How to observe opponents while multitabling?

[Indiana]

I saw that Newt made a comment about observing while playing 8 tables and I just don't find myself able to do that. When I play 2-4 tables I am basically just playing without reads, making pushes with "artificial" ranges on my opponents and such. I can easily CRUSH the $33s on party if I only play one at a time, but I really don't make much money when I play 2-4 because all the genius of my game goes right out the window when I don't carefully observe my opponents.

Do most players actually find it possible to carefully observe their opponents while playing so many tables? I also find it very tiring and uninteresting to multitable, but that's another topic.

Indy

[Sierra]

Indy,

This is exactly why I DON'T multi-table. I crush the lower limits as well, simply on the fact of reading people. So many tourneys you get ITM/knocked out based on 1 or 2 good/bad decisions. How can you possibly be in tune with the table when you are playing 5/6/7/8?

I'd rather play long hours than mutli-table.....could be alone though on that.

Plus, it makes my head hurt.

[cleinen]

[ QUOTE ]
Indy,

This is exactly why I DON'T multi-table. I crush the lower limits as well, simply on the fact of reading people. So many tourneys you get ITM/knocked out based on 1 or 2 good/bad decisions. How can you possibly be in tune with the table when you are playing 5/6/7/8?

I'd rather play long hours than mutli-table.....could be alone though on that.

Plus, it makes my head hurt.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes but you are killing your hourly rate. I don't think any one would argue that your ROI would be much higher if you single table.

[Sierra]

I am not adequately rolled at this time.....therefore ROI>hourly rate right now.

Your point is understood though.

[Damian UK]

have been grinding at 4 tabling the $20 and $30 for too long and its driving me mad.

So I started last week to single table the $109 and concentrate, and my results have improved rather than just become a push monkey (yes I know its a short time sample [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]).

I have no doubt that I will go back to multi tabling again, but playing for 'higher' stakes than I have been used to and only playing one table has helped me get my game and reads back together again - plus it isn't boring the bollocks off me at the mo either (unlike the 4 table grinds)

Just my thoughts

Damo

[Velocity]

Concentration is a big key for noticing table dynamics for me. First and foremost, I pay attention whenever I see other multitablers enter pots and try and pick up on their tendencies/weaknesses. I don't always get dead on reads at all my tables, but I think making notes when you see people limp alot or overbet early is helpful when you see the same people over and over again.

As dumb as it sounds, reading almost there with success and failure before i start to play and forcing myself to do "the exercise" really helps me stay focused over long sets.


Edit: Oh, and willing to put in the hours, Sierra? How many hours do you need to play to get 50 sngs/day in? What's that you say, the earth is spinning too fast? What a shame.

[Sierra]

Obviously, I don't do 50 SNG's day......more like 8-10 currently.

[KPL]

I usually make really easy note on the other players, like "donk" when they make a really bad call, "superdonk" when they make a terrible call or "limps with AA/KK" if I observe this or other tricky stuff. As I'm playing on low limits, I have problems making good notes, as I often don't see the same players again. I really just notice the extremes, ie really bad players, or goood multitablers.

[JMills109]

I usually make notes on players who give me reason to believe they deviate from the norm at a given level. Absent that, I have developed different guidelines I use for opponents calling/pushing ranges etc. that I use for the most part. I have no idea how one could have detailed notes on a table full of unknowns by the end of a single SNG, but focusing on the players who I'll most likely be pushing into and calling pushes from works for me.

BTW - When 6-8 tabling, I play A limit well below what I an capable of beating with 1 or 2 tables. Is this what others are doing or are you gradually increasing tables at the highest limits?

[AnthonyV]

Indy --

This is something I've struggled with since I started playing, and, to a greater extent, since I've continually added tables to my play.

Step 1, of course, is to use a PAHUD, which I imagine you do. This gives you some more information besides just VP$IP/PFR -- it gives you a general index of "solid player" vs. "complete moron." Unfortunately, that gives you little information about their understanding of ICM/late game play, which is debateably the most important information you could ever have about an opponent.

For that, I try to really pay attention to any table where anyone goes all-in and particularly when the all-in is called. I will absolutely note a player who makes a loose bubble call and accordingly tighten up my pushing ranges against them a little bit.

The trickier thing and MOST crucial thing is to take note of someone who is folding their SB on the bubble too much. It's harder to notice when multi-tabling, but if you can, it's just so important (because it means that their pushes are likely a far smaller range than they "should" be). Naturally, I'll call less against these players.

The other overall advice is: no 2+2, no tv, no other people around, etc. When I meet those three standards, I find that my play is vastly improved, due almost entirely to the fact that I'm paying more attention to what's happening when I'm not involved in hands.