Is It Viable To Play Professionally Without Multi-Tabling? (NLHE Cash)

[Kehzi]

It's been scientifically proven most humans can't multitask effectively what so ever, and this is certainly the case for me. I understand the idea of multi-tabling in that it can significantly increase your hands per hour, but I just can't personally do it.

Even if I was good at it, I don't enjoy it as you're pretty much forced to play ABC poker and that's not what makes poker fun for me. I want to be able to be creative, make reads, and exploit situations; that's poker.

The other problem is I wouldn't be able to start with a high enough bankroll to comfortably play stakes any higher than $0.50/$1 to start.

So what do you think? Is it worth pursuing poker for an income if you can't/don't want to multi-table?

 

[najisami]

It's been scientifically proven most humans can't multitask effectively what so ever, and this is certainly the case for me. I understand the idea of multi-tabling in that it can significantly increase your hands per hour, but I just can't personally do it.

Even if I was good at it, I don't enjoy it as you're pretty much forced to play ABC poker and that's not what makes poker fun for me. I want to be able to be creative, make reads, and exploit situations; that's poker.

The other problem is I wouldn't be able to start with a high enough bankroll to comfortably play stakes any higher than $0.50/$1 to start.

So what do you think? Is it worth pursuing poker for an income if you can't/don't want to multi-table?

Well, there's a choice to make. Micro and low stakes or mid stakes and up. If you can afford the latter, then there's no need to multi-table as long as you put in some hours. But if you opt for the lower stakes, I really don't see how you can generate any significant income without multi-tabling and playing for long hours as well.

 

[Debi]

If you want to play for a living it is highly unlikely you could get in enough volume only playing 1 table.

Just play part time.

 

[Kehzi]

Well, there's a choice to make. Micro and low stakes or mid stakes and up. If you can afford the latter, then there's no need to multi-table as long as you put in some hours. But if you opt for the lower stakes, I really don't see how you can generate any significant income without multi-tabling and playing for long hours as well.

I see, thanks for the response. So, would you say the minimum stakes to play at should be $1/$2 or maybe $2/$5? Also, would you recommend playing short stacked, mid stacked, or deepstacked (40 BB, 70 BB, and 100 BB respectively)?

If playing short stacked, it would be significantly easier to meet the bankroll requirement for $1/$2. I suppose a bankroll of around $2000-$2500 with a buy in of $80.

Finally, what kind of win rate should I aim for? 4BB/100? 8BB/100? etc.

All in all, I'd be happy even to earn a little under minimum wage when starting out. I think it would just about even out after commuting costs and taxes anyways.

 

[terryk]

Play tournaments,,,they are way more fun to play,plus if you win,,,you can clean up! $$$ $$$

 

[Kehzi]

Play tournaments,,,they are way more fun to play,plus if you win,,,you can clean up! $$$ $$$

SNG's maybe, definitely not MTT's

My current experience with tournaments is for the most part limited to free entry Turbo and Super Turbo MTT's. I gotta say I haven't enjoyed them much.

There seems to be significantly more variance than cash games as you're kind of forced to play marginal hands to have any hope at a decent prize. And the principles of position and bet sizing seem to be thrown out the window as many people go all in with marginal or less than marginal hands. If you play super tight, you're likely to be eaten by the blinds and antes and at most you'll win a negligbile prize.

Plus, they take super long.

I imagine things are different with non-turbo, real money tournaments but still, I think cash games are where it's at for me personally.

 

[liuouhgkres]

HU definitely viable, if you want to 1 table 6max cash then I recommend playing zoom.

 

[Kehzi]

HU definitely viable, if you want to 1 table 6max cash then I recommend playing zoom.

Interesting, less players means more potential winnings right? But also a lot more variance.

Zoom is very intriguing as well, many more hands per hour. But I'm not sure I like constantly being bounced around tables and positions like a tennis ball. I'm not sure you can call that poker.

Do I have it wrong?

 

[liuouhgkres]

Interesting, less players means more potential winnings right? But also a lot more variance.

Zoom is very intriguing as well, many more hands per hour. But I'm not sure I like constantly being bounced around tables and positions like a tennis ball. I'm not sure you can call that poker.

Do I have it wrong?

Yeah, in HU you can have higher win rate. Doug Polk said that best player in the world can have have 10-15bb win rate against second best player and 30bb+ against fish. That's unheard of in 9max or 6max games. You are playing almost every hand HU and fish suck at playing trash hands, so there are many spots you can exploit them.

Zooms are slightly different than regular tables, but I like it. Once you start playing zoom tables it's very hard to go back to reg tables, because they are so slow and boring. You feel like you are wasting your time when you fold and wait for others finish the hand. The main difference between zoom and reg tables is that zoom is much nittier and tougher, even at lower stakes. pokerstars allows only 4 cash tables at once. That's not enough for regulars, so they moved to zoom. It's a reg fest starting from NL25, but luckily they are not very good regs.