To become a successful poker player, you have to study a lot. It's worth it; time and effort put into improving your poker game will sooner or later directly translate into the quality of your performances at the table.
But to study is one thing, and to learn efficiently is a different cup of tea. In this article, we'd like to offer tips on making the most of your time spent with Deepsolver (and other poker tools, too!).
Deepsolver offers you two ways to practice your poker strategy
Let's start with the basics. The backbone of our poker software is a functionality called Custom Solution. It allows you to run a GTO simulation of almost any hand with any parameters you'd like. You can customize preflop ranges, stack sizes, game trees and particular actions chosen by any player; therefore, you have unlimited freedom to toy with the variables.
The second main feature of Deepsolver is GTO Trainer. This poker tool simulates real poker game scenarios in a controlled environment. It allows you to hone your poker skills on up to four tables simultaneously. More importantly, GTO Trainer lets you take your time and check your line with the GTO poker theory in case you fail to choose optimal plays.
You can find more about both functionalities in our article: A quick intro to Deespolver.
Thoughtfully studying is the key to success in poker
It's easy to get lost in modern poker software's endless possibilities. It also might be true in the case of Deepsolver if you're not sure what you'd like to achieve. That's why it's a good idea to structure your study before diving in.
Firstly, think about the situations in which you are most often uncertain about what to do. It could be any scenario: playing small blind versus big blind, crafting a game plan as a preflop raiser versus in-position caller or finding hands to check-raise bluff from the big blind versus player on the button.
If such idea sound interesting, choose one scenario and run a few simulations on different board textures. Comparing the results will help you to understand what the optimal strategy for certain situations looks like and will help you to develop a better intuition in future cases. Also, there comes handy another feature of Deepsolver - aggregated flop reports. It allows you to run the same hand simultaneously on over 100 boards! With such comprehensive data, you'll be able to see the patterns on certain board types and understand the idea of game theory optimal better.
Let's look at an example. The most common situation in texas holdem is the button vs big blind. Let's assume you're a tournament player who'd like to better understand the dynamics of such BBvsBU spots. You can run multiple simulations of different board textures at these position with the same stack size to see how the strategies change when the board change.
When should the button be the most aggressive? When can the big blind check-raise a lot? Should BB ever lead in this situation? You'll be able to answer these questions with the help of Deepsolver.
Of course, there are other ways to study with the help of Deepsolver. While at the poker table, you'll sooner or later find yourself in unusual situations in which you'll be unsure what's the optimal play. Mark those hands (if you use tracking software, like Holdem Manager) or download the hand histories and later check the optimal strategy for the situation.
Remember that most online poker players you play against are not playing the optimal ranges or sizings, so review carefully the assumptions you make. Luckily Deepsolver allows you to customize almost every aspect of the hand, so you can run the simulations with exactly the data you'd like. It will also make you aware of how changing, sometimes minor, details of the hand can affect the overall strategy.
With the help of GTO Trainer, you'll be able to test what you've learn
And that's why we love this feature. After you're done with a certain area of study, GTO Trainer allows you to verify what you've learned in a real-time and easy-to-visualize setup. You can set the trainer to display specific situations, or you can use it to test your general knowledge of poker game theory. The first option is a great way to summarize a study of certain situations, while the second option is a great choice for a warmup routine, which we'll cover in a moment.
So, when should you study poker?
The trivial answer would be: whenever you can, as you'll probably always have things to learn. Of course, that is an unrealistic scenario, as most poker players who are not high-stakes crushers can only spend a certain amount of time studying. Luckily, modern poker software tools speed up and simplify the whole process by a lot.
Amongst the players, there are three most common approaches to studying. First assumes you allocate certain hours of the week to study. Usually, instead of playing, you take a look at a specific aspect of a game in one sitting. If done honestly, it's the most time-consuming and exhausting, but at the same time, the most reliable way to learn, as you can spend as much time as you need to grasp a specific concept fully.
You can also supplement your study routine with a warmup session before playing. While you probably shouldn't try to learn whole new concepts in a hurry, it's quite a good idea to incorporate a short session with GTO trainer to get your brain on the right track and prepare it for a lot of effort and puzzle-solving in the upcoming hours.
Lastly, some players prefer to review the tough spots soon after they finish playing. The upside of this approach is that you can easily remember the hand's context, what you were thinking at the time and what assumptions you made. The downside is that you may often be so tired after a few hours of grinding that the eventual review of your play would not be very productive.
Which approach is the best? Whichever one suits you the most. Every poker player has different preferences and needs; you'll have to find out what works best for you.
The most important thing is to remember that you shouldn't neglect the importance of studying. Be honest with yourself, and do not postpone it in favour of playing. The poker strategy constantly evolves; whether you play cash games, tournaments or spins, your opponents are constantly getting better, so be cautious not to be left behind.
Sometimes GTO solutions are not easy to comprehend
Fear not. You are not alone. Join our Discord server to discuss the ins and out of GTO poker. The power of community is invaluable, and with their help and Deepsolver at your disposal, you'll take your game to an even higher level.
If you're not already a Deepsolver user yet, you can check it out for seven days. Click here for a free trial.