So I’ve spent almost the entire weekend setting up and testing out TableNinja via the 30-day free trial. I’ve been 12-15 tabling lately with reasonable success and heard that it could help make multi-tabling much quicker and easier and resolve some of the more tilting issues with Stars. Clearly if the product is good, this could mean squeezing in some more tables and (theoretically) some more profit.

TN and I didn’t get off to a good start though. Whilst my laptop is only a little bit short of the recommend spec (3gb instead of 4gb memory), the initial testing at 5nl resulted in serious lag issues and some tilting spew. Hitting the designated fold key 3 times for one hand, only then for the software to catch up and fold pocket aces will make even the most level-headed person want to hurt somebody. The bet sizing options were also well off, with the open raise sometimes being as high as 73bb and the flop cbet being as low as 1bb.

If you can get the software issues fixed however, there are some noticeable pros to TN that make multi-tabling much easier. The auto buy-in and auto acceptance of waitlist seats are useful during the times when you’re already playing 20 tables, plus the auto "sit out at next big blind" is also handy. The most beneficial key that TN offers though is the auto “I’m Back”, which means that you no longer have to rifle through stacked tables to sit back in whilst Stars keeps bringing other tables to the foreground.

Nevertheless, TN is still unable to remove a number of Stars annoyances and one thing also worth remembering is that TN won't miraculously make anybody a better player. If anything, it can result in some costly mistakes due to human error. I think TN also encourages people to play far more tables than is profitable and should therefore be avoided by the intermediate, improving player; 24-tabling is great in theory, but it’s hard to spot the fish at the table and also to think through decisions adequately. TN is therefore not a product that I will be purchasing now, but I wouldn't rule out doing so in the future.