Using Poker Odds Calculators: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

Poker players are always looking for ways to improve their game strategies, or little hints and tips they might be able to apply to their own games to make them more successful. One thing that can be very useful is to know the true odds of the particular game you are playing. Knowing your chances will sometimes prompt you to make changes in your game that you ordinarily might not make that could be the difference between winning and losing. Many players adjust their betting methods as well, so that they can better optimize their winnings. More experienced poker players can do this by observing the other players and making guesses as to what their odds of winning are against those particular players. They change their hands or playing styles according to what they determine their odds are. Some players are very experienced with calculating their odds in this method, but there is a more exact way to determine your poker odds. Poker odds calculators can be found as free downloads and for sale on the internet, and many poker players are starting to use these to get more exact odds.

Some poker players opt to use hand odds calculators by entering the player and the board cards, then hitting a calculate button to get the odds for that particular player. The calculator will list how often that player will win the game, tie with other players, or lose altogether. These calculators can also be used to compare different hands with each other to help you determine the best poker hands. The only downside to using these calculators is that they don?t factor in the fact that some players will inevitably fold, and that extra money will be added to the pot with each round of bets.

Many poker players who play in poker tournaments have also begun to use tournament equity calculators. These calculators are used to determine the average amount of prize money each participant should win based on the number of chips each player has during the tournament. The value of these chips will be less as the game progresses and players earn more chips. Some players will decide to sit out a tournament is they decide the prize pool isn?t large enough for them. The only bad thing about using this type of calculator is that it automatically assumes all players are of equal skill levels, and it doesn?t account for size and position of the blinds in the game, so it isn?t always one hundred percent accurate.

Odds calculators are used by many poker players today, and are increasing in popularity. They can be very helpful in making decisions when it comes to many aspects of game play. It is important that players who use these calculators keep in mind that these calculators do have limitations and that the information they offer should never be the sole basis of how you play your game. There are too many variables to be factored in to make any calculation be totally accurate, and sometimes you just can?t beat good ole human intuition.