In this quick article, we’re going to briefly discuss some of the advantages to using Holdem Manager within the context of improving your poker game.  So, how can Holdem Manager help you?

Plug leaks
Everyone has different problems with their poker game.  Some people might lose money because they are too loose, some because they are too tight.  Since this part of poker is extremely person and often subtle, it can be difficult for you to understand where your deficiencies are or for a general advice source such as a training video or book to give you advice relevant to your situation.

Since Holdem Manager deals only with your hands, you can quickly see where your problem areas really are –  which is half the battle of solving them.

Learn from tough opponents
Wouldn’t it be great if you could sit down with the biggest winner in the game and talk through their approach to various situations?  That’s easy to do with Holdem Manager.  It records every hand of real money poker you play –  meaning you’re also getting data on your opponents that you can later review to improve your own game.

Realistic record-keeping
Let’s face it –  everyone likes to remember their wins more than their losses.  With Holdem Manager, you can find out what you win and lose overall, at various games, at times of day, at session lengths and more.

This sort of record keeping can not only help you find additional leaks –  maybe you’re playing more tables than you should be, for example –  but also forces you to be honest with yourself about just how well you’re really doing.

Smart players know that loyalty isn’t always the best policy when it comes to playing at an online poker room.  Often the way to maximize your play is by moving from room to room and taking advantage of the special promotion or bonus a given room is offering.

The catch, of course, is that staying on top of all of those bonuses is a bit of a job in itself.  With so many online poker rooms operating –  and new ones opening on a regular basis –  keeping track of the available bonuses and assessing their value can take some of the fun out of playing online poker.

With their 2012 Guide to Online Poker Bonuses, PlayPokerOnline.com (PPO) takes a lot of the guesswork out of the online poker real money bonus hunting process.  The latest bonus codes from the top online poker rooms are listed and rated by a variety of factors, and complete reviews of the poker rooms are available with just one extra click.

While not all rooms use bonus codes, a number of major rooms still do require you to use a bonus code to get the best bonus.  For a few rooms, you’ll find exclusive bonus codes that will give you access to a larger bonus than you would be able to get otherwise.

Recency is a big issue with codes, as they are often only good for a short period of time.  That’s why poker players will enjoy the guide from PPO, knowing that the codes listed in their guide are up-to-date and valid for the bonuses described.

When it comes to online poker, shopping around is a must.  Let the PPO guide help you get the most return possible on your play and watch your bankroll grow.

In those cases, you don’t worry about the rake rate.  You just have to worry about getting the bonus that will give you the most bang for your buck.  That comes down to a number of considerations that will vary for each individual player, considerations that we’ll talk more about below.

How Much Do You Want to Deposit?  As with anything related to gambling, the maxim “only risk what you can lose” applies.  There’s no reason to deposit a penny more than you can absolutely afford; depositing more could put you in a really bad place if your day starts off bad and you decide to jump up in stakes to chase your losses.  Avoid those situations by never giving yourself the opportunity to be in them –  only choose to deposit what you really could stand to do without.  The amount you deposit matters because some bonuses reward large deposits, while others have low maximums and don’t require big deposit amounts.

What Stakes Do You Want to Play?  Not all rooms run all stakes; check a review site like texas holdem online.com for more details about how busy a particular room is at peak times.  The larger rooms are going to run a wider variety of games, while smaller rooms might be limited to smaller stakes.

How Much Do You Plan on Playing?  Bonuses are earned, so if you’re planning on getting a large bonus, you should plan on playing a good amount of poker.  If you’re only a casual player, you should shoot for the bonuses with smaller amounts and better clearance rates, because it’s unlikely that you’ll ever maximize the value of a large, slow-clearing bonus.

Sometimes a big poker site is the sensible option

This means that opting for one of the larger online poker sites can make sense. Niche poker sites have their fans and they certainly provide a great experience for some players but there are many reasons why bigger is better for online poker players. The more players a poker site has, the bigger and more rewarding their prizes are likely to be and this will always be a key component for new poker players. There are many great poker sites to choose from and one of the biggest names is the Bwin Poker site.

Bwin is a name that is known and respected in online gaming but to make sure that the site provides what you need, a Bwin Poker review can be helpful. You should find that the site provides a variety of poker games and more importantly, an impressive array of sit n go events and tournaments. Knowing that there is always likely to be an event or tournament game of interest will encourage a poker player to sign up for a particular site and in this instance, Bwin Poker is ahead of the game.

Poker sites should be open for all

Having as many people on an online poker site can bring benefits and this is why so many reputable sites are working hard to ensure more players can join in the fun. In recent times, this has meant a switch to ensuring that Mac players can join in the fun of online poker. If you want to double check if the site you want to join is suitable for Mac players, make sure you check out Mac Poker, which has all the information that you need to know.

The fact that Mac players can play alongside and against their PC counterparts has provided another shot in the arm to a number of major online poker sites. Having strength in depth can separate a great site from the number of good sites so if you want to enhance your online poker fun, make sure you opt for the site that allows everyone to play. Finding a niche site you like can be enjoyable and fun but sometimes it is important to go large and find the poker site that can make all of your poker dreams come true.

The one fallback of the return of PokerRoom has nothing to do with the website or Bwin; it is out of their hands.  The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has limited the available market for PokerRoom (and helped cause the closing of the website in 2009) .  Consequently, the reopened website will only be available for real cash players outside of the United States.  Players in the US can still access the community and other features of the reopened website but cannot attempt to win money on PokerRoom right now, they have to hope this legislation is changed or overturned. 

Players from around the world can once again access PokerRoom website to play a large variety of different card games and play in a wide selection of poker tournaments.  Players who were once accustomed and loyal to PokerRoom are excited.  It’s like an old friend who was lost forever has been miraculously returned. All of the same great graphics, game play and community forums are still a major part of PokerRoom.  In addition, PokerRoom is offering generous welcome back bonuses for players who sign up or re-activate their old accounts on the poker site. 

While players may have transferred their accounts to another poker site, the high quality experience that you get when you play poker online at PokerRoom will force former and new members to take their business to PokerRoom.  The reopened website has added new financial resources for players to transfer their poker cash winnings as well.  The blending of the same great old features with constantly improving services will make the reopened PokerRoom one of the industry leaders once again.

Poker can be like a party

The Party Poker site belongs to a firm that has a whole host of Party sites and this means there is a great deal of experience. Reliability is one of the most important issues for any online poker player and there are few sites that can genuinely offer reliability. The Party Poker site has this ability though and it is down to the fact that reliability cannot be created overnight. There are many benefits to the emergence of online gaming but it is also possible for some bad sites to slip through the cracks.

Being safe and secure online is one of the most important factors for users and this is why you should opt for the Party Poker site. However, using security as your only consideration can be a bit dull but the Party Poker site is able to offer great games and bonuses too. No matter what type of bonus you are looking for from an online poker site, you should find that there is a top Party Poker bonus to suit your needs. Whether this revolves around giving you a great introduction to the site or longer term benefits, there will be something to meet your needs.

Good poker bonus codes are worth their weight in gold

The impact of good poker bonus codes can never be overlooked. With so many sites fighting hard for attention and interest, it makes sense to make it worthwhile for a player to come and check the site out. In the long-term, poker sites are always liable to get their money back from a good offer if they have a great site because players will continue to play. This means that the site and the player can often get a benefit from these poker bonuses, making them the perfect attraction or promotion for a site.

There are a lot of great reasons why a poker player should choose to sign up for the Party Poker site. It is a site with a strong reputation and has provided over 30 million downloads since 2001. That is a huge figure which indicates that poker players have been consistently happy with what is on offer. There is no reason why you should feel any different and if you want to make the most of these bonus offers, you only have to look around. Finding the right poker code is not the only thing you need to be a poker winner but it can help you achieve your goals.

One drawback to the room: PokerStars, unlike other major online poker rooms such as Titan Poker and Everest Poker, doesn’t offer players a free bankroll on signup.  For players who don’t like to make a deposit, or who fancy themselves bonus hunters, this lack of a no deposit bonus can be a non-starter.

It is true that PokerStars does not offer a no deposit bankroll.  That fact doesn’t mean, however, that there is no such thing as PokerStars free money.  In fact, the room bonuses players via a number of channels, with a few of the major channels described below.

Deposit Bonuses: The PokerStars deposit bonus is one of the best-kept secrets in the online poker industry.  With  a clearance rate near 33%, you’ll be earning more bonus money with this deposit bonus than almost any other available in the industry.

PokerStars VIP:  Even with the recent changes, the PokerStars VIP program is still considered by most to be the premier online poker rewards program.  Players at the very top of the VIP ladder can easily earn over 75% rakeback, one of the highest effective rakeback deals you’ll find anywhere.  The recent changes make the bottom levels more value-laden, a boon for recreational poker players.

Leaderboards: Pokerstars has perhaps more tournament and SNG leaderboards than any other online poker room.  These leaderboards are funded by the room, so any winnings you receive are on top of your VIP or otherwise earned rewards.

While there may not be a no deposit bonus, it’s clear that players with the goal of getting free PokerStars money have several avenues via which that goal can be accomplished.

• Flopped flush: Fits the hand perfectly; AJd+ and KJd+ fit the hand. He may raise with the king high flush, to protect against the naked ace (Clarence’s hand could read for AxAd or AdKx) and he would certainly raise to protect with the QJd, so his flat looks very strongly of a flopped flush.
• Set of 10′s: Not as likely, but possible. He may be waiting to see if a diamond peels before protecting, but it’s not a good idea. Even a tight player could recognize the danger of this board, and would be inclined to make a good sized raise to protect their hand. However, the large initial bet Clarence made may actually hinder his ability to make a protective raise.
• JJ-KK with a diamond: Possible. I think our tight opponent may have the discipline to lay the JJ down, but I’m not so sure about QQ, and I don’t think you can lay KK with a diamond down on this type of flop for a bet, even as big as this is, given that Clarence’s range is bigger than simply AA. It’s clearly a calling hand, not a raising hand.

Those are about all of the hands that make sense to flat $100 with, and we’re crushed by two of the three, and only a favorite against the smaller pocket pairs, who still have a clean 11 outs to beat us. Our hand is pretty face up, but our opponents is now too, and the turn play in this now inflated pot is going to be hard to manuever. The turn was the 4 of clubs, giving us a board of 2d 5d 10d 4c. With $257 in the pot, and $550 left in each player’s stack, what are we going to do now? By inflating the pot to a point that we aren’t comfortable with, we’ve turned our hand into a bluff catcher and little else, and we’re up against a player that isn’t likely to be bluffing. I’m content to check and let our opponent tell us whether or not he has a big hand; a bet here is going to likely commit us to the hand.

In the actual hand, however, Clarence continued firing with a bet of $200, committing half of his stack to the hand with the bet. Clarence was intending to protect his “monster” hand with the big bet, but what can Chris call with on the turn now that he’s bet so much? He’s only getting called (or raised) by the set or the flush, and the range of hands that he beats will fold. The problem, however, is the range that beats him actually exceeds the range he beats! The inflated pot made him feel he had to protect his hand, and he made a bet in accordance with the size of the pot. Chris, after a thirty second tank, announced all-in for another $250, and Clarence quickly called, annoucing himself as “pot-committed” as Chris happily turned over AQd for the nuts, having Clarence drawing completely dead.

Why did Clarence lose $600? Was this simply a bad beat, as he later lamented? Absolutely not! If Clarence makes it $50 preflop, Chris actually could’ve folded AQd (he’s tight enough to let hands of that caliber go to a 3-bet from another tight player) and we take the pot there. If not? Let’s look at the hand played with careful calculation after the $50 3-bet, if called.

On the flop, we’re continuation betting, but a number more like $60-$70, a number that defends against the bare diamond while keeping us non-committed to the hand. Chris would very likely just call, as he did in our example. The turn, with about $240 in the pot, allows us to check and evaluate, as even though a very similar amount of money is in the pot, the larger preflop raise isolated his range, and we can see that we’re clearly either ahead and vulnerable or drawing completely dead, so there’s little need to defend. Chris would fire a bet here, in the neighborhood of $100-$150. I think this is where we give Chris some respect and simply let it go here, but even if we call, we can fold if a diamond peels on the river, or if he shows us strength again (which he would) and instead of losing the full $600, we lose a number in the range of $120-150 most of the time. (or even win $17 a small amount of the time)

By controlling and manipulating pot sizes, you allow yourself the ability to price people in and out of pots, but you also give yourself that “escape hatch” to get out of a particularly nasty situation without being handcuffed to it yourself. Be cautious of your bet sizing throughout the hand, and you just might thank yourself when that “should’ve been a thousand dollar pot” that your opponent wins is actually only two hundred.

The first bonus up to bat is an instant $5 bonus that PKR awards players who deposit at least $10.  The bonus is pretty simple: Make at least a minimum deposit of $10 and PKR will drop $5 into your account after you play your first hand of real money poker at the room.  You will have to earn 500 PKR points before you can withdraw the bonus.  It’s a solid bonus for players who want to put just a small amount of money online to give the room a try.

Looking to deposit a bit more?  With a minimum deposit of $25, PKR will give you access to their Intermediate bonus, a 100% deposit bonus with a maximum bonus amount of $150.  This bonus is paid out in increments of 5%.  For every 300 PKR points you earn, PKR will release $1 of your bonus.  You don’t have to do anything besides earning the points; PKR will automatically credit your account with the earned bonus money.  This bonus is great for players putting in a steady few hours a week.

Last, but absolutely not least:  The Advanced bonus.  You’ll have to open up your wallet a bit to qualify for this bonus, as it requires a minimum deposit of $150.  You’re rewarded with a bonus of 125% up to $500.  The points requirements are the same, but the bonus is released in 10% increments as opposed to the 5% of the previous bonus.  This bonus is reserved for players who put in regular, even heavy play volume.

PokerStove
While HEM now has an equity calculator built in –  somewhere –  you don’t want to load HEM each and every time you have an equity calculator.  That’s where PokerStove comes in.  It’s light, it’s quick and it’s simple to use.  If you’re looking to calculate preflop equity or post flop, PokerStove is the ideal piece of software for doing so.  Boasting a simple, intuitive interface and super-fast results, PokerStove remains the choice of many players when it comes to equity calculation.

AcePokerDrills
APD actually comes with an equity calculator as well, but the core of the software is a training device that walks you through situation after situation and helps you to analyze your play.  Training products are usually shallow and over-general, but APD provides an interesting and unique format that has really breathed new life into the genre.  With a low price, stable software and regular updates, APD is a worthy addition to the Start Menu of any poker player.

SNG Wiz
More than perhaps any other poker format, Sit and Go tournaments are all about the math, and SNG Wiz helps you to master the numbers.  With both quiz and import functions, SNG Wiz allows you to both learn new situations and review old ones, all with a simple interface that makes SNG reviews a snap.

Drop us a line if you know of other tools we should add to the list!