Multi-tabling

pokerfi208

Hi Neil,
I would love to know your thoughts about when to start multi-tabling for cash games. If someone is consistently winning at a given level is this a good time to start, or should they just move up a blind level instead?

Thanks

NChanning

Thanks for that...great question. I would say that this is something really important that doesn't get discussed much...in my opinion it's WAY better to increase the numbers of tables at the lower stakes than to go up in stakes. Often if you jump in stakes you'll face better players and find it harder to win so it's best to avoid that but if you are winning and you have a big enough sample to know it's not just luck then you should try and play bigger/risk more of your bankroll as this will mean you win more. Adding a table or two will give you the chance to do that at the stakes you know you can beat.

The other good thing about playing extra tables is it spreads your variance. If you have a fiver on three different tables instead of £15 on one table you are less concerned about each individual hand and the bad beats that are simply a part of poker become individually less important. I would say that people who regularly play multiple tables become immune to bad beats and improve as players for that reason.

Good luck with it.

Essexphil

NChanning said:

Thanks for that...great question. I would say that this is something really important that doesn't get discussed much...in my opinion it's WAY better to increase the numbers of tables at the lower stakes than to go up in stakes. Often if you jump in stakes you'll face better players and find it harder to win so it's best to avoid that but if you are winning and you have a big enough sample to know it's not just luck then you should try and play bigger/risk more of your bankroll as this will mean you win more. Adding a table or two will give you the chance to do that at the stakes you know you can beat.

The other good thing about playing extra tables is it spreads your variance. If you have a fiver on three different tables instead of £15 on one table you are less concerned about each individual hand and the bad beats that are simply a part of poker become individually less important. I would say that people who regularly play multiple tables become immune to bad beats and improve as players for that reason.

Good luck with it.

Completely agree, but with just 1 caveat.
Everyone has a maximum optimum number of tables-once that is exceeded, then it is time to move up on some tables, or too many wrong decisions will be made.
I suggest people keep detailed records of wins/losses according to numbers of tables played

dobiesdraw

There has to come a time when multi tabling is -ev ...obviously that threshold of concentration and speed of action will vary from one person to the next . I guess what I'm saying is can you really " blanket " advocate multi tabling for everyone across the board ?

pokerfi208

Hi,

Thanks Neil for your quick and in depth answer, it makes a lot of sense to spread the variance and it is something I will consider.

Thanks also to Essexphil and dobiesdraw for the added food for thought. If and when I consider multi-tabling I'll certainly take it slow, as I imagine it is easy to lose concentration and therefore money.

Thanks all, it is very cool to have access to so many brains to pick.

NChanning

I definitely agree that playing too many tables is a bad thing for your bankroll and that number is very much dependant on you...I personally find four is fine but more than that is too many but I'm also very guilty of reading something and watching TV while I'm playing so I don't need too many other things going on.

I feel like pokerfi is not currently playing more than one or two and so I'd definitely say add a table, play for a few sessions, make sure you are comfortable, think about adding another one and continue checking for a couple of weeks. The sample might not be enough to see how it's affecting your results but you may get the feel as to how comfortable you are. Once you reach "your number", (which might be four/six/ten or something), where life seems to not get better, you feel your making mistakes or it's too much to focus on, or you think it's making you lose, then cut back by one again and if you are winning solidly for a period now then you have to make the decision about moving up...

...and starting again at one or two tables.

pokerfi208

Yes you are quite correct that I was only playing one table, and am slowly starting to play two. I'll certainly take it slowly as, although I have swings of fortune and am still very much learning, I am over the course of the week consistently slightly up.

Thanks again for the help