I’m a big fan of poker but, like most games I play, I’m not very good at it. Unfortunately, unlike other pursuits, if you’re not very good at poker then you probably won’t be very good at paying the mortgage at the end of the month. Recently I’ve managed to halt my losing streak thanks to three simple computer programs.
One thing I usually have the most trouble with is working out if my hand is actually worth pursuing or if I should just fold straight away. Since installing Poker Indicator I’ve wised up a bit, however. This crafty app attaches itself to your online Texas Hold’em table, automatically looks at your cards, and calculates your odds of winning. It can even read your opponents’ playing styles before you join the game, so you have an idea of the kind of sharks you’ll be swimming with.
While I’m away from the pressure of an online game I find Draw Odds Poker Calculator to be a handy way of learning moves and honing my skills. You can simulate and memorize gaming situations, together with the associated odds, to help you make the right decisions during a real game. The program is suitable for the most used variations of draw poker – those using a 52-card deck with no wild cards, with up to five cards allowed to discard.
Those of you who are yearning for an easier ride may want to try WinHoldEm, which is an online Texas Hold’em poker bot. What this basically means is that it will play the online tables instead of you, reading the cards that have been dealt and the moves that have been made. The bot’s intelligence is really determined by you though, as it needs to be programmed by the user, so it will only be as good as you though. Mind you that’s not to stop you getting a poker expert to help you train it. Now there’s an idea.
