So I'm currently trying for the take-2 promotion at full tilt, where you just have to earn 5 points per day while playing (at least) 2 cash tables.
The thing is, that I've only recently started single tabling, which is going well (>15bb/100), but now I'm playing 2 6-max tables, and I'm losing money fast. Although I'm running well below all-in EV, indicating that I mostly get my money in, in the right spots, but losing due to variance. But even corrected for all-in EV, I still lose money, when playing more than 1 table.
Does anyone have any tips, to improve my 2-tabling skills. I have no great wish to become a multi tabler, but I wanna have some of that $25 bonus money left, when the promotion is done...
Joined: Mar '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 39 (M)
Posts: 1646
I would say play a bit tighter than you normally would until you get used to playing more than one table. It might just be coincidence that your losing since you switched to playing two tables. Because two tables shouldn't really be giving you any problems. I don't play normal ring games anymore buy I could comfortably play 4-6 tables at once after adding more tables when I got used to play one more at a time. (I play two zoom tables at once now pretty comfortably, I've tried four but it gets a bit much when you have decisions to make at all tables at once lol) If you think it's the pace that is affecting you try playing full ring (2 tables) to see of that works out better for you.
Joined: Dec '08
Location: Netherlands
Age: 42 (M)
Posts: 579
Since you get your money in ahead most of the time you say you cant do much more really except hoping you have enough bankroll to take a downswing. If you keep getting your money in good you should end up a winner in the long run.
And 2 tables shouldnt cause to much problems because you can really still keep track of what everybody is doing. I play at least 4 but when you play more and more tables its less reading opponents and more automatic poker play.
Joined: Apr '09
Location: Australia
Age: 40 (M)
Posts: 6483
The main thing I find for multi-tabling is this "RELAX". It's easy to allow yourself to become overwhelmed, to 'feel' as though the action is moving faster than it really is and perceiving you have less time to act than you really do..
The best thing is just to relax, don't allow yourself to stress and try and keep the perspective that there's plenty of time to act and think on each table and on each hand.. Make use of your timers and don't stress out - the worst case scenario is generally you may accidentally 'sit out' on a table if you don't act quick enough, but this is usually only ever pre-flop, as once you're involved in a hand, you're unlikely to let the timer lapse if you're caught up in it.
So just relax and allow yourself to focus on each situation.
Also - if you're playing on Stars and FTP - then you could try the trial version of "Table Ninja" - it can take care of a LOT of the work involved in multi-tabling, freeing yourself up more for important decisions..
My first session of the day didn't go very well. Play PLO 6 max usually 2 table. Hit my stop loss limit and switched to Stars...same thing...variance. Took a couple of hours off, studied the hand histories, settled down went back and wound up even on both sites. It's like Jess says, try to limit the stress, playing isn't stress free, it's how we manage the stress that makes us better.
Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 6669
Just two tables is very few if you ask me, so i really think that your problem is mental...
I think the best advice would be to play a bit tighter than you usually do and also be careful not to lose more money that you could earn on this promotion!
Joined: Mar '11
Location: Canada
Age: 44 (M)
Posts: 1490
If you can play 1 table, you can play 2. 2 tables is like nothing. Just remember, each table has a time clock, so it's not like you don't still have the time to make decisions.
I'd say switch to full ring if you want to adjust, because action wont be on you as often, it'll give you more "breathing room".
Posted by bullettooth1: If you think it's the pace that is affecting you try playing full ring (2 tables) to see of that works out better for you.
I considered that, but decided against it, because would require 2 changes (an extra table, and 6 max to full ring), which would make it difficult to evaluate the results...
Posted by remco2504: I play at least 4 but when you play more and more tables its less reading opponents and more automatic poker play.
My game relies heavily on figuring out what the other players are doing, and less on my hole cards. It just might be that this is the problem; playing automatic with the same range I do normally, without all the observations on my opponents...
Posted by jessthehuman: So just relax and allow yourself to focus on each situation.
This sounds true to me; I wasn't relaxed at all, clicking faster than I normally would on just one table... I do in fact multi table with freerolls all the time. I never noticed doing worse because of it, with that.
Posted by Macubaas: Just two tables is very few if you ask me, so i really think that your problem is mental...
Surely not... If there's one thing that the voices inside my head all agree upon, it is that there is nothing wrong with me mentally.
Posted by retribution: I'd say switch to full ring if you want to adjust, because action wont be on you as often, it'll give you more "breathing room".
What I do now is play my normal LAG 6 max game on one table, and open another full ring table, where I'm very TAG, and pay relatively little attention to. My winnings on the 6 max compensate for what I lose on the full ring.
This works much better so far, even though I'm still losing more on the full ring table, then I should (mainly due to not sticking to the plan)...
Joined: Sep '12
Location: Romania
Age: 33 (M)
Posts: 1052
It's very easy to win that 5FPP if you play just 2 table is very easy but you can play a session of 10-15 mins with 9 fullring... you can pay just the BB and SB and you can get that 5 FPP ... 9 hands at 9 tables = 81 hands... 1-2c blinds = 3cents x 9 tables = 27cents max to lose... play very tight and you win my advice for you is play all in on the flop all hands start with 2 pair and finish with royal flush
Posted by Macubaas: Lol i did not say that you have mental problems, i just said that maybe the idea of multi tabling even with two tables may be a psyhological step...
I know. I purposely misunderstood your answer for comic effect.
You were totally correct by the way. I've tried to relax a bit in the last few sessions, and I'm just $1 short of getting back to break even. So it looks like the promotion will be profitable after all...
Posted by Macubaas: Still, with a bit of experience, i mean after couple of days of playing at least two tables you'll never want to coma back to a single table.
I don't know about that yet. Maybe moving up in stakes when the time comes, would be a better move for me...?
The graph are all the hands I played during the promotion:
I would focused at the really good hands, and blind stealing. I would also pre-check the "fold box" if my hand was an obvious fold. To slow things down you could also play full-rings, as someone metioned before.
my advice for you is play all in on the flop all hands start with 2 pair and finish with royal flush 
