Multi-tables and other things

One of the unique things about online poker is the ability to play more than one table at a time. Assuming that you can play winning poker to begin with, it stands to reason that playing more tables equals more hands per hour which means more profit. Apparently it is standard procedure for online pros to play four or more tables at a time.


I have been experimenting with playing two tables at once. The results have been mixed. In the short run multi-tabling has cost me money. Long term it will help me become a winner. When I multi=table I make too many errors. I have clicked call instead of fold, misread my hand, and generally played too fast. On the other hand, after playing two tables, when I returned to one table the game seemed to have slowed town. I no longer feel rushed at the table. Also the stint at multi tabling exposed my lack of discipline and various post-flop errors. For the short term I have returned to one table only and my focus and play is much better. My long term goal is to play 4 tables at once profitably.



After two weeks I was down 2 dollars. I was actually down 4 until I had a nice run at the micro level no limit. Today I posted a 4o cent win at .02/.04. Obviously 40 cents is nothing in the big scheme of things but it does amount to 10 big bets in approximately 2 and a half hours and 97 hands. By going to only one table I am adjusting my hands per day goal to 100 hands per day.



I have been playing better the last couple of days. Three things have helped me.



1. I switched to one table at a time. See the discussion above.



2. I tightened up my pre flop play. I had been using the chart in Sklansky and Miller's book on low limit hold'em. Upon reflection I think that it is too loose for a player at my current level. Many of the hands put me in a position where I had to make a lot of tough decisions post flop on borderline hands that were sometimes best but too often second best and costing me a lot of bets.



3. I put away my starting my starting hand chart. I had been playing with the Sklansky/Miller book open in front of me. However, long term, what I need to do is understand why certain hands can be played in certain positions. I need to think for myself. I have tightened up my starting hand selection and I am making decisions based upon my opponents and what I think I should play. This is helping my play right now and it will now and long term it will teach me to think about poker in the correct way.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week.