If you dont mind making 3$ and hour by playing 9 tables at a time, give this a shot.
Then I tried playing position tactics, and this becomes difficult when multi tabling because this strategy is very dependent on knowing your opponents. Your not going to blow a maniac off a hand even if you have the puck on him all day, and accordingly your not going to get enough good hands in position to isolate the maniac unless your playing in a big and/or tough game, and again I wouldnt want to multi table those kind of games. This experiment cost me a pretty penny.
Premium hands is probably the most profitable way to multitable, although even in a decent sized game its hard to grind out any significant money even when playing 3-4 tables at a time. This is because of reverse implied odds. Its so hard to figure out where your at when your playing premium hands only and the flop comes down all paint cards. Your edge is so small, that anything your gaining you will be giving up by not being able to play position and knowing your opponents. I THINK one could break about even or on the plus side playing this way at 4 tables, but my personal result came out negative.
I would suggest 3 tables max to start. If you find you cant focus on your opponents, or tilt easy then drop down to two tables. Nobody can really answer this question for you, its a matter of preference and ability. The better your focus, the more tables you can play.
Hope this helps.
Your first mistake.
This is a bad strategy regardless of the limits you play. This is how my dad plays and I tell him to stop playing this every time I ship him money on Full Tilt.
Playing a positionally aware game is something you should be doing regardless. Sure it helps to have info on your opponents, but that's what PokerTracker is for. If you're multitabling, you are not going to know if the guy to your left is a nit or a calling station. Having their statistics in front of you at all times will allow you to pay less attention.
If you are always stacking off with your primium hands regardless of board texture or your opponents plays then you certainly are giving your opponents the implied odds play small pocket pairs against you.
Limiting your range to premium hands is just making you easier to play against and you're giving up equity in way to many spots.
- Start with 2 tables for awhile, then go to 3, 4 etc. Some people have to stop there, others can keep going for more. You might be a winner playing 3 tables but a small loser playing 5 (because you're attention is so divided).
- Make sure you're a winning player. If you're not then multi-tabling will just make you lose $ faster. Yeah, it's important enough to write again.
If you're already a winning FL player and want some tips on playing more tables. Play 4-6 and have them tiled on your screen so you can see all players actions always.
If your winning at the same rate try 8 tables, but instead of having them tile on your screen, cascade them. They will overlap each other, however, they will pop up as you have to act. This works best on Stars. The software on Full Tilt is a bit more picky but it's doable.
Multi tabling is great if you are able to react quickly with out it effecting your decision. If done effectively, it can really boost your bankroll and actually lowers your variance.
That's one good reason to multi-table. I find I pay a lot more attention when I'm 3 tabling than only one.
If you want to get better as a player, I recommend not going over 4 tables. Obviously more is possible, but you'll be stuck playing a very tight style which will not do as well once you get to higher stakes. Oh, I play 6max only (you should too if you can), full ring I can see playing a few more eventually.
What level are you playing right now, anyway? And what is your current bankroll, if you don't mind my asking?
If you're good at 6max, stick with 6max. With a 2k roll, you should stay at $2/4 or below. Probably 1/2 until you're comfortable multitabling, anyway.
The object of multitabling is to play more hands. You'll play more hands in 6max, and your 'leak' of wanting too much action becomes a positive, if you can control it just a bit. By contrast, being too loose is much worse in a full ring game. Plus, the most of the fish play 6max.:)
When your guaranteed a minumum of 8-1 to one every flop, with no more than 3 folders by the river you would have to play those cards..(two gappers suited, any connectors or Ax Kx suited) because your implied odds would be so great that taking the 8-1 chance of hitting even JUST the flush DRAW on the flop is well worth the price. Not to mention making acesup or kings up, big trips,full house,nut gut straight draws. If your not drawing to the nuts or second nuts on the flop. Muck. Effective odds are way too good to pass up.
However, your only ever going to get these kind of odds is in 2 cent 4 cent limit. Even when you make the nut flush with 4 on board, you still get paid. but moving up to 5 cent 10 cent will bust you if you follow this advice..
I tested it at 2/4 cents , 3$ an hour after 60 hours. 7 tables average, swinging to 9 max brings you to about 420+ hours. I think this is good enough info for a mathematical expectation estimation.
0.4$/table/hour or 10BBs/hr/table
I mentioned that as well. I dont suggest playing in the ways that I did, I was just sharing some experience.
This makes up 30% of the possible starting hands (including pocket pair and not including A8o+ and KTo) which is too many hands to be playing at micro stakes even if you have a LAG style. I think that's why you're still playing penny games, because you're playing too many hands. Suited Kx? Come on.
I don't believe the OP was asking for help on poker strategy, but was looking for actual tips for multitabling.
He just has to apply his current strategy if it's already working.
By playing more tables, you'll usually be more patient and wait for better hands. The real key is to be able to look at a table for less than 5 seconds and know what your action will be, based on your hand, position, opponents stack and statistics. The fact that it's Limit, makes your decisions easier because you don't have to worry about bet sizing.
Sorry to harp on you Hooks, but I don't like seeing bad advise.
Again, no need to adjust your strategy, play the same game you normally play and avoid marginal situations.
Are we talking about NL or LHE right now? Because 30% is fine for LHE, but i wouldn't use that particular 30% necessarily.
I wasnt advising him to play that way, in fact i was being quiet sarcastic when I said "If you want to make 3$/hr while playing 9 tables at a time"... Who the heck wants to do that ? lol. Its not worth the stress of listening to the beeps alone.
I was just sharing my multi table experience.
And as far as the "still playing penny games" low blow goes... lol. I dont even play online. I figure somewhere around 10% of my poker winnings comes from being able to exploit physical tells. Im a 5-10 player, and Im averaging 14-16$/hr for the last 4 months give or take up to a 300 loss in any given 6 hour or less sesson.
Sorry, had to get that out of the way. My precious little ego was crushed. I feel like a man again. haha.