Basic Poker Software Primer

We always get asked about what poker software to use.  Well, strap in because here’s your complete primer to poker software.  In addition to reading this article, don't forget to check out our Beginner's Guide to Poker Software.

First we’re going to make the assumption that you will be playing either at Full Tilt Poker or PokerStars.  The reason for that is that everyone makes software for one or the other.  While other sites like UB.com and PartyPoker get plenty of traffic, there isn’t quite the same level of support from third party vendors.

Now it’s time to invest in your first piece of poker software, which will be a poker tracking program.  There are two main ones to choose from, Holdem Manager and PokerTracker 3.  Both are great programs, pretty much do the same things, and are around the same price.  We recommend that you download both.  They both have free trial editions available so you can download, install, and test drive on a temporary basis.  That way, you can get a feel about which one is better for you.  You should also check out Poker Office.

Once you have your hand history tracking program, it’s time to get your Heads-Up Display (HUD) working at the tables. Make sure that you track stats and have a friend look them over after some decent volume is logged.

The next step is getting scripts or automation software installed.  You can either find AutoHotKey (AHK) scripts, which are totally free, or invest in a program like Table Ninja (PokerStars) or TableNinjaFT (Full Tilt Poker).  The goal of these scripts is to help you automate the redundant tasks at tables so that you can play more of them simultaneously.  If you are able to be seated at more tables at the same time while playing the same level of game, you should see your win-rate explode.

Adding tables is one of the keys to success at online poker, so getting tools to help you automatically determine bet sizing by streets, take your seat, fold, call, and perform other tasks will aid you in those efforts.  Finding working AHK scripts can be a real pain and, for the most part, they are totally unsupported freeware.  Table Ninja and TableNinjaFT are fully supported commercial software, so you’ll always get updates to make sure they keep working. The license for Table Ninja runs $60.

Now, chances are you’ll have moved up in stakes and, if you are like many people, you’ll hit a bit of a wall when facing stiffer competition.  So, it’s time to investigate poker training.  There are the big sites to look at like CardRunners, DeucesCracked, and LeggoPoker.  All three offer great training videos at similar prices.

There are other training sites like Tournament Poker Edge and Advanced Poker Training that offer a specific type of training that might better suit your needs.  We’ve done a ton of research and reviews here at our site, so comb through the ones we’ve looked at and check them out on your own.

Now that you’ve gotten better, there are still ways to invest your money to improve your win-rate.  You can check out programs like SNG Wizard that help your tournament game or invest in PokerTableRatings Premium or a buddy list program to go beyond traditional table selection.

Hopefully, you decide that you will embrace the ways of online poker and take advantage of all of the resources you can get.  Otherwise, you just might have to learn, like a lot of fish, the hard way.