Poker is a fantastic game, but it can be incredibly difficult to learn poker skills and turn those skills into actual dollars. That being said, there are tons of great resources out there for learning poker. This includes books, videos, training site fees, and even one-on-one coaching. But what if you want to learn poker for free?
Grab These Free Tools
There is tons of software out there to help you along the way. The most vital apps you should download right now are:
Equilab. This software allows you to analyze equities of hand vs hand, hand vs range, and even range vs range. Equities are a key component when it comes to making solid math decisions both preflop and postflop. It even has an equity trainer built inside, and you can learn how to use this software with my free video:
Fold Equity Calculator. This tool allows you to see how often a player needs to fold when you go all-in. If you want to play aggressive poker, fold equity is your best friend.
EV Spreadsheet. EV is the crux of profitable poker, so knowing how to calculate it is super helpful. Rather than run through EV calculations on your own, download and use our free EV spreadsheet to save time and get the right answers every time.
Watch Free Videos
Poker videos are one of the most popular ways to improve. But to make sure you are actually learning, you’ll want to make sure that you are watching the right kind of videos. If you want entertainment just fire up an old episode of High Stakes Poker…but don’t expect to learn very much in terms of actual strategy.
Most poker videos tend to cost money, especially if you go through a training site. But did there are tons of free videos available on YouTube, and some of them are quite solid. Here are 3 sources of free videos that you’ll want to check out:
ThePokerBank: I’ve been creating content with ThePokerBank for years and we’ve been adding a ton of content over the last 2 years. If you want poker concepts specifically, start here: Quick Plays. If you want reviews of hands/questions sent in by players like you, start here: ASSAQ
Red Chip Poker: We’ve done a decent amount of video responses to questions asked in the forums. Check out the entire playlist of them here: Forum Frenzy Videos
Gripsed: Evan is a machine and has tons of videos (and even more subscribers!) on YouTube. He covers everything from your mental state to complete tournament reviews…and is a great source of both entertainment and strategy. Gripsed YouTube Channel.
Read Free Articles
There are plenty of sources for awesome articles. If you enjoy reading, here are some of the places to start:
Our Articles: We release at least 3 new articles a month, so there is plenty of content to digest and enjoy. Topics vary between hardcore strategy to softer concepts…but make sure to use the search bar if you are looking for something specific.
ThePokerBank: Greg (founder of ThePokerBank) wrote an astounding amount of poker articles and organized them in a pretty awesome way. If you are looking for information on a specific concept, chances are you can find that article here.
SplitSuit Articles: I’ve also been writing content for my personal site for years. Check out my free articles and get everything from quizzes to hand history reviews.
Participate In The Forums
Poker forums have gotten a bad reputation since many are littered with trolls and bad advice. That being said, some forums are infinitely better than others and we like to think we’ve done a great job at creating a solid community within our forums. Players are friendly, willing to help, and ask the right questions to coax the best answers and learning from all participants.
If you are new to forums, start by opening up some hands and offering your own thoughts on the way the hand was played. Once you are comfortable, post some of your own hands (just make sure to give all the important information like stack sizes, positions, card suits, and reads!) A forum works best when you both give AND take…so make sure to give advice as often as you want to receive it on your own hands.
Put It All Together
Now that you have enough material to last you a full year…it’s time to put it all together so that you can actually use it. Here is your mission if you choose to accept it:
- Each week choose a new topic you want to explore
- Read 1-2 articles that week on that topic
- Watch 1 YouTube video that week on that topic
- Post one hand/question in the forum related to your topic
- When playing, spend some extra energy focused on that topic
- At the end of the week, write down what you’ve learned
- Choose a new topic and start again for the next week.
Poker is a game that requires a lot of study to really build a solid foundation…but all of that study sets you up to make some serious money in a game we all love to play.
If you are in a position where cash is tight and you’d prefer to work on your poker game without pulling out your wallet, there is hope! But before you decide to go this route, ask yourself if you NEED to travel the free content route, or if you are just putting off investing in your poker success. Investing in your poker training can easily be a better and quicker route…but if it’s not in your budget, use the free options listed above. If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments. Otherwise, good luck and happy grinding!
