What Should you Invest in to Play Online Poker in 2024?

What should you invest in to play online poker in 2024? We’ve researched the optimal solutions in a variety of areas and come up with some of the best poker software to invest in to improve your game.

1. Purchasing a LAptop

There’s no question that to play online poker, you actually need to be able to play online. Getting a massive personal computer is a distinct possibility for the professional and you can add in extra monitors, added RAM for function speed and many other add-ons. But to start out, you’re best off with a laptop.

There’s no choice between Microsoft or a Macbook and we’re going Apple so hard we’re eating the whole core. Processors are better, sound and graphics cards are more capable and in terms of durability, the Macbook might outlast three laptops of any other kind. That said, the expense is there to match, so if you can’t afford a Macbook, it would be understandable.

2. Hard Drive

Once you have a reliable laptop to play on, it’s worth also getting a sturdy back-up hard disk drive with a 1TB ram. Holding onto applications, downloads and real-time information on your laptop may not seem as important as WiFi speed, reliable updated poker software and other online or cloud capabilities but trust us, regularly backing up your computer is vital and can really help you maintain your level of focus if the worst happens.

If your laptop crashes during a session, it’s worth bearing in mind that a tablet that is able to host your favorite online poker site is a wise investment too. Buying a very expensive tablet may be counter-productive, because two large purchases can need expensive insurance, maintenance and possibly replacement. You’re better off buying a solid, sturdy tablet that you keep up to date in terms of software on a weekly basis, as it can act as a safety net on Sundays!

3. Daniel Negreanu Masterclass

It’s always advisable to take good guidance from the best in the business and there’s probably no better teacher in poker over the past three decades than Daniel Negreanu. Kid Poker really knows his stuff and his online Masterclass – which costs $180 – is a fantastic way to iron out any bad habits in your poker game before starting.

Negreanu can help you with a masterclass of over 30 lessons. More and more online and live poker players receive the best assistance thanks to these sorts of classes and you can explore exactly what they offer right here:

4. Poker Tracker 4

Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) can tell you how others at the table have been performing. They rely on you playing good volume and accruing maximum quantity of information but once you have that info, you can make the most of it and put others to the digital sword.

We’d recommend a strong and reliable HUD such as Poker Tracker 4. One of the original HUDS, Poker Tracker has been redeveloped over the years to take into account GTO theory and performs admirably. If you’re a more experienced player, then elite GTO sites such as DTO Poker or Octopi Poker can take your game to the next level, but if you’re just starting out, Poker Tracker is a superb tool to download and put into practice right away.

Here’s how to build your HUD on Poker Tracker 4 focusing on aggression.

5. Poker Income Bankroll Tracker 

With some terrific tools to help you learn the game then put the game theory into practice, the next step is to focus on what you can do to maintain your bankroll discipline. Knowing what you are betting in any one hand comes down to gameplay dynamics, but off the felt, you need to make sure that you’re gambling responsibly and not betting more than your poker bankroll can take.

Poker Income Bankroll Tracker is a superb way of managing your poker finances. Available for both Android and iOS, this cellphone app allows you to track every tournament buy-in or cash game session. You’ll never need to buy a notebook ever again! Tracking daily, monthly and yearly – and even hourly – poker winnings and losses, you can split entries or buy-ins for tournaments or cash games, and even between variants such as No Limit Texas Hold’em or Pot Limit Omaha, etc.

You can calculate your poker hourly rate and average session length, as well as monitoring blind or ante levels to ascertain exactly where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Poker Bankroll Income Tracker is an essential poker app to have on your cell phone and the premium version even allows you to save tournaments, rebuys, addons or payouts into your calculations.

6. Poker Timer

If you’re running out of time – or rather, keeping track of it – then you should head to the Poker Timer website for free on your phone too, with no download required. If you want to optimise your sessions offline, then you can also download the Poker Timer offline with both free and paid versions available.

The ability to turn back the clock is beyond us all, but the having the aptitude to make the most of it is within your charge if you can focus on the levels as they escalate, especially in tournament poker where the biggest leaps take place at the final table. Making the most of time is highly relative to ICM calculations too.

7. SnapShove 

If you’re a sit and go player then you’ll be aware of the ‘Push/Fold’ charts that many players study. If you are aware of them yet don’t want to put all those long hours in? Well, you should look at downloading SnapShove for those moment when the blinds are rising and you’re the short stack. It’s a free app and it really helps you to study the ranges and put easy knowledge into best practise.

SnapShove optimises the “Nash equilibrium ranges” to assist you in making the right decision whenever a choice sits in front of you at the pre-flop stage. With a limited number of searches available in one 24-hour period on the free version, you might consider upgrading to the paid version of the app, but take your time getting to know it first and consider its value to you as a paid investment against your hourly rate.

8. ICMIZER 3

We’d also highly recommend the ICMIZER 3 app for a very different stage of tournament play. ICM (independent chip model) is most vital to learn for those key final table decisions that have a major impact on the amount of money you win at the top end of an event.

Making quick adjustments and calculations  to your gameplay at late stages of an event is super tough and ICMIZER 3 will help you calculate those choices quicker, freeing up brain space for those big bluffs or calls when a trophy is on the line.

9. Share My Pair

Don’t worry, this is strictly above the neck. ShareMyPair is a great – and free – tool to share your hand from the virtual felt and reach out for others opinions on your play. It’s only for the brave but ShareMyPair can put your poker prowess in the frame for those tricky decisions that could shape the key moments of your poker career. Famously, The Poker Brat himself, a.k.a. Phil Hellmuth, had used it to post bad beat stories… ahem, exit hands on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Poker may not be unbeatable, but you can put yourself in the best position to win money with these reasonably priced or completely free software tips and tricks. Good luck at the virtual felt!