Best Poker Training Sites 2023
Choosing from the best poker training sites online and finding what works is not easy, so we are here to help.
Over the years, I worked with top coaches and enrolled in almost all available poker training courses, so I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't.
While some poker schools are pretty bad, others offer a lot of value for the money and will drastically save time by helping reach new levels much faster. I will give you my opinion on the top poker training sites so that you can choose what works for you based on your favorite games.
Quick top poker schools list:
- Pokercoaching – best for tournaments
- Upswing Poker Lab – best for cash games
- Pokercode – best all-around platform
- Run It One – the biggest video library
- Crush Live Poker – best for live games
- PLO Mastery – best for Pot Limit Omaha
- Short Deck Course – best for Short Deck Holdem
Essential Poker Training Sites
While some online poker training sites specialize in specific game formats and go deep into nuances needed to win there, other poker school concentrates on teaching the basic.
We listed the best poker coaching sites that you should consider joining if you want to become a strong all-around player and master essential elements of the game.
On top of the core poker training sites, you should check poker software that can also significantly help you while learning mathematically sound strategy and help to increase your edge at the tables.
Pokercoaching – Top Training Site For Tournaments
While there are many poker coaching courses, you will rarely find everything you need in one place. Jonathan Little did a great job putting together an impressive coach's lineup and sharing his experience while making learning enjoyable.
This online training site might be your best pick if you want to learn how to beat poker tournaments. From GTO preflop charts to solver-analyzed postflop situations, you will find everything you need to know to win in today’s environment.
Inside, you will find plenty of strategy content addressing different topics, additional courses dedicated to a specific area of your game, many quizzes, and even homework that will help you progress in poker.
It may not be the best option for people already beating mid-high stakes and looking for exclusively advanced content. However, this is an excellent option if you are just starting or want an effective way to move from lower-stakes games.
⭐ Pokercoaching Pros
- Well-covered advanced strategy topics
- Structured lessons make it easier to learn
- Many quizzes, homework, and challenges
⭐ Pokercoaching Pricing
- Free option with limited content
- $49/month for a standard subscription
- $147/month for a premium subscription
Upswing Lab – Best Poker School For Cash Games
Most poker training courses out there focus on a particular segment of the game, be it cash games, tournaments, or live play in general. Rarely do we see a course that comes equipped with a kind of knowledge that covers everything in one place.
This could be both advantage and a disadvantage at the same time, but if you are starting in the game and want to build solid foundations, Upswing Lab offers probably the best Texas Holdem course online, where you will find all the essential knowledge.
While you can learn everything to beat both MTTs and cash games, the latter is where you will get the most value. From advanced solved preflop ranges to postflop strategy breakdown and even a private study group, you will be able to improve your cash games skills from the get-go.
Upswing Lab’s content is updated monthly, with some of the best players providing poker training and adding new videos.
Since everything is neatly organized, you can take one segment at a time and focus on improving that particular area. All in all, it has a lot of content, and if you are ready to study, you will quickly get your money back and likely much more on top!
⭐ Upswing Lab Pros
- The most detailed Texas Holdem course online
- Strategies and tips for every imaginable situation
- Advanced strategies from various winning players
⭐ Upswing Lab Pricing
- $99 for a monthly subscription with no obligations
- $399 for a 6-month subscription
- $699 for a yearly subscription
Pokercode – Best All-Around Poker Training Platform
You probably know Fedor Holz as one of the world's best tournament players, and he is not holding anything back in this training platform. On top of that, he gathered an impressive roster of coaches who are not only great players but also know how to explain advanced topics.
If you want to find the easiest way to learn how to approach poker professionally and master all areas of this game, this might be for you.
Fedor Holz shares his poker strategies, from preparing for the games and mastering mindset to actual play. He teaches everything, from preflop adjustments to flop, turn, and river play, and breaks it down in an easy-to-follow way.
On top of that, after each lesson, you will find a quiz that will test your knowledge and let you see if you correctly understood the lesson. With plenty of additional topics on ICM, live games, and more, this MTT course will help every low-mid stakes player rise through the stakes.
⭐ Pokercode Pros
- A complete coaching platform from A to Z
- Strategies from the best players in the game
- Engaging and easy-to-follow content
⭐ Pokercode Pricing
- €99 for a monthly subscription with no obligations
- €214 for a 3-month subscription
- €699 for a yearly subscription
Run It Once – Poker Training Site With The Biggest Content Library
There are many good coaches in the world, but there aren't many places where top players can share their knowledge, explain strategies, and show you relevant, up-to-date information.
Players like Phil Galfond, Jason Koon, Ben Sulsky, Elliot Roe, and many more are ready to help you out on your journey at RIO.
While the site offers free and lower-tier subscriptions, the most value comes from the Elite option, which gives you access to the best players in the world. On top of that, this is one of the few poker training sites where you can find content on different game formats, and it is especially good for PLO players.
If you join Elite membership, you will find videos on every possible situation and concentrate on the area you want to improve by learning how the top players deal with that situation.
Moreover, plenty of play and explain videos exist, and new ones are added weekly, so you can find everything in one place.
⭐ Run It Once Pros
- Winning strategies from the best players
- Strategy breakdown for all parts of your game
- High-stakes play & explain videos
⭐ Run It Once Pricing
- Free option with limited content
- $25/month for the Essential subscription (low stakes)
- $99/month for the Elite subscription (high stakes)
A-Game Poker Masterclass – Best Online Poker Mindset Training Site
Nowadays, everyone taking poker seriously is constantly working on their skills, utilizing different coaching options, and taking advantage of the best poker training sites online. Being the winner is no longer as easy as learning and implementing new strategies into your game plan.
In fact, those striving to compete at the highest level have to deal with all the challenges that are guaranteed to come their way.
The term “mental game” is not new, but for those playing against the best or looking to become the best, it has a very different meaning. And the latest Elliot Roe’s poker training course focuses entirely on these other aspects you can’t find in charts or poker solvers.
Taught by Elliot Roe, one of the leading mindset coaches in the poker industry, this course is designed to help set players on the path to success.
To be honest, this is an area where I have worked a lot, even before watching the course. However, I was amazed by all the practical examples and actionable tips I got.
I am sure that this poker training program will significantly benefit anyone struggling with tilting, emotion control, lack of focus, or other mental blocks.
⭐ A-Game Poker Masterclass Pros
- Strategies to perform at your best every time
- Tips for controlling your emotions
- Practical examples and exercises
⭐ A-Game Poker Masterclass Pricing
- $999 one-time fee for lifetime access
- $367 three monthly payments if you want to break it down
A-Game Poker Masterclass Review!
Best Poker Training Sites For Tournaments
It can take a while to learn how to play well in poker tournaments because you have to make changes based on your stack size, opponents, the tournament stage, and ICM.
Lucky for you, you can quickly skyrocket your results if you learn from the best players in the world how to deal with all of that. To learn the latest poker strategies, all you have to do is sign up for one of the coaching courses.
Winning Poker Tournaments – The Best Advanced Poker Course for MTTs
Poker tournaments are different from cash games in many aspects but, most importantly, in terms of the stack size, which constantly fluctuates with every pot won and always increasing blinds and antes.
Nick Petrangelo addresses many of these and other intricacies in Winning Poker Tournaments, laying out a detailed plan to create a winning MTT strategy.
Petrangelo’s tournament results speak for themselves. Having cashed for well over $20,000,000 during his career so far, with two WSOP bracelets to his name, and various other achievements, he is certainly in a position to provide the kind of information you could be looking for.
From optimal preflop charts, short stack strategy, and solved postflop ranges for different board textures to exploitative adjustments, you will find everything you need to know to rise to the highest stakes in one place.
Heavily focusing on numbers, stats, and decision trees, Nick Petrangelo approaches the game from a mathematical, scientific standpoint. So if you want value for your money, you’ll need to focus and take in the information presented in the videos.
⭐ Winning Poker Tournaments Pros
- Strategies from one of the best MTT players
- Preflop ranges and advanced postflop tips
- An extensive explanation of solvers and their use
⭐ Winning Poker Tournaments Pricing
- $999 one-time fee
Winning Poker Tournaments Review!
Pokercode – The Best Value For The Money
We already mentioned Pokercode as one of the best all-around poker training sites, but it excels even further if you want to master your tournament strategy.
Most of the content in the MTT section is curated and presented by Fedor Holz himself, giving you years of experience and the breakdown of advanced strategies in one place.
As far as MTT strategy, you will learn everything from approaching the game and mastering various stack depths to dedicated sections on ICM, final table play, exploitative adjustments, and even live game tips.
After each lesson, you will find a dedicated quiz and will be able to learn on the go. Followed by a dedicated and active community, Pokercode is one of the best ways to improve your tournament results.
⭐ Pokercode Pros
- Tournament coaching program from A to Z
- Strategies from the best players in the game
- Engaging and easy-to-follow content
⭐ Pokercode Pricing
- €99 for a monthly subscription with no obligations
- €214 for a 3-month subscription
- €699 for a yearly subscription
Pokercoaching – The Most Engaging Tournament Learning Experience
While Pokercoaching can help you learn game fundamentals that apply to all formats, this training site surely offers the most value for tournament players.
Offering one of the most engaging platforms with multiple quizzes, well-structured lessons, and even homework assignments will help you master the basics.
On top of that, you will have access to top players in this format and will be able to learn optimal preflop strategies with solved ranges and the most profitable adjustments for your games. You will also find solved postflop situations on different boards and see how to adjust to the constantly changing stack size environment.
With an impressive coach lineup and access to various resources, Pokercoaching is one of the best online training sites for tournaments.
⭐ Pokercoaching Pros
- Well-covered advanced strategy topics
- Structured lessons make it easier to learn
- Many quizzes, homework, and challenges
⭐ Pokercoaching Pricing
- Free option with limited content
- $49/month for a standard subscription
- $147/month for a premium subscription
Best Poker Schools For Cash Games
Cash games are getting increasingly harder to win, and if you don't do enough work off the table, you're almost certain to fall behind.
With that said, several poker coaching programs and courses can help you master advanced strategy topics and become a much stronger player.
Advanced Cash Game Strategy – The Best Advanced Poker Training Site
While many poker training courses can help you improve, not many digs as deep as this one. Alex “Kanu7” Millar, considered one of the best players in the world and has made millions of dollars online, is ready to hand over his strategies to you.
This is the best training program I have seen dedicated to cash games, and I am happy to say that Alex is not holding anything back and exposes the best strategies for you in this course.
You will find solved preflop charts for any imaginable situation clearly explaining how to use it. On top of that, you are getting ranges not just for 100bb deep play like in most coaching sites but also for 500bb and 200bb stacks.
The postflop part is a well of knowledge and is conveniently divided by different topics so you can study what you need the most. Alex covers various strategies for different board textures and breaks down ranges from different positions so that you can see the full picture.
With many play & explain videos and advanced topics discussions, you can easily grasp how the best players play and immediately use those strategies in your games.
⭐ Advanced Cash Game Strategy Pros
- Solved pre-flop ranges for 50bb, 100bb, and 200bb
- Postflop strategies from high-stakes crusher
- Analyzes of various ranges and board textures
⭐ Advanced Cash Game Strategy Pricing
- $999 one-time fee
Advanced Cash Game Strategy Review!
Crush Live Poker – The Best Training Site For Live Games
Bart Hanson is a very successful player but is probably best known for his commentary breaking down interesting hands and reading the opponents in most popular poker shows. With over 15 years of experience, he is one of the best live game players and shares his knowledge in the Crush Live Poker program.
On top of standard training videos available on all coaching programs, you will find additional resources such as quizzes, podcasts, and dedicated courses to help you learn more efficiently.
This poker training site is dedicated to cash games and puts a lot of emphasis to live games, but even online players will have a lot of value and learn useful skills.
On top of Texas Holdem courses, you will also find PLO content, which is a great addition without any extra investment. On top of that, you will get access to an active Discord community where you can interact with coaches and other members and learn from them directly.
If you want to learn cash games and understand how to adjust live games, you should check the Crush Live Poker training site.
⭐ Crush Live Poker Pros
- Best training site for live cash games
- Advanced hand-reading strategies and adjustments
- Personalized learning approach & active community
⭐ Crush Live Poker Pricing
- Basic subscription – $23/month
- Premium subscription – $49/month
- Elite yearly option – $499/year
Upswing Poker Lab – The Most Complete Poker School
If you want an intro course for cash games, you won’t go wrong with Upswing Lab. The beauty of this well-structured poker training site is that it offers content for all levels of players.
While novice players will find many introductionary topics and can study fundamentals from the ground up, more experienced players will be happy to know that plenty of advanced materials and new content are added monthly.
You will find over 70 learning modules from experienced players, including solved preflop and postflop ranges, advanced strategy breakdown, and a dedicated Zoom section to learn fast-fold poker differences.
With plenty of play & explain videos and exploitative strategy tips, Upswing Lab can be your one-stop destination for learning cash games.
⭐ Upswing Lab Pros
- The most detailed Texas Holdem course online
- Strategies and tips for every imaginable situation
- Advanced strategies from various winning players
⭐ Upswing Lab Pricing
- $99 for a monthly subscription with no obligations
- $399 for a 6-month subscription
- $699 for a yearly subscription
Run It Once – The Biggest Poker Training Site
Run It Once training site is another great resource for mastering cash games. Unlike other sites in the list, RIO offers new weekly videos and, by far, the biggest content library.
While this would not mean much on its own, the fact that the strongest players in the game produce these videos adds a lot of value.
Another huge benefit is that Run It Twice offers a “Learning path” to help you learn cash games following step-by-step guidelines rather than randomly jumping from one video to another. The content is organized into specific topics, making it easy to concentrate on whichever area you want to master.
Even if you are already beating mid-stakes, you will find leading content from real crushers in the Elite section, making this subscription easily worth the investment.
⭐ Run It Once Pros
- Winning strategies from the best players
- Strategy breakdown for all parts of your game
- High-stakes play & explain videos
⭐ Run It Once Pricing
- Free option with limited content
- $25/month for the Essential subscription (low stakes)
- $99/month for the Elite subscription (high stakes)
Top Poker Training Sites For Different Formats
There are many more poker variations than just Texas Holdem, and you can have a significantly higher edge if you devote some time to mastering different formats.
Most players haven't spent as much time studying these, so you can quickly become a winning player by learning poker strategy from the best.
Advanced PLO Mastery – The Best Poker Training Site for PLO
Although PLO strategy is similar to Texas Hold’em on the surface, it is a completely different game with its math and strategy that you can’t expect to just know, even if you’re a very good Hold’em player.
Playing PLO and applying Hold’em concepts can be very dangerous and expensive.
That’s why this course represents an excellent resource for those looking to get started with the game and those who already know fundamental concepts but want to sharpen their strategies and learn new things.
Thought by Dylan Weisman and Chris Wehner, highly experienced and successful PLO professionals, the course is designed to introduce you to the world of Pot Limit Omaha strategy and transition even a complete beginner into an advanced player.
With over 36 hours of theory videos and 21 quizzes to help you implement newly acquired knowledge, you will learn essential math concepts, advanced strategies from solved situations, and the most profitable preflop and postflop adjustments.
On top of this, you get access to a private PLO mastermind group where you can discuss strategy with coaches and other members, making this a complete solution for players looking to take their PLO game to the next level.
⭐ Advanced PLO Mastery Pros
- PLO strategy fundamentals + bonuses
- Winning preflop and postflop strategies
- Odds, equities, bet sizing, and math explained
⭐ Advanced PLO Mastery Pricing
- $999 one-time fee
Short Deck Course – The Best Online Poker Training Site For Short Deck
Short Deck Holdem is gaining a lot of traction and is becoming one of the most promising games. If there was ever a time to get your foot in the door and learn a new poker format, it is now.
Games can once again feel like 10 years ago, with massive win rates available and many players spewing money at the table without understanding what they are doing. If you want to take advantage of this situation, I do not see a better way to master the game than joining a poker school dedicated to Short Deck Holdem.
This course will teach you much more than just Short Deck rules. You will build strong fundamentals, get the best preflop charts, learn advanced strategies, and see how to adjust your preflop and postflop play compared to Texas Holdem.
On top of that, you will learn to avoid the most common mistakes and exploit weaker players by adjusting your strategy to counter their leaks. This in-depth course will teach you everything you need to know about six-plus games so you can easily beat your opponents.
⭐ Short Deck Course Pros
- Vital fundamentals and advanced concepts
- Various preflop and postflop ranges
- Exploitative adjustments to crush weaker players
⭐ Short Deck Course Pricing
- $999 one-time fee
Mixed Games – The Best Poker Training Course for Mixed Games
These days, with plenty of solvers and poker training courses dedicated to Texas Holdem and PLO, it becomes harder and harder to make significant amounts of money in these games.
However, there are many more poker variations, offering fresh opportunities for making money, but have a severe lack of useful information on how to build winning strategies. To be honest, the lack of information can be a huge advantage if you are looking to improve.
Likely, other players will not be willing to invest their time or resources to study, leaving you many opportunities to make a ton of money. This is where the Mixed Games Mastery Course comes into play.
The course encompasses five “limit” games usually found in the Mixed Games setup: Razz, Stud, Stud 8, Omaha 8 or Better, and Deuce to Seven Triple Draw.
After the introduction, the course is broken down into five sections, each of them containing videos covering one of the games in the mix. That way, players can approach it in any way they like and improve their knowledge in one or two specific games in a nice and organized fashion.
Jake Abdalla shares advanced strategies for beating each game, which should be more than enough for you to become profitable in these variations. That said, he does not stop there and also breaks down exploitative adjustments, which are an invaluable addition to the course and makes investment in it a no-brainer.
⭐ Mixed Games Pros
- Razz, Stud, 2-7 Triple Draw, and other games skills
- Advanced strategies for every street
- Different online and live games approaches
⭐ Mixed Games Pricing
- $999 one-time fee
Heads-Up Mastery – The Best Poker Training Site for Heads-Up
Of all the different ways to play poker, most players agree that heads-up is the one segment where the skill is emphasized the most. The heads-up game is less about the cards you’re dealt and more about how you play those cards and adjust to your opponents.
This does not mean we are talking only about HU games. Quite the contrary. In all Texas Holdem formats, you will end up playing most of your hands heads-up, be it MTTs or cash games.
Thus leaving yourself vulnerable in this spot is like shooting yourself in the foot – there is no way to be a winning poker player without mastering a one-on-one poker strategy.
Even though it is probably the hardest format of the game, for those ready to put in the required work, this training site offers everything you could need to succeed.
Taught by Doug Polk himself, the course provides a detailed breakdown of HU poker, going into sometimes painful detail on how to approach the heads-up play and what is required to make it in the competitive environment of today’s game.
Regarding credentials, Polk has been one of the most successful nosebleeds heads-up players for years, battling it out with the likes of Sauce123 and Jungleman and coming out on top.
You will find all you need to know about advanced heads-up strategies, approaching the game preflop and postflop, ranges for various situations, and even an explanation of betting frequencies.
Although Polk offers all you’ll need to succeed, it will still depend on your willingness to put in the hours and work on your game, applying the newly acquired knowledge and bringing it to the table.
⭐ Heads-Up Mastery Pros
- Decision-making trees and best strategies for HU
- A detailed breakdown of ranges and frequencies
- Effective strategies for exploiting other players
⭐ Heads-Up Mastery Pricing
- $999 one-time fee
Additional Poker Training Sites That You Might Check
Previously mentioned poker training sites will help you learn all of the essential concepts you need to know in today’s games, but there are other options if you want to take a more relaxed approach.
While these online poker coaching programs will not make you a high-stakes crusher, they offer a unique learning approach and very engaged platforms with minimum investment, so it is worth checking them out.
Daniel Negreanu Masterclass
Daniel Negreanu is probably one of the most famous poker players in the world, and the fact that you can learn something from him is exciting on its own.
That being said, this course from Masterclass can surprise you since it offers a lot of value to recreational players just looking to start playing poker on the right foot.
Daniel introduces poker basics and shares how he approaches the games, walks you through game theory and math implementation, and covers preflop and postflop strategy for most common situations.
While by far not the most advanced poker coaching course on this list, it is surely one of the most engaging ones and a pleasure to watch.
We can argue that novice players would get even more from this content than advanced courses that rely on poker software and lack the actual fun. At the end of the day, you should be enjoying poker if you opt to play it.
⭐ Daniel Negreanu Masterclass Pros
- Probably the most engaging course for beginners
- Introduction to theory and math behind the game
- Live game tips from one of the best players in the world
⭐ Daniel Negreanu Masterclass Pricing
- €16 per month (billed annually)
Daniel Negreanu Masterclass Review!
Phil Ivey Masterclass
If you have ever laid your eyes on poker, you probably know that Phil Ivey is considered one of the best players in the world by many, and he agreed to share his insight in this poker training course.
In this class, Ivey goes over preflop fundamentals and breaks down how to approach different postflop areas, so you can understand how the game works from the get-go.
On top of that, he touches essential concepts like betting and bluffing and shares how to become efficient in these areas of your game. You will be happy to know that Phil Ivey also shares his tips about the poker mindset and sets the players on the right path to learning one of the crucial elements of the game that is often left aside.
While this game will not teach you how to crush high stakes, it is the perfect poker training site for beginners who will surely enjoy tips from one of the game's greats.
⭐ Phil Ivey Masterclass Pros
- Preflop and postflop fundamentals
- A dedicated section on bluffing from the top expert
- Breakdown of mental game considerations
⭐ Phil Ivey Masterclass Pricing
- €16 per month (billed annually)
Red Chip Poker Training Site
Red Chip Poker makes it into our recommended poker training sites list because it offers a lot of value for the money. The fact that you can access their paid training site for just $5/week makes it a no-brainer investment if you have a limited budget.
You will be happy to know that you can learn poker strategy from established players who discusses interesting poker hands, shares useful content, and even offer quizzes.
Their engaging poker training platform offers a great user experience and walks players from A to Z in poker, so you will not get lost even if you are just starting in the game.
⭐ Red Chip Poker Pros
- Very cost-efficient program for beginners
- Dedicated courses on important strategy topics
- Strategy forum with coaches actively answering questions
⭐ Red Chip Poker Pricing
- $20/month for a core subscription
- $50/month for the PRO membership
Free Poker Training Sites
You can see a lot of players debating whether it is worth spending money on paid poker training when almost unlimited free resources are available online. On top of that, real money online poker sites have big blogs and even dedicated poker schools, so you can gather a lot of information.
Here is the list of the most popular basic poker training that is free:
- PokerStars – dedicated free poker school for basic concepts
- 888Poker – big magazine section with strategy articles and tips
- GGPoker – a blog covering rules and main nuances of the games
As you can see, leading poker operators offer a way to learn poker for free. On top of that, there are hundreds, if not thousands, “YouTubers” and poker streamers, but consuming such content comes at a cost.
First and foremost, watching random videos is not really teaching you much. Advanced plays and tips are usually not applicable to your games in any way, so they might even hurt your game rather than be beneficial.
On top of that, there is no learning structure. You will be hearing and seeing tens of different pieces of advice, all intended for different areas of your game, so there is no way to actually implement it.
While this can be fun, it is not a way to learn poker and will waste a lot of your time.
On the other hand, the written content is a bit better if we talk about free poker training options since you can pick what you want to read and have a plan dedicated to improving a specific area of your game.
Here at mypokercoaching.com, we are proud to offer free articles for all of the most important areas in the poker game, so make sure to look around and read what you want to learn. On top of a dedicated site like this, online poker apps also offer free training, as we mentioned before, so let’s look into the three most popular options in more detail.
Free Poker Training With PokerStars
PokerStars offer free poker training courses to players just starting in the game and can be a great resource for beginners. Their poke school is neatly organized into categories, so you can filter content for cash games or tournaments and read only what you want to learn.
You can even go a step further and dive into theory articles, live poker content, or even additional sections covering mindset or bankroll management, which can also be extremely helpful.
On top of that, they offer a unique learning experience by taking players through the entire journey, from learning poker hand rankings and rules to mastering more advanced topics.
If you want a free poker training site, PokerStars school is a place to start, and when you master the basics, you can invest in paid options that will yield even better results.
Free Poker Training With 888Poker
888Poker offers and easy to navigate blog where you will find plenty of free training resources on pretty much any topic you can think of.
From advanced topics covering range composition and MDF strategies to lighter content, you will be able to learn basic poker rules and far beyond that.
On top of that, you can filter strategy content and find all of the articles in one place, so you will not need to endlessly search for the next article to read. You can spend hours reading strategy content and will surely learn a thing or two in the process.
Free Poker Training With GGPoker
The GGPoker blog section is more of a separate directory of articles than a dedicated poker school and has the smallest share of content between these poker operators.
That said, you can still learn important concepts and find strategy articles covering how to play specific parts of your range, how to approach the game in general, and much more.
Most importantly, the beauty of these free poker resources at online sites is that you can jump on the tables with a click of a button and test your newly acquired knowledge.
Optimal Poker Training – How To Approach It?
You can learn poker in many ways, but if you want to take your game to the next level, you need an advanced poker training approach to succeed.
First of all, you need to realize that watching random videos, reading articles from time to time, or even analyzing poker hands without any structure will not help you much. To reach success, you have to develop a clear system of what you need to do, and the easiest way to make it happen is to join one of the best poker training sites you can find online.
Step 1 – Pick The Right Format
Even before starting the games, you should be fully aware of a few things. The first step that many players miss is choosing the right poker format. To do that, you need to go all the way back to the beginning and think about the WHY of the game.
For many years, I played MTTs and made good money, but I never really enjoyed it because the schedule was too much for me. I had to sleep during the day and play at night, which was exhausting and led to an unhealthy lifestyle. Therefore, I could not perform at my best until I realized I was playing the wrong format and moved to cash games.
Do not repeat my mistakes, and think in advance about the format you want to play and, most importantly, which would fit your needs best. Only then can you develop as a player and stop wasting time on irrelevant things.
When you know what you are going to play, it is easy to choose the best poker training for your situation and identify the most suitable tools that will help you on the way.
Step 2 – Prepare for Emotional Rolecoster
When you know the game of your choice, where to play, and have the software ready, you should understand the main principles before building the strategy part.
Knowing that margins in today’s games are very small, you should consider mental strategy seriously as well. If you can prevent yourself from tilting or just reduce that to the minimum, you will save a lot of money and instantly increase your win rate.
Even though it requires a lot of focus and dedication to identify your emotions and reasons for tilting, there are a few simple things you can do to give yourself an instant boost:
- Spend a few minutes preparing for your games – (turn on distractions and take care of your basic needs.
- Warm-Up before playing – review a few hands or review your stats in a tracking software.
- Learn to reduce poker variance – identify good games and quit on time.
- Never start playing when feeling bad – you will not be able to concentrate on making the right decisions.
These simple steps will help you control your emotions and keep your concentration longer, which leads to playing at your best. You can learn more actionable tips on the “A” Game Course and increase your results.
Step 3 – Understand GTO Implications
All professional players know optimal game theory strategies quite well, which is a topic you must put in your poker training path.
However, very few understand the actual implementation of this topic. I wrote the full article about GTO poker strategy vs. exploitative play, so make sure to check it out if you have a few minutes.
Nevertheless, you need to understand that the game theory optimal play is only used as a starting point versus good players or unknowns. When you learn that part, you will make the most money from exploitative play and punish your opponents for their mistakes instead of just trying to balance your ranges.
Many players take GTO too far and try to apply it in every possible situation, leaving a lot of money at the table. Thus, this alone will help you build better strategies, so take advantage of this knowledge and maximize your EV.
Step 4 – Master Your Preflop Strategy To The Details
When all previous work is done, you should spend some time mastering the preflop strategy. You will never win a lot of money without understanding it and, most importantly, knowing how to adjust versus different players.
If you make mistakes preflop, it is nearly impossible to play the right strategy later on, so this part is essential.
It is like building a house. If you lay down bad foundations, there is no way to create everything else; even if you manage to do that, it will eventually fall. The same is if you make mistakes preflop. You will end up in many dangerous situations where you do not have enough value hands, your ranges are very unbalanced, or you simply end up not bluffing enough, which is bad in all cases.
I know many players have a misconception about playing from charts and think it is not a valid strategy, so let me answer this once and for all and tell you the secret.
Every good poker player in the world plays from charts and usually knows them by heart, so do not need to look at them in the gams. There is just no way around it.
I used to think it was just another statement until I invested a lot of my time and money into actually figuring it out. I was amazed by how quickly I improved my game after building the right ranges for all situations and understanding how to use them.
Right now, I have a clear strategy for how to play versus regulars, how to play versus unknowns, how to play versus recreational players, how to adjust my approach facing different bet sizing from my opponents, and so on. I can quickly identify my opponent’s mistakes and punish them hard.
Therefore, building the best possible preflop strategy should be your top priority if you want to have success. For starters, you can get my FREE preflop poker cheat sheets and start your journey from there.
Step 5 – Analyze Your Game and Keep Learning
There are a few options for how you can go about it. The easiest one is to record your session using a free screen recorder and then review how you played. I am sure you will see things differently when watching your play from the side without being in the heat of the action.
Moreover, if you have poker-playing friends, you can ask them to review your video and give feedback. But if you choose this option, you have to be sure that your friend is a much better player and that he can give valuable advice in the first place.
However, the second option is much more reliable. You will need Poker Tracker or Holdem Manager for this task. Both programs have free trials, so you can download and try them out.
It allows the creation of custom filters, advanced reports, and the use of mighty HUD to see all the information in one place. Thus, you should take advantage of the tools that are available at your disposal.
The good thing about this is that even without knowing what you are doing wrong or knowing what stats are good, you can compare your statistics with winning players. It will help you to identify where you are deviating from the norm and leaving money on the table.
I never had such a clear understanding of the game until I started analyzing my and my opponent’s stats. It was one of the breaking points of my career. I was able to identify how the theory could be implemented in practice and how it can help me reach better results. All that said, you just have to play around with these tools, and you will learn more than you think.
Finding The Best Poker Training Sites – The Verdict
Days when it was enough to raise and c-bet to be a profitable player are gone and will never return. Therefore, you must develop a poker training strategy that works for you and continually improve your game.
While you can learn the basics on your own, investing in of the best online poker training sites we mentioned throughout this article is the best and most efficient way to become a winning player.
If you take learning methodically and pick the right resource based on your game, it will be much easier to rise through the stakes. If you take anything from this article, let it be that investing in your career by joining a poker training site is the best ROI investment you can ever make!
