Recent Pokercode Updates – See How Poker Training Sites Are Always Evolving

9 minutes
Recent Pokercode Updates – See How Poker Training Sites Are Always Evolving
Long gone are the days when you had to spend countless hours searching through various forums and private chat groups in hopes of finding some useful info to improve your game.
Various poker courses are readily available to players of different skill levels, and premium ones are always evolving and adding new content to stay appealing to students.
Poker is a quickly evolving game, so the only way to keep up with current trends is by adding new materials and updating old ones in line with players' requirements and expectations.
We already covered the Pokercode training course by Fedor Holz before, but since it improved quite a bit over time, we figured that update is in order.
How has Pokercode answered new challenges? What changes have been implemented to the course since its original launch, and how do these changes add value for the members?
Looking Back at Original Pokercode
When it had first launched in 2019, Pokercode represented an interesting option for those looking to improve their tournament game.
The course wasn’t as overwhelming as some other similar options, yet it provided a wealth of invaluable information.
Fedor has done a great job of condensing the information, creating a user-friendly and easy-to-follow course. Despite the fact the lessons aren't that long, they successfully explain the most important ideas behind different segments of tournament play.
The original course is broken into three main sections, covering preflop play, postflop strategy, and some additional tips and tricks, such as ICM, live play, etc.
Like I’ve mentioned in my original review, there is no doubt that Pokercode is a quality training course for those looking to improve their performance in tournaments.
However, I’ve also said that the course does leave something to be desired, especially when it comes to more complex concepts and ideas.
It seems now that this was a deliberate strategy.
Pokercode rolled out with the idea of growing and improving over time, and that’s exactly what they did.
As things stand today, the course features lessons from several other top-level pros and covers much more than just MTT fundamentals.
It's important to note that all courses now have German subtitles, which is a crucial update that will help Pokercode reach more users in Europe.
3-betting Lessons from “IgorKarkarof”
One brand-new section added to the Pokercode course is called “Igor's Toy Games” and focuses entirely on improving your understanding of different 3-bet spots against the big blind.
Taught by “IgorKarkarof” (Simon Ronnow Pedersen), a high stakes online tournament specialist, this section is devoted particularly to 3-bet and squeeze pot situations, divided into four main parts:
- Facing 3-bet from the Big Blind
- Facing 3-bet from the Button
- Squeezed spots
- Practical hands
In total, this new module features 16 lectures and provides more than four hours of high-quality content, with plans already in the works to further expand “Igor’s Toy Games” with new lessons.
Igor provides in-depth analysis of frequent 3-bet spots at different stack depths (30 and 60 big blinds) and explains complex squeeze scenarios using solvers and population tendencies to provide you with ideas of when and where you can deviate from hardcore GTO solutions to increase your win rate.
The final section of this module features some practical hand examples, bringing theory to life. As always, including these hand examples is very valuable, as they help make things clearer, especially for those who aren’t that familiar with solvers.
Heads Up with Fedor Holz
Heads up is an integral part of tournament poker, although it’s often overlooked in MTT courses.
Pokercode now offers almost three hours' worth of materials on the heads-up play.
These lessons are presented again by Fedor Holz, but they have been developed and checked by the entire team, including Igor, Matthias Eibinger, et al.
The course is broken down into two large lessons:
- Deep stacked heads up play
- Short stacked play
The module covers a lot of theory, such as structuring your preflop ranges, constructing your betting strategy, etc. Fedor also offers several in-depth poker hands analyses to demonstrate these ideas in practice, making them much easier to understand.
The lessons contain several challenges that provoke you to think about certain situations and try to come up with your own answers and solutions. This interactive approach makes the module easier to keep up with and also helps you identify any potential leaks you might have.
Igor’s In-depth PIO Tutorial
One of the things that I listed as a con of the Pokercode course was the lack of solver-based content.
With the GTO approach becoming growingly popular even at lower stakes, understanding solvers and how they’re used to plan your strategy is quite important.
The team behind Pokercode has now fixed this shortcoming with a brand new series focused entirely on PioSOLVER. In several video lessons, Igor explains everything you need to know about this advanced and useful piece of poker software.
This is definitely a very valuable addition to the course.
While many players recognize the value that solvers bring to the table, they’re often hesitant to use them in their study sessions because they seem too complicated.
Thanks to this in-depth PIO series, you’ll understand all the ins and outs of the most popular solver program.
It will still take some time to figure things out, but you’ll get all the learning materials and explanations you need to get to the bottom of it.
Community Coaching: 40+ Hours Worth of Learning Materials
Pokercode has certainly come a long way from where it started. The site features weekly training sessions with their coaches, and this content is regularly uploaded to their Netflix-like platform.
Lessons are usually uploaded within two days from being created, so there is a slew of new content coming to the site all the time.
These community coaching sessions are found in the “Behind the Curtains” part of the Pokercode, and as of the time of writing this, there is more than 40 hours’ worth of material.
When Pokercode had first come to life, there were 63 lectures and some 10 hours of content available on the site. Today, there are more than 130 lessons and 80 hours of video content, with much more to come.
It can’t be denied that Holz and the rest of the crew are dedicated to growing the site and making sure members get the most bang for their buck. Very few coaching programs can boast so much new content in such a short period.
Rangeviewer: A Simple but Powerful Tool
Pokercode members now also have access to Rangeviewer, a simple but very useful web-based app that can help you figure out your preflop ranges across the board. The tool covers:
- Open raising
- Flatting & 3-betting
- Squeeze opportunities
- Playing vs. 3-bets
- Blind vs. blind spots
The viewer covers different positions at the table and different stack depths (15, 20, 30, 40, 60, and 100 big blinds), so it’s a really powerful tool to visualize and learn optimal MTT ranges.
The best part is, it’s really easy to use. You simply click on the situation you’re interested in, and the graph will light up with hands you’re supposed to play and how to play them (raise, all in, etc.).
The Community Aspect
Like with the content, Pokercode has grown in terms of membership. The number of people using the platform grows each day, and there is now a large community of poker players gathered around the project.
In addition to having access to all the lessons and coaching, all members are also welcome to join the Pokercode community on Slack.
This doesn’t just make Pokercode a more fun place but actually adds to the overall value of the course, as the Slack channel is the place where members can communicate directly with head coaches, i.e., Igor, Fedor, and Matthias.
Curtis Knight took up the role of the “community coach,” and he takes care of day-to-day things, making sure members are never neglected and their questions, comments, and concerns are addressed promptly.
Of course, there is a fun aspect to it all as well.
For example, weekly quiz nights allow members to test their knowledge and learn new things in an entertaining, engaging, and challenging way. There is even a leaderboard with prizes for top performers.
Pokercode Powered by GGPoker & Other Projects
The team behind Pokercode constantly looks for new ways to grow their platform and make it into much more than just another training site.
Recently, the platform has partnered up with GGPoker network, one of the leading international online poker rooms, creating a unique blend of their training expertise, community feeling, and top-quality platform where players can hone their skills and put their newly-acquired knowledge to the test.
Other interesting projects include Grindhouse and Pokercode Stream House, coming up with new ideas and approaches to teaching people to play better poker.
You can check Stream House Youtube Playlist yourself to make sure the quality of the content you will be getting inside.
It’s a safe bet that Pokercode will continue down this path and that there are many more fresh and unique projects in the pipeline, just waiting to be rolled out.
It really can’t be denied that the entire team is focused on finding and testing new ideas, staying true to its vision of “changing how the poker world thinks.”
New Membership Options
One of the biggest changes to Pokercode has to do with membership models. Initially, you could only buy the full course at once for a price of around €1,300. This is a fair bit of money to pay at once, making the program inaccessible to some of those interested.
Now, Pokercode offers several different membership options: monthly, 3-month, and yearly plans. The monthly membership is the most expensive, priced at €89 a month, while the other two options come with significant discounts.
However, for those who can’t afford to spend a lot of money at once, paying for one month or three months is a great way to get started with the program and see how they like it without risking too much money.
While there is no doubt Pokercode is a top-notch coaching site, it may not be to everyone’s taste, and these new options offer much more flexibility.
All in all, Fedor Holz and his team have done a great job of keeping the site alive and growing, adding heaps of new content. This is very important for those thinking about joining, as you aren’t just buying what’s available today, but future value as well.
And the future looks very bright for Pokercode and its members, so if you are interested in this program, go ahead and check it out here.