Poker Resources for Newbies

by Bodog Poker | Feb 2 2009

There are two kinds of poker players. There are the ones who love to play the game and try to learn all they can as they play, and then there’s the kind of player who loves the game and takes the time to utilize every resource that’s available to make themselves better. They read books and articles about poker, they use instructional programs, they get all the information about their opponents that they can, and they study and learn the mathematics of the game. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which of the two types of players are more successful.

If you’re taking the time to read this article you’re already on your way. The first resource to utilize is a poker book. There’s certainly no shortage of books out there; every player with a respected name seems to have one out these days. Most are good, but there are a few that are junk. For the basics of the game you’ll be safe with titles by David Sklansky and Doyle Brunson. For tournament strategy Dan Harrington has a couple of volumes that tackle the subject better than any other. Other names include Lou Krieger, Mike Caro, Tom McEvoy, and Daniel Negreanu. For the best online articles you can go to websites like cardplayer.com, pokerpages.com, pocketfives.com, and pokerlistings.com.

Team Bodog’s poker pros – Jean-Robert Bellande, David Williams, Evelyn Ng, and Justin Bonomo – have written numerous articles and they should also be used as valuable resources.

Once you’ve read lots of books you can start to utilize computer poker programs. Instead of losing money as you’re learning to play, you can play a percentage of your time in a program that will monitor your decisions in the hands you play, and give you advice if you don’t make a good play. Lots of professional players have DVDs out teaching you the basics and intermediate strategies.

In today’s information world there are tools that give us playing histories of any opponent we may be up against. Live tournament poker databases list all the money a player has earned over their career. A few good live-action player databases are thehendonmob.com, pokerpages.com, and cardplayer.com. Online action is all recorded and players are even categorized based on their playing styles. You can get info on how a player has played different game variations and whether they’ve earned or lost money on the poker tables. Many feel that these tools are unfair and unethical, but they do exist, and most serious players today are using them. Sharkscope.com is one of the more popular ones.

Utilizing tools that teach you the math of the game will make you a much better player. Poker odds calculators are free to use and they’ll teach you where you really stand in a difficult hand. Bankroll spreadsheets will help you to organize your money properly so you’re not going broke all the time and having to buy back in to play.

There’s no shortage of ways to make yourself a better poker player if you take the time and effort to find and utilize them. Each one will teach you something, and you’ll slowly increase the playing edge over that type of player who can’t be bothered to educate themselves about the strategic elements of the game.

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