With poker changing all the time, there are many ways you can stay ahead of the curve. Frequently, these methods of self-improvement involve technology as digital advances align with progression in the game of poker. We take a look at how you can plug in and cash out with interest in this digital age.
Online training
With a whole raft of online training programs available, there is a multitude of ways to improve our game. While some offer a costly service for the ore serious player, there are plenty of free videos available on YouTube that have been shared by top pros. In fact, one could easily spend every day watching training videos without sitting down to a hand of poker…and probably become a much better player. The best way of watching training videos is to focus on what will affect your game positively and make the biggest difference to your profit margin. Chris Moorman, who has won well over $11m in online tournament alone, a world record, suggests taking advantage of high level gameplay that you can. Many elite players feature in the world’s best games. These will almost always make it to YouTube, so you can learn from the best and accelerate the early stages of your development wherever possible. It’s a great way to plug the leaks in your game, and develop the skills that will see you enjoy poker more and more. Winning has never been easier!
Plus don’t forget our Teach The People articles here on the partypoker blog, which are completely free!
Podcasts
With the newest generation of poker players, whether live or online, plugging into their iTunes on a regular basis, you can shape your journey through poker to a soundtrack of poker strategy, news and entertainment on an epic scale. Poker podcasts seem to be hitting a ‘new wave’ of popularity as the game we all love changes. For those of you unable to spend every minute of every grinding hour on the 2+2 forum, podcasts act as a great way of catching up on industry news, proposed rule changes and any dramatic events in poker history as they develop. They also feature interviews with some of the world’s best players, which for some reason tend to be a lot more confessional than the printed word. Players will tell home truths on a podcast they wouldn’t discuss on camera, too. You can search for poker podcasts easily online and most podcast suppliers will provide ratings and feedback on show content, so you can narrow down what you take in as you play. Download and enjoy!
Music
From the greatest poker songs in history to some of the best summer tunes to turn your time at the poker table from a chip-riffle ear-worm into a silent disco just for you, listening to music and playing poker go together like strawberries and cream in SW19 (hey, that rhymes – who needs Kanye West?). Music can take you from being on tilt to blissfully in tune with your emotions in a way a pat on the back from a friend or words of consolation from an enemy cannot. It can give you a rhythm and pace at the table that you otherwise have to work very hard to create alone and, if you’re lucky, inspire you to greatness before heading to a poker tournament. It’s not just the younger generation who are enjoying listening to some melodies while mulling over a three-bet, our very own Mike Sexton has his favourites to grind to.
Apps
From coaching tutorials to anti-tilt casual games, your smart-phone or tablet can be a path to poker paradise. With the World Series chip app meaning that in recent years players could input their own counts to assist the blogging team, the rise of the smartphone in tournament play has been phenomenal. We’re talking Dan Colman walking across white-hot coals. The biggest poker sites offer strategy tips, video sessions and special offers via mobiles and laptops that they don’t to the average PC-dweller, so there are plenty of ways to gain an edge over your opponents. There is also a fantastic amount of free stuff available via platforms such as Twitch, where the best players in the world such as Jason Somerville or Jamie Kerstetter share their poker sessions live for the fans.
We’d love to know your favourite ways to interact with the poker community via the comments box, so let us know!
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