In Defense of Multi-Tabling

I cannot belive what I am about to write, but there is something inside of me that needs to say it. I wrote in my last blog entry some random thoughts I was having about multi-tabling, explained why I was going to try it a bit more seriously, and made a request for some information.

I was not at all surprised that the first two comments were suttle hints that multi-tabling isn't for serious poker players; this sort of comment found on other sites was a large part of what drove me to write that entry in the first place. However, despite the fact I long agreed with those against multi-tabling, and despite the fact I find their arguments very compelling, I have come to believe that they are wrong.

Specifically I am saying that those who claim that multi-tabling is not real poker, is counter productive to your game and in the long run is counter productive to your bankroll by virtue of hindering your skills are wrong. (I mean of course those who say these things in broad term; saying specific people, especially themselves, are not suited for multi-tabling has nothing to do with what I am talking about)

Here is a short list of the arguments those who are against multi-tabling make:

• its not real poker
• you play only the cards, not your opponents
• you do not have enough time to analyze situations
• you are forced to play robotically
• you cannot learn anything from it
• its works in low limits, but once you get to limit x it stops
• you can do x number of tables, but beyond that it doesn't work

Something really struck me as I was writing up this list; its the same arguments that players who only play live make against online poker. And while both groups sound correct, I think there is more to this than sounding right.

its not real poker

Every poker game that is commonly dealt today was once a new game, and I am sure that with each of them the were detractors claiming that the new game wasn't real poker. What poker means has changed over the years, and will continue to change in the future.

you play only the cards, not your opponents

It is certainly true that you become more of an ABC player multi-tabling than you do single tabling. Its worth noting that virtually every book out there that covers online poker advises you to play ABC; you generally give up equity with little return when you do otherwise online.

you do not have enough time to analyze situations

Have you ever seen one of those great chess players that could play an obscene number of games at once? To us mere mortals it doesn't make sense how they can walk down a long row of players, making moves almost as fast as they can walk, and still win all the games. Its not that they have a super-human brain capacity to remember and play dozens of chess boards at once, its that they have learned to recognize patterns on boards and know verbatim how to deal with those patterns. I would be interested in why this should work in chess but not poker.

you are force to play robotically

This can actually be a good thing. Many players are far too interested in playing fancy when they should be going ABC. In fact one of the reasons I decided to start multi-tabling was to better train myself to stick to my own game plan. And while one probably can't get fancy on every game simultaneously, there is nothing stopping a multi-tabling player from paying close attention to one game while he tries something.

you cannot learn anything from it

Despite the seeming logic of this comment, there are a growing number of successful live players who learnt everything they know from countless hours multi-tabling.

it works in low limits, but once you get to limit x it stops

While there probably is a point beyond which multi-tabling does not work, there are plenty of examples of successful multi-tablers at levels higher than most detractors say is possible.

you can do x number of tables, but beyond that it doesn't work

Like the last item, there almost certainly is a point beyond which it is not humanly possible to make money multi-tabling. But recently its become obvious that "humanly possible" is way higher than most people think it is.

I'm not saying the multi-tabling is the greatest thing ever, and I will certainly concede that for many players it just won't work. But I have come to believe that many players are confusing "doesn't work for them personally" with "doesn't work for anyone".