[Colbro]

I play poker for leisure mainly, something to do after work because it is something I enjoy.

For a while I have been meaning to try to multi table Stt's to see if I could and how I would get on. I've heard about people who play 8 or 10 at a time and of course saw the video of Harvard Khan playing 23 at a time (and being more concerned about which music he listened to)

I've just tried it on bet 365 and managed a grand total of 4 games in 2 hours. I finished 5,3 and two seconds so maybe that slowed things down a bit and i played a game with a fair blind structure where each level lasted 9 mins but 8 at a time. When the game got four handed I found I almost forgot about other games going on.

So does anybody multi table STT's? What ROI is considered good. Do you have to "sacrifice a game or two if you get deep in one game. Are speed games more profitable?

[Beanie]

If I'm sitting down for a serious few hrs poker I usually play 6-8 at a time, although maybe one or two more if I'm feeling particularly 'turned on'

I don't really find it particularly tough - at the $10-$30 level, even up to $50, I know I can play my TAG game and do well, so I dont need to get involved in too many hands. The decisions are all automatic, a quick glance at the cards, position and stacks, do the deed, next table.

Like you say, if you get heads up say on a couple of tables while still having 3 or 4 other shorthanded tables on the go then it can get hectic and from time to time i'll miss the odd hand or make an error in a decision, but never particularly important ones, and its quite fun in its own mad way.

To that extent it does remove a lot of the enjoyment from poker - you dont have too much time to sus players out or think too deeply about hands - a definite downside.

Re: 'sacrificing' tournies - can't say i do. I think if that was happening regularly then I'd be playing too many at once. Of course, by chance a few can get shorthanded at the same time, but even then, you can just leave certain hands to time out and fold rather than clicking fold or whatever to ease a bit of pressure.

ROI wise - I think this more boils down to what kind of player you are.

If you like to sit and think about hands, read players, make moves etc etc then your ROI will decrease when multitabling, and although your overall profit per hour or whatever will increase given the increased turnover of STTs, it'll come at the cost of losing a lot of the enjoyment you get from the game, perhaps for not significantly more profit.

If, like me, you tend to make automatic decisions anyway, then your ROI isn't too badly affected. If I'm sitting playing one table, I don't tend to analyse things too deeply, which is probably why my cash game play has never really developed. I've no problem disecting hands when given time afterwards, but in game I like to sit there, have a quick stock take of all the necessary info, know what course of action will make me money in the long run, and get it done. So whether im playing 1 table or 8, I don't think my decisions would be particularly different, therefore ROI isnt too badly affected I dont think.

I think its quite easy(through multitabling practice) to develop the instant decisions necessary to become a multitable robot - whether its a desirable thing is another matter entirely.

Oh, and wouldn't bother with Turbos - all the usual rules about if you are a winning player then you want properly structured tournies to maximise your edge still apply, and you'll get timed out far more often, and these do make a bit of a dent in the ROI in my experience.

[Colbro]

Wow - What can I say.

I was hoping you would reply Beanie and your post didn't disappoint.

8 - 10 at a time . Hopefully I'll get to 4 with practise

[alexross]

as long as u have resizable tables or 2 monitors ur cool.
Its very easy to play 8sngs at once, and same for mtts really.

[Yen_Sid]

Holy fck Beanie and Alex!! How the hell do you cope with 8 tables? I can do 2 short handed tables no bother and do it all the time, have tried 3 once or twice but eventually things get a bit hectic and I strt getting timed out and then revert back to just 2. I can re-size the tables but they still overlap slightly. Anyway, I'm impressed..

[AnothrSpacecat]

i often play 4 tables at once, though i have done more.

i have no problem at all with it and like beanie i make automatic decisions, i have been caught out when ive been big blind a couple of times and folded hands that i would normally have played had i noticed i only had to put a little more in. those are rare though

the most important thing for me in staying focused is to always concentrate on the hand im playing, if i fold a hand i never hang around and watch the others betting (unless there likely to be more than one person all in, then im a perv). when im lucky enough to be dealt several floppable hands i quickly check the numbers left in the tournaments, average pot size, my position etc

i actually really enjoy it, almost prefer it, i always imagine myself being much harder for the other players to read if im on multiple tables (the other side of the coin mentioned by beanie above) and it gives me an edge over them

[AnothrSpacecat]

also i think its important not to use more than one poker client at once, aslong as each table looks the same youll be fine. tried having bet365, betfair, pokerstars all open at once, was a nightmare!

unless its just me that has had that problem

[alexross]

Originally Posted by Yen_Sid

Holy fck Beanie and Alex!! How the hell do you cope with 8 tables? I can do 2 short handed tables no bother and do it all the time, have tried 3 once or twice but eventually things get a bit hectic and I strt getting timed out and then revert back to just 2. I can re-size the tables but they still overlap slightly. Anyway, I'm impressed..

see you are probably playing SNGs wrong (no offense)... If you are playing 100% correctly you can make your decision (a fold 95% of the time) in a nanosecond.

Fact is, Pro SNG players fold EVERYTHING except AK, AQs and tt+ preflop for the 1st few levels, no thought necessary. even QK is a fold. okay to limp small pps unraised for set value, but that's it. So basically easy to make a split second decision.

Later levels it's all about Fold equity and +expected value shoves (Abuse the bubble , then get itm, then win).

Also, I might add.. Amateur SNG players don't realise that to win you have to be willing to die (bubble). remember kids, you have ~34% of winning an underdog hand all in, as long as your 2 cards are live.

To speed up your game and solidify the decision making in your head,I suggest training yourself up with your hh's in SNGpower tools or something
.

[Yen_Sid]

Don't play SNG's alex, I was referring to short handed cash, that said you've made some good points.

[Yen_Sid]

Oh and for the record, a pal of mine plays high stakes cash and makes 70k+ a month, he (or any of the crowd that play on his tables) has never used any form of poker office/tracker nor does he ever intend to, thinking being that it would turn him into an ABC player and ABC poker goes out the window at that level. Never been on these tables and never likely to so personally I can't comment, just thought I would mention.

Think I can see the benefits for hobby type players like myself to make a quid or 2 here and there but all that stat/figure watching would take the fun out it for me. In my 2 year playing I find that anytime I try to knuckle down and take it serious it wastes it for me, in turn I lose patience and blow my stack. I'm giving up cash, for good this time, honest, and going back to MTT's which is the very place I've had all my poker success. My whole mentality changes when I play cash and if I'm honest I'm never relaxed and having fun, MTT I pay my money, relax and enjoy the thrill of the ride. Each to their own though of course.

Alex what's your views on the people who play the game "properly"? Don't you think that the majority of them would be as well having their cards showing?

[alexross]

Originally Posted by Yen_Sid

Oh and for the record, a pal of mine plays high stakes cash and makes 70k+ a month, he (or any of the crowd that play on his tables) has never used any form of poker office/tracker nor does he ever intend to, thinking being that it would turn him into an ABC player and ABC poker goes out the window at that level. Never been on these tables and never likely to so personally I can't comment, just thought I would mention.

Think I can see the benefits for hobby type players like myself to make a quid or 2 here and there but all that stat/figure watching would take the fun out it for me. In my 2 year playing I find that anytime I try to knuckle down and take it serious it wastes it for me, in turn I lose patience and blow my stack. I'm giving up cash, for good this time, honest, and going back to MTT's which is the very place I've had all my poker success. My whole mentality changes when I play cash and if I'm honest I'm never relaxed and having fun, MTT I pay my money, relax and enjoy the thrill of the ride. Each to their own though of course.

Alex what's your views on the people who play the game "properly"? Don't you think that the majority of them would be as well having their cards showing?

Themole is a Cash player, and is not amazing at mtts from what I have seen. Knowing how to play cash to a very high level will not particularly make one a good SNG player.

SNGPT is not a tracker - it's a decision maker app (ICM Calculator). It tells you when to push (or call) given your opponents range. Try it - there's a free demo. Run thru the tutorial and OPEN YOUR EYES to how real sng players win. Run a few of your hh's thru it and you will be able to hone your game and see when you had +ev to shove etc.

SNGs are a different breed of poker, and as such are not really poker at all.

MTT's for the win obviously - and Cash is king (don't give it up b.t.w, get moleface to give you some lessons!)

anyway GL on the tables squire
the ross

[Scottieboy08]

Originally Posted by Yen_Sid

Oh and for the record, a pal of mine plays high stakes cash and makes 70k+ a month, he (or any of the crowd that play on his tables) has never used any form of poker office/tracker nor does he ever intend to, thinking being that it would turn him into an ABC player and ABC poker goes out the window at that level. Never been on these tables and never likely to so personally I can't comment, just thought I would mention.

Good paragraph Ed and I never knew that

[AnothrSpacecat]

Ultimate Boredom Challenge... an hour of 12 tables, Limit Holdem.... but I doubled my money.. I'm never doing that again

I'd rather goto work.