Playing poker online offers the unique opportunity to multi-table several tournaments or cash games. This can be a great way to increase your hourly rate, and at many sites you can load up a staggering amount of tables simultaneously.
Before you decide to emulate Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier’s world record and play 62 sit ‘n goes in sixty minutes, there are some questions you should ask yourself.
1) Are you profitable?
This might seem like an obvious thing to point out, but it’s important you are beating the games you intend to multi-table. If you are a losing player at $20 SNGs and you decide to four table them then you will likely be quadrupling (or worse) your losses. Only move onto multi-tabling if you are a winner over a significant sample of games at that level.
2) Have you prepared correctly?
Most players will be unable to switch from a single table to 20 tables in one fell stroke. It is a good idea to get comfortable with playing a few extra tables before adding more. You might like to try three or four tabling at first for a decent spell, then move to six tabling when you are comfortable. If at any point you feel things are getting out of hand ( you are timing out regularly, your decision-making process is being affected) then drop a table or two until you are comfortable.
3) Are you correctly bankrolled?
This is important for any kind of poker, but there’s an increased emphasis on you having the right bankroll if you are multitabling. This is because as you add more tables it is very likely your edge will decrease on each individual table.
You are not able to give each table quite as much concentration, so your decision-making is likely to be slightly worse. (Of course you should still see your profits increase, because if you are a $5/ game winner at $10 sit and goes, and by adding three more tables you become a $3/ game winner, you should still make $3×4 = $12 in the same time it took you to make $5 when one tabling.)
4) Am I in the right frame of mind to play?
Multi-tabling requires great concentration. You are asked to make decisions every second and it is important to get a high percentage of these correct otherwise there isn’t much point playing. Make sure you are mentally geared up for the session. Have some snacks and drinks ready if you need them, and if you start to feel tired or drowsy during the session, consider stopping as soon as possible.
Multi-tabling offers a whole new world of poker. Go into it with your eyes open and you could double or triple your profits.