Web entrepreneurs Errol Potok and Tim Mc Killican are co-founders of Outstanding Poker.  After several years of providing low stakes online poker training to poker players with a variety of skill levels, they decided that there was a market opportunity for a poker community and training site taking advantage of the latest social media technologies.

Outstanding Poker members will now have the ability to connect with each other as a member of our community. The new social component of Outstanding Poker will give members the opportunity to discuss hands and strategize with other members about all aspects of the game.

Errol says: “This re-launch is exciting for Outstanding Poker, as we now have an outlet for people to communicate online with other poker enthusiasts. Members now have the ability to post in our forum, create their own poker blogs, post and share hands via our poker hand history replayer and more.

“We have taken things to a whole new level by combining a new community oriented site with our poker training school. We aim to stay affordable and true to our educational roots.”

Tim, known as atta22 online and the site’s lead poker instructor, comments on the re-launch:  “In creating this new online platform we have aimed to better the online poker training experience.  Poker has been very good to me and by providing a social platform for poker training I hope to give something back to the poker community.”

With the release of Outstanding Poker v2.0 you will now be able to get affordable premium memberships plus various rakeback options at a many of the top online poker rooms.  Premium membership options include a $14.95 monthly rate and a $140.00 annual rate with no initial signup fees involved. Basic membership is free and it allows members to stay active in the online community through personal blogs, forum postings and member profiles.

Outstanding Poker coaches include: Tim (known as atta22 online) – medium to high stakes cash game specialist, Rob Green (hockeyguy) – micro stakes cash game specialist, Wayne Lo (elwayneo) – sit-n-go tournament specialist, Matt Taylor (mattutaylor) – multi table tournament specialist. The site also has a variety of guest pros that produce videos and training content.

For more information, please contact:

Errol Potok, Co-Founder
OutstandingPoker.com
errol@outstandingpoker.com

You can visit Outstanding Poker by going to: http://www.outstandingpoker.com

Read our full review of OutstandingPoker.com at http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/site-reviews/outstanding-poker/This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

“I feel like I’ve joined the Yankees,” said Schmidt, who plays as “Leatherass9” on PokerStars. “Getting the opportunity to represent the largest poker room in the world is definitely something that makes all of the hard work feel worthwhile. I couldn’t be more honored.”

On the felts, Schmidt has earned more than $3 million during his five-year career, logging more than eight million hands over 10,000 hours. He posted the world’s highest win rate in both $5/$10 No Limit and $10/$20 No Limit in 2007 and 2008. In a four-month period between November 2007 and February 2008, Schmidt won in excess of $600,000 playing high-stakes cash games. He’s never had a losing month in his career.

One of Schmidt’s most satisfying achievements in poker was attaining PokerStars’ Supernova Elite status in just eight months while playing high-stakes cash games in 2007. He said that being named to PokerStars Team Online means he’ll be going for Supernova Elite status again in 2010. “The chase for Supernova Elite is officially on,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt, 28, joined DragTheBar.com as a coach in January after spending three years as a lead instructor for StoxPoker. He makes poker videos and actively participates in the site’s member forums. “We’re very happy for Dusty,” said Drag The Bar CEO Hunter Bick, who founded the poker training site nine months ago. “It’s obviously exciting for us to have someone who’s achieved what he has on our team of coaches. He’s a good guy who works hard and he deserves this recognition.”

In addition to his roles with Drag The Bar, Schmidt is a columnist for CardPlayer Magazine and a published author. In December, he released Treat Your Poker Like A Business, which focuses on teaching players how to develop a professional approach to the game, both on and off the felts.

In joining Team PokerStars Online, Schmidt will play exclusively on PokerStars.com. Although he’s recognized as a successful cash game player, Schmidt has said he will play several tournaments on the site. He will also keep a blog at PokerStars.com.

PokerStars selected 23 founding members for its Team Online in December, sifting through 2,000 applications to form a team made up of 20 men and three women with 18 countries represented. Since then, the site has added three more to its roster and PokerStars says it plans to add further players to PokerStars Team Online throughout 2010. Here’s a look at the full team:

Andres Alisievicz — lobojiji
Jorge Arias — JorgeArias
Boumaaza Bachir — Chiren80
Anders Berg — Donald
Alvaro Blanco — VARICO
Thomas Boekhoff — Boku87
Diego Brunelli — vgreen22
André Coimbra — acoimbra
Mathew Didlick — chipstar1
Ta-Chih Geeng — socutiesf
Andrew Goetsch — Kid Nebraska
Martha Gonzalez — marene
Keiran Harris — K_Man2307
Steve Jacobs — stevesbets
Randy Lew — nanonoko
Karlo Lopez — elmagopr
Alexey Makarov — LuckyGump
Kristian Martin — CharismA3
Grzegorz Mikielewicz — DaWarsaw
Nichoel Peppe — NicP
Grayson Physioc — spacegravy
Sebastien Sabic — Seb86
Amanda Thomas — ROXY24
George Lind III — Jorj95
Denys Shcherbakov — diatty
Dustin Schmidt — Leatherass9
Taken from: http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/dusty-leatherass-schmidt-named-to-pokerstars-team-online-9158/

Charlotte, NC (Vocus/PRWEB ) March 17, 2010 — Renowned Limit Hold’em poker player Paul “GiantBuddha” Hoppe is staging a one-man, 28-day “Grindathon” to raise money for a variety of charities. The fundraiser, which began today, was announced on the online poker training website Drag The Bar, where Hoppe is an instructor. The event will run through April 12.

DragTheBar.com
Hoppe, who lives in New York City, likened the event to a “walk-a-thon or dance-a-thon, except I’ll be seated for most of it.” Hoppe, 31, has vowed to not leave his apartment complex during the 28-day period, and is asking individuals to pledge a particular amount based on hours played, hands played or PokerStars VIP Points Accumulated (VPP). Pledges can be sent to Hoppe via email at gbgbgaga(at)gmail(dot)com, or via private message at DragTheBar.com. Hoppe will post daily updates of these three totals on DragTheBar.com in the form of a video blog.

Pledges will be capped at 400 hours, 160,000 hands and 250,000 PokerStars VPPs. Hoppe said that that if he so much as leaves his building, or plays fewer than 200 hours, 80,000 hands or 125,000 PokerStars VPPs, he will pay individuals 100 times their original pledge. If he both leaves his building and falls short of those minimum levels, he’ll pay 200 times the pledge.

In addition, DragTheBar.com will give the biggest contributor a free 1-year membership to the site. The second biggest donor will receive a free 6-month membership, and third place will receive a 3-month membership.

Donors can select from what Hoppe calls a “grab bag” of four charities:

* Autism Research
* Cancer Research
* The Poker Players’ Alliance
* A private charity to benefit family friends of Hoppe’s who are raising four children while the father endures treatment for kidney cancer

Hoppe’s father died from cancer 23 years ago. One of the children in the aforementioned family is autistic. In addition to the pledges, Hoppe will donate a portion of his profit from the online poker tables to the charities.

“Poker is not necessarily a job where on the surface you create a lot of value for society,” said Hoppe, who has been a professional player since 2006. “I was thinking around Christmas, that I should be doing more to give back. Then ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ came on TV … well, the ideas started flowing from there.”

Hoppe said he was inspired by Dusty Schmidt, another instructor on DragTheBar.com, who played online poker outdoors in Portland, Ore., this winter to raise awareness and funds for the homeless. Schmidt’s House of Cards charity ultimately generated $21,000 — enough to house and feed three homeless people in their own apartments for six months.

“I’m proud that our instructors are so active in their communities and find time to give back,” said Drag The Bar CEO Hunter Bick, who started the company nine months ago. “I’m happy that our coaches are very well-rounded. There aren’t too many professions out there that allow for charitable fundraising while working.”

“For the majority of my waking hours, I’ll be playing poker, playing a little guitar, running on my building’s plaza, and watching the occasional movie,” Hoppe said. “I won’t exactly be pushing the limits of human endurance, but I’ll certainly be pushing the limits of my personal endurance.”

Hoppe will be playing mid-stakes Limit Hold’em exclusively at limits $5/$10 through $30/$60. He will play primarily at PokerStars.com under the screen name “Giantbuddha.”

DragTheBar.com boasts affordable memberships and rakeback options at a variety of poker rooms. The site’s poker training videos and poker software are not digital-rights managed (no-DRM) and are compatible with iPods and other MP3 players. Alongside poker, the site also offers backgammon, coached by world champion Bill Robertie.

There is no sign-up fee for joining DragTheBar.com, which has one membership level for all stakes and multiple payment options. The site is presently offering a 7-day free trial to all prospective members.

Press contact:
Phil Nagy
877-494-8331
phil(at)dragthebar(dot)com

##

Taken from: http://www.prweb.com/releases/poker-training/videos-software/prweb3734684.htm

Those looking for a good sweat or just looking for a little extra cash before the holidays may want to investigate a new promotion from the online poker training site CardRunners. The site recently launched a promotion in tandem with TrulyFreePokerTraining.com in which one lucky person has a chance to win as much as $5,000 courtesy of CardRunners co-founder and instructor Taylor “Green Plastic” Caby.

Taylor Caby

The promotion, called Piece of Taylor, offers the chance to win a 1% stake in Caby when he participates in the final table of the televised invitational tournament, the Full Tilt Poker Million. Caby is one of the six players in the 72-person field to advance through the preliminary and semi-final heats of the shootout style event to secure a spot at the final table. He will be joined in the finals by recent ninth place finisher in this year’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event James Akenhead, online poker pro Luke “FullFlush1″ Schwartz, Dag Martin Mikkelsen, Juha Helppi, and online qualifier Peter Vasiliou. A seventh player, an online qualifier from Full Tilt Poker, will also be added to the lineup. The final table is scheduled to play out in London on December 3rd, with action airing live on the Sky Sports network in Europe.

Caby and the others will be battling for the top prize of $500,000, but each will walk away with a minimum payout of $50,000. That means that those who take part in the Piece of Taylor promotion will win anywhere from $500 to $5,000 depending on where Caby ends up finishing. In order to participate in the promotion, players must register with TrulyFreePokerTraining.com, a site that allows players to take advantage of both CardRunners and StoxPoker just by earning points on Full Tilt Poker. To be eligible for the Piece of Taylor promotion, users must sign up before December 3rd. A random drawing will be held on December 7th to determine a winner.

There is no cost to enroll with TrulyFreePokerTraining.com, which credits users with subscriptions to the two training sites based on how many Full Tilt Points a player earns. For example, if a user earns 3,000 points on Full Tilt, they get one free month of StoxPoker training, while 5,500 points merit one free month of Cardrunners. Players do not have to cash in their Full Tilt Points in order to redeem their free memberships, they simply have to sign up through the site and log time at the tables.

Caby spoke with Poker News Daily about how the idea for the promotion came about: “To be honest, we saw Full Tilt had a promotion where they were giving away 1% of [Phil] Ivey at the WSOP Main Event final table, so we thought we’d offer a version of that at CardRunners. Kind of just to be funny, but also to give members and people that signed up for TrulyFreePokerTraining something to sweat while I’m at the final table.” Caby also emphasized that, even if someone doesn’t win the promotion, there is still a lot to be gained just by signing up for the benefits of the site: “A lot of people are getting their CardRunners subscriptions fully paid for just by playing at Full Tilt.”

This is the first major live final table for Caby, who is better known as a cash game player than a tournament pro. He and the other players will start the match with the same number of chips they ended with in the semi-finals, putting Caby in the middle of the pack. He offered some insight on how he plans to approach the event when he returns to London in a couple of weeks: “The structure is pretty shallow. I think the chip leader has something like 40 or 50 big blinds, so there’s not really a whole lot of room for crazy maneuvering. To be honest, I’m just going to try to go in and play the best strategy I can for having a shorter stack and I’m not too concerned about any certain player.”

While Caby expressed enthusiasm about his own chances at winning a half-million dollars, he was equally excited about the chance to win money for someone taking part in Piece of Taylor: “I’m not really going to change how I play, but I’ll feel a lot better if I can send someone a lot of money.”

Link to article: http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/cardrunners-offers-a-chance-to-win-a-piece-of-taylor-caby-6523/

Read Our Review of Cardrunners: http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/site-reviews/cardrunners/

We are very, very proud to announce that Dani “Ansky” Stern (formerly the top instructor at PokerSavvy+) has joined DeucesCracked as our newest Executive Producer of original video series, completing the 2 Months $2Million cast foursome. Ansky will be one of DC’s most well-rounded EPs, creating videos on 6max NL, HUNL, tournaments (fresh off his $548k win in the 40K NL event at this year’s World Series of Poker), Pot Limit Omaha and mixed games. His first series, 2 Months 2 Million: ANSKY, will be airing every other Friday during our current Fall Season. 2 Months 2 Million: ANSKY takes subscribers inside his summer doing the show, focusing on 6max NL strategy.

In addition to Ansky, DC proudly welcomes Ribbo to its team of Producers. A fan favorite over at StoxPoker, Graham brings to DC a veteran Pot Limit Omaha presence. He joins BalugaWhale, NoahSD, jk3a, gman, Nolan, IWEARGOGGLES, AMT, and vandweller as Producers, all vital pieces of DC and worthy of the new distinction.

And if Ansky and Ribbo weren’t enough, we’ve listened to your desire for more 6M NLHE content and brought another top-notch video producer to our roster — Grindcore! Also known as EpicFoldGuy on PokerSavvy+, Grindcore is a welcome addition to our stable of NLHE 6m coaches.

Exciting times for Deuces Cracked, which further proves why they are arguably the best cash game poker training sites in the industry.

News from: http://www.pokertrainingguide.com/poker-news/ansky-joining-deucescracked/

To read our review of Deucescracked go to: http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/site-reviews/deuces-cracked-review/

To visit DeucesCracked go to: http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/deucescracked.html

Poker News Daily: Has it been surreal to watch “2 Months, $2 Million” unfold on G4 every week?

Rosenkrantz: It’s very, very, very surreal.  Emil Patel and I live together in New York City and host a weekly party with all of our friends and family.  Dani Stern is here for most of those also.  Watching a hyper-stylized version of our summer with friends from childhood and college is pretty damn fun, but definitely weird.

For instance, seeing Emil get sneak attacked and destroyed by water balloons is hilarious both in the fact that it’s just really funny, but also that we somehow convinced a television network to put our dumb asses on television.  Each “week” is actually around 80 hours of footage broken down into 21 minutes, so while the Jay, Emil, Dani, and Brian Roberts developed on television are very much accurate depictions of all of us, sometimes we get sold a little short (or are given too much credit).  All in all, though, it has been an awesome experience and we all badly want to go back for Season 2 next summer.  $2 million or bust!

PND: Has there been a traffic boost on your poker training site, DeucesCracked, as a result?

Rosenkrantz: Yes, our traffic and signups have gone up and I’m really happy with the results.  We’re not talking like we doubled our membership, but considering a lot of people watching the show have never been exposed to poker or poker training videos before, I like the influx of new, genuinely curious users.  [CardRunners founder] Taylor Caby got a deal with Full Tilt, so obviously I had to go out and one-up him with a television show.

PND: Talk about the roller coaster of a ride against David “Viffer” Peat.

Rosenkrantz: Some behind-the-scenes information about that match.  First, it was one of our producer’s (Brandon) duties throughout the summer to try to arrange high-stakes matches for us.  We wanted to play pretty much anyone (other than the top, top players) at heads-up No Limit.  As our results started to not look great around Week 5 or 6, the four of us realized that we needed to push Brandon to seek out more matches for us.  He put word out to most of the card rooms and poker agencies, but a lot of people just didn’t understand what the show was about, didn’t want to play us, or the money we wanted to play for was too big.

A few people accepted though, among them David Benyamine, Viffer, and Sami Kelopuro (LarsLuzak).  Viffer’s doing a television show called “The Bet” and wanted the guaranteed exposure, so the match was set up to occur near the end of Lockdown (Lockdown, by the way, was an idea I had before the summer even started that the network wasn’t really into, but we were able to convince them of its merits when push came to shove).

We started playing and Viffer was playing really erratically and running me over.  I was coming off 36 hours straight in the war room and had not only just lost back everything I made during Lockdown, but also lost a great episode for the TV show because now I was down a lot.  I was expecting him to be a loose-passive live pro, but he wasn’t really anything like that, which caught me by surprise.  The producers had their heads in their hands, they didn’t know what to do, and they’re not from poker, so they were just lamenting why I didn’t stop when I was up on him.  Not only that, Brandon was feeling awful that he set me up to get crushed by this live shark and our chances of coming anywhere close to the goal were basically shot.

Then, Viffer took a break to get food and came back playing crazier than ever.  I bad beat him in a huge pot to get close to even and this sent him on huge tilt.  Total bajunky – this is when he started mashing pot.  He had been doing it earlier, but not nearly as often, and now he was re-raising tons of hands and mashing pot constantly.

People speculate about how he would have such an obvious tell, but honestly it’s not obvious when you’re sitting there stuck $100,000 trying to claw back to even not only so you can win your money back, but also so you can save an episode of a TV show.  We’re playing $40,000 No Limit, I had a big piece of myself, and the cameramen and producers were visibly shaken by what was going on.  I had a lot of things on my mind unrelated to clearly processing what was going on in the match, not to mention that I had spent 38 hours in the war room!

PND: Did Peat’s betting tell prove to be true 100% of the time? How tough was it not exposing it every time so he wouldn’t adjust?

Rosenkrantz: Not 100%, but close to it.  As you can see in the episode, the atmosphere in the room transformed from tense and excited to giddy and incredulous.  It was really important to make sure that I didn’t take away or hero call down every single pot he was bluffing in and I’d have to guess that is definitely why he didn’t notice until it was too late.  In that last $316,000 pot they showed, it was actually a good bluff by him where I happened to have a huge hand, but considering how often I was defending to his 3bets, it was a good bluff and I have to fold all of my non-two pair hands by the river.  There were lots of cooler pots I also won that they didn’t show like 3-3 versus A-K on an A-3-X flop and A-K versus A-J on an ace-high flop.  So, while it was an amazing, rock solid read, it was definitely made to be a little bit more cinematic than it actually was.

Funny aside – when I got back to up $100,000 on him, the producers started begging me to quit.  They were so shook up that they could barely hold the cameras straight.  The money was just so huge and incomprehensible, I had just completed this legendary comeback, and they couldn’t bear to deal with the thought of me losing more again.

Of course, we’re all poker players and there was a drought of nosebleed action this summer, so all of a sudden I had this insanely profitable spot and there was absolutely no way in hell any of us were stopping.  There’s all of this great rough footage of Paul and Terry (the Executive Producers) begging me to pick up and go relax with the guaranteed win outside the war room and the four of us just berating the hell out of them for being huge donkeys.  I think Brian threatened to cut off someone’s pinky finger.  Anyhow, it worked out, the producers knew not to try to argue with us about poker ever again, and Brandon got out of the doghouse and was celebrated as a hero for the production.

The next day, the network executive in charge of the show showed up to the house to see how Lockdown had gone, saw the big black number in my column on the tally board, and G4’s collective brain exploded.  Two years in development, seven episodes’ worth of footage and storylines, and they still didn’t fully understand the kinds of swings and drama that were possible in poker until that moment.

PND: Did you foresee fewer high-stakes games happening this summer? Had that been the trend?

Rosenkrantz: It was the trend, but every summer for the past three years, the games had picked up.  We didn’t foresee the complete death of nosebleed No Limit and, because of that, we were really ill-prepared.  I wasn’t as good at Pot Limit Omaha as I should have been and a few of us should have learned mixed games over the year.  Second season or not, we won’t be caught off guard like that again next summer.

PND: What’s your favorite non-online poker activity you guys have done so far and why?

Rosenkrantz: Definitely trampoline dodgeball.  Unfortunately, I think it’s cut from the show, but if you can get a group of people together in Las Vegas and want to blow off steam, there is nothing more fun than trampoline dodgeball.  I can’t even properly describe it because it’s so crazy.

PND: Would you use a different strategy from the beginning if you had to do the show all over again?

Rosenkrantz: If we get a second season, we will have 10 months to prepare and now that “2 Months, $2 Million” has a passionate following in the poker community, I think more well-known pros will want to play us.  More game selection, more opponents, and more chances to win or lose big – I think those are the best parts of the show.  We learned so much this summer about how to approach the goal and about how to make a compelling television show about it.  I just know in my heart that if we go back, it will be week to week, consistently, the best poker television there has ever been.  I’ll guarantee that.

PND: Heading into Week 9, how are you feeling about making up $1.5 million to reach the goal?

Rosenkrantz: Not good.  We obviously are not going to make it, but the question is whether or not we will crack $1 million.

——————————————————————————————————-

By Dan Cypra for POKER NEWS DAILY | Posted on October 13, 2009

News taken from: http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/jay-rosenkrantz-recaps-2-months-2-million-5510/

To read our review of Deuces Cracked please visit http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/site-reviews/deuces-cracked-review/

You can visit Deuces Cracked by going to: http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/deucescracked.html

Mike Matasow is now a Poker Site Owner

The owner of the new poker training site is no other than professional poker player Mike Matusow. Matusow is known for being an avid player and a trash-talker at the tables. He holds 3 WSOP bracelets and a large list of final table finishes. As a youngster he even thought he had a gambling problem, but it turned out to pay out well for him.

The new site is called Deepstacks University and the beta version was launched on Tuesday. “I’ve been around a long time, seen tons of ideas and projects come and go, but when it comes to online poker education, nothing compares to what DSU has to offer,” Matusow stated at an interview with PokerListings.

The list of coaches at the site includes Liv Boeree, “Browndog19”, Adam Levy, Tom McEvoy, TJ Cloutier and Nick Binger.

Deepstacks University comes with a new method called “Reactive Training Technology” which aims to best all other sites as it offers players the chance to interact with the training video and focus on different, specific aspects of the game.

Article taken from: http://www.charityfromthefelt.com/frontpage/2009/10/17/mike-matusow-launches-new-poker-training-site-14.html

A well known name in the poker training industry, Deuces Cracked offers a fresh approach to learning how to win cash with proper strategy and technique Many say their new style of teaching is a more effective approach and a sign of what is coming across the board. Keep an eye on these guys, because they just might be the link to the next generation of poker players.

Membership Options

7 Day Free Trial Offered w/ Monthly Plan

Initiation Fee: $0

Monthly: $29.00

Six Months: $147.90

Annual: $278.40

Games

• 6 Max games,
• low limit
• medium limit
• heads up
• full ring,
• solid coverage of non hold-em’ games.

Discounts and Coupons

Members can get a thirty percent discount on Hold ‘Em Manager software.

Instructors

The instructors are very well known in the industry, but some still have a ways to go. Jay Rosenkrantz, one of the co-founders of the site, has won over a million dollars in one month playing online poker, while lead trainer Vanessa Selbst has one World Series bracelet and has made it to the money in the World Series seven different times. She has not quite won her first million in online poker but is very close. Students can find their personal coach based on specific criteria about the type of game they want to develop.

Strengths

This training program offers a new approach to learning poker that many people feel is a great way to learn cards. While a lot of trainers have you following poker action while they bombard you with a million different angles and variables, which is pretty representative of how your brain works when playing poker, it can be an overwhelming way to learn.

These guys lecture on one aspect at a time and really put some focus on it until it is completely understood. This allows students a chance to tackle one thing at a time while they build their arsenal, so when it comes time to use it, it is like second nature.

The big focus on low limit hold em’ makes it a great place for a beginner to learn the ropes. The video and audio is very high quality, and they are devoted to a community spirit. Not to mention the absence of an initiation fee makes it a cheap option.

Weaknesses

While a focus can be a strength for an online poker training site, Deuces Cracked may have gone too far with this. People typically like to advance once they master material, and having to find a new site when you are comfortable with your coaching platform can be a hassle. Multi-table and Sit and Go tournament videos beg improvement as well.

Also, there navigation is poor, which seems to be a common weakness in the industry. This happens a lot on poker training sites, but how hard can it be to set up some useful links to eliminating all the backing up the browser.

Rating

Deuces Cracked gets 7 out of 10 stars because of their lack of well-rounded material and ridiculously cumbersome navigation. That said, if we were looking for strictly low-limit cash games we would seriously consider giving them an 8 and possibly a 9 because of their unique, effective teaching style.

You can visit Deuces Cracked by going to: http://pokertrainingsitereviews.com/deucescracked.html

1.  Poker is A Business—There is a lot of money on the tables, especially in the online arena, and savvy players are raking it in.  Even low-limit winners are funding a cush lifestyle.  But every business endeavor takes solid know-how.  You have to be apprentice before you go pro.

2.  It Is Too Easy—The competition has developed sharp teeth, but there are plenty of guppies.  For every new poker stud there are thousands who think they know what is going on but have no clue.  Which one will you be?  Get some training and have a straight answer to that question.

3.  A Painless Learning Curve—It takes a lot of hands to gain solid poker experience.  Where are you going to get that experience?  At the tables—where it hurts the most.  Climb the learning curve before you reach into your pocket.  Training costs pennies compared to what you save.

3.  Be Part of A Community—Poker training sites create communities of like-minded individuals who want to learn how to play but want to learn to play right, providing all the support you need.

4.  Poker is a Complex Game—Poker is more complex than playing chess.  In fact, while computers have been made that can consistently beat the best chess players in the world, there is yet to be a computer able to beat good poker players on a consistent basis.  Yet, even the world’s greatest chess players have coaches to keep up on their game.

5.  Cover all the Angles—Some guys just seem to be born for this game, but that doesn’t mean they know anything about odds or how betting should vary based on table placement.  There are many levels to a poker game, and there is no way you will anticipate every aspect.

6.  Learn the Odds—A lot of guys love poker but hate math.  Instead of learning the odds, they have an inherent feel for different hands.  That is great when the competition is lax, but if you want to play with the big boys you better understand the numbers.

7.  A Concise Training Approach—The guys who win in poker are constantly working on their education.  For many, this means a lot of reading.  Books, magazines, articles…you name it.  But formal training gets to the point.  You learn exactly what you need to know and practice implementing it rather than sifting through stacks of books on different theories.  While reading is still important, a training program gives you a solid foundation to work from.

If you are just out there to have a good time and get some entertainment, poker training is not for you, but keep in mind that there are a lot cheaper ways to get thrills than logging into a casino site and away money.  The game is a lot more fun if you win, and anyone who says different is fooling themselves.  If you want to get serious about poker, get serious about poker education and invest in a quality training program.

More Than a Poker Instruction Manual—Make sure you’re getting value for your money.  They should be doing a lot more than just telling you how to play the game.  Any small child can learn the basic rules of poker in twenty minutes, but that certainly doesn’t make them a winner.  Winning takes strategy and technique.

All Skill Levels—Poker technique does not work the same for all levels of play.  A seasoned player, for instance, can get away with a lot more moves than a beginner.  A good poker training site will cater to all skill levels.

Poker Math—Do they teach about odds?  Any garage poker player with a half-empty beer can sit around making up half-brained poker theories about human behavior and luck, but a solid poker player needs to think about numbers.

Live Poker Play—A good poker site will often have live poker games you can watch and some kind of commentary detailing the theories behind different players’ moves.  It is best if the games consist of an assortment of players of different skill levels. We could talk all day about what “works,” but if you don’t see it in action we’re just talking.

Hand by Hand Instruction—Every hand of poker is different and has a wide range of variables present, so just telling you about a certain theory and then telling you to run with it is a fool’s game.  The site should show you specific hands and address all the variables that factor into decisions, such as the size of your stack, betting positions, odds, and how other players are betting.

Success—If a site is not producing winners, then what is the point?  Discuss a site’s reputation on popular poker forums and read some reviews, but don’t stop there.  After you sign up, you need to assess your own improvement.  If what you are learning is not equaling a slow, steady stream of dollars at the table, it might just be bad information.  Most reputable sites will offer some sort of guarantee; don’t be afraid to take them up on it if they don’t deliver.

Personal Coaches—A solid poker training site will set you up with a personal coach.  Not everyone is different, and your personal training program should be tailored to your needs.  On the other hand, nothing is better than individualized attention.

Interaction—You need to be able to interact with your coach and get feedback on not only your questions but your play.  Some of the best programs will have the coach watching you play online and discussing your moves with you as you go.  This is what separates a truly quality training program from picking up a book and studying on your own.

A poker training site is a great way to set yourself apart from the crowd and turn the game into much more than a way to pass the time, but a lousy poker training site can be downright dangerous.  It is almost worse to go out there thinking you know what’s going on and not having a clue than never training at all.  Do your research, look for some of these qualities, and take your training very seriously.  It’s your money on the line.