My Plan To Master A Poker Math

I have to say, my mental math skills are a disaster. I am a more feel player and I have got great results by doing what feels right. At the micro stakes that work because other people use usually the same method, but now I am moving up stakes, so I have to upgrade my poker toolbox by taking seriously this horrible topic.

I have always hated studying, just because I am bad learner, and it's very boring. Poker generally is interesting topic to learn, usually by doing, but complex odds, probabilities, calculating outs etc. make my head explode. That gives me so much stress, so I have to do something and improve my mental powers.

Best free resource for this topic I found is pokertrainer.se. I have used this for a long time. It gives all the basic information about calculating odds etc. what you need. I make exercises on a daily basis.

Also, I have downloaded multiple mental math training game Apps and playing with them also on a daily basis. I have seen improvement in my mental math skills in a few days, it starts to get very excited when you can recognize improvement and try to make new record every day.

Dual n Back is also great tool to improve general working memory. I can recommend that also.

My next plan is to make flashcards with the Anki App and start to memorize some charts like this:




What do you think about this plan to master poker math? Do you have tips how to improve math skills, memorizing complex charts etc? I would be happy to hear about your poker math stories:icon_thum

Maybe to read this book:"The Mathematics of Poker" by Jerrod Ankenman.

There is actually not a lot of math in poker. Of course there are basics like pot odds, implied odds etc., but you don't need very precise calculations and one can do them easily. There are of course tables of how two common cards play against two other - these again should be memorised but only roughly. If you play live poker you need to quickly estimate size of the pot and stacks. That is basically it.

Even if you had precise calculations you wouldn't want to use them in poker because that would sell your hand too easily. So it's natural that sometimes you overbet and sumetimes underbet just to conceal the hand.

Btw. you don't need to memorise that chart. Just multiply number of outs by 2 or 4 and this gives you the rough percentage. That is the precission you need. You won't really benefit by knowing it more precisely by 2-3% but the effort you put to memorize it will jeopardise other important skills.

I think it will be easier for you to learn not all probabilities, but only situations that occur often at the poker table. Odds for a flush or straight draw or combo draw. The probability of two pairs before a full house, in addition, the probability for a call is 3 bet, the answer to a bet of half a pot, etc. Calculate template situations, remember them, and play them out.

Thank you for your answers. Yeah, I know using only GTO is a disaster. But math never gets old, even game is changing all the time, so that's why mastering math is the 100% sure way to win in this game for long-term.

But Delfino, I have to disagree. there is a lot of math in poker. For example, people have many ranges that they play in different positions, learning equities of all of those will take years to learn. And maybe one of the most important things to do for me is to study how many times my intuition is right. I have made lately stupid calls even my intuition said don't.

I think your plan of making a chart and memorizing makes great sense.

But, if you are playing online, is there any reason not to use some calculator directly? I use calculators like twodimes and edge.poker.

Perhaps, you are trying to go into real life tournaments?

pokerlover304 said:

I think your plan of making a chart and memorizing makes great sense.

But, if you are playing online, is there any reason not to use some calculator directly? I use calculators like twodimes and edge.poker.

Perhaps, you are trying to go into real life tournaments?

Click to expand...

What do you mean by directly? Through HUD?


I play non-hud site at this moment, and yeah, going to live tournaments as well.

I use Equilab to calculate odds etc...

In poker, I think online has a greater emphasis on math than, say, live. But much more information about opponents is available live. By the way, I think if you play a lot this math question will work out routinely while playing. Otherwise, your intuition, however, online is also very important. It can come in handy for difficult decisions, but unfortunately you have to learn math.
This table you put in is very good anyway.
Good Luck.

Great post , and I will look up some of those resources. I think knowing precise math is something that's useful as you want to step up a bit when the fundamentals are well known by all the field.

Delfino said:

Btw. you don't need to memorise that chart. Just multiply number of outs by 2 or 4 and this gives you the rough percentage. That is the precission you need. You won't really benefit by knowing it more precisely by 2-3% but the effort you put to memorize it will jeopardise other important skills.

Click to expand...

With Solomon's rule for big (plus 8 outer) draws.