Best Poker Training Software Reviews
What separates a fish from a regular? What separates a regular from a shark? And what separates a shark from Phil Ivey?
Okay, in the case of the latter, it’s probably something genetic, but the other two questions have a much simpler answer: Hard work.
Poker, like any other complex game of strategy, involves making the maximum number of “correct” decisions based on the information you have available.
Unlike most other complex games of strategy, however, poker challenges its players by hiding the majority of the data that they’d ordinarily base their decisions on. Add variance into the equation and you’re sitting with a game that’s almost impossible to predict.
That’s why decisions in poker are rarely described as either “right” or “wrong”, but rather whether they have positive or negative expected value (also referred to as +EV and -EV)
There are so many factors that determine whether a play is +EV and it often comes down to a subjective interpretation of the hand. There isn’t one definitive resource that will tell you with exact authority whether you made the right decision or not.
That’s why constantly studying and training is the most important aspect of becoming a winning player. Fortunately for us, we live in the age of information and the internet has made finding excellent resources for getting better at poker extremely easy.
In this section, we review the best online poker software. This includes poker trackers, poker training videos, poker profiling, odds calculators, buddy lists and hand histories databases. Confidenceand intuitionare the cornerstones of profitable play at one of the best on line casinos or best online poker rooms.
Conclusion On The Best Poker Training Sites. So there are the best poker training sites 2020 by HowToPlayPokerInfo. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there could be other great sites out there that I missed. So go check out one of the sites above and make sure you let me know what you think! Poker training sites include automated software programs where players can put their tactics, strategies, and poker smarts to the test against machines. The best poker training sites include multimedia content like video guides, articles, expert insights, and simulations. Without further ado, let’s look at the top 6 best poker training sites! Next on the list of best poker software is The Upswing Poker Lab. Now this is technically more of a poker educational tool rather than poker software. But I decided to include it because it is arguably the #1 way on earth to improve your poker game these days.
So, with that in mind, we’ve put together a list of eight resources that we feel are the ideal places for online poker players to learn how to constantly improve their skill levels.
Deuces Cracked
With more than 3,500 videos presented by a friendly and extremely helpful community of professionals, Deuces Cracked is one of the most popular training sites available for online players.
While the site covers a wide range of game types and stakes, the majority of videos are focused on catering for the micro-stakes No Limit Hold’em market.
In addition to the many one-off videos added by community members on a regular basis, the site also features a number of video “series” which consist of many installments that tackle larger topics.
The most popular of these series is an eight-part epic titled “Eightfold Path to Poker Enlightenment” presented by Tommy Angelo and Wayne Lively. This particular series has received widespread acclaim and is regarded as a landmark in online poker training.
Access to Deuces Cracked is currently priced at $29 per month.
PokerStrategy.com
7.9 million poker enthusiasts can’t be wrong, right? Boasting one of the largest memberships of all the poker sites we reviewed, PokerStrategy.com is easily one of the most popular online training resources.
Unlike the majority of its competitors, PokerStrategy.com is a free resource, offering users not only unrestricted access its entire knowledge base, but also a $50 instant bankroll that you can deposit at several of the major poker rooms.
This risk-free introduction to the world of online poker has resulted in Pokerstrategy.com attracting a less experienced audience, meaning that much of their material focuses on turning new players into winning players.
PokerStrategy.com’s video catalogue may not be as comprehensive as Deuces Cracked, but these have more of a “classroom” feel to better cater to their target market’s needs.
The site also offers a vast collection of strategy articles and tutorials, all aimed at helping the new player succeed. In addition, it also boasts one of the most vibrant and helpful communities all too keen to get involved in discussing hands, sessions and other aspects related to becoming a better player.
Advanced Poker Training
This unique site features an array of sophisticated tools that emulates a poker setting, provides context-sensitive guidance, and analyzes your play to point out strengths and weaknesses.
The foundation of their product is simulation software that allows the player to play up to 500 hands per hour against highly-sophisticated bots programmed to test every aspect of your game.
Their trademarked rating programs perform a real-time evaluation of your play and provides an astonishingly deep set of data that helps you identify where you need improvement.
The site’s reliance on artificial intelligence may be a concern for some, but the immersive, gamified approach to coaching may well be a big draw for others who prefer to learn while playing.
Advanced poker training will set you back $29.90 per month
Bluefire Poker
If you’re looking for a training site that has more of a quality-over-quantity approach, Bluefire Poker is the one for you – especially if you’re a high-stakes 6-max No Limit Hold’em player.
The video content at Bluefire Poker is of an exceptionally high standard. With its relatively small roster of producers – lead by site founder and online poker legend Phil Gaflond – the site is able to better curate its output and ensure that members don’t have to sift through hours of content before finding something of real value to them.
Another reason why Bluefire Poker may the best training option for you is if you’re already an experienced player looking to learn more advanced strategy and techniques.
Bluefire Poker prizes content above all, meaning that they have spent little time cultivating a community. Consider signing up if you’re mainly looking to get advanced insight from the best roster of online video producers available.
Membership costs $29.99 per month and a $99 initiation fee.
Two Plus Two Forums
Two Plus Two is one of the originals – a genuine authority in the world of poker training – and has been around since the heydey of online poker.
One of the first online communities to embrace peer-driven hand analysis, Two Plus Two thrives on discussion. The site boasts more than 400,000 members, a large portion of whom actively participate in the seemingly endless number of hand analyses posted on an hourly basis.
More than any of the other sites mentioned here, the value a member will derive from Two Plus Two is proportionate to becoming involved. Sure, you can lurk on the edges and read what other members have to say about each others’ play, but the real magic happens when you get involved.
The Two Plus Two forums are free to join.
Tournament Poker Edge
Not many training sites have as narrow a focus as Tournament Poker Edge, with the site eschewing conventions of covering a large range of game types and focusing solely on multi-table tournaments.
Aside from the typical training material you’d find at a training site, Tournament Poker Edge also offers a structured training curriculum that takes members on an a well planned educational journey.
This product, named TPE University, allows you to consume training content applicable to your level of skill and experience and helps you assess whether you are ready to progress to a new level of training.
As can be expected of a training site with a narrower focus, the quality of content at Tournament Poker Edge is of a very high caliber, with the likes of Casey “bigdogpckt5s” Jarzabek, Charles “Hagbard Celine” Sizemore, and Ryan “HITTHEPANDA” Franklin among their regular contributors.
Tournament Poker Edge will set you back $23.95 per month.
Jonathan Little’s Weekly Poker Hand Podcast
Jonathan Little’s website offers several training resources in the form of educational videos, blog posts, and book reviews, but few of these are as insightful as the terrific weekly hand analysis he does in the form of a podcast and video.
All online poker players know that the majority of the time that you spend “studying” should involve your analyzing big hands and getting other players’ input on your choices.
Well, few people are as gifted at diving deep into his own thought process as Jonathan Little.
In this weekly series, you can expect to hear insightful and candid commentary on his and his opponents’ play, with his discussions on one hand sometimes exceeding the 12-minute mark. So don’t expect your standard, superficial analysis here.
Best of all, this resource is entirely free to everyone.
Cardrunners
Cardrunners is without a doubt one of the most respected platforms for teaching players the techniques needed to move on from the from the traps of playing standard, tight aggressive, ABC poker.
The site’s approach to teaching – and the quality of its content – has also seen it gain favour amongst some of the world’s top professional players as a resource for constant improvement.
Their enormous roster of contributors reads like a “who’s who” of the online poker world, with the likes of Brian Townsend, Taylor Caby, Brian Hastings, and Andrew Wiggins frequently adding to the already-sizeable knowledge base.
An aspect that sets Cardrunners apart from its competition is the quality of their No Limit Hold’em Heads Up training content. This game format has become increasingly popular, especially at the higher stake levels, and no training site covers it as well as they do.
Cardrunners’ Gold membership comes in at a cost of $27.99 per month and there is also a one-off fee of $99.00.
SitnGoGrinders
Another training site that caters for a niche audience – albeit a very large one – SitnGoGrinders aims to help players interested in dominating this popular game format.
The site has a broad focus within the scope of Sit and Go’s (SNGs), offering a medium-sized pool of videos that cover all the most popular types of tournaments.
To reflect it’s more precise, narrow scope, SitnGoGrinders has adopted an innovative pricing model, opting not to bill members on a monthly basis, but rather offer collections of themed videos (called “packs”) at set prices coming in at around $40 – $60 per pack.
Grinding SNGs is one of the most popular ways for poker players to grow their bankroll and few other sites offer the wealth of specialist information than these guys do. This site is an absolute must if SNGs are your game.
Bonus: Poker Copilot
Reviewing, analyzing, and discussing an isolated hand that included many interesting decision points is certainly one of the most effective ways to learn.
Doing so also has the most obvious impact on your bankroll since winning more and losing fewer big hands is one of the main goals of improving your game.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of analyzing your play in hands that didn’t have a memorable pot, you are playing hundreds of them in a session, after all.
To best assess these types of hands, Poker Copilot offers a feature called Leak Detection. This sophisticated functionality analyzes all of the hands that you have played in a session and points out small, typically invisible flaws that will cost you money in the long run.
Poker Copilot will analyze your gameplay and help you answer the following questions:
- Are you showing enough pre-flop aggression from each position?
- Do you attempt to steal the blinds regularly enough and how successful are you at it?
- Do you loosen up your game as you move closer to the dealer position?
- Are you profitable enough with pocket pairs?
- Are you showing adequate profitability with suited connectors?
Conclusion
Many of these resources may come at quite a high price, but don’t let this put you off! We’ve found that paying for your education can often be a very helpful motivator for taking the process a little more seriously.
As with most things in life, the reward you get out of learning is proportionate to the investment you make in it.
Whether it be financial, time, or effort, you get what you put in and this applies doubly when it comes to improving your poker game.
If you genuinely commit to making the most of these resources, respect the material, and trust the educational process, you are guaranteed to become a better player and show profit in the long run.
So choose which one of the above options work best for you and pour yourself into the experience of getting better.
See you at the tables!
Online poker has been popular for at least a decade. As a result, if you type in “Poker” into any app store, you will be bombarded with several hundred options. Trying to filter out the games and finding the top training apps could prove to be a fruitless task.
There’s a thriving sub-sector within the poker industry, offering all levels of training and assistance for your game.
We’ve done the hard work for you and put together our top 10:
BravoPokerLive
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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BravoPokerLive is a great tool to keep you on top of the latest news from the world of poker. It helps you to keep track of tournaments in your local area.
With over 100,000 downloads on Android alone, BravoPokerLive is useful for those just getting into the game and to learn about the different tournament formats.
Poker Fighter
Compatible with: Android
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If you are a complete newbie and you want to learn about the old fashioned Texas Hold’em Poker game, then Poker Fighter is designed to give you that fighting chance.
It allows you to play stimulated games with real hands, get immediate feedback from professional players, and the best part? It’s all risk free. None of your cash will be at stake in these games.
This would give you an invaluable foundation to work from as you progress into cash games.
Poker Copilot
Compatible with: Mac and Windows
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We couldn’t not put our entry in here. Poker Copilot is an app that’s designed to not only improve your own game but also highlight the weaknesses of your opponents.
One of our many advanced features is the HUD (head-up display). It shows information about each player live, on the poker tables. The information is updated after each hand to help you make the best decisions. Another is the ability to monitor and identify patterns in your game, and point out any consistent errors.
Poker Copilot can prove to be a real asset to your game and lead you to lucrative winnings.
Tournament Poker Coach
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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Tournament Poker Coach works in a similar way to Poker Fighter. It offers a risk-free way to learning how to play the right way. It stimulates real-life games and players get evaluated by selected coaches, earning rewards for each hand they play right.
This app works with a variety of tournament structures and limits, and helps to sharpen your game. Whether you’re a newcomer or just looking to refresh your skills, Tournament Poker Coach will prove useful.
PokerGuide HD
Compatible with: Android
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Poker Guide is exactly what it says it is. The ultimate guide to poker and it has six main features:
- Poker Hands: Ranks the different poker hands from best to worst. End any dispute about which hand trumps the other.
- Poker Rules: Displays the rules of a format of your choice. Whether it’s Texas Hold’em or Omaha, this guide has got your back.
- Poker Terms: Stuck on the poker lingo? Refer to this list of terms to get you up to speed.
- Poker Tips: Divided into three levels of ability, this feature will show you how to improve your game.
- Standing Hand Chart: It shows you which hands you should play with (And ones you definitely shouldn’t).
- Blind Timer: This helps you organize your next poker game at home with your mates. It sets the timing between rounds, lets you pause or speed the game, and calculates the total time of a tournament.
As you can see, Poker Guide covers most aspects of poker and can be an valuable asset for newbies and more established players.
How to Poker
Compatible with: Android
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With a rating of 4.5 from over 100 Android users, the How to Poker app is one of the most highly regarded out there. As well as a “cheat sheet,” which gives you a good overview of poker, it provides the following:
- Quick rules on hands to play and when to fold.
- Instructions for All in rules.
- Learn how split pot works.
- How does a side pot work.
- Practice offline poker, no internet required, and get yourself ready for poker online.
Suitable for both beginners and advanced players, this can be a great addition to your repertoire.
Texas Holdem Poker Pro
Compatible with: Android
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The appeal of this app is that you can just jump right in and play poker. With over 5 million downloads on Android alone, Texas Holdem Pro is one of the most popular apps out there. There are free tables for all levels of ability, and once you’ve had the tutorials, you will eager to test yourself against real players.
This app allows you to do just that, without the risk of losing any cash. The live chat feature also enables you to communicate with other players, where you can learn about how they think.
Combined with other poker training apps, Texas Holdem Pro can help you to step up your game.
SnapShove
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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Founded by professional poker player, Max Silver, SnapShove is a built-in calculator and training app that can answer your questions in real-time. The free version uses data from over one million stimulated games to make its calculations. There’s also a training tool where you can further improve your game.
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At $19.99, SnapShove Pro offers even more features including a “Call-In” tool which advises you when to go in or to fold.
The fact it’s used by some of the world’s top poker players shows its value. This is an app that can form an integral part of your poker game.
Poker Helper
Compatible with: Android
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Most of the apps we have covered cater for players of all abilities. This one is for advanced players. Poker Helper is a simple, yet highly effective app that assists you in making the right decisions at the table.
You can enter any card combination and it will calculate the odds, which will help you play the right hands. It considers the full range of factors, including where you’re sitting, the blind you’re playing, and the number of players.
It’s popular with users too, with a rating of 4.2 on Android.
Poker Omaha Hand Trainer
Compatible with: Android
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With so much focus on Texas Holdem, which is the most popular poker game, Omaha can often get overlooked. This is where Poker Omaha Hand Trainer comes in. If you want to add a bit of variety to your game, then switching to Omaha could be the move for you.
Even the best Texas Holdem players can get thrown by the differences with Omaha. This app is designed to help make that transition easier. You can check out the rank of hands and identify the winning combinations. There’s a practice mode where you play out a game to see it for yourself.
If you’re uncertain about the intricacies of Omaha, then use this app to build your confidence.
Final Thoughts
Poker is a complex game and it should be treated as such. There’s no reason to jump in blind and lose your hard-earned cash in the process. These apps are all designed to help you learn the craft, give you tips on what to look out for, and when to play your hand. Since most of them are free, and offer practice games, it’s now easier than ever before to graduate from poker novice to a shark.
There’s a caveat here. None of these apps will win you games on its own. You need to use your own judgment to make the right calls. Of course, you won’t get it right every time but with these apps, you will start to see your profits climb.