How many tables do you play?
 

A friend of mine tells me that when i play 3 tables i'm doing a horrible thing because it's impossible to get reads on people and such. He says you should always only play 1 table.
But i've heard people on this site say they play 4-5 at once. What is your opinion on this?

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

Let's say you average a profit of 2 big bets per hour if you play a single table. On the other hand if you play 4 tables you lose a little on reads so you only make 1.5 big bets per table per hour. In case 1 you make a profit of 2 big bets per hours and in case 2 you make 6 big bets per hour.

Which sounds better to you?

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

I play 8, others play more.

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

I play 8 tables and have very good reads on everyone. Pokertracker (with add-ons) help drastically with this. I've tried 12 tables but my win rate drops quite quickly. Optimal profit comes from 8 tables for me and at the end of the month rake back thanks me too.

outs

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

I play 4 tables. Granted, your read does drop a little, but that is why you have poker tracker. Plus, you are going to get a little less than 4 times the winnings as someone already pointed out.

Cheers,
Pots

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

Thanks for the replies. I tried to tell him that some people play more than 1 table and make more profit doing so, but all he said was "play money doesn't count." haha, oh well, I'm just gonna let him keep playing his 1 table.

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

Your friend is as much correct as wrong. I would never play more then 2 short handed(4-5 players) NL holdem with real stakes.
All the multitabeling is better for fixed limit or at least longhanded NL.

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

I usually play three tables. I have tried four, but with four I find that I don't get good reads on people, and sometimes hold up the games. I also think that my playing decisions degrade badly enough that I actually win less at four tables than at three. Others may be able to handle four or more and play well enough that they make more. The correct number of tables to play is the number that you can handle and still play well enough that your BB/hr is better than it would be at fewer tables. I also think that you should have the courtesy not to play so many tables that you start to hold up the play. If you are seeing a lot of "ZZZZZZZZ"'s in the chat window when you get around to acting, or are getting timed out frequently, you are playing too many tables. If you find yourself tempted to play bad hands out of boredom, playing multiple tables may actually help. It's easy to fold that AT in early postion when you've got pocket kings on another table. Of course, Murphy's law dictates that you will frequently either have 72 96 and 85 an your three tables, or AA AK and AJs on your three tables. In short the best number of tables to play is the number that you, not somebody else can handle effectively.

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

I have 3 monitors and can get about 7 games going. Not recommended for beginners cause it gets pretty hectic.

Re: How many tables do you play?
 

5 or 6 seems to be the optimal number for me if we're talking sheer profit. It also makes for a much more enjoyable poker experiance...as with 8 i start getting stressed out when people talk to me on aim or ask a n00b question i get all annoyed. I can relax, talk to people on aim, watch tv and play 6 tables with ease.