subject: Calculating Poker Odds [print this page] The most common mistake that I see casual online poker players make when I begin to coach them has nothing to do with their meta game. Rather, it has everything to do with their "tool box" (or lack thereof) when they fire up their laptop and start playing. If you're simply turning on your machine and logging into your favorite poker site - you're already behind the proverbial 8-Ball.
The first (or second) thing every online poker player should be doing in 2010
In addition to your own learned skills from playing poker you should always leverage some sort of poker odds calculator to ensure you're making optimal plays against your opponents. The top offerings today not only provide you with the odds of hitting a certain hand and/or draw but also go much deeper. With a seamless Heads Up Display (HUD) you can view a numeric indicator of player tendencies such as aggression, propensity to bluff on the turn or river, and much more.
The most popular offerings will give you the ability to not only collect data during your play but also the option of importing all of your hand histories (and by extension, the data on your opponents). You can also buy hand histories from sources such as Idle Miner that instantly turns your database into a deep pool of rich information that you can use to win more hands.
Which one is best for me?
Choosing which poker odds software is best for you is a tough decision. It essentially will boil down to the specific information you like to see when playing and how you want to consume it. Some applications have more of a graphical interface while others are more data intensive. For a casual player I personally recommend going with a smooth HUD that integrates with your poker client. The more fluid the information is presented to you, the more it becomes an extension of your normal routine and as a result, makes a bigger impact to your winning percentage.
For more information on poker odds software, you may want to check out a fewPoker Odds Calculator reviews.
