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- Best Starting Poker Hands
When I started trying to learn how to be a better Texas
holdem player I searched high and low for a list of which
starting hands I could play.
holdem player I searched high and low for a list of which
starting hands I could play.
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I looked on the Internet and bought book after book looking
for an answer. This was in the early 2000’s so most of the
drivel posted online was poor at best, and there wasn’t as much
out there as you can find today.
for an answer. This was in the early 2000’s so most of the
drivel posted online was poor at best, and there wasn’t as much
out there as you can find today.
A few charts and lists could be found, but once I started
playing more I quickly realized the resources I had were either
wrong or simply suggestions.
playing more I quickly realized the resources I had were either
wrong or simply suggestions.
Eventually I learned that no list or chart could possibly
offer more than a suggestion. Each Texas holdem game is
different.
offer more than a suggestion. Each Texas holdem game is
different.
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The games are made up of different players who each have
different playing tendencies and abilities and stack sizes. In
addition, an opponent often changes the way she plays from one
hand to the next or one hour to the next.
different playing tendencies and abilities and stack sizes. In
addition, an opponent often changes the way she plays from one
hand to the next or one hour to the next.
All of this leads to one of the most important points you
need to learn to start winning more at the poker table.
need to learn to start winning more at the poker table.
Winning Texas holdem poker players adjust their play,
including their starting hand selections, based on the current
game situation.
including their starting hand selections, based on the current
game situation.
Start Learning and Earning with Card Player Poker School's Comprehensive Poker Education. Ready To Practice Your Poker Game Online At Global Poker? Click Here To Register For Free and Play For Real Cash Prizes! Learn at Your Own Pace. Navigate a vast poker education resource in the order, and at the speed of your choice. Brush up on the basics. Home » University » How to Win at Poker » Key Concepts. Your New Poker Strategy. Tight – this means that we are going to limit the starting hands that we play to the hands that give us the best chance of winning. All the hands where the odds are against us, we are simply going to fold.
Here’s an example.
When you play in a game filled with loose aggressive players
you should play tighter than the other players. You can afford
to only play your best hands because loose aggressive players
will play against you with hands that rank worse than yours and
pay you off more than usual because they play them too
aggressively.
you should play tighter than the other players. You can afford
to only play your best hands because loose aggressive players
will play against you with hands that rank worse than yours and
pay you off more than usual because they play them too
aggressively.
Here’s another example.
If you’re sitting at a table where everyone is playing
tighter than normal you should loosen your starting hands
selections up to take advantage of the situation. In this
situation if a few of your opponents are decent players they’ll
start seeing what you’re doing, so you need to watch carefully
so you can adjust your play as needed. But until they do you can
win many small pots and blinds by simply being aggressive.
tighter than normal you should loosen your starting hands
selections up to take advantage of the situation. In this
situation if a few of your opponents are decent players they’ll
start seeing what you’re doing, so you need to watch carefully
so you can adjust your play as needed. But until they do you can
win many small pots and blinds by simply being aggressive.
I realize I just spent a great deal of time explaining why a
chart or list won’t work, but I’m going to give you some
guidelines based on the different positions at the table that
includes some specific hands.
chart or list won’t work, but I’m going to give you some
guidelines based on the different positions at the table that
includes some specific hands.
Outs | Turn | Odds | Turn & River | Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 | 42.6% | 1.4 to 1 | 67.5% | 0.48 to 1 |
19 | 40.4% | 1.5 to 1 | 65% | 0.54 to 1 |
18 | 38.3% | 1.6 to 1 | 62.4% | 0.6 to 1 |
17 | 36.2% | 1.8 to 1 | 59.8% | 0.67 to 1 |
16 | 34% | 1.9 to 1 | 57% | 0.75 to 1 |
15 | 31.9% | 2.1 to 1 | 54.1% | 0.85 to 1 |
14 | 29.8% | 2.2 to 1 | 51.2% | 0.95 to 1 |
13 | 27.7% | 2.6 to 1 | 48.1% | 1.1 to 1 |
12 | 25.5% | 2.9 to 1 | 45% | 1.2 to 1 |
11 | 23.4% | 3.3 to 1 | 41.7% | 1.4 to 1 |
10 | 21.3% | 3.7 to 1 | 38.4% | 1.6 to 1 |
9 | 19.1% | 4.2 to 1 | 35% | 1.9 to 1 |
8 | 17% | 4.9 to 1 | 31.5% | 2.2 to 1 |
7 | 14.9% | 5.7 to 1 | 37.8% | 2.6 to 1 |
6 | 12.8% | 6.8 to 1 | 24.1% | 3.2 to 1 |
5 | 10.6% | 8.4 to 1 | 20.3% | 3.9 to 1 |
4 | 8.5% | 10.8 to 1 | 16.5% | 5.1 to 1 |
3 | 6.4% | 14.7 to 1 | 12.5% | 7 to 1 |
2 | 4.3% | 22.5 to 1 | 8.4% | 10.9 to 1 |
1 | 2.1% | 46 to 1 | 4.3% | 22.3 to 1 |
One of the problems new players have is they don’t know how
to get a feel for the game and have no idea how to adjust their
starting hands to take advantage of the current situation. Sadly
the only way to learn this is by playing, but if you study and
learn the concepts laid out below you’ll be able to grasp what
you need faster.
to get a feel for the game and have no idea how to adjust their
starting hands to take advantage of the current situation. Sadly
the only way to learn this is by playing, but if you study and
learn the concepts laid out below you’ll be able to grasp what
you need faster.
Profit
The reason starting hands are so important is because the
person who starts the hand with the best starting hand wins more
often than the person who doesn’t.
person who starts the hand with the best starting hand wins more
often than the person who doesn’t.
This may sound simple, but most players ignore it by playing
poor hands.
poor hands.
Every hand in every position in every situation is either
profitable or unprofitable in the long run to play.
profitable or unprofitable in the long run to play.
The problem is you have to decide which hands to play and how
to play them without all of the information you need to make a
perfect decision.
to play them without all of the information you need to make a
perfect decision.
You also need to be aware that any starting hand can win or
lose the current hand. What’s important is how it performs over
100 of the same situations.
lose the current hand. What’s important is how it performs over
100 of the same situations.
Some hands are easy to determine while others are almost
impossible.
Example:impossible.
You can play pocket aces or kings from any position in any
game profitably in the long run. You’ll find that you should
play them certain ways to have the best chance to maximize your
profits, but you can play them almost any way and still turn a
long term profit with them.
game profitably in the long run. You’ll find that you should
play them certain ways to have the best chance to maximize your
profits, but you can play them almost any way and still turn a
long term profit with them.
On the other hand you can’t play 7 2 in any situation
profitably in the long run.
profitably in the long run.
The secret is figuring out all of the hands between the best
and the worst in every situation.
and the worst in every situation.
Don’t Play Too Many Hands
When I help Texas holdem players I never need to tell them to
play more hands. They’re always playing too many hands.
play more hands. They’re always playing too many hands.
Poker School Online Starting Hands Online
It’s easy to get bored at the table waiting for a decent
hand. When poker players get bored they start expanding their
starting hand selections and justifying it in their mind. If you
haven’t played a hand in what seems like an hour and you look
down to find 6 / 4 of diamonds, you start thinking you could hit a straight or
flush.
hand. When poker players get bored they start expanding their
starting hand selections and justifying it in their mind. If you
haven’t played a hand in what seems like an hour and you look
down to find 6 / 4 of diamonds, you start thinking you could hit a straight or
flush.
While it’s true that you could hit a straight or a flush, it
won’t happen often enough to pay for all of the times you don’t
and when you hit a flush it may not be the best flush.
won’t happen often enough to pay for all of the times you don’t
and when you hit a flush it may not be the best flush.
If a flush is possible are you willing to bet all of your
money that your flush is best with nothing higher than a 6 in
your hand? This isn’t a good bet.
money that your flush is best with nothing higher than a 6 in
your hand? This isn’t a good bet.
I see many players seeing over 40% of the flops. Even the
ones that think they’re playing tight often see over 30%.
ones that think they’re playing tight often see over 30%.
Truly tight Texas holdem players see 20% or less of the
flops.
flops.
In some games a winning player can see as few as 15% of the
flops. Though it’s rare in a Texas holdem game, I’ve played in
numerous pot limit Omaha games where you could see 10% of the
flops and show a strong profit.
flops. Though it’s rare in a Texas holdem game, I’ve played in
numerous pot limit Omaha games where you could see 10% of the
flops and show a strong profit.
I want to make a couple clarifications before moving on.
You don’t have to be extremely tight or see fewer than 20% of
the flops to be a profitable poker player. When you’re starting
out and as you learn to be a better player you should play
tight. This gives you the best chance to win because playing
better starting hands than your opponents helps cover up many of
the other mistakes you make as a new player.
the flops to be a profitable poker player. When you’re starting
out and as you learn to be a better player you should play
tight. This gives you the best chance to win because playing
better starting hands than your opponents helps cover up many of
the other mistakes you make as a new player.
As you improve your game you have the option of playing a few
more hands in certain games, but many winning players stick with
20% or so of the flops.
more hands in certain games, but many winning players stick with
20% or so of the flops.
The players who are able to win while consistently seeing 25
to 30% or more of their flops are almost always exceptional
players, particularly after the flop. Don’t make the mistake of
playing too many hands until you’ve mastered the other areas of
your Texas holdem game.
to 30% or more of their flops are almost always exceptional
players, particularly after the flop. Don’t make the mistake of
playing too many hands until you’ve mastered the other areas of
your Texas holdem game.
By the time you become a profitable player in the other areas
of your game the odds are you’ll be able to recognize when you
can profitably play more hands.
of your game the odds are you’ll be able to recognize when you
can profitably play more hands.
Until this happens, give yourself the best chance to win by
playing fewer hands.
playing fewer hands.
No Limit and Limit
The most popular variation of Texas holdem is no limit. Most
of the starting hand advice below is written with no limit play
in mind, but the majority of it is also good for limit holdem.
of the starting hand advice below is written with no limit play
in mind, but the majority of it is also good for limit holdem.
I suggest playing even tighter in limit play than in no limit
because the opportunity to make up for playing with an inferior
hand is less in limit play. To put it another way, in no limit
you can often get paid off in a big way when you do hit a long
shot like a set so you can make up for the many times you miss
your hand. In limit play you can only win a set amount so it’s
harder to get paid off at a high enough rate in limit to allow
play of speculative or trap hands.
because the opportunity to make up for playing with an inferior
hand is less in limit play. To put it another way, in no limit
you can often get paid off in a big way when you do hit a long
shot like a set so you can make up for the many times you miss
your hand. In limit play you can only win a set amount so it’s
harder to get paid off at a high enough rate in limit to allow
play of speculative or trap hands.
Examples of the types of hands that are less valuable in
limit play are medium and small pairs and medium suited
connectors.
limit play are medium and small pairs and medium suited
connectors.
Medium and small pairs almost always have to improve to a set
or better in order to win. Suited connectors, cards that share
the same suit and are one gap or less apart in value like 8 / 9 of spades or
8 / 10 of spades, can win numerous ways but they don’t hit often enough to
show a profit in many limit games.
or better in order to win. Suited connectors, cards that share
the same suit and are one gap or less apart in value like 8 / 9 of spades or
8 / 10 of spades, can win numerous ways but they don’t hit often enough to
show a profit in many limit games.
As I mentioned above, every poker game is unique so all of
the suggestions need to be compared to your current game
conditions and adjusted accordingly.
the suggestions need to be compared to your current game
conditions and adjusted accordingly.
Full Tables vs Short Handed Tables
The advice I listed above about flop percentages and the hand
suggestions included below are based on full ring game play.
suggestions included below are based on full ring game play.
If you play shorthanded tables, usually 6 handed, you need to
play slightly more hands than at full tables. Don’t make the
mistake of playing too many extra hands though.
play slightly more hands than at full tables. Don’t make the
mistake of playing too many extra hands though.
It’s easy to go overboard. Tight play is still the easiest
way to give yourself a good chance to win.
way to give yourself a good chance to win.
From a mathematical standpoint, if you should play 20% of the
hands at a 9 person table, you should play 30% of the hands at a
6 person table.
hands at a 9 person table, you should play 30% of the hands at a
6 person table.
Just like everything else on this page, 30% is a rough
estimate and you should adjust it based on the current game
situation.
estimate and you should adjust it based on the current game
situation.
Early Position
Early position is the first two places to the left of the big
blind. The blinds have their own section below so they aren’t
included here.
blind. The blinds have their own section below so they aren’t
included here.
The main reason you need to play so few hands from early
position is because you play the entire hand out of position.
You’ll almost always have to face a player or players who get to
act after you must make a decision. This places you at a
distinct disadvantage for the entire hand.
position is because you play the entire hand out of position.
You’ll almost always have to face a player or players who get to
act after you must make a decision. This places you at a
distinct disadvantage for the entire hand.
These starting hand suggestions for early position are going
to seem extremely tight to most players, but until you’re a
consistent winner simply fold everything not on this list.
to seem extremely tight to most players, but until you’re a
consistent winner simply fold everything not on this list.
I also suggest folding the ace queen suited unless you hit a
strong draw or top pair top kicker on the flop and getting away
from the ace king hands as soon as an opponent shows aggression
after the flop if you haven’t improved.
strong draw or top pair top kicker on the flop and getting away
from the ace king hands as soon as an opponent shows aggression
after the flop if you haven’t improved.
When you play a pair of queens you should be cautious with
any flop that contains an ace. I usually make a continuation bet
after the flop if an ace lands, but if anyone calls I’m usually
done with the hand at that point. Kings on the flop aren’t as
scary as aces to a pair of queens.
any flop that contains an ace. I usually make a continuation bet
after the flop if an ace lands, but if anyone calls I’m usually
done with the hand at that point. Kings on the flop aren’t as
scary as aces to a pair of queens.
You should play all of these hands with a raise to thin the
field and help build the pot with the players who remain in the
hand.
field and help build the pot with the players who remain in the
hand.
One of your goals as a poker player is to get more money in
the pot when you have the better hand and minimize the amount
you put in the pot when you don’t. With these hands you’ll
almost always have a better hand than your opponents before the
flop so the more money you get in the better.
the pot when you have the better hand and minimize the amount
you put in the pot when you don’t. With these hands you’ll
almost always have a better hand than your opponents before the
flop so the more money you get in the better.
As your play improves and you get better at reading your
opponents and their hands you might consider adding some of the
following hands in certain games. Don’t feel like you have to
add them at any point. The truth is that as you become better
and more profitable you’ll start recognizing the times when you
can play the following hands without reading about them on a web
site.
opponents and their hands you might consider adding some of the
following hands in certain games. Don’t feel like you have to
add them at any point. The truth is that as you become better
and more profitable you’ll start recognizing the times when you
can play the following hands without reading about them on a web
site.
Until you’re a pro, play every hand from early position with
a raise. If it’s not good enough to raise with from early
position you should fold. When you raise with any of these
second tier hands and are re-raised you should probably fold.
The only exception is if you know enough about the other player
that you still think you’re ahead. This is rarely the case.
a raise. If it’s not good enough to raise with from early
position you should fold. When you raise with any of these
second tier hands and are re-raised you should probably fold.
The only exception is if you know enough about the other player
that you still think you’re ahead. This is rarely the case.
Middle Position
Middle position is from the third seat to the left of the big
blind to the second seat to the right of the button. In a 6
handed game it’s the second seat to the left of the large blind.
blind to the second seat to the right of the button. In a 6
handed game it’s the second seat to the left of the large blind.
Middle position can be tricky because you can play a few more
hands than you can from early position but you still run the
risk of being out of position the rest of the hand if a late
position player enters the pot.
hands than you can from early position but you still run the
risk of being out of position the rest of the hand if a late
position player enters the pot.
This is the main reason I like to raise most of my hands from
middle position. I want to give the late position players a
reason to fold and if they call a raise it gives me an idea of
the strength of their hand moving forward.
middle position. I want to give the late position players a
reason to fold and if they call a raise it gives me an idea of
the strength of their hand moving forward.
In addition to both sets of hands listed in the early
position section the following hands can usually be played from
middle position.
position section the following hands can usually be played from
middle position.
You should fold most of these hands if an early position
player has raised.
player has raised.
Be aware that medium pairs, including the eights and sevens,
should generally be played for a set from middle position. You
can play them aggressively at times, but mostly they’re trap
hands.
should generally be played for a set from middle position. You
can play them aggressively at times, but mostly they’re trap
hands.
Notice that almost all of these hands need to improve to win.
Don’t overcommit to the pot with any of these hands because none
of them are strong enough to win big hands without improving.
Don’t overcommit to the pot with any of these hands because none
of them are strong enough to win big hands without improving.
The medium pairs can be profitably played against early
position raises if the player has a deep stack and they show a
willingness to get most of their money in the middle after the
flop. You call their raise and try to get all of their money
when you hit a set. When you miss on the flop you have to fold
to a continuation bet.
position raises if the player has a deep stack and they show a
willingness to get most of their money in the middle after the
flop. You call their raise and try to get all of their money
when you hit a set. When you miss on the flop you have to fold
to a continuation bet.
As you’re learning how to play don’t feel like you have to
play many hands in middle position. If you only played the hands
listed in both parts of the early position section you won’t
make many mistakes. As you get more comfortable add in the hands
in this section.
play many hands in middle position. If you only played the hands
listed in both parts of the early position section you won’t
make many mistakes. As you get more comfortable add in the hands
in this section.
Late Position
Late position includes the button and one seat to the right.
The button is superior to the seat to the right, but often with
a raise from one off the button you can get the button to fold,
creating a situation where you’re the new button.
The button is superior to the seat to the right, but often with
a raise from one off the button you can get the button to fold,
creating a situation where you’re the new button.
All of the hands listed in the last two sections can usually
be played profitably from late position. Some of them are still
weak enough that you should consider folding them against a
raise, but even against a raise you can play many for a long
term profit.
be played profitably from late position. Some of them are still
weak enough that you should consider folding them against a
raise, but even against a raise you can play many for a long
term profit.
The exception is when an early position player who you know
is a good player raises.
is a good player raises.
You should fold most hands against this type of raise. A good
player is one that only plays their best hands from early
position and is smart enough to be able to get away from trap
hands without risking their entire stack in most situations.
player is one that only plays their best hands from early
position and is smart enough to be able to get away from trap
hands without risking their entire stack in most situations.
It doesn’t do you much good to hit a set against an early
raise unless you can extract a large portion of your opponent’s
stack.
raise unless you can extract a large portion of your opponent’s
stack.
I’m not going to give you a list of late position hands to
add to the ones already listed. You can play smaller pairs and
suited connectors in many games from late position because you
get to act after everyone else for the rest of the hand, but you
still need to be smart to avoid losing money.
Top Tipadd to the ones already listed. You can play smaller pairs and
suited connectors in many games from late position because you
get to act after everyone else for the rest of the hand, but you
still need to be smart to avoid losing money.
Small pairs can be trap hands because sometimes when
you hit a set another player will hit a higher one. This usually
leads to a large loss and is enough to make many pros avoid
small pairs. I’ve seen Doyle Brunson fold small pairs in ring
games on television many times. I’m sure he has and does play
them from time to time, but for the most part they’re dangerous.
you hit a set another player will hit a higher one. This usually
leads to a large loss and is enough to make many pros avoid
small pairs. I’ve seen Doyle Brunson fold small pairs in ring
games on television many times. I’m sure he has and does play
them from time to time, but for the most part they’re dangerous.
I can’t remember who the professional player was, but I read
about a game a pro played in on a weekly basis that he could
play any hand from the button for a long term profit. You may
find this hard to believe, but depending on the level of the
competition, I believe it’s possible. I’ve never played in a
game where I could play every hand from the button, but I’ve
played in some where I could play most of the button hands. When
I say most I mean 75 to 80%.
about a game a pro played in on a weekly basis that he could
play any hand from the button for a long term profit. You may
find this hard to believe, but depending on the level of the
competition, I believe it’s possible. I’ve never played in a
game where I could play every hand from the button, but I’ve
played in some where I could play most of the button hands. When
I say most I mean 75 to 80%.
Often late position play is as much about your opponents and
knowing how to play against them as the cards you hold. This is
what the pro was taking advantage of in the game mentioned
above.
knowing how to play against them as the cards you hold. This is
what the pro was taking advantage of in the game mentioned
above.
Blinds
The blinds are where many players lose a great deal of their
money. They think that because they can get into the pot for a
half bet or by calling a small raise that the pot is offering
such good odds that they can play almost any hand.
money. They think that because they can get into the pot for a
half bet or by calling a small raise that the pot is offering
such good odds that they can play almost any hand.
I’ve even played against people who simply refused to fold
their blinds unless they faced an all in pre flop. Needless to
say, I love when these players are seated at my table.
their blinds unless they faced an all in pre flop. Needless to
say, I love when these players are seated at my table.
My rule of thumb is to fold anything from the small blind
that I wouldn’t play from late position. I also fold anything in
the big blind to a raise that I wouldn’t play in early or
sometimes middle position.
that I wouldn’t play from late position. I also fold anything in
the big blind to a raise that I wouldn’t play in early or
sometimes middle position.
I’ve found that if I have any question in the blinds the most
profitable long term strategy is folding. In many games I fold
everything from the small blind that I wouldn’t play from middle
position. I found that playing anything else, even for a half
bet, was costing me money in the long run.
profitable long term strategy is folding. In many games I fold
everything from the small blind that I wouldn’t play from middle
position. I found that playing anything else, even for a half
bet, was costing me money in the long run.
Poker School Online Starting Hands 2017
Top TipPoker Schools Online
Don’t make the mistake of thinking the money you put
into the pot in the blinds or anywhere else is yours once it’s
in. Once you place the bet it’s not yours any more. So you don’t
need to defend your blinds or the pot. If you have a good hand
then enter the pot, but if you don’t you need to fold.
into the pot in the blinds or anywhere else is yours once it’s
in. Once you place the bet it’s not yours any more. So you don’t
need to defend your blinds or the pot. If you have a good hand
then enter the pot, but if you don’t you need to fold.
After the first round of betting the blind are the worst
position for the rest of the hand. When you see the flop and it
doesn’t give you a strong hand or very strong draw simply check
and fold to any bet. Don’t get fancy and throw away your money.
position for the rest of the hand. When you see the flop and it
doesn’t give you a strong hand or very strong draw simply check
and fold to any bet. Don’t get fancy and throw away your money.
Tournaments
Tournament starting hand play is entirely different than ring
game play.
game play.
I cover it in more detail on the tournaments page, but for
the most part you need to focus on hands that give you the best
chance to win big pots and fold everything else.
the most part you need to focus on hands that give you the best
chance to win big pots and fold everything else.
In order to win most tournaments you have to double your
starting chip stack multiple times. While enough small pots can
help you increase your stack, a single bad decision can end your
tournament.
starting chip stack multiple times. While enough small pots can
help you increase your stack, a single bad decision can end your
tournament.
While it may seem like medium pairs would be good because you
have a chance to double up when you hit a set, the truth is you
don’t hit a set often enough to make them playable for set value
in most tournaments.
have a chance to double up when you hit a set, the truth is you
don’t hit a set often enough to make them playable for set value
in most tournaments.
The hands you can play from early position listed earlier are
the best ones for tournament play, especially early in the
tournament.
the best ones for tournament play, especially early in the
tournament.
As you build your stack you can expand your starting hand
selections a little, but you still want to play tight.
selections a little, but you still want to play tight.
If you start getting short stacked you may need to make an
all-in move. Try to pick a hand with an ace, a pair, or two face
cards and move all in and hope for the best.
all-in move. Try to pick a hand with an ace, a pair, or two face
cards and move all in and hope for the best.
Summary
The following summarizes the important strategy points from
this page.
this page.
- Tight starting hand play increases your chances to show
a long term profit. - Every Texas holdem game is different and requires a
unique starting hand selection. - Position is important and needs to be considered with
every single starting hand decision. - Some hands can be played from any position and some
can’t be played from any position. How you play everything
else is directly related to your long term profit at the
poker tables. - Tournament starting hand requirements are different than
ring game play. - Just because you can get in for half a bet doesn’t mean
any hand is playable. Many hands are losers in the long run
even for half a bet.
PokerNews Staff
For many years, players who were serious about learning the best poker strategies and increasing their likelihood for success relied on experience alone to better their games. The poker rules, they knew. It was 'trial and error' one hand at a time, with the lessons potentially being costly depending on just how many errors were made during those trials.
The rise of poker strategy books and magazines eventually provided another means for players to learn about the game in between their time at the tables, enabling them to learn not only which were the better poker hands to play and odds and probabilities to know, but to become acquainted with advanced concepts like the importance of position, table dynamics, image and player types, and other concepts mastered by those already versed in the game.
The advent of the internet brought about a couple of other important developments as far as learning poker strategy was concerned. The introduction of online poker in the late 1990s and its quick explosion in popularity during the 2000s made it possible for many more to play poker for real money — including in the privacy of their homes — than had been the case before.
The rise of online poker in turn also helped fuel the growth of poker sites designed to provide poker strategy advice online via articles, discussion forums, and instructional videos.
Today there's a multitude of online options for players looking to up their games, whether you're an occasional player of low buy-in tournaments in your local casino, or a full-time grinder looking to be an online poker pro. Online training sites first emerged during the 'boom' years more than a decade ago, with some still going strong today and others have emerged to earn a place among the best poker training sites available at present.
What follows is a list of five of the more popular poker training sites available today for those looking not just to review fundamentals or learn a few tips to help them in their home game, but those seriously wanting to become full-time, professional poker players. These aren't reviews, but summaries of each site's offerings. All provide introductory content for no charge to give new visitors a sense of what they offer.
Poker School Online Starting Hands Free
Run It Once
Phil Galfond's coaching site Run It Once has been up and running since 2012 and describes itself as 'the world's leading poker strategy community.' Those curious to check it out can do so for free just by getting an account which provides full access to the site's strategy forum where members post hand histories, discuss concepts and theories, and talk anything else poker. On top of that, all members can check out these three free Elite Videos.
But it is the site's huge and constantly expanding library of video content geared toward players of all stakes and games that distinguishes 'RIO' from other instructional sites.
Those willing to invest can choose between two tiers of membership — 'Essential' (low stakes) and 'Elite' (high stakes). Joining 'Essential' costs $24.99/month and gives users access to five new 'Essential' videos per week and the 1,500-plus video Essential Library.
'Elite' members get all of that, plus nine more 'Elite' videos each week, as well as the nearly 2,400-video Elite library at a cost of $99.99/month. Galfond describes 'Essential' as geared toward games with stakes under 500NL, with 'Elite' directed toward 500NL and up.
The line-up of professional players forming the 'Run It Once Pro Roster' who have made instructional videos for the site is impressive, comprised of more than 100 different players including Galfond, Ben Sulsky, Jason Koon, James Obst, Daniel Dvoress, Christopher Kruk, George Danzer, Sam Grafton, Jennifer Shahade, Brian Rast, Fedor Holz, Stephen Chidwick, Tommy Angelo, and Ola Amundsgard, just to name a few.
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Upswing Poker
One of the newer poker training sites getting a lot of attention thanks in part to the high profile of founder Doug Polk, is Upswing Poker. Launched in 2015, Polk and Ryan Fee head a list of pros contributing to the site's numerous poker coaching products.
Upswing Poker provides at no cost eight 'preflop raise charts' designed to improve starting hand selection and strategy (and win rates), a list of 20 'secret' poker rules when playing three-bet pots, and another list of 20 rules for playing flush draws. For a discounted price of $7, they offer the 'Postflop Game Plan' that uses videos to help players learn how to categorize poker hands profitably.
Those offerings are both designed to encourage players to join the 'Poker Training Lab,' a.k.a. the 'Upswing Poker Lab,' which allows access to to the 'complete Poker Training Library' of learning modules, videos, and hand charts, as well as access to the site's Facebook group. To join the Upswing Poker Lab requires a $49/month subscription plus an initial $99 sign-up fee, or users can get a discount by subscribing for six months ($299) or one year ($499).
Those willing to spend more have additional options under the site's 'Advanced Poker Training' heading, including Polk's own 'Advanced Heads-Up Mastery' course, a 'Tournament Master Class' taught by Polk and Pratyush Buddiga, a course in 'Mixed Game Mastery' from Jake Abdalla, and another 'Elite Cash Game Mastery' course by Andres Artinano. There's also a separate 'PLO Lab' available as well catering to pot-limit Omaha players. These courses require a one-time fee ranging from $299 up to $999.
Best Starting Poker Hands
Advanced Poker Training
First launched by brothers Allen and Steve Blay in 2007, Advanced Poker Training has evolved into a well-established training site that offers users a somewhat different and potentially more immersive experience than do most sites.
At the heart of APT is its 'Poker Training Game' that allows players to play online against sophisticated 'virtual' opponents in cash games (full ring, six-max., or heads-up) and tournaments (SNGs, MTTs, and 'final table'-only). The multi-table tournaments are the most popular among users and can be customized in a variety of ways — you can even play an MTT against 8,000 opponents.
The site also features interesting 'Beat the Pro' challenges that involve watching a video concerning a particular topic, playing 'challenge hands' against computerized opponents, then watching a replay of the hands you played with audio commentary by pros like Scott Clements, Jonathan Little, Mike Caro, Scotty Nguyen, David Williams, and Lauren Kling and others explaining how they would have played the same hands. There's also the 'Combat Trainer' providing repeated drills of common scenarios.
There's a lot more on APT as well — instructional videos (including ones featuring the last two WSOP Main Event champs Qui Nguyen and Scott Blumstein), various tools, games for mobile devices designed to improve poker knowledge, a blog, a poker forum, and more. There are even periodic 'live' tournaments in which APT members can play against one another on the site. Also useful, every hand played on APT is saved and thus available for later review and to be used to produce weekly reports and other data.
Creating an account on APT is free, and allows access to some of the beginning level Poker Training Games. Full membership is $39.97/month, though that price can be cut in half to $19.97/month for those signing up for a year.
Tournament Poker Edge
Started in 2010, Tournament Poker Edge is a little different from other sites in that it focuses exclusively on multi-table tournaments.
The site features over 1,000 training videos, with at least four new videos produced each week. Members additionally have access to pro blogs and strategy articles and the member forums. There is also 'Tournament Poker Edge University,' a full 'curriculum' of videos, articles, podcasts, and quizzes designed to help players find trouble spots in their games and improve.
For the last seven-plus years, the site has also hosted a popular MTT strategy podcast available for free to anyone, which, combined with other free content on the site, provides players a way to sample what TPE has to offer before subscribing.
More than 30 pros are currently listed as contributors on the site, among them Casey Jarzabek, Ben Warrington, Andrew Brokos, Daryl Jace, Collin Moshman, Justin Ouimette, Mike Leah, Jamie Kerstetter, and Alexander Fitzgerald.
The site has no signup fee and offers a free trial to newcomers. Those who choose to subscribe can do so for $39.95/month, $99.95/quarter, or $299.95/year.
Red Chip Poker
Started in 2013 by poker pros/coaches James Sweeney, Doug Hull, Ed Miller, and Christian Soto, Red Chip Poker offers players a variety of instruction in both cash games and tournaments.
The full PRO membership ($50/month) offers a 7-day free trial and provides access to hundreds of training videos made by a variety of coaches, with new content created every week. PRO membership also includes unlimited access to the site's 'Crash Courses' and 'CORE' poker course, with those also available as options for players looking to spend a little less to get started.
There's a 'Live $1/$2 NL Crash Course' focusing on low-stakes cash games and another 'MTT Crash Course' devoted to tournaments, each of which cost $39.95. Purchasers get unlimited access to training videos, podcasts, and articles on the chosen format (cash or tourneys), plus the ability to participate in the site's forum.
Meanwhile, the 'CORE' poker course represents a unique and inexpensive way for players to try out the site without spending much at all. The CORE course includes over 100 lessons covering everything from 'basic building blocks' like value betting and pot odds to 'advanced concepts' like triple-barreling and multi-street planning.
CORE lessons vary in length, often containing a video plus exercises and quizzes with users able to earn 'achievement badges' to mark their progress. The site estimates CORE contains around 75 hours' worth of study and costs $5 per week.
As is the case with the other sites on this list, there is a lot of free content available over at Red Chip Poker as well, including videos, podcasts, and articles. Players are encouraged to check out each site and sample what it has to offer first before signing up.
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