Pitfalls of Poker #2: Cross-Contamination

If you play more than one table at a time, good for you. I truly think that poker is 70-90% dead air. Sure, there is much to be learned from your opponents, but let's say your hourly rate is actually higher when you are in 2 games, as opposed to 1.  So much for traditional, casino poker, eh?  I'm sure some make a max rate when they play 4 tables, or 10.  So, this is truly a great option for some of us geeks to have.

Now, I have some specific things to look for when you're multi-tabling, what I call "cross-contamination."  What do I mean by this?  I mean letting one game you're in affect the others.  There are obvious ways, and subtler ones after that:

• Pressed for time.  If you make a hurried choice because the other game was pressing for time in one way or another.  If you accidentally time out when it's detrimental.
• Confused.  Any 2 different games will do, and if playing tourneys then maybe the blinds are different.  Maybe your tourney situation is different.  Or maybe you're so bored, you're simul-tabling HORSE.  Now that can get fun.
• Table mood, feel, flow.  If you end up raising light into a table of maniacs, or show up late and not know what exactly a 3-bet and 4-bet mean.  Is this the circus?  Or is that actual strength?
• YOUR mood, feel, flow.  I think this is one you might easily overlook.  Are you carrying your mood, your good and bad results, from table to table?  Let's say you play 2 SNG's at once.  Have you ever felt yourself jamming A5s on one table, purely because you just got sucked out on, or even just lost a coin flip, at the other table?  Oh, only about a thousand times, you say?

As we choose to play our absolute best poker over time, we always start by recognizing something, by increasing our awareness.  So look for these things, recognize them, and simply avoid letting them affect your play.  Then make the right choice (FOLD ACE RAG) in each moment.