The Dynamics of Four-Tabling

As many of you know, I’m in the midst of transitioning from being one of the top LHE players on my cul-de-sac to a non-busto online NLHE.  In the process, I’ve focused on 6-max NLHE on PokerStars, playing $0.25/0.50 up to $1/2.  Some insight into a few of my recent sessions.

Four-tabling definitely detaches me from results much more than playing a single table.  I’ve run kings into aces five times in the last week, losing a buy-in on four of them and a very small pot to a shortie on the fifth.  Had I been playing only one table, I probably would have tilted my bankroll away.  I still don’t know that I’m good enough to sniff out the aces and lay down kings, probably feeling that this is really more of a tax or surcharge for playing online than anything.

Four-tabling is a tale of four cities, where each table is an independent game against often individual players.  Here is an example of four stories from recent sessions.

$0.50/1.00 NLHE 6-max, Wednesday

• Rosamund:  143 hands/-$45.70/22.38/9.79  I lost -$9.75 in one pot as the low and won +$6.00 in my big winner.  This was alot of folding and nothing, and I minimally defended my blinds.  A slow bleed of a table.
• Pepita:  98 hands/+$22.70/19.39/9.18  I won a couple small pots in the blinds with flopped junk, but again alot of small ball here and card dead.
• Euler:  124 hands/+$19.05/26.61/13.71  This was a bit more dynamic of a table.  I took a few moderate pots again from the blinds, but these I had to play a bit trickier.  I check/called a river with top pair when I’d bet the flop and turn on a board of 10d-5d-6c-9h-9s holding 10s-7s.  The river bet of $13 into a $21 pot by the button was a fairly quick call by me, and he turned over Kh-8h.
• Nunki:  93 hands/+$161.20/19.35/4.30  This hand was an action table with a guy chatting me up throughout.  I had two big hands where I blew out the chatter (50.0/15.56).  Here’s how the table looked to start
  • 1s aschenputtel ($100)
  • 2s csquard ($100)
  • 4s FGators26 ($94)
  • 5s Marcin7878 ($210)
  • 6s Keldon Glenn ($226.60)

I folded around for three orbits, taking one small pot with A-10.  A strange hand between aschenputtel and Keldon (the chatter) definitely got my attention.  aschenputtel raised to $4, and Keldon called with 4d-4s.  aschenputtel bet $6 into the 3h-6h-Js flop, and Keldon check/called.  10s brought another check/call of a $14 bet by aschenputtel.  Jc on the river brought two checks, and aschenputtel mucked his Ac-Qs.

I defended my sb with pocket 9′s but folded to Keldon on the ace-high flop.  An orbit later I did the same with pocket 7′s., this time calling his raise to $3 along with new player/shortie BustinKings.  The flop came 9h-10c-7h, and I check/called Keldon’s $4 continuation bet.  Qd on the turn led me to check, see Keldon’s $9, and raise it up to $26, which he called.  I shoved my $65.85 when 4h came on the river, and he mucked then started chatting.  Keldon “good bet;” me “obviously not” Keldon “you either missed your str8t or hit your flush; I think I had you but I can wait” me “might be a long wait” Keldon “if you keep missing then no”

I definitely liked all that, and the above chat went through five hands.  On the six, I picked up Ah-As in the sb as he typed “pretty bad board for KK no matter what though.”  He limped from the CO, then aschenputtel made it $5 from the button.  I smooth-called as  did Keldon, and the flop came Kd-10h-6s.  I bet $8, and both guys called.  6c was golden for me, and so I checked it.  Keldon bet $24, and the button folded to me.  I moved all-in for $117.85, and I’m sure this was a mistake as he folded after almost timing out.  I thought all the chatter would make this an easy call for him, and he said he laid down K-10 putting me on a 6.  I find that hard to believe that he laid that down, but it’s possible.  He chatted away again, and I shifted in my chair a bit.

• 1s aschenputtel ($100)
• 2s csquard ($175.85)
• 3s BustinKings ($56.35)
• 4s FGators26 ($83.50)
• 5s GroaninCall ($48.00)
• 6s Keldon Glenn ($162.25)

I checked and noted that this was Keldon’s only table.  I’m not sure how I interpreted that, but I did keep it in mind.  FGators26 and BustinKings left with ALBI64 buying in for $30.45 in the 4s.  The new shortie picked up aces in the bb on the first hand, re-raised Keldon with it, then got minimum value from it when he checked the flop, bet $1 on the turn, and $7 on the river (which Keldon folded) on a Ad-4s-Js-Jc-6c board.  An orbit later, Keldon took all of ALB’s $56 with jacks on a 10-high board (which ALB hit).  He reloaded for another $20 at our table, sitting nicely among my $175.85, Keldon’s $192.75, aschenputtel’s $93, and GroaningCall’s $57.30.

I lost $11 when I raised Keldon’s bb with Ad-7d (cb the flop then checked behind on the turn and river) on a board of 9c-3s-8c-5d-8h.  He turned over 8d-7c.  aschenputtel was replaced by EnkiEa, who bought in for $100.  EnkiEa lost half that to ALBI64 when he caught a set of 6′s on the river that four players had checked down, but it made a flush for ALB.  He topped off then picked up $29 with Ah-Jh and flopping an ace.  I took a small pot calling with K-Qo from the sb then betting at the queen-high diamond flop.  After doubling up a new shortie who had aces against my A-Ko, the table looked like this:

• 1s EnkiEa ($137)
• 2s csquard ($128.85)
• 3s aka.Random1 ($47.10)
• 4s ALBI64 ($111.30)
• 5s GroaningCall ($54.65)
• 6s Keldon Glenn ($154.65)

The table didn’t look too promising, but truly Keldon kept me focused on this table.  aka doubled through ALB with As-Qs vs 10′s, then this hand came up.  I think I have to pop this on the button, but obviously in retrospect I would have wanted everyone along for the ride.

POKERSTARS GAME #11631407299:  HOLD’EM NO LIMIT ($0.50/$1.00) – 2007/08/22 – 15:11:13 (ET)
Table ‘Nunki IV’ 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: EnkiEa ($133.50 in chips)
Seat 2: csquard ($132.50 in chips)
Seat 3: aka.Random1 ($87.20 in chips)
Seat 4: ALBI64 ($62.05 in chips)
Seat 5: GroaningCall ($53.15 in chips)
Seat 6: Keldon Glenn ($160.20 in chips)
Keldon Glenn: posts small blind $0.50
EnkiEa: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to csquard [Qc Qs]
csquard: calls $1
aka.Random1: raises $2 to $3
ALBI64: raises $2 to $5
GroaningCall: calls $5
Keldon Glenn: calls $4.50
EnkiEa: folds
csquard: raises $22 to $27
aka.Random1: folds
ALBI64: folds
GroaningCall: calls $22
Keldon Glenn: folds
*** FLOP *** [4h 5s Qh]
csquard: checks
GroaningCall: checks
*** TURN *** [4h 5s Qh] [Ad]
csquard: bets $26.15
GroaningCall: calls $26.15 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [4h 5s Qh Ad] [Qd]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
csquard: shows [Qc Qs] (four of a kind, Queens)
GroaningCall: mucks hand
csquard collected $117.30 from pot

I flopped a low straight on the next hand with 10s-9h vs Keldon to pick up another $17, which he paid off with K-9 on the king-high board.  ALB busted GroaningCall by raising on the button with 8-3o, shoving on the 9-8-5 flop and picking up a 3 on the turn (GroaningCall’s name was telling as he called the shove with As-Qh).  GroaningCall came back with $50, flopped top two pair with Ac-Kc but got rivered by aka with Jd-10c.  I lost $11 with Qd-Js when I flopped an open-ended straight draw and hung around to the end vs ALB.  This hand got Keldon chatty again.

POKERSTARS GAME #11631551854:  HOLD’EM NO LIMIT ($0.50/$1.00) – 2007/08/22 – 15:19:30 (ET)
Table ‘Nunki IV’ 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: EnkiEa ($130 in chips)
Seat 2: csquard ($207.90 in chips)
Seat 3: Jonny_Moxon ($19 in chips)
Seat 4: ALBI64 ($192.20 in chips)
Seat 6: Keldon Glenn ($109.10 in chips)
Jonny_Moxon: posts small blind $0.50
ALBI64: posts big blind $1
KersalMass: sits out
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to csquard [Ad Td]
Keldon Glenn: calls $1
EnkiEa: folds
csquard: raises $3.25 to $4.25
Jonny_Moxon: folds
ALBI64: raises $3.75 to $8
Keldon Glenn: calls $7
csquard: calls $3.75
*** FLOP *** [8h Qd 9h]
ALBI64: bets $1
Keldon Glenn: calls $1
csquard: calls $1
*** TURN *** [8h Qd 9h] [9d]
ALBI64: bets $1
Keldon Glenn: raises $3 to $4
csquard: calls $4
ALBI64: calls $3
*** RIVER *** [8h Qd 9h 9d] [7d]
ALBI64: bets $1
Keldon Glenn: calls $1
csquard: raises $25 to $26
ALBI64: folds
Keldon Glenn: calls $25
*** SHOW DOWN ***
csquard: shows [Ad Td] (a flush, Ace high)
Keldon Glenn: mucks hand
csquard collected $90.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $92.50 | Rake $2
Board [8h Qd 9h 9d 7d]
Seat 1: EnkiEa folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 2: csquard (button) showed [Ad Td] and won ($90.50) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 3: Jonny_Moxon (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: ALBI64 (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 6: Keldon Glenn mucked [Jd Qh]

Looking at these four tables, it is not an unusual situation to see; i.e., two tables making up for one small loser, hitting a bigger win with the fourth.  Same thing happened with a later session:  +$52.30, -$34.75, -$8.00, +$100.15.  I also three-tabled where I had three different stakes at the same time ($0.25/0.50, $0.50/1.00, $1/2).  Respectively, I was up $31.80, $204.30, and $89.55 over a little more than 100 hands.   I won several pots at the middle table, including this one:

POKERSTARS GAME #11617718263:  HOLD’EM NO LIMIT ($0.50/$1.00) – 2007/08/21 – 19:44:44 (ET)
Table ‘Syrma’ 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: 8ivyleague8 ($100 in chips)
Seat 2: piratepeaty ($134.10 in chips)
Seat 3: donkstar ($103.40 in chips)
Seat 4: Bacon Mmmm ($98.70 in chips)
Seat 5: SporkSamurai ($40 in chips)
Seat 6: csquard ($93.65 in chips)
donkstar: posts small blind $0.50
Bacon Mmmm: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to csquard [6c 6s]
SporkSamurai: raises $3 to $4
csquard: calls $4
8ivyleague8: folds
piratepeaty: calls $4
donkstar: calls $3.50
Bacon Mmmm: calls $3
*** FLOP *** [Tc 5d 6h]
donkstar: checks
Bacon Mmmm: checks
SporkSamurai: checks
csquard: checks
piratepeaty: bets $13
donkstar: folds
Bacon Mmmm: folds
SporkSamurai: folds
csquard: raises $76.65 to $89.65 and is all-in
piratepeaty: calls $76.65
*** TURN *** [Tc 5d 6h] [5s]
*** RIVER *** [Tc 5d 6h 5s] [3h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
csquard: shows [6c 6s] (a full house, Sixes full of Fives)
piratepeaty: mucks hand
csquard collected $196.30 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $199.30 | Rake $3
Board [Tc 5d 6h 5s 3h]
Seat 1: 8ivyleague8 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 2: piratepeaty (button) mucked [Td Ad]
Seat 3: donkstar (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: Bacon Mmmm (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 5: SporkSamurai folded on the Flop
Seat 6: csquard showed [6c 6s] and won ($196.30) with a full house, Sixes full of Fives

This was the better hand though.

POKERSTARS GAME #11617715041:  HOLD’EM NO LIMIT ($1/$2) – 2007/08/21 – 19:44:33 (ET)
Table ‘Isonoe’ 6-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: bmxreed36 ($234.55 in chips)
Seat 2: Marccus85 ($228.75 in chips)
Seat 3: DollaTyme ($198.85 in chips)
Seat 4: Yormaz ($74.10 in chips)
Seat 5: HaySam ($51.80 in chips)
Seat 6: csquard ($236.70 in chips)
DollaTyme: posts small blind $1
Yormaz: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to csquard [6d 6c]
HaySam: folds
csquard: raises $7.25 to $9.25
bmxreed36: calls $9.25
Marccus85: folds
DollaTyme: calls $8.25
Yormaz: folds
*** FLOP *** [Ks 2d 5c]
DollaTyme: checks
csquard: bets $21.50
bmxreed36: folds
DollaTyme: raises $28.50 to $50
csquard: calls $28.50
*** TURN *** [Ks 2d 5c] [Qs]
DollaTyme: checks
csquard: bets $105
DollaTyme: folds
csquard collected $126.75 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $129.75 | Rake $3
Board [Ks 2d 5c Qs]
Seat 1: bmxreed36 folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Marccus85 (button) folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 3: DollaTyme (small blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 4: Yormaz (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: HaySam folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 6: csquard collected ($126.75)

I’m now 1,305 FPP’s away from being PlatinumStar VIP for August on PokerStars.  I’m still very patient with the stakes, having no huge interest in four-tabling above $1/2 NLHE.  I don’t think it has affected me much when I’ve four-tabled $2/4, but I’m staying steady for now.  I actually change stakes more on how I’m physically and mentally feeling than anything.  I may be weird in that regard.

I’ve had some interest in doing videos of sessions, and I’m checking into it.  I’ll keep you posted.  Sweetie has a babysitter to spend the night tomorrow, so we’re going to sneak away somewhere for a private evening to celebrate our upcoming 16th Anniversary.  Possibly Ritz-Carlton or The Westin (which is closer), not sure which.  Thanks, and again let me know thoughts as well as interest in these types of posts.