How do I make analyzing poker sessions easier to understand? What programs can I use to explain to me what I'm doing wrong or poorly and what things in my game I may need to change? (i understand there are GTO things I can look at similar to a chess engine) But I am worried that I wont be able to understand any spots or results it spits out.

I want to be able to get understandable feedback for how I am playing my hands in poker. (most online blog posts use a lot of numbers/math that make my head spin) and on top of that they somehow pick and choose what their villian's hands are when analyzing spots (which I KNOW for a fact I wouldnt be able to dechiper myself)

Wish there was some easy way to just put my hands out somewhere and get simplified answers to what I did wrong and how to improve it

Start by asking questions. What exactly about the math and numbers donÂ’t you understand? If you want to really understand poker, there really is no way around it; youÂ’re going to have to learn at least some basic math. Poker at is essence is a game of mathematics. If you donÂ’t understand something ask.

As for villain’s hands, I highly doubt anyone ever is posting as if they know villain’s specific hand. The idea that you can narrow villain down to a specific hand is bogus. What you can do and what likely is being discussed is narrowing villain down to a certain range of hands. If you see things like “villain will have TT+, AT-AT+s, KQs, AQo” that is an example of this. Part of learning poker is learning how to range opponents, but much of this comes from practice and experience. There’s really no simplified way to do it. A good start is to look up and learn some preflop starting hand charts. These will help you understand the types of hands that villains should have when involved in a pot.

Additionally, without really knowing how you play, this will likely fix the most common thing that you probably are doing wrong. Almost all beginners play way too many hands. I see beginners play hands like K6o, Q8o, A7o and similar. These are garbage — fold PF all the time with these (at least until you learn to play better post flop; there may be situations where you’d want to play hands like these, but not until you get better). Play mostly premium hands - large pairs and AK. Throw in some second tier hands (AT-AQ, KQ, medium to small pairs), and as you get better some more speculative hands (suited connectors and some smaller broadways). Fold everything else.

The next thing you probably are doing wrong is that you likely aren’t playing aggressively enough preflop. If the action is folded to you, and you have a hand that is playable, raise, don’t limp. It doesn’t matter if it’s AA or 87s — if you aren’t folding, raise. Use the same size no matter what hand you have (At 2NL a size of $0.05 plus 0.02 for each limper is probably good).

One of the stats you probably see is VPIP/PFR/3Bet. VPIP stands for “voluntarily put in pot” and is the percentage of hands that you put in money not counting the blinds. This should be no more than about 30-35%, and even lower when you are starting out. PFR is “pre flop raise” and is the percentage of hands that you raised pre flop. Ideally this should be almost the same as your VPIP. The third of these is the percentage you three bet pre flop (meaning you raised after another player raised). That usually should be around 8-10 to start (and maybe a bit higher as your postflop play improves). If you have software that can track these stats, this can help you see what you’re doing wrong. If you are at something like 30/28/8 that’s good. Beginners usually are more like 75/20/3, which is terrible. That stat line means too many hands played, with too little aggression.

Finally, post specifics, especially hands that you think well represent how you usually play. It’s much easier to give advice on specific play than just answer “what am I doing wrong” in general.

Thank you for this! I was mainly looking for an easy go-to to self analyze my poker hands instead of having to forum post each one to get a person's perspective. I thought some sort of GTO thing might help but I guess it is easier to just post some random hands in some forum and see what people think.

Note: is it ok to post hands where I may not be using a HUD? (say games via mobile) as I understand some may what to know what my opponent is like and could help them furhter understand a poker spot im asking about? Or should I only ask about hands I have played using the HUD?

I am fairly new so my HUD stats on players are spotty at best.

I think my VPIP/PFR/3Bet is 40/30/19 which I admit is a bit high and aggressive. Going to try and tighten my range a little bit and tighten 3 bet range too. thanks! Any forums suggest for posting hand analysis help for beginner hand advice 2NL?

Online cash forum is best. If you have no stats on villains that isnÂ’t a problem. Villain stats can help with analysis, but arenÂ’t strictly necessary. After all, we often run into villains who are unknowns or for whom we have only limited stats. Feel free to post hands whether or not you have stats.

Just two things about posting hands: donÂ’t post obvious bad beat hands or obvious coolers. For example, villain opens PF to 3BB, hero with KK raises to 9bb, villain four bets to 20, hero shoves 100bb. Villain shows AA - thatÂ’s an obvious cooler and could not be played any differently. DonÂ’t post hands like that. Post hands where you had tough decisions that you really did not know what you should do, not just hands where you lost big pots. Consider posting hands you won too. Beginners often overlook hands win thinking they must have played it right. This isnÂ’t necessarily the case.

The other is do NOT post results, or at least donÂ’t do so until after people have had a chance to discuss the decisions involved in the hand. Something like hero on BTN with QhQd all fold hero raises to 2.5BB, SB folds, BB calls. Flop is Ks 7s 4h. BB checks hero bets 2bb, BB raises to 8, hero? Stop right there and donÂ’t post anything else about the rest of the hand - we have all the info you had at the time. ThatÂ’s the best way to get good analysis.

As for stats and GTO and the like, get good at fundamentals first and quit worrying about that. Starting out in 2NL you donÂ’t really need that. You do need to learn about range construction and balancing, pot odds and implied odds, and other basic fundamentals first. If you have mastered those (and you should be able to crush 2NL if you really do have the fundamentals mastered) then start looking at more advanced concepts.

As for your stats, yeah youÂ’re a bit loose (but not horrible - I’ve seen worse a t 2NL), but not overly aggressive. For a VPIP of 40, your PFR should be a good bit higher than 40, more like 36-37. With that many hands played, I wouldnÂ’t argue with your higher 3 bet either, but if you want to bring that down (and you should if you tighten your opening range), make sure you do so by folding to 3 bets more rather than calling. This is true especially at 2NL. There are exceptions (and those will become obvious quickly) but most villains are overly loose and overly passive at 2NL. These villains often play too many hands, so raise a decently wide range against them, but only get aggressive with big hands. Hence fold to their raises more and only three bet when you have a premium hand yourself.