Some Thoughts on Multi-Tabling

I have by and large always been quite timid with regards to multi-tabling. Though I have done two tables with some success in cash games, I am not for the most part a cash game player, ergo I am not for the most part a multi-tabler.

This is all in the process of changing. I have been in a bit of a rut for a while now (not a losing streak per say, more of a breaking even streak), and having been looking to change something up to get me out of the rut. I tried dropping levels, to build my confidence, but it was only a temporary fix and after a couple of days, I was back to my old habits. Then I tried trying out a whole new game (draw), which while fun, left me feeling unfullfilled (I really want to become a better hold'em player before branching out, and I also feel like draw doesn't have as many opportunities long term).

So after reading about one player's exploits I decided I was going to take on multi-tabling. The first step was getting a decent monitor; I was surprised at how little it cost actually.

I came up with a plan that I would drop down to the lowest STT pokerstars has, and begin adding one table at a time; my end goal is to be playing four.But for right now I am stil adjusting to playing two. There have been a few times its gotten hectic, but I feel pretty confident that I will be able to add the third in a couple days.

By far the greatest benefit I have noticed since starting this is that when things don't go my way, either from bad beats or just bad plays, I am not nearly as affected by it. Further the fact I am getting twice as many games in means that it is far less likely I'll have a day that's a total loss - something that can really bring me down and affect my future play. This should only get better as I add the third and fourth table.

One thing I was very surprised at was that I couldn't find a lot of articles online about multi-tabling, or perhaps more correctly I couldn't find any that were very useful. It seems that every article about multi-tabling follows one of three outlines:

1. Here are the most basic obvious things about multi-tabling
2. Multi-tabling is the best thing ever.
3. Multi-tabling is a waste of time. You will lose money by doing it.

In some ways I find it odd reading the opposing viewpoints mentioned in articles 2 and 3; not odd because they are opposing, but odd becaue 3 is full of the very thoughts that have kept me from multi-tabling for two years (though I unlike most of these authors, I always aknowledged that other people do make it work), while a toned down version of 2 is what I am really trying to make my mindset now.

One thing I couldn't help wonder reading these articles is why no one had any evidence other than their own experience; has no one ever looked into this topic in depth? Considering how common it is, I would have expected it.

Just to close things off here, if anyone knows of any articles or books that cover multi-tabling in depth, I would appreciate being pointed to them. Thanks.