Most beginner online poker players are under the impression that they can only play poker online, one table at a time. This doesn’t come as a surprise, given that those who play cash games or poker tournaments at a brick-and-mortar casino have to stick to one table.
However, the advent and continual improvement of online casino games means that you can now multi-table. If done correctly, multi-tabling can significantly add to your winnings. However, it’s only successful if it doesn’t have a significant impact on the quality of your gameplay and decision-making process.
Luckily, it is a skill set that you can learn, and honing a clear and concise multi-table poker strategy will set you up for success.
Here are some tips that will help you to build on your multi-table poker skills. Stick to these, and you’ll be confidently taking on multi-table online poker tournaments in no time.
Stick to Two or Three Tables To Start With
If you’re just starting to learn how to play poker in a multi-table format, it’s important that you resist the temptation to play a whole heap of tables to start with. Yes, you may have seen someone playing more than a dozen tables at a time very successfully, but you must understand that they have probably been perfecting the skill for years.
At the beginning of your multi-table journey, it is better to start with two or three tables to get the hang of it and practice playing across numerous tables for a while. If you open too many tables, you’re simply setting yourself up for failure as you won’t be able to keep up with all the action yet.
Keep Your Two or Three Tables Visible For Now
The players who have been crafting their skill for years and are able to operate ten or more tables at a time will most likely stack their tables one on top of the other to save space on their screen.
Don’t do this when you’re starting out. You should keep all of your tables and tools in view on your screen. This allows you to scan them while play takes place on other tables and plan what action you’ll take when your turn comes. Stacked tables only pop up when it’s your turn to play and don’t give you any oversight on your next move.
Avoid Mixing Tournaments and Cash Games
Tournaments and cash games require different strategies, and this is why you should avoid mixing the two when you are playing multi-table poker. Even the most experienced poker players know that these should be kept separate.
It is better to finish up cash games before starting a tournament and vice versa. The last thing you want when playing a tournament game is for your cash game to pop, require action, and create the kind of distraction that could throw you off your game completely.
Use a Four-Color Deck
The action in multi-table poker is incredibly fast, and you need to cut down your reaction time as much as possible where you can. If you use decks of the same color, it’s all too easy to misread your hand and fold the wrong one or make a big call with a poor one.Â
The easiest way to prevent this is by selecting games with a four-colored deck. This means that heart cards are red, spades are black, clubs are green, and diamonds are blue. This helps you to figure out what is going on much quicker and you’ll be able to make important decisions with just a glance at the cards.
Sit in the Same Seat
Whether you’re playing multi-table or sit-and-go poker, sitting in the same seat when you play is a great way to learn while you are just starting out. In multi-table tournaments, you’ll be given the option to sit in the same seat, and the game will just rotate around you.
This means that you don’t have to find out where you’re sitting across all of your tables while you are under pressure to make fast decisions.
Take Notes
It’s not going to be possible to make notes on every play and every hand across all of your tables. However, it’s important to recognize the big moments within games and write them down.Â
This will help you to recognize player patterns going forward, which cards have been played on what table, and more. Recognizing patterns is a poker skill that can also be used in other online games.
Get Rid of Distractions
Multi-tabling takes enormous focus to get right, and you have to bring your A-Game to every session if you want to be successful. Juggling numerous tables and trying to remember a multitude of hands is no easy feat, and that’s why it’s essential to remove any distractions.
This is not a good time to check your phone or the weather. It’s not going to save you time to watch poker training right now, and you certainly shouldn’t be having a conversation with your friend while you play, either. Get into the habit of removing these distractions and getting yourself into the poker zone.
Play Multi-table Poker at BetMGM
BetMGM is one of the best online poker sites for multi-table games, and there are a number of different themes, formats, and more for you to choose from. That’s not all; if you need a break from online poker, there are thousands of other online casino games to keep you entertained, too.
Register with BetMGM to try your hand at multi-table poker and more.
