Do you use a poker odds calculator?
I sure hope so. Odds calculators are a CRUCIAL part of winning money online poker. Here are just a few ways an odds calculator can improve QUICKLY and EASILY:
UNDERSTAND YOUR STARTING HAND STRENGTH …
The biggest mistake most card players make is playing TOO MANY HANDS. For example, tell me if this thought has ever crossed your mind Judi Poker QQ.
“Even though it’s worth calling the flop I have bad cards– who knows, I might catch three-of-a-kind … or two pair … or something really good!”
Every poker player has had this thought from time to time. Even the pros.
But the problem is, thinking like this will cause you to LOSE MONEY in the long run. And the reason is because of the ODDS. Even though you might make a “great hand” once in every twenty flops, those other nineteen hands will cause you to lose more MORE money.
But here’s the thing:
The right odds calculator will show you EXACTLY how strong or weak your starting hand is … based on a PERCENTAGE and will show you the appropriate “Sklansky Starting Hand Group”. What this means is that you know IMMEDIATELY how good your hand is, as soon as the cards arrive.
For example, at a 10-man table pocket Aces has a hand rank of 100% and is GROUP 1. Pocket two’s has a hand rank of 63.3%, which is in GROUP 7. (This is for hands to the river)
But let’s be honest … understanding how “good” those hands are is EASY. You don’t need an odds calculator for that.
But let me ask you, which of THESE hands do you think has the highest “Hand Rank”?
a.) Queen-9 suited
b.) Ace-5 suited
c.) Jack-10 suited
d.) Ace-Queen offsuit
(Here’s a hint … the strongest hand is NOT options “b” or “d” …)
Give up? Are you sure that A-Q was the strongest? Well, that’s just the ONE of the ways an odds calculator can be incredibly useful … you know the exact hand strength right away and can make a more educated (translation = MORE PROFITABLE) decision before the flop.
KNOW YOUR CHANCES OF HITTING AN “OUT” …
As you probably know, “outs” are cards that will help you improve your existing hand.
For example, let’s say you’re holding 5-6 and the flop comes out 3-4-Q. That means you need either two or a seven to make a straight …
Since there are four two’s and four seven’s in the deck, you have EIGHT OUTS.
Odds calculators will show you how many outsiders you have at any given time … and also give them the PERCENTAGE chance you are getting. In addition, a REALLY good odds calculator will “break it down” with each hand …
For example, in the straight draw with the above scenario, let’s say you have an ALSO had a spade flush draw. That means you have more than eight outs, and one more spade will help you.
Premium odds calculators will show you the exact percentage chance of making the straight, the exact percentage chance of making the flush, and the two percent for the TOTAL percentage
This is a huge time-saver for you. Online poker is fast-paced … and it’s not practical to sit there and do advanced calculations and long division.
PLAY YOUR POSITION MORE EFFECTIVELY …
In Texas Holdem poker, positioning is everything. Good positioning with MORE hands and bad positioning with FEWER hands. It’s that simple.
The odds calculator I recommend you to ADJUST depending on your starting hand settings and where you are sitting. For instance, if you’re on the button (which is the dealer position), the program will automatically set the “Hand Rank Requirement” to 50% …
… So if you pick up a hand that has a Hand Rank LOWER than 50%, it will recommend you fold.
But if you’re UNDER THE GUN (the player’s left to the big blind, which is the worst position to be), the program will automatically set the “Hand Rank Requirement” to 85% … so the software will This position you are in while “tighter” recommendations.
Make sense?
Now here’s the real beauty of this:
IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS MORE QUICKLY …
Most poker players improve their skills on YEARS of hard work, practice, and study. This is the slow and painful way.
Using an odds calculator ACCELERATES the learning process dramatically. Here’s why:
As you play online poker, the odds calculator will automatically compute the odds, hand strength, percentage chance outs, and so on. You’ll use this information, make better decisions, and win more money.
Then here’s what will happen …
In a matter of months, you’ll find yourself “knowing” the odds and hand strength of looking at the software! It will become “natural” to you… because you will find the same types of hands so often.
Of course, you still want to use the odds software for more advanced calculations.
But you’ll be AMAZED when you sit down at the poker table with your buddies, see the flop, and then poker.