Sometimes all players can win at online poker. But to make a profit every day, you need to keep working at the game - to improve as a pro and to refine your strategy. There are always exceptions, but statistics show that players who "play with their heart" rather than their minds do not, of course, achieve great success.

But, strange as it may seem, the truth is that most professionals invest their precious time in training and analysing programs, not in playing at online tables! In this article, we'll take a look at what exactly the best poker training programme is and how it can help you improve your playing skills.

We'll also discuss other forms of education, such as mobile apps or poker books, that can help you raise your game.

poker tools and software

Best poker rooms

Tracking and database applications for poker (HUD)

POKER TRACKER 4

pokertracker 4

PokerTracker 4 is an advanced, leading-edge and highly user-friendly software for those who want to improve their poker performance. It can be used on both Mac and Windows computers.

If you do not use PokerTracker 4, you can be sure that the vast majority of players at your virtual table are using. Not having this software could result in you losing some of your winnings...

PokerTracker 4 is the perfect solution, especially for those who want to start gambling better and more successfully. Everyone can try it for free for up to 14 days, so there's no reason not to download it.

With PokerTracker 4, you'll be able to keep track of a wide range of statistics, monitor your cash flow and even your success curve... It's easy enough to turn your failures around and give you all the tools you need to win bigger.

PokerTracker supports 888Poker, PokerStars, Winamax, iPoker Network games in full, and many other poker rooms offer partial support with almost every possible feature.

Read the PokerTracker4 review.

HOLDEM MANAGER 3

holdemmanager3

If you're looking for something modern, innovative and able to fully meet the expectations of both beginners and experienced poker players - Holdem Manager 3 or HM3 is exactly what you need.

If you are a very active gambler, this app is one of the best choices, because unlike the above apps, it collects vsHero data, which is very important when you spend a lot of time at the same table with a player.

This alone is so important that it should convince serious gamblers to choose HM3. The software allows each player to create their own customised control screen or to select predefined settings.

After each gambling session, you will be able to examine not only your own moves, but also those of your opponents. HM3 has a paid and a free trial version.

If you're interested in trying out one of the world's most highly regarded poker apps, choose HM Free. If you decide to purchase the software, please note that there are several versions available: the cheapest is for small bets only.

The most popular or slightly more expensive is for all bet sizes, while the most expensive is for all bet types in Holdem and Omaha poker. There are also HM3 versions specifically for Omaha gaming.

Read the HoldemManager3 review.

GTO (Game Theory Optimal) applications

GTO+

GTO+

If you can use a GTO-type poker software, you greatly increase your chances of improving your results over time. Why? Because GTOs, or Game Theory Optimisation Supercalculators, are highly advanced and highly accurate and intelligent programs.

They are equipped with highly sophisticated algorithms (e.g. the Nash Equilibrium Strategy and others in GTO+) that run statistical mathematical models based on the course of play. With these models, it is possible to win more than without them.

Specifically GTO+ is one of the most advanced programmes, with a licence price of 75$. The program itself prides itself on being one of the fastest GTO calculators on the market. GTO+ offers a wide range of statistical models that are useful to the player. It will continuously generate graphs and opportunity trees.

The GTO+ page itself says that using this programme means that no other programme is needed.

SIMPLE GTO TRAINER

SIMPLE GTO TRAINER

Simple GTO is a group of applications that has a very impressive ability to analyse almost every possible situation that can arise in the course of a game. Simple GTO is not just the Trainer we mentioned in the title. Although the Trainer type of program is the most suitable for this case, as it offers the greatest number of features.

However, other players can also choose from POSTFLOP (GTO's pre-flop and post-flop calculator), GTOBASE (a poker strategy analytics app), GTO SENSEI (a mobile app) and many more. These tools will help you save time and increase your winnings. Best of all, you can try all the tools on this platform for free.

With Simple GTO, players can learn how to deal with very complex situations and conveniently learn the most advanced gambling strategies. A wealth of statistics, betting analysis and other data is all you need to win more.

Read more about GTO Solvers here.

PIO SOLVER

pio solver

If there is a tool tailored specifically for advanced players and pros, PioSOLVER is it. It is, without rivalry, one of the most accurate and best poker applications that allows you to optimise your strategy based on game theory.

Users can always see which combinations are likely to be successful, i.e. when to bet, when to raise or when to back out. The downside is that while the software is very advanced, it is also too deep and too complex for beginners. If you have not used any software before, we do not recommend starting with PioSOLVER.

And for experienced gamers, PioSOLVER pro or PioSOLVER edge is one of the best ways to get started. They are used by the most serious gamblers from all over the world, who have increased their winnings dramatically after signing up for this software.

A feature highly valued PioSOLVER users - setting ranges. It allows a solver-type programme to obtain much more realistic models and to propose more successful solutions. Also, if you want to use this programme seriously, you need to be aware that it requires a lot of calculation resources to run.

So your internet speed needs to be tremendous, your computer needs to be very powerful, or, as most foreign gamblers do, you need to rent a dedicated server specifically for the PioSOLVER applications.

Despite these drawbacks, if you are playing at higher stakes tables, you will definitely get ahead and win more than before with this software.

Compared to PokerSnowie (which is the most similar to PioSOLVER), it still lacks the ability to deal with situations where many players remain at the table in a postflop situation.

You can read more about the GTO tools in our article here.

Hand analysis tools

ICMIZER

One of the more popular tools, ICMIZER helps you become a better player. An advanced and highly sophisticated calculator allows you to make the right decisions in preflop situations and in the later stages of tournaments.

ICMIZER is all about helping you make good decisions at all stages of the game in both Multi-Table-Tournament and Sit'n'Go Tournament-style tournaments.

In short, ICMIZER gives you a clear view of what to do and how to do it in every possible
the situation.

The term ICM is encoded in the name of the programme, which is the English version of the Independent Chip Model.

It uses the Nash mathematical model we mentioned earlier to help you keep improving your results without major losses or setbacks. Before you start using ICMIZER, you should read the instructional video so that you know from the readings whether it pays to PUSH your opponents or FOLD.

Understanding is only needed to learn how to read the readings. The app itself is extremely accurate, but also easy to use. You can try it for free.

Poker learning software

POKERSNOW

PokerSnow - One of the few AI poker tools that applies GTO poker theory to help you make better decisions, while also analysing your game.

With PokerSnowie, you'll be able to see at a glance whether you're playing optimally and which decisions you're making well and which you're not.

Unfortunately, the tool does not have the ability to show you how to exploit the mistakes and gaps of weaker players, and it will not identify the most common decisions made by the players at the table, but even if it assumes that everyone is playing error-free, PokerSnowie is still a really useful tool for most players.

It will help you to improve your skills from the ground up and analyse past games.

One of the biggest advantages is that it's available to Windows and Mac OS users, as well as iPhone and Android smartphone owners. Anyone can try the free version. Also worth mentioning is the hands import tool. Entering your gambling history into the app allows you to see where you should have done things differently and where you could have made more money.

Finally, if you want to improve your performance without risk, play against the PokerSnowie AI and improve your skills and knowledge in GTO poker without risk. Want to expand your arsenal of weapons as a player? Use PokerSnowie!

The most important poker utilities

There are plenty of poker apps to discover. Unfortunately, almost all of them are paid and often not the cheapest. Luckily for new players, you don't have to buy them all to start playing profitably. Lower-limit players will only need one (or, in fact, one and a half) apps - a game tracker and a HUD of some kind. Trackers will usually be PokerTracker or Hold 'Em Manager. The HUD will almost always depend on the format being played, as different information will be useful in MTT, Cash and Spin N' Go games.

The second important programme is Equilab. Equilab is free, but very useful for every player. It allows you to calculate the probabilities of selected situations for different numbers of players.

Higher level players will start to need more apps. One of the most important for ascending to the highest limits and ultra-strong play is the aforementioned GTO solvers. These will help you discover new ways to play both good and bad players and win more money. These programmes are often very expensive, so it should only be an investment once it has become worthwhile.

Poker Auxiliary Programmes - Benefits and Uses

Poker software has been around for a long time. Basically, they are used for two purposes - to improve decision-making during the game (i.e. HUDs) or to help with training (i.e. history-taking apps like PokerTracker via Hold 'Em Manager or GTO strategy calculators like PIOSolver).

Game history apps have become a staple in any regular player's arsenal. As soon as they appeared, the advantages they offer were seen to be enormous.

Even if there were no HUDs, having a hand history that can be analysed and learned from is the most effective way to improve in poker. Programmes such as Poker Tracker via Hold 'Em Manager is an essential tool for any poker professional.

The second important part of any poker player's arsenal is HUDs. Nowadays, there are a growing number of online poker rooms that block some stats, block the collection of long-term stats, or just generally do not allow you to use the Heads-Up Display in any way during the game. 

However, in online rooms where HUDs are still allowed, not having them is a huge disadvantage. Long-term stat gathering on your opponent is a very important part of decision making, especially against moderate players (or room regs).

Against recreational players, statistics often won't be very useful, as there won't be very many of them, but sometimes you can still see trends. However, HUDs are always particularly useful at mid-high limits, where the regs still have a lot of game leaks.

Analysing their game can give you clues on how to gain more and more edge.

Finally, the third and most modern category is the GTO solvers. GTO (or Game Theory Optimal) spreadsheets can simulate a situation in which a player has no leaks and cannot be exploited. These spreadsheets are still relatively new in the poker world, so not all players have a good understanding of their use.

GTO calculators should only be reserved for those who already have a good understanding of the game itself, the use of strategies against players, and a strong grasp of poker fundamentals.

All players, both stable and solo, should start getting used to frequent play as they move up to higher limits. Using the GTO solver. These programmes will not disappear and will become part of many professionals' training.

Poker apps - summary

One important poker fact is always worth remembering - ancillary software is only as useful as its use. One of the most common drawbacks for mid-level poker players is a lack of discipline. Buying software does not in itself give you any advantage over anyone.

Any software used to improve the poker game should be used as often and as consistently as possible. It is therefore best to establish a weekly or monthly learning programme to follow. The learning programme should include both the use of GTO solvers and the analysis of your own hands. Hand analysis should be a major part of the learning, especially if there are still many leaks. GTO solvers cannot fill simple game leaks.

Of course, the easiest way to fill leaks in the game is with the help of a higher level professional. Therefore, it is always a good idea to have a poker trainer (coach) when using poker support software. The reality of the poker game is that it is not always clear which decisions are the right ones, as many decisions can be wrong but can turn a profit in the short term. Usually only the higher level players can spot such objective weaknesses in the game.

D.U.K. on poker support apps

What is a poker solver?

A poker solver is software designed to help players analyse hands and scenarios using Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategies to determine the best possible hands.

What are poker trackers?

This is software that records and analyses your poker sessions to get insight into your play and track your performance over time.

What is the best poker tracker?

"PokerTracker 4 and Hold'em Manager 3 are two of the most popular and effective poker tracking tools.