An important part of a professional approach to poker is thinking about how to optimally use your playing time and maximize your profits in the long run. Some people prefer to maximize their win rate by playing attentively at a small number of tables, while others quickly play the distance and make the most of rakeback and bonuses.
A year ago, we asked regulars from the forum to tell us about their multi-tabling experience:
This time, the developers of Jurojin Poker, an auxiliary software that automates and simplifies multi-table play, share their tips. With its help, you can pre-set the table layout, hotkeys, bet sizes, and other interface details so that during sessions you can focus only on hands and strategy.
The Main Advantages of Multi-Tabling
You can play more hands. Practice is a must-have addition to theory: even if you are ready to spend hours analyzing a certain spot in the solver, you will have to test your strategy in action at the tables. Mastering poker concepts requires repetition.
Opportunity to greatly increase profits. When a strategy is already printing +EV at your limit, connecting new tables will help you earn more. Yes, your win rate may drop, but a larger number of hands will compensate for this.
Reduced variance. The more hands you play, the closer your actual result will be to your expected result.
Use your time efficiently. Don't wait long for playable hands or situations.
Improving focus and discipline. There is less time to make decisions, so to play positively, you will need to improve your automatism, learn to stick to the game plan, and minimize distractions.
Of course, it's not all about the pros. We've collected the most popular cons in one table:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| You can play many hands | It's harder to make perfect decisions in every hand. |
| Bonuses in rooms are paid off faster | Mental and physical fatigue |
| Variance equalization | It is difficult to maintain concentration for a long time |
| More hands and game situations, more experience, easier to improve strategy | It is more difficult to adapt to individual opponents |
| More efficient use of time | Additional costs: need for a more powerful computer, monitors or auxiliary software |
In some formats, it's impossible to become a professional without multi-tabling: it is hard to imagine an MTT regular who would play only one table!
7 Multi-Tabling Tips for Beginners
We analyzed the experience of Jurojin users and identified 7 of the most useful tips for starting multi-tabling.
Tip #1: Increase the number of tables gradually
Many have heard or seen regulars on streams who play 15, 18, or even more than 20 tables at a time without losing focus or reducing the quality of their play. However, for beginners, this approach will be a sure path to ruin.
Try gradually adding one table at a time to your standard load, and during the session, pay attention to whether you have enough time to make decisions. Determine how many tables you can play without using up your time banks. If you are focused and do not fall into autopilot, then you can add more tables next time. Conversely, if you do not have enough time banks, you should reduce the number of tables. Do not chase quantity from the very beginning, as everyone learns at their own pace.
Tip #2: Choose a convenient method of arranging tables
There are two main types of table setups for multi-tabling: stacked (where the active table is brought to the foreground) or grid, where tables are spread across the entire monitor. It's worth experimenting with which layout works best for you, but for beginners, the Jurojin team recommends using the grid. This way, you can see all the action and, over time, you can learn to closely follow and maintain focus across multiple tables at once.
However, the choice depends heavily on the monitor settings and computer performance: on a laptop with a small screen, playing with a grid will bring more inconvenience than benefit.
Tip #3: Use a four-color deck
The more tables you play, the faster you need to react to each hand. No one wants to misread their cards and fold a strong hand or play trash. Using four-color decks of cards significantly reduces the likelihood of incorrectly detecting a flush or flush draw, and generally allows you to read the board and your hole cards faster. This makes it easier to focus and avoid costly mistakes.
You can't confuse hearts with diamonds on StarsTip #4: Sit in the same place
Another simple but very logical piece of advice: why make unnecessary eye movements looking for your place at each new table? It is easier to choose a comfortable position and sit at all tables. Most rooms allow you to choose a preferred position in the settings, behind which your avatar or nickname will be displayed each time you sit down at a table. This not only saves time but also helps you concentrate.
Most people prefer the position directly opposite the dealer.Tip #5: Eliminate all distractions
When playing one or two tables, many people want to do something in parallel with the game: watch a video on YouTube or read social networks. Perhaps, with a small volume of play, this is not the worst solution, but as the number of tables increases, such distractions can lead to serious problems. If you play 6 or more tables, maintaining concentration is especially important: a few expensive mistakes can cost you all the profit for the session.
Another common mistake is to study theory or read training materials while playing. Some players believe that such multitasking will help them use their time more efficiently, but it is much more likely that they will not be able to concentrate on either the training material or the session itself. It is much better to set aside a separate time for studying theory and to focus exclusively on the game at the tables.
Tip #6: Stay within one discipline and format
When multi-tabling, you shouldn't run tables of different disciplines at the same time, especially if you don't have enough experience: it's very easy to give your opponent the wrong range and make a bad call when you combine Hold'em with Omaha or classic Omaha with six-card. Playing cash and MTT at the same time is usually easier, but at first it's more effective to focus on one thing. This advice is doubly relevant for those who stack tables.
If you're a cash game player and just learning how to multi-table, try to play at tables with the same stakes so you don't get distracted by the pot sizes and the specifics of different limits. Remember, the fewer decisions you have to make, the better.
Tip #7: Use auxiliary software
The interface customization options are different for each room, and it is far from possible to prepare for a session with maximum comfort everywhere. Especially if you play in several rooms! Jurojin will come to the rescue: our auxiliary program with a wide range of settings and functions that will make the game convenient, fast and adapt the appearance to your needs. Here are just some of the software's capabilities:
- Table Manager – You can customize the size, appearance and placement of tables to your liking and spend less attention and effort when multi-tabling.
- Pot Odds Calculator. HUD automatically calculates pot odds and SPR (stack to pot ratio), saving you from calculations during the hand.
- Hotkeys: Play faster with your mouse, keyboard or joystick by assigning key poker actions in any way you like.
- Flexible bet sizing. You can set the bet size in blinds, as a percentage of the pot, or as a multiple of the previous bet, and assign a separate button to each sizing.
- Next Street SPR Calculator : Calculates appropriate bet sizes for future streets by calculating the optimal stack-to-pot ratio.
- Colored labels for different stacks. The color coding system helps you quickly determine the size of your opponent's stack in the BB and make a decision faster.
In which rooms can Jurojin be used?
The software supports almost all major rooms:
PokerStars, GGPoker, iPoker, Ignition, Bovada, Bodog, 888poker, WPN network (ACR Poker, PokerKing, etc.), partypoker, Winamax, WPT Global, Chico ( BetOnline, TigerGaming, SportsBetting), as well as PPPoker, and ClubGG.
How to buy Jurojin Poker?
The free version of the program can be downloaded from the official website. It provides full functionality at micro limits (cash up to NL10, MTT up to 5 and Spin & Go up to 2) and limited at higher ones. A subscription to the full version can be paid for in the GipsyTeam store: there is a large selection of payment systems and cashback from each purchase.
