One of the biggest advantages that online poker has over traditional live poker is that there is an extremely wide variety of tools available to players that can help them with their game.
There are basically two types of tools; those that are built into the software of your online card room of choice, and third-party software that you download separately and integrate with your account.
Regardless of whether you use all of the tools or just a few, as a beginner player you will find that these tools can help you improve your game.
Take Advantage Of Poker Room Note Taking Systems
The most common poker tool used online is some form note-taking system. Practically every online card room has some sort of note-taking feature packaged in with their software that allows you to take notes on your competition.
The notes are then permanently stored and are available for you to view whenever you play against that same player again down the road.
Many sites also let you attach a colour to a specific player using the note-taking system, allowing you to identify them as aggressive (red), weak (green), etc.
Note Taking Can Give You A Small Edge
While it may seem unnecessary, taking notes is important because in poker knowledge is power. Whenever you sit down at a table with nine players you have never seen before, you are all more or less at the same disadvantage.
However if you have taken notes on a few of these opponents in the past, you can see instantly that the player seated to your left likes to raise pre-flop a lot, while the guy currently on the button is a trapper and needs to be watched carefully.
Just having a few tidbits of info on someone can influence your decisions against them greatly and lead to more victories.
Third Party Programs Will Soup-Up Your Game
Outside of the built-in software that comes with internet card rooms, there are a lot of powerful third-party applications available for purchase.
It might seem like a scam initially, but these software programs can actually have a massive effect on your game. Some will provide you with the odds of every hand you are dealt being a winner, while others will tell you exactly what you should do (call, raise, fold) based on your hand and your positioning.
Essentially it is like having a math genius and a pro poker player sitting with you at all times. The best programs cost money, so do some online research and see what the best rated ones are before you make a purchase.
Poker is all about making money, and you should be willing to use and invest in anything that can give you the upper hand.
Short of paying for professional lessons or reading a hundred poker books, you won’t find anything that will help your game better or faster than some of the online tools available, so make sure you give them a try.
Key Points
• Take advantage of a site’s note-taking system
• Make use of the various third-party programs available
Chris
- Chris Laquinta is a magazine editor, content specialist and poker fanatic with 10+ years writing experience and over 1,500 published articles. Chris is a naitive of Southern California, where he spent his entire life learning gaming concepts and theories from relatives that had been former professional gamblers. He currently resides in Torrance, CA where he works as a professional content writer and part-time SNG professional.
