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What Are Poker Training Sites?

What Are Training Sites?

Not all that familiar with poker training sites? Don't worry, I'll sort you out. Here's a quick briefing on what poker training sites are all about. I'll also answer a bunch of other FAQs about these training video sites to get you up to speed.

What are training sites?

Training sites are websites that have been built by professional poker players. They make instructional videos for you to watch to help you improve your game and win more money.

A great example of a poker training site (and my personal favourite) is Deuces Cracked. Have a browse around and check out their free sample videos. Or you can read the Deuces Cracked review for more information on this site.

Poker training sites have become increasingly popular over the last few years amongst amateur, intermediate and advanced players looking to take their game to the next level. So whether you are just starting out, or if already know the ropes and want to add that little extra to your winrate, poker training sites are your best option for improvement.

What will training videos teach me?

The videos will basically attempt to teach you everything you need to know to play as close to "perfect poker" as possible. The closer you get to perfect play, the better your decisions will be and the more money you will be winning over the long run.

The most common form of strategy video involves the coach recording themselves as they play a session of poker online. It could be in a cash game or tournament depending on what sort of strategy you are looking for. The coach will then explain every play he or she makes as they go along to help show you why certain plays are best in certain situations.

The great thing about these videos is that the coaches are playing the same games as you do, so it's really cool to see how they play in order to make a living from online poker.

How much do training sites cost?

They usually cost around $30 a month, with some requiring a one-off "activation fee" of around $100, but not all.

This may seem like more money that you are willing to part with if you're currently grinding it out at $10NL, but I can assure you that it is worth the money, even as a micro stakes player. A common saying about training videos is that they help you to win far more money than it costs for the subscription, which I can confirm from personal experience is easily the case.

If you're still a little undecided, have a look over the "are poker training sites worth it?" article.

How effective are poker training sites?

Very effective.

It's a lot easier to learn from training videos than it is to learn from books or articles. You will learn a lot more much more quickly with videos over text thanks to the more "hands-on" method of teaching through poker training videos. I like to liken poker training videos to "strategy articles on steroids", except of course for lack of illegal substances.

Learning good poker strategy is a bit like learning how to drive a car; you can read about how it's done as much as you like, but you'll only truly get to grips with it once you get behind the wheel and have someone show you exactly how to do it.

Do you have any training video samples?

Sure. This one is from DeucesCracked.

(video no longer available)

I can guarantee that you will get a hell of a lot from the training videos at Deuces Cracked. The chances are that you will see the biggest improvement in your game over this free 7 day period, so why stop at that? $29 a month is nothing if the end result is you moving up a good 3 or 4 levels (and beyond) over the coming weeks and months thanks to their training.

Which training site is the best?

As you may have guessed, Deuces Cracked is easily my favourite training site. You can see why in my article on the top online poker training site. As a rough guide though:

However, there are a bunch of other training sites out there for you to choose from, so it's worth your while to browse over the main poker training section for more information. I've highlighted what each training site is best at, so if your main game is cash games, SNGs, MTTs or whatever you will be able to see which training site is most appropriate.

Ask me about Training sites.

Still have questions about training sites? Something missing from this quick training site FAQ? If you still have questions then other players will as well, so please ask them so that I can improve this quick little guide and so that I can also help you and others. Don't be afraid to give me a shout!

My name is Greg and my email address is greg[at]thepokerbank[dot]com.

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