The Poker Lab Rat

Most players eventually realize that it’s fun, fairly easy and potentially better use of their time when trying to build a bankroll, to play at multiple online poker tables at once. Early in my career, I played as many as eight games at once on a daily basis. Here are some tips for playing multiple games:

1. Aligning your tables. Online poker software is getting better and better with some sites far better for easy multi-table play than others – some give you the choice of “picture in picture” or separate browser windows for each poker game that you can move independently around your screen, stack, layer and re-size…[Eds comment: US friendly site, Carbon Poker is really good to refine your multi-table skills]

Resolution is key for effective multi-table poker (you gotta be able to see those cards!). Most computer systems come preconfigured now for max res. It’s easy to change the resolution of the monitor by clicking on your desktop, then Properties, then Settings. Grab the arrow in the Screen Resolution area and move it to a smaller resolution. If possible use 1600×1200 setting to get up to four games on one screen without overlap. In order to maximise your screen area, make sure your video card and monitor support higher res settings.

2. Once you get into playing more than one game, the best way for you to keep up with the action is to look for hands you can fold automatically. Use advance actions. That will help you pay more attention to the game you have a real hand in.

3. Play the same game at every table. (Not just like Hold’em or Omaha, but also the same limit/ NL and preferably games with similar stakes).  It will help you avoid mistakes in reading and playing your hand, and you’ll find it easier to get into a good rhythm.

4. Most importantly: Track who has raised the pot. Make sure you make a mental (or physical jotting!) of this since it is key to how you will play your hand latter. It sounds simple, but it is really easy to get in a pot and not recall who raised when you’re playing across four to eight tables!

5. Make sure you take some breaks. When I used to play eight games, I was an animal. I would run to the bathroom and every screen would be beeping at me. Take a few breaks. The games will still be there when you get back!

Playing multiple poker games concurrently is a lot of fun and I hope to see you at the table – or tables!

Erick Lindgren

Like many of the top professional poker players, Erick plays exclusively online at FullTiltPoker.com. Nicknamed “EDOG”, join Erick at Full Tilt Poker today and claim your $600 free chip bonus – no referral code required.

PS: FullTilt Poker runs Daily Double Texas Hold’em tournaments. Look for these nightly $10 + $2 tournaments at 21:00 ET and 21:02 ET. You must enter BOTH tournaments in order to qualify for the Daily Double, and $1 from each entry fee goes toward the next day’s progressive jackpot.