Multi-tabling on-line and putting players into boxes

The following is an excerpt from Dave's article on CanadianPoker.com
Online I play more than one game at a time. My usual setup is two full-table ring games and two short-handed ring games. The short handed games play about 120 hands per hour. Now, instead of playing a speedy 60 hands per hour, I am playing 360 hands per hour.

Dave (and all you mutli-tablers out there),
Do you have such mad skills that you can quickly put 30 players into boxes right away and still have a profitable night playing high limits? Are you just seeing the same people night after night? Or is everyone playing these higher-limit tables also mutli-table speed junkies which balences out the attention each is paying to a particular table?

I have tried playing two tables at a time on-line and have found it very hard to keep clear in my head how people are playing and what the table's personality is. Whatever I am up on the one I am usually down on the other. When I focus on only one table I usually start to get very good reads on the ranges of hands people play and the overall feel of the table. How do you extend that skill to multiple tables at once? I have been using notes to tag each player based on how they are currenlty playing, but not watching every hand I tend to make little mistakes that I should have normally caught. Adivce?

Comments

  • Pokertracker
  • Multi-tabling is based around using a route stradgey (in general) to beat the game you are playing. No matter what the limit is you find players (both winning and losing) that are basically grinding it out. They give up EV in regards to picking up reads based on the fact that they gain EV by playing more tables at once.

    The most I've heard of is player on PokerStars named Gank (Brent Jungblunt (?)) playing something like 27 plus sit'n'goes at once. It is quite common though to see players playing 8 - 12 tables at once.

    Myself I only play 2- 4 at most because I'm too cheap to invest in those nice Dell 21" monitors that fit four windows with no overlap.
  • 19" 1600x1200 fits 4 perfectly.
  • Hmmm, thinking about going home and playing with my settings.
  • I'm glad you said "settings".

    A tip: Before going out and buying a 19" LCD monitor, make sure the maximum resolution is 1600x1200 (if that's the resolution you actually want of course). Some 19" LCD monitors are 1280x1024 max.

    Also, where do these heavy multi-tablers get all of their boxes? I mean, when you have so many huge screen LCD moniotrs, it can start getting difficult to literally put your online opponents into a box.

    ScottyZ
  • All my boxes come from the Liquor store. :D

    Playing with your 'settings' may help prevent tilt but you also need the right video card too. Get one that supports two monitors for future 'expansion' and your 'settings' will be displayed in stereo. :wav:
  • 3 words...

    dual monitor setup
  • Even if you've got a projector set up I doubt you can actually pay attention to all the games at once (I'd have a headache pretty quick). I use GameTime+/Pokertracker because frankly, I'm lazy. I'd say within a few orbits you can make a generalized approach of how tight/loose, passive/aggressive they are.
  • When playing four, I totally ignore the two full ring games and play a simple basic strategy.

    In the other two short handed games I key on one or two dominant players and ignore the rest.

    This is EXACLTY why I am not a good online player. I do not have the patience to play one table and box up the opposition. So, I play 4 and get my adrenaline fix.
  • You could of at least lied and said "I'm just that damn good!". I think the bounty in the team canuck tournaments has impeded your bluffing ability on the forum too :D

    Thanks for the honest answer Dave.
  • The highest limit I play is $1/2 limit. When I 4 table I usually will drop down a level or two. I hate playing and not earning 'some' money. So if I am in a tourney that I am concentrating on I might add an AP freeroll and a .25/.50 or a even a couple of .10/.20. As Dave says, the players are so bad, you just have to apply basic strategy and you make money.

    When I move to $2/4 I will play just the one table for awhile until I get used to it then I will probably go with 2 tables, maybe a $.50/1.00 on the side and then gradually work my way back up to 4 tables, build the bankroll and then start all over again on $3/6
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