Recently, I began using a piece of software called Table Ninja (found at www.tableninja.com) when playing at PokerStars. Table Ninja allows you to set hotkeys to execute actions by hovering your mouse over any part of a table's window and pushing the appropriate key. These actions range from "fold" to betting custom percentages of the pot. Table Ninja's functionality goes beyond helping in-hand play. I have hotkeys set to sit out the next big blind and to close tables. I also have Table Ninja set to buy into cash games automatically as soon as I open the window, and to register for specifically chosen SNGs such that 15 are running at all times when I decide to play SNGs instead of cash games.

I first tried Table Ninja because I was looking for something to reduce the probability of my right hand succumbing to a repetitive strain injury. After using it and interviewing the maker of Table Ninja on my weekly podcast, I realized that Table Ninja is about more than just making sure I can play injury-free online poker. By not having to dedicate time to random "administrative tasks" while playing, I have more time to think about my actions. Some of the benefits of dedicating less time and mental processing power to administrative tasks include:
• Closing bad tables and opening potentially profitable tables with ease
• Playing more tables than I was able to before
• Playing more thoughtful poker than I was able to before
The result of me being able to dedicate more time and mental energy to focusing on my hand-to-hand decisions is a higher hourly win rate. But enough about me-what about you? Can you identify factors that detract from your ability to make the best decisions possible when playing?

Do you try to squeeze in sessions when your mind is in a rushed state? Do you sit and play for several hours at a time without eating or drinking anything? Do you sneak glances at the attractive person sitting across from you at the table? Do you not take time to assess your game away from the table?

Take an honest look in the mirror and identify all such non-strategic leaks in your game. Then, do what you can to fix them because they're just as important as the strategic leaks in your game-perhaps more so if they're the underlying cause of your strategic leaks.

Additionally, keep yourself abreast of current developments in the poker world. Do random internet searches; observe what people are talking about in online poker forums. Does a poker room have ridiculous wait times in the evening? If so, you can save yourself some time by making sure that you arrive in the early afternoon. Is there a great new piece of poker software available? If so, then check it out. Is there an emerging game format? If so, study it before it becomes the next big thing, so you can be ahead of the curve.

Changing well-established routines can be difficult. However, evaluating the value of a change is identical to evaluating the dollar EV of a poker decision. Suppose your normal win rate is $40 per hour but an expenditure of $300 will increase your win rate to $50 per hour. Thirty hours of play at an additional $10 per hour will make up for the $300 that you effectively lost, and after that, you're $10 per hour better than you would have been!

If money and effort will result in higher long-term gains, then you should be willing to put in the money and effort provided that you have the money and the time to do so... there's no logical reason not to.

Tony Guerrera is the author of Killer Poker by the Numbers and Killer Poker Shorthanded (with John Vorhaus). Visit him online at www.killerev.com, and check out his weekly show, Killer Poker Analysis, on Rounder's Radio (www.roundersradio.com) Fridays from 5:00PM to 6:00PM Pacific Time.