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Tips to protect your poker bankroll:

There are many advantages to playing poker online (ease of access, number of games available, multi-tabling, etc) but with those advantages also come danger. 

The very things that make online poker appealing to folks can also become bankroll slayers.

One of the first areas where I see online players take big hits to their bankroll is when they begin multi-tabling.

The majority of poker rooms now offer the ability to open more than one table, allowing the player to see many more hands per hour.

While this is a great way to mitigate risk and spread your bankroll across many tables, it’s also a distraction if not managed properly.

Multi-tabling – friend or foe?

If you’re managing your bankroll properly (let’s assume you know the basics), let’s say you’ve got the reserves available to play four tables at once. This is new to you and you’re very excited at the prospect of playing upwards of 200 hands per hour (assumption based on average number of 50 hands per hour at 2/4 6 seated limit table).

The biggest danger here lurks for players who like to speculate and chase bad draws or open with weak hands. The danger is even more pervasive for the player that tends to come in late with a weak hand because “I was priced in”.

Take the following example:

The player is in the SB with K6 off, the blind is raised early and there are two callers. Assuming that the BB “may” call, you are getting 6-1 on your call to see the flop.

The risk here is that the raiser or the first caller may have a superior hand such as AK, KQ, or even AA or KK, in which case you’re clearly dominated.

The other challenge is that assuming the BB comes in, you’re against three players with a marginal hand. If you miss the flop and there’s a bet (and there will almost ALWAYS be a bet here), you have to let the hand go.

 So now you’ve lost 1BB, no big deal right? Wrong, you’re now multiplying your bad play X4 (remember, we’re playing four tables here)! Do the math and assume two bad plays per hour/per table.

You’re losing 8BB an hour and with an expected win rate of say 6-8BB an hour, you’re now treading water. The only people making money with this strategy is the poker room with the rake that you’re paying.

Tighten up – live to fight another day

The moral of the story? If you’re one that tends to speculate a lot and likes to chase bad hands, rid yourself of this habit LONG before you start to try multi-tabling.

Read up on the best starting hands or use a chart for reference. As you refine your game and move to this fast paced style of poker, your bankroll will thank you for it!

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