The Essential Guide to Poker Multi-Tabling (w/ Tips & Video)

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ti-tabling is probably the best thing about playing poker online. 

Well, that and you can avoid dealing with the three S’s of live poker:

  • Slow games
  • Sloppy dealing and
  • Stinky degenerates

But I digress.

If you aren’t multi-tabling now you better start learning, because if you’re not you’re simply throwing good poker money away. 

How Multi-Tabling Has Changed Poker

Multi-tabling has changed the way poker is played. Never before could someone make a living playing 10¢/25¢ but you can bet your bottom dollar there are more than a few people 20-tabling “the quarter” now for a tidy monthly sum.

Many people – mostly live poker nits – believe that multi-tabling is a waste of time. Their rationale is that when playing multiple tables it’s impossible to give each decision the required amount of thought.

To a certain extent these naysayers are right. Playing more tables does cut back on the time you have to make crucial strategic decisions.

So, yes: when multi-tabling, you generally won’t be able to play your absolute A++ game.

However, because you’re playing so many more hands, your A game on four tables is going to net you more money in the long run than your super A++ game on one table.

This is why people multi-table. They give up a small edge in their decision-making ability to gain a large edge in sheer volume of hands and, in the end, profitability.

Before You Play Many, Master One

If you’re just learning to play online poker, multi-tabling is not for you. Before you start adding more tables you should master playing just one.

Seeing more hands per hour means you’ll have to make more decisions. Having to make decisions in a number of pots at the same time can overwhelm new players.

The last situation you want to face is to be contemplating a large river raise on one table and then time out with aces on another.

Start out slowly. Nobody runs before they walk. If you’re having trouble following the action on one or two tables, don’t add more. Slowly ease your way into playing more than one game.

Once you’re comfortable playing one game, add another. If that makes you feel too pressured, drop back to one game. Otherwise you’ll make bad decisions.

Bad decisions lead to losing money, which, clearly, is the opposite of what you want to accomplish by adding more tables. If you feel overwhelmed when in the middle of a session, just relax and play some ABC poker.

There’s no need to get fancy. With the extra tables you’re on, you’re going to be getting many more hands an hour. You can pass up those marginal situations because another, more profitable situation is just around the corner.

Example:
Imagine you have A Q on two tables at once in a low-stakes cash game. On Table 1, you face a small raise from under the gun and decide to call in late position. On Table 2, action folds to you in the cutoff, and you make a standard raise. If both flops appear at once, you must quickly gauge the strength of your top pair on Table 1 while also deciding on a continuation bet on Table 2. Balancing these decisions without proper experience can become overwhelming, leading to mistakes on both tables.

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Recognize Your Tough Spot

It doesn’t matter if you’re playing four tables or 14: when the decisions start piling up you have to be able to prioritize.

You need to be able to quickly recognize which decisions are easy and which decisions require more thought.

In the heat of battle you’ll rarely come up against multiple deep-thinking decisions all at once. Often you’re going to be faced with one tough decision and several easy decisions.

What you should do is recognize your tough spot, take a good look at the situation and give that decision all of your brain power. Then go around to your other tables and make the easy pre-flop raise/fold/call decisions on autopilot.

A good multi-tabler can give a setup on one table deep thought while simultaneously acting on completely different situations on other tables.

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Don’t Get Complacent on Table Selection!

Once you start playing six or more tables, things can get pretty hectic. Since you’re making decisions every few seconds it can be easy to get complacent on table selection.

This is a mistake. Just because you’re playing more tables does not mean you should stay at a table with a LAG who’s three-betting all of your openings.

If the table is too tight for your tastes, or you have an aggressive player on your left, seek out better games. There’s no reason to subject yourself to those conditions when there are hundreds of games available at any given time.

Suppose you are multi-tabling six tables, and you notice on Table 4 that a player on your left keeps three-betting every time you open. Meanwhile, on Table 2, you’re facing a big decision against a player you marked as “tight.” If you stay too long in that bad lineup on Table 4, you might lose focus on Table 2 when a profitable situation arises. By identifying tough conditions quickly, you can hit the sit-out button and switch to a different table without missing the key moments on your other tables.

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Know Your Limit, Play Within It

Don’t ever play more tables than you’re comfortable with! This applies to old salts as much as it does to those new to multi-tabling. Everyone has a critical mass of tables they can manage/pay attention to the action on and still be profitable.

When you find that point, stick with it. Once you start playing too many tables and going on autopilot for your big decisions, the law of diminishing returns sets in.

Your game, and ultimately your profits, will suffer. Don”t let this happen to you. Autopilot is a necessary evil to a degree when multi-tabling but letting it take over completely will cost you money.

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5 Tips for Better Poker Multi-Tabling

Playing online poker is all about maximizing your expectation. Good players do this by playing more tables.

It may seem difficult at first but it will come to you with time. If you’re only playing one table at a time online, you’re leaving money on the table. If you’re a winning player you should have no trouble (with a little adjustment) adding a few more tables.

Here are five quick tips to get you pointed in the right direction:

1) Use a Four-Color Deck

The four-color deck is easily the most important option for multi-tabling. Red hearts, black spades, green clubs and blue diamonds. Sounds weird at first, but you’ll get used to it quickly. At first glance you can tell which flush draws got there and which missed.

Two-colored decks are for grandpas and live poker. Get with the times.

2) Stick to the Simplest Themes

Many online poker rooms have several different themes for you to choose from. But don’t try and use all the bells and whistles they have when you’re multi-tabling.

Get rid of the distractions. PokerStars‘ hyper-simple theme is a great example of a nice table setup perfect for multi-tabling.

3) Take Notes

Even if you can’t pay attention to every single hand going on, make sure you watch the big ones and take detailed notes. These notes will stay with the player and whenever you run into that player again you can refer to them.

Try and make them short and sweet and informative. “Check-raises flop with combo draw” is a lot better than “Jackass sucks out with flush.”

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4) Figure Out a System for Organizing Your Tables

Some people stack the tables; others tile. Find out what works for you so you can quickly refer to whichever table the action is on.

A personal tip if you are multi-tabling tournaments: When I play 12 or more tables I will sort my tournaments by blind level. Highest blinds go in the top left with the rest of the tables sorted toward the smallest blinds in the bottom right.

5) Sit in the Same Seat

A lot of poker sites have an option so you can always sit in the same seat at the table. The software will just rotate the table around you.

This option is invaluable to a massive multi-tabler. Finding where you are sitting on all tables when you have to make split-second decisions can be a daunting task. If you’re always in the same seat, though, you know exactly where to look when the action is on you.

Randy “nanonoko” Lew’s Top 5 Multi-Tabling Secrets (VIDEO)

Randy Lew holds the Guinness World Record for the most hands of online poker played in eight hours.  Lew, who plays online under the screen-name “nanonoko,” is a member of Team PokerStars Online and regularly plays up to 24 tables of online poker at a time.

In this poker strategy video Lew goes into the details of important aspects of multi-tabling like minimizing distractions, using a heads-up display and setting up hotkeys. Watch the video below to hear the secrets from nanonoko himself!

*Editor’s note: The following tips are paraphrased from the video.

#5: Tiling Tables is Better than Stacking

Tiling is better than stacking because you can follow all the action. When you stack the tables you really can’t follow on a street-by-street basis. A lot of the time when you get an action while stacking, a table just pops up and you’re already on the river.

Whereas when you’re tiling you can follow the action preflop, flop and post-flop and it’s much easier to make good decisions in tough spots.

#4: Use Hotkeys

Hotkeys are useful in poker because they allow you to make decisions really quickly. If you’re playing a lot of tables you don’t really have time to click the very specific spot where the fold button is.

With hotkeys you can hover over the whole table area and click the fold button. The most important hotkeys to have are the default actions like checking and folding.

You need hotkeys for the most basic decisions because those are the ones you’re going to be using the most. Also having some kind of bet-sizing hotkeys is really important. If you always make it three big blinds before the flop just make a hotkey for it.

Every action you save is just one less strain on your hand and saves you time.

#3: Minimize Distractions

There are times you’ll be playing and be really in the zone and then all of a sudden your phone lights up and you’re wondering who messaged you or what’s going on. It’s important not to have any distractions so you can just focus on playing your best.

#2: Use a Heads-Up Display (HUD)

It’s really important to have a heads-up display when you’re multi-tabling because you need to make decisions really quickly and you need to know who the tight and loose players are.

If you’re not paying close attention you won’t have all that information, but a HUD can tell you really quickly. Then you’ll be able to focus on the action at hand as opposed to having to pay attention to every player.

#1: Add Tables Slowly

Add tables slowly because if you try to do it all overnight you’re going to get flustered because you’re probably not going to be winning as much. It might be demoralizing if you become a break-even player or even start losing because you’re playing too many tables.

You want to think about your winrate first because then when you add more tables you’ll actually be able to win more money. Wait until you’re comfortable and then add another table. There’s no rush to become a multi-table master.

Advanced Methods for Multi-Tabling Efficiency

Multi-tabling successfully requires more than basic strategy knowledge. In modern online poker, experienced players look beyond simple volume and embrace data-driven approaches to maintain an edge across many tables. By optimizing your workflow, refining your decision-making process, and considering the latest tracking tools, you can boost your results without sacrificing the quality of play.

Utilizing Tracking Software and HUD Customization

Some multi-tablers rely heavily on HUDs for detailed statistics like VPIP (Voluntarily Put $ in Pot), PFR (Pre-Flop Raise), and post-flop aggression frequencies. As your number of tables grows, customizing this data display helps you quickly spot player tendencies without losing precious seconds. While raw statistics can be powerful, it’s crucial to interpret them accurately. A player with a high three-bet percentage might be bluffing, but they could also be receiving a run of strong cards. Professionals reconcile these stats with real-time observations, ensuring that each quick decision is backed by both quantitative and qualitative evidence. Additionally, advanced analysis tools allow you to review entire sessions. By studying your toughest decisions in depth, you’ll spot patterns in your multi-table strategy and fine-tune it so that you can play more tables while keeping your edge intact.

Time-Bank Management

Another critical aspect is managing your time bank. Even experienced players can find themselves with multiple complex spots simultaneously. A well-timed use of the time bank can prevent hasty mistakes in a high-stakes pot. Balancing these decisions over a long session calls for mental endurance. Regular breaks, hydration, and mental resets between or during tables are essential. Some professional players use short relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or quick stretching, to stay focused during marathon sessions. By combining a deliberate approach to decision-making with self-care, you’ll reduce the chance of autopilot errors across multiple tables.

FAQ

What is multi-tabling?

Multi-tabling in poker means playing more than one table at the same time. It allows online players to see more hands per hour and potentially increase profits by capitalizing on their edge across multiple games.

How do I know when I’m ready for multi-tabling?

You should feel comfortable reading the action and making decisions quickly at a single table. When you can follow one game without feeling pressured by time, try gradually adding one additional table. If you become overwhelmed, reduce the number of tables until your decision-making improves.

Why is tiling tables better than stacking them?

Tiling allows you to watch the pre-flop, flop, and turn in real time on each table, which gives you a clearer picture of how the hand is developing. Stacking often leads to situations where a new table pops up on the river, and you may not have all the information you need to make the best decision.

What if I face a very aggressive player on my left at one of my tables?

When you’re multi-tabling, it’s often best to leave that tough table and find a more favorable spot. You have limited mental resources, and letting a strong or highly aggressive opponent take advantage of you can hurt your bottom line across all of your tables.

How can a HUD help me in multi-tabling?

A HUD displays key stats about your opponents, such as their average raise, calls, and folds. It helps you identify tight players, loose players, and aggression levels quickly, which is crucial when you need to make fast decisions on several tables at once.

Is it okay to go on autopilot?

Short stretches of autopilot are sometimes necessary, but relying on it for big decisions is dangerous. The key is to balance quick instincts with focus. If you find yourself making important calls or raises out of habit, reduce the number of tables or take a break to regain focus.

How can I manage my time bank effectively?

Recognize which decisions are the most complex and use the time bank when you truly need it. If you constantly run out of time bank, reduce the number of tables you’re playing, or schedule short breaks to clear your mind and stay fresh for critical spots.

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