One of the most difficult aspects of playing Texas Hold’em is the matter of calculating the odds. It is not just working out your ‘chances’ of winning a hand – ‘odds’ in Texas Hold’em cover a wide range of possibilities, from computing pot odds, to calculating the number of ‘outs’ your hand has, working out the possible cards in your opponent’s hands – and so on.

Great players seem to do this with ease; the reason for this, however, is because they’ve been doing it for years and – for many of them – calculating the odds is almost instinctive.

Fortunately, the explosion in interest, especially in online Texas Hold’em has led to the development of various software programs that help you calculate the odds, without forcing your mind into a tailspin from the unaccustomed use of mathematics and probability theory.

Pot Odds Software

One of the most popular poker odds programs is Holdem Genius – software that literally ‘sits’ at your side during a game and churns out suggestions and insights when it’s your time to act. It’s like having a personal coach beside you – watching the cards and the action, calculating pot odds and plays based on the number of players still in, suggesting the most profitable course of action for you.

Texas Calculatem is another software program like Holdem Genius but it’s main strength lies in helping you calculate your drawing odds by helping you evaluate which cards are still ‘out there’ (in the dealer’s hands), which are probably in the other players’ hands, and so on – which is information needed for you to know the next move. An enhanced version of Texas Calculatem even gives you pot odds as well as the other information on the probability of winning.

Downside to Seeking Mechanical Help

The only downside to these programs are that they are useful only in the online poker rooms – there is simply no way that you’ll be able to bring one into a live game, whether in a Vegas casino or your neighbor’s backyard tournament.

They’re dead useful, however, in that they’ll give you a sense of the odds as you play and gain experience in the online world. The thing to remember, however, is that they are giving you ADVICE – the biggest mistake you’ll make will be to rely too heavily on them and give up control of the game to them. If such a thing happens, then you’re no more than the program’s servant – doing its bidding without thought.

On the other hand, as said, using a pot odds software gets your mind into the groove of understanding odds, developing your own plays, working out the ‘outs’ in a game. As you progress, calculating the odds will become second nature – and you can leave your software behind and move on to the more exciting world of live poker tournaments.