Multi-Tabling for Begginners
One of the greatest benefits to playing online poker as opposed to live poker is the ability to multi table. There are numerous benefits to becoming a solid multi-tabler, but the negatives can outweigh these benefits if you let them. It has been a growing trend amongst online players to “mass multi table”, an epidemic of sorts, but one that can lead to previously unfound profitability. Take a look at the benefits that a solid muli-tabler can enjoy, but consider the consequences of over stepping your bounds when playing multiple tables at once.
Benefits of multi tabling
The most obvious benefit of multi tabling is the opportunity it affords winning players to multiply their win rate. Generally speaking win rates are not increased in direct correlation to the amount of tables added. For example, if you were winning $10/hour playing one table, it is unlikely that you will be earning $40/hour playing four tables. This, however, is not to say that you wouldn’t be generating an hourly closer to $35. $35 is a significant increase over $10 no matter how you look at it. The same can be said for a duplication of this same four table scenario. Pretend you make it eight tables, even if your hourly is now $60 you have made another big jump. Many players get too concerned with their win rate measured in big blinds per 100 hands when the hourly rate should be their true concern. Sure, you are making $6/hour per table when you eight table as opposed to $10/hour per table when you one table, but multi tabling is a time where quantity can outweigh quality.
Another benefit to multi tabling is along the same lines of an increased win rate, increased rewards earnings. You will earn points (or whichever rewards the site you play on gives out) at a much higher hourly rate when you play multiple tables. This offers a bit of assurance to players as these rewards can stand as insurance against potential losses. There is zero risk that you will lose rewards points when you multi table; this guaranteed aspect of multi tabling is a major draw for some players. Continue reading to see why it can also be their demise.
Negatives of multi tabling
As you noticed above, there is a decreased win rate per table for every additional table you add. This alludes to the major drawback of multi tabling, win rates that get so destroyed that they turn to break even or negative numbers. Why does adding too many tables cripple players? It is simple, the more tables you play the less focus you have on any individual table. When you play too many tables at once you stop learning and becoming better and instead play like a robot. It is always best that you reach the limits you want to stay at before you start adding a lot of tables. It is easier to adapt to a level you already beat than it is to try and get better at limits that you can’t beat when playing multiple tables.
The bonuses or rewards that go along with playing a high volume of hands can turn players into break even players, but sometimes they don’t care. If you earn the cash equivalent of $18/hour in rewards and are happy with that rate, mass multi tabling is no issue. If you are playing so many hands that you begin to neglect your win rate to the point where you are losing more in cash than you are earning in rewards, you have a problem.
Summary
Always consider your goals when multi tabling and make sure that you are capable of reaching those goals via multi tabling. Check to see that you are not harming the quality of your play too much and that you are continually looking for ways to improve your game, even when multi tabling at a level that you plan on staying at