Mastering Online Poker Multi-Tabling

One step at a time. Jumping from single tabling to six tabling is a sure way to give yourself a headache. Start out with two tables running at once. Notice how much less time you have to notice player tendencies, betting patterns, and to make difficult decisions. With every new table, your focus will quickly drop. Every player has a comfort level of tables that they can run without it severely degrading their abilities at the table. Some sites have better multi-tabling features than other - for our money, Party Poker is one of the best sites for playing several tables. Try to run a small set of 2-4 tables at first, watching to see how well you’re able to handle the multiple tables. Anything more than four tables is going to really start putting a major strain on your game, until you come to a point that you aren’t playing poker; you’re frantically button clicking and trying to chase away wild beeps before you begin sitting out of every table you have pulled up.

Advantages of multi-tabling. Multi-tabling allows you to get quicker results than you would by just playing a single tournament. It also allows you to play a big block of tournaments with smaller buy-ins, instead of one tournament with a big buy-in; your entire buy-in goes a lot further when played in five $10 tournaments than one $50 tournament, and the chance of making a deep run in a weaker field, smaller buy-in tournament is much greater in the long run.

Tips and tricks. When you do multi table, it helps to play the same type of game on all of the tables you’re in. Trying to play 8-game, NLHE, and PLO is a good way of confusing you in the middle of an important hand. Stick with similar games and similar structures. Also, be aware that 4-Max and 6-Max tables are going to be much more time consuming than full ring games. I can’t recommend multi tabling heads up tables until you’ve done a significant amount of play with multi tabling prior to your heads up play. Remember; four tabling heads up tables means completely constant action; your focus will be completely worthless at the rate you’ll be making decisions.

Other factors. Be sure, if you’re multi tabling tournaments, that you try to space out the endpoints of the tournaments as much as possible, if you can. The last thing you want to happen is reach three final tables at once, and suddenly be making end game decisions one right after the other. Do your multi tabling in “blocks” of tournaments, picking a few from certain starting points or fields and “loading up” when you bust out of a few tournaments. That way, you not only avoid the stigma of busting out of 6-10 tournaments all at once, and blowing your day in one shot, but you keep control of your load of poker going on at once, keeping your profitability and focus levels high.