Multi-Table Poker Strategy
written by BeatTheFish.com
...Fishy says, "I like to set up
two computers and control a mouse with each fin."
While cardroom
poker still holds that physical tells thing over us, one of the best
features of online poker is the ability to play at multiple tables
simultaneously. I find that dashing off back and forth between my
tournament table and no-limit cash game at the local cardroom is
quite a strain on the legs and the patience of other players at the
table, so let’s say that multi-tabling is exclusive to online poker.
As I’m sure that you also do, I often play at multiple tables both
to keep my attention span curbed and to (hopefully) increase my
hourly win rate. Before you rush off to divvy up your poker prowess
between multiple tables, here are some helpful tidbits that you may
want to consider…
1) Set up your screen properly. While this has nothing
to do with actual strategy, if you’re going to multi-table, you need
to set up your monitor accordingly. Most sites do not have a feature
to create a nicely patterned mosaic of online poker tables on your
screen. Plus, you might open up more than one site. All those
windows are going to take up space on your monitor, and if you don’t
have enough space to spread them out you risk them overlapping.
Trust me, it is not a good feeling to raise with your 6-2 under the
gun because you were trying to fold your 7-2 on the other window in
the same spot. Increase your screen resolution to fit more on one
screen. If the graphics and/or text become unreadable, consider
purchasing a larger monitor.
2) Play all tables with a proven and solid strategy.
When you’re playing at 3 or 4 tables, you won’t have as much
decision time to plan out complex strategies to outplay your
opponents. You also won’t have sufficient time to pick up on the
playing styles of everyone at the table. The best multi-table
strategy is simply to play the right cards from the right position.
You shouldn’t get involved with less-than-average starting hands
that will only slow you down and force you to make difficult
decisions against unknown opponents. Make it easier on yourself and
play a solid albeit boring strategy. Most online players are
clueless and/or multi-tabling themselves, so they probably won’t
crack the code on your game.
3) Put your attention where your money is. If you’re
playing multiple tables to keep yourself occupied in between hands,
you may open up a small-stakes tournament or little side game as a
set-aside second window. But what happens when you get down to
heads-up play or get pocket Aces in that 5c/10c cash game? Being a
naturally competitive poker player, you might get overly engrossed
in the inconsequential game and forget that you have several hundred
dollars spread out between other tables. To be a successful
multi-table player, you need to stay most focused on the most
profitable situations. If you become overwhelmed and begin to make
poor decisions, you will have to be self-disciplined enough to close
a window or two to regain your focus. Don’t worry – it happens to
all of us at one time or another.
Playing multiple tables can be profitable and a lot of fun at the
same time. You get to see more hands, get more action for your time,
and if you’re good enough, smart enough, and doggone it, the poker
gods smile on you, you can even make a few extra bucks. At the same
time, I recommend you follow my 3 simple guidelines above to start
you off on the right foot. Many poker authors recommend that you
stick to limit Hold’em while multi-tabling since it is the easiest
to auto-pilot, but I play mostly no-limit and do just fine. So while
I shout over to the dealer across the cardroom to muck my hand,
enjoy multi-tabling from the comforts of your big comfy computer
chair and a mouse with poker chips sitting next to it ready to
riffle. Oops… you guys do that too, right?
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