Multi-tabling and The Hours...

[SammyKid11]

Not that every thread shouldn't be about UIGEA and its effects, but this is something a little more lighthearted for those weary of the discussion of doom (not that I think the doom is fake, but you know, we can't ALWAYS talk about it).

I was having a discussion with a friend of mine who works in the corporate world the other day. He commented that his job is much tougher than playing poker, and one of his main points of emphasis was that while he spends ~60 hours per week at his job, I only spend about 35 hours per week at the table. We make about the same amount of money (he's college educated and has been promoted several times at his job), but he always kind of denigrates the amount of hours I work, saying something along the lines of "if I made as much per hour as you do, I'd work 100 hours per week," etc.

Basically, I tried to explain to him that 35 hours of multi-tabling to your capacity at online poker requires absolute concentration for 35 hours per week, whereas 60 hours of being at work does NOT require 60 hours of absolute attention to tasks that require 10+ accurate, quick decisions per minute. At work, there is time talking, time walking through the halls, time waiting for something to finish printing, time spent on things that amount to breaks (cigarette breaks, coffee breaks, eating a banana at your desk), time checking your personal e-mail, and for most workers, time spent completely daydreaming/surfing the net/gossiping with co-workers/long lunches...and that this stuff really adds up. I pointed out to him that there is virtually no way he could multi-table online poker for 60+ hours per week on a five-day schedule, every week for a year. His brain would melt sometime on Tuesday the first week.

So it led me to thinking...if you're multi-tabling to your capacity, how many "regular job" hours does each "multi-table" hour account for? My guess would be somewhere around 1.5...but I was wondering what The Zoo thought.

[Reef]

many "real world" jobs have TONS of downtime whereas 1 brain fart costs us $. 12 tabling cash game would probably be like 2-5x

[MicroBob]

exactly.

Additionally, I really can't multi-table too much when I'm tired.

If I get a bad night's sleep in the 'real' work world I can just suck it up, go to work like I HAVE to, and get done maybe some of what I'm supposed to during the day while also kind of coasting or taking it easy if I feel like it.

In online-poker if I do that then I'm simply not going to be able to concentrate which means losing money.


And in the real world you aren't docked 5 or 10 minutes every time you get up to get some coffee or go to the bathroom, etc.

No, online-poker isn't exactly the hardest work in the world.
You sit at home and click buttons all day and people give you their money. You can watch Law and Order or Clint Eastwood movies all day while you are 'working' and you have total freedom to work at whatever hours you like.


But it's definitely not like 60 hours a week online is the same as 60 hours in a regular job where you get essentially get paid to sneak out for a trip to the bank, water-cooler, bathroom, whatever.

[Hsunami]

How many tables do you play simultaneously?

[Push_Fold]

I have found when I get headaches that it is pointless for me to play. Not only does the pain increase but I am very tilt prone. In the "real world" if I quit working everytime I had a headache.....

[5thStreetHog]

It depends on what job your comparing poker to obviously,but in reality you will make more decisions and invest more mental energy in one day of poker than most people will in a week at their jobs and social activities combined.Im speaking generally of course knowing that many people are required to make many decisions that have alot more serious outcomes in the bigger picture of course.Im speaking of your basic 9-5 office or labor job that doesnt effect the physical well being of others.

[Grey]

I have a really good work ethic. When I worked a real job, I worked 65-80 hours a week.

Now, playing poker professionally, I play about 40 hours a week. I try to play more, but I honestly can't keep up a pace higher than that.

[KittyLiquor]

My answer: 1.5 seems about right

I have always thought the most similar job is Air Traffic Controller. Granted, when we make a mistake people don't die, but I think the rest of the job is similar. Sit at a computer and have simple physical actions. (Move a mouse, click a button) Similar mental tasks. Analyse the situation, make a decision. And we both have to constantly be making decisions. Poker players make 8 a minute (or whatever) whereas ATCs make continious decisions, but there is very minimal "break" time between decisions.

My question is: What are the work hours of an ATC? I think they work 15/30/60 minutes, get a break, etc. Anyone know?

Meow

[ipitythefool]

I'm am at work now doing absolutely nothing aside from reading 2+2 and getting paid. That's all I really need to say to give my input...

[arizona]

A while ago I read in article in Time that said the average American worker wastes two hours out of every eight hour work day doing non productive stuff like getting coffee, using the bathroom, chatting, etc.

I don't really have a point, it just seemed relevant.