Multitabling MTTs - good or bad?

[Soulman]

Inspired by the 'Resteals are awesome' thread, I'd like to ask the more experienced posters if they multitable MMTs, and what effect, if any, they believe this has on their game.

For myself, I find multitabling MTTs way harder to do than SNGs, particularly if you make it deep in a tourney. Nath stated that he usually fired up a few and concentrated on just one if he made it deep there, does anyone else follow this strategy? Is multitabling MTTs just harder than SNGs/cash games?

Myself, I'm usually way too bored to concentrate on one MTT from start to finish...so usually I either play one MTT + 1 SNG, 2 MTTs or 1 MTT + surfing, chatting etc (usually the latter). Does anyone actually focus on an MTT from start to finish, in what constitutes a regular, run-of-the-mill MTT for you?

[registrar]

MTTs can be very boring but multi-tabling definitely takes away a great deal of my edge. All of my significant wins have come from concentrating solely on one event. If I do multi-table, it is usually playing cash where I can get up and leave or sit out at any time. I find PL Stud the easiest game to play on the side, because the premium starting hands hold up best and the decisions are pretty easy (just keep making pot bets until you take it down, get out on fifth if you think you're beat).

If concentration and focus is difficult to maintain, I suggest moving up to a buy in that makes you somewhat nervous. In my case, I am sure that I do better, and play better, playing one $100 MTT giving it my all than not playing that well over five $20 buy-ins.

I guess better and more experienced players understand betting patterns insinctively and don't need to focus on the table all the time. Myself, I need to watch players carefully in every hand to know when and where to make moves.

[A_Junglen]

MTT's are slightly harder to multi-table because there are far more variables compared to cash games or SNGs.

In cash games the only real variables are the players. SNG's, while still "tournament poker" are also easy to multi table. There are a set number of chips on the table, and a pretty basic optimal strategy.

MTTs however do not have a set number of players, chips, etc. Knowing your opponents tendencies is far more important as late games plays (resteals, stop n goes) become not only viable, but necessary.

As a result, I do believe it's optimal not to go nuts while playing mtt's. I used to play 8-12 mtt's across several sites at the same time, but have been slowly lowering it with noticably better results.

I used to be a SNG player, where it's easily possible to play up to 16-20 at a time, simply because of the limited variables, and a set objective in sight.


Anyways at the moment I usually play about 5-6 MTT's at once. As the session progresses and if I'm lucky enough to be deep in one of them (ex: out of 5 of the 6, but 2nd with 18 left in the 6th) then I'll generally just keep that table up. I can however see the benefits of opening up additional tables to help avoid "boredom" and/or "fps."

The whole time I'll also have AIM/music/internet running, both of which I think have helped me.

-Adam

*The X/180's on Stars could be considered an exception. I think playing 8 simultaneously is reasonable due to the capped number of entrants. As a result the blinds are almost always pretty reasonable, even in the late game.

[A_Junglen]

Hmm I was thinking, and I guess not too everyone can play that many tables in the first place. In that case just use your best judgement and discipline to reduce the number of MTT's you play at a time.


-Adam

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]
MTTs can be very boring but multi-tabling definitely takes away a great deal of my edge.

[/ QUOTE ]

Took me awhle to figure this out, but I wholeheartedly agree re: edge.

For me, it is too easy to "give up" on a MTT when I am playing several and get short stacked in one of them.

When I play one at a time, I try harder when I get short.

[Plus1Plus1]

How do you play all those tables? Huge moniter + high res? (not computer savvy [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] )

[HotdogPoker]

Are reads not more important in an MTT than in any other form? Players and their tendencies can/will change depending on the situation, where as in cash games, their tendencies would likely remain about the same. That's why I have found that I can multitable NL cash games (although I can only do three before there is a serious decline in performance), but I can't multitable MTTs. At all. I play one at a time...seriously.

[binions]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you play all those tables? Huge moniter + high res? (not computer savvy [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] )

[/ QUOTE ]

I have two 20" 1600x1200 monitors and can 8 table without resizing.

However, for MTT, I play one at a time now.

[Exitonly]

i can only like 6-8 table cash games, but i can have like 20 tournaments going. it's so easy to just focus on the tables you're deep in and ABC it up in the others. and if you get really deep in one, you'll probably have stopped joining tournaments and by the time you're REALLY deep you wont be multitabling anymore.