Multi-Tabling Online Poker

One of the biggest advantages of online play, when comparing it to brick and mortar, is that you can play multiple games at once. But you need to be careful about how you approach your multi-tabling strategy, as overextending yourself can lead to financial disaster.

The trick is to figure out the optimal number of tables to play. If you're not yet a winning player, which is perfectly fine, you should be playing only one table, concentrating all your energy on learning the game. Once you become a winning player, you will be in a position to benefit from playing multiple tables. However, you have to realize that if you make an average of $10 an hour playing one ring game, the math is not as simple as thinking, "If I play five ring games at the same time, I will make $50 an hour." In business, there is a term - the point of diminished returns - which basically means that the more you take on, the less you will make at each activity - in this case, each game you are in.

So as you start to play more games, you will make less money at each game. This is OK as long as you don't play too many games. As an example, let's say that for every game a player plays, his expectation for each game goes down by $1. At one game, he can expect to make $10 an hour, but when he plays two games, he will only be making $9 an hour at each game, or $18 an hour. Three games at $8 would be $24 an hour, and four games at $7 an hour would be $28. Five games at $6 an hour and six games at $5 an hour will both net him $30 an hour. Now, at seven games at $4 an hour, he experiences the first decrease in his hourly expectation. So, in this particular example, playing five or six games would be this player's optimal strategy, if purely making money is his primary objective. It will not be as easy for you to judge the effects of playing more games, so the process may take a while. Also, realize that what may be your best choice now, may not be optimal for you down the road.

I hope this example provides you with a better understanding of how to approach multi-tabling. One other thing to consider is that the more games you do play, the less energy you will be able to put towards improving your game and reading your opponents. As far as building up to your optimal number of simultaneous tables, take your time getting used to each table you add. Play a single game until you feel you are able to read your opponents, and stick with it until you become proficient. Then move to two games. Learn to read multiple opponents at multiple tables. Then, in time, move to three tables.

Becoming a good online poker player doesn't happen overnight; it takes time and patience. As my high school basketball coach Roger Schutack used to tell me, "Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves!"

Keep Swinging, Brett "gank" Jungblut

As well as being one of the top online players in the world, Brett is also the CEO of ProPokerSchool.com, which has become one of the fastest growing poker schools. PPS offers free poker videos with top poker players. Check it out!