Poker Multi Tabling
Multi tabling is one of the greatest benefits of online poker. If you go to a brick and mortar casino there will be no choice but to play one table at a time, and pretty much every poker player will admit that it gets boring from time to time, especially if you're used to multi-tabling lots of tables online. But when you multi table poker games online, there are no major gaps in the action, as soon as you fold one hand there is always another starting. This means that there is the potential for much greater profits online than would ever be possible in live play, assuming your win rate is not affected the more tables you play.
Even though there are a ton of benefits, there are downfalls as well. Some players will go overboard when multi tabling and it will lead to the destruction of their win rate and bankroll. The key to successful multi tabling is finding the right balance between the ability to play well and the ability to multi task. It would be pointless playing more tables if it has a negative impact on your overall profits at the table.
There are two general types of multi table players. The most common type of multi-tabler is someone who plays 4-6 tables at a time. These players tend to be on the casual side and are not always out to earn a profit although profit is usually the motive behind doing so. Some players will play even less than this, perhaps focusing on just 2-3 tables at a time. This is a good strategy for players who are unsure of how well they will be able to play many tables at a time.
The fact is that juggling many tables at once can be difficult, so you definitely don't want to overextend yourself. Some poker sites offer better software than others, allowing you to play more tables without sacrificing performance. All of the top online poker sites offer the ability to play many tables. Sites like Carbon Poker and 888 Poker have an unlimited number of tables, whilst Poker Stars and Sky Poker allow you to play up to 24 tables. Starting off with just a few tables would be ideal, especially for someone who is new to multi tabling.
The second common type of multi-tabler is a player who is on 7 or more tables at a time, sometimes as many as 24 tables or more. When playing this many tables it can be a challenge to keep up with the action if you don't have prior experience. Most players who play 10 tables at a time are going to be the true online grinders. Mass multi tables, as they are commonly referred to, will put many hours in at the tables. A robotic style is pretty much the only way that mass multi tablers will ever play. There is no time to really analyze a hand. Snap decisions are a requirement and indecisiveness will be punished. If you really like to pick apart your opponents it will be difficult for you to thrive as a mass multi-tabler.
One of the benefits of playing many tables at a time is that you will earn points and/or rakeback at much faster rates than you otherwise would be able to. This means that losing players will sometimes end up generating a profit just because they are able to make a lot of money from bonuses. These types of players are called “bonus whores” or “rakeback grinders.“ The best game plan is to mix solid play with the added benefits. Most players are better off playing just a few tables at a time. There is no reason you can't eventually be playing many tables at a time, but it is better to start off slow until you can be sure that you can beat a particular game.
Lastly, the more tables you're playing on, the more important it becomes to take advantage of poker tracker software such as Holdem Manager or Poker Tracker, which come bundled with a heads-up-display (HUD) to display vital statistics about all your opponents at the same table in real time. This will give you very detailed information about player tendencies to help with making quicker and more informed decisions, which is vitally important when stretched for time, as you are when multi-tabling many online tables. I would say that a poker HUD is an essential tool to have once you start playing at least four tables it would be very difficult playing this many tables without one as you will just find yourself without any solid reads and making costly mistakes in big pots because of the rushed decision making.