Multi-Tabling Sit And Go’s To Maximize Rakeback

Multi-Tabling SNGs as Sets or Continuous: The Impact on Rakeback and Hourly Profit ($/Hr)

In order to multi-table Sit And Go’s efficiently, you have two options; play your sit and go’s either Continuous or in Sets. Each of these methods will effect your rakeback earned and hourly profit ($/hr) in different ways. You need to analyze your strengths and crunch the numbers to figure out which method is most profitable for you.

Playing SNG Sets For Rakeback:

Playing sets is when you start a group of SNGs at the same time and wait for all SNGs to finish, before starting another set. Repeat this process until rich. There is a certain amount of time it takes to get your entire group of tables started. I call this Set Startup Lag (SSL) and record it my tracking notebook. Read, “How to Manually Track your Rakeback for SNGs/MTTs” to find out more on how to track sets. SSL is simply the time difference between when the first table starts and the last table starts. The longer your SSL is, the lower your rakeback and $/hr will be, because it increases the amount of time the set takes from start to finish. If it is longer than ten or fifteen minutes, you should learn how to play continuous or consider switching rooms.

(SSL) = (Table #1 Start Time) – (Last Table Start Time)

Examples of typical SSL: Playing Sets of 6 on Full Tilt Poker during peak hours ($20 SNGs). The SNGs in this scenario will fill up very fast. Typically five to six minutes, or less. If you were playing those same SNGs at off-peak, the lag could be ten to fifteen minutes. On the smaller sites, a set of six might be impossible depending on the stakes and time of the day. These are important factors to consider, when deciding what method to use.

(Set Session Length) = (Table #1 Start Time) – (Last Table End Time)

Example of Playing Sets: In general, sets take a couple minutes longer than it takes to play a single SNG of the same structure, when you make it to the final two players. The additional time is because of the SSL. For example a 9 man SNG turbo, usually takes 45 minutes. If you are playing sets of six on a high traffic site, it should take about five minutes to get the set of six all going, and you will usually make it to the final two in at least one of them. So, a set of six, 9-man SNG Turbos takes about 50 minutes on average.

Playing Continuous SNGs for Rakeback:

Playing continuous means you are consistently maintaining a constant number of SNGs open at the same time. As soon as you finish one SNG, you start another. This method requires faster thinking and will result in more tables/hr. If something causes you to be at less than your goal number, it is important to note this in your tracking log. This could happen if the tables fill too slowly. If you are at the end of your session and no longer joining new tables, and you get knocked out early in a lot of them, but make it to the final two in one of them, you will be playing way below your optimal level for quite a long time. So, it is important to understand that both have inefficiencies that are unavoidable.

There are a few benefits to playing sit and go sets for rakeback purposes:

1. The blind levels in each sit and go tournament increase at approximately the same time at each table. This is important because different strategies are needed depending what the blind levels are. When you play continuous, you may have a couple tables that just started, one heads up, and a couple on the bubble. This requires faster thinking, and can have a negative impact on ROI for some players.

2. You will have less tables going on when you are short handed, because ‘pre-bubble finishes’ are inevitable. This is when the decisions become the most difficult. The more attention you can give each table, the higher your SNG ROI will be. However, in the rare times when you make it to the bubble at every single one of the tables in the set, you will be very busy. If you are playing continuous you will have your maximum number of tables going on at all times, however, if you stagger them correctly you will only have a couple that are deep at any given time.

3. It allows you to take a brief break in between sessions. Taking breaks every two to three hours is very important to maintaining your focus and staying fresh.

There are a few benefits to playing continuous sngs for rakeback purposes:

1. In terms of MGR and Rakeback, continuous is definitely the way to go. Just make sure it doesn’t have a bigger affect on your ROI. Playing in sets is only slightly less profitable in terms of rakeback. Playing continuous increases your tables/hr and your rakeback. For most players, it also increases their hourly profit ($/hr).

2. It can help some people become less results oriented. This is very important in SNGs, where rough stretches are common. When playing continuous, you are less aware of how much you are up or down for the session.

3. If staggered correctly you can play more efficiently and maximize both $/hr and tables/hr. This is because you never have more than a couple SNGs deep in the tourney and you will be able to focus your attention on the SNGs that need it the most.

Summary:

Overall, there are benefits to both, but it comes down to personal preference and your ability to process information at the poker tables quickly. This is different for each player, so you will have to experiment and track your results. Compare hourly rates for each of them and choose which is higher. Remember to include your rakeback earned as part of that hourly rate. Also, check back in the near future, we will be releasing new articles that teach you how to increase your tables/hr and your $/hr whether you play sets, continuous, or a mixture of the two.