Multi-Tabling: Should I Do It?
The stakes have to drop down, but I’ve had a couple of four-table experiments on PokerStars and FullTilt.
I understand this isn’t exactly a revolutionary departure for most of you, the concept of multi-tabling. My sessions have been spent four-tabling SNG’s (where my finishes were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) followed by some NLHE sessions yesterday at low stakes ($25max or $50max).
My play is generally looser than many people to be sure, and yesterday’s session had me at 19-27% VP$IP. Here are a few observations from my limited four-tabling:
- I play poker It is very difficult to multi-task while four-tabling. Practically, I cut my surfing and work down by probably >90% as I can’t do anything much without the tables pinging at me.
- I absorb more information I don’t pay as much attention as I should during play, but I seemed to start making reads that should benefit me. I got away from TPTK with AK on a not scary board, which is a pretty big accomplishment.
- I see more hands This is obvious, but the impact of seeing more hands means that I should have an equal mix of making hands, missing draws, being gifted chips by some donk, and having horrific suckouts. There is a conditioning that takes place as I reload that I need. The punch to the gut I get in getting more chips in NLHE is something I need to get over, and multi-tabling definitely helps this alot.
- I don’t dump it all at once Risk mitigation as I reduce my buy-in and spread the wealth.
I understand that there isn’t anything revolutionary in any of this, but it may be a nice step forward for me in strengthening my NLHE play. The SNG was pretty interesting, although I have to have plenty of time to dedicate to playing until the end. I had a big chip lead in one, got short stacked early in another, the whole gamut. Players have really tightened up in them though, so they aren’t the quick runs that they used to be.
Congratulations to lucko for taking down his Main Event seat this weekend.  Read more about his $650 tourney, the aftermath, and see his email from PokerStars. Very, very nice. I’ll be interested to see how Lucko does in earlier events, and I know it was killing him to fold his way to his seat!
I’m starting to get pretty busy as my new business development work is gaining some traction. There hopefully will be a couple China trips sandwiched around the World Series, as well as potentially a couple other opportunities. These things aren’t done deals until their signed, invoiced, and paid, but it’s a nice start.
If I don’t donk off my bankroll today, I’d really like to hit the Mook tonight. It’s turned into the monster blogger tourney of the week. Make your way over tonight if you can.
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May 2nd, 2007 at 10:08 am
Multi tabling is great if your trying to make consistant money and raise your hourly rate. Though without rakeback I would say dont do it because your losing so much money. But it will improve your game no doubt about that
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:58 pm
After saying for months not to do it, I’ve found great success playing three $25 NL tables every night for an hour and a half. The reasons you list are good ones, but I also think the three-tabling keeps me patient and prevents me from doing too much fancy play syndrome. I have bluffed more but still kept the pots small when I do.