How To Multi-Table Effectively

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I get asked this question often from my students:

“How do I multi-table more effectively? I always feel like my results aren’t great and I am missing something when putting in volume.”

Let’s discuss some quick tips that will help you multi-table more effectively.

Play Fewer Tables

The most common problem everybody has is that they play too many tables.

What is the maximum amount of tables that you think you can play? Take that number and subtract two. That’s the number of tables you should play.

Don’t register for every viable tournament during a particular day. If you do that, and you start running deep, you will have tons of tables running while you’re trying to make better decisions late in your initial tournaments. This will be wildly distracting.

Do you feel that eight tables is the most you can play? Then just play six. Sign up for six of the best value tournaments. Do not register for another tournament until you bust one.

If you’re going deep in a bigger tournament don’t be afraid to stop registering and cut back even more. Focus more on the stack that is rapidly appreciating. That stack is worth serious money. You want to make sure you manage it well.

Sleep Well

This is a no s*** Sherlock piece of advice, but it still needs to be said.

I have played many big sessions after poor sleep. I would never recommend it. It hurts to focus that long when you start the day drained. You will play much better if you get a good amount of sleep.

Caffeine Is Your Friend

If you normally drink caffeine don’t be afraid to use some on a multi-table day.

Don’t go overboard with it and burn yourself out. But when you are playing the most tables at the beginning of the day, it doesn’t hurt to have some caffeinated energy.

As you go deeper in tournaments, you should be playing less tables. Now you don’t need as much frenetic energy. Now you can ease off the caffeine.

Limit Distractions

No one is ever able to multi-table completely without distractions. Things come up.
There are reasonable distractions that you can tolerate. If you have music on in the background, for example, that can help the hours go by. If you’re listening to a sports broadcast about your favorite team, that also could make the hours less grating.

However, you want to be careful about how many distractions you allow in. If you can silence your phone while you play that will be a huge edge. If you can explain to your family that you will have a harder time talking to them while you’re focusing that can help as well.

Standing Desk

This one is not necessary. It’s extra credit.

I switched to a standing desk years ago. It has helped me immensely when it comes to long online sessions. It’s much easier to stay alert if you can move on your feet between decisions.

If you get pain from using a mouse for long periods of time, I recommend a carpal tunnel glove. I use mine constantly. It helps a great deal during long sessions.

Order Your Tables By Importance

Make sure to pay attention to the key tables.

You don’t have to pay attention to everything, but you can see how the statistics are changing more on that table. You can replay hands if there was a showdown.

If a small buy-in just booted up, you can put that table in the corner. You can play standard poker there while you are taking care of the higher value stacks.

I usually put my biggest buy-in in the top left corner of my screen. I will put the next biggest buy-in to the right of it. I will fill out the screen in this pattern.

Accept You Can’t Play Every Hand

You can’t open speculative hands from early position all the time. You will barely be manufacturing shreds of a big blind if you open those hands. You can get much more money by focusing on your aces in position in your big tournament. Splitting your focus at this moment is not the best idea.

There will be times you want to gamble more but you will not have the time. Don’t sweat these moments. You likely weren’t making much from these mediocre hands anyway. You will make up for these folds by scoring more value bets in your important tournament.

Try To Not Play On Too Many Sites

Splitting attention between multiple software types can be tough. It forces you to constantly adjust as they will often not have the same formats, structures, and break times. This added friction will wear you out throughout the day.

I often just focus on my two most profitable sites.

Retain Your Timebanks

Your river decisions are everything. You want to make sure you are prepared for them.
You want to make sure you’re not playing garbage hands on half your tables when you have a critical river decision. If some of your other tables contain frequent three-bettors, then just play solid poker. You don’t need to try and turn water into wine when your focus is limited.

Make sure you are managing your tables well and not getting distracted. Keep your time banks full. You will need to use them at some point as you get deep. You won’t want to have wasted your timebanks because you were reading Reddit and didn’t realize you were dealt a hand. ♠

Learn how to play A-K when it misses the flop!

Alexander Fitzgerald is a professional poker player and bestselling author who currently lives in Denver, Colorado. He is a WPT and EPT final tablist, and has WCOOP and SCOOP wins online. His most recent win was the $250,000 Guaranteed on ACR Poker. He currently enjoys blasting bums away in Ignition tournaments while he listens to death metal. Free training packages of his are provided to new newsletter subscribers who sign up at PokerHeadRush.com