April Watson

How to Review Your Poker Hands Like a Pro

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Improving at poker isn’t just about playing more—it’s about learning from the hands you’ve already played. The best players in the world routinely review their hands to identify mistakes, spot patterns, and refine their strategies.

If you want to sharpen your game and think like a pro, you need to know how to break down your sessions the right way. Here’s how to review your poker hands like a professional, whether you play online or live.

1. Mark Hands While You Play

Pro players don’t try to remember every tricky spot—they mark them in real time. Most Master Poker Indoesia online poker sites and tracking software (like PokerTracker or Holdem Manager) allow you to:

  • Tag hands for review

  • Add quick notes (e.g., “weird river spot”)

  • Export specific hands after a session

If you play live, jot down key hands in a notepad or phone app as soon as you’re done.

Tip: Focus on close decisions, big pots, or hands where you felt unsure.

2. Start With the “Why,” Not the Result

The goal isn’t to obsess over wins or losses. It’s to ask: “Did I make the best decision with the info I had?”

Key questions to guide your review:

  • What was my opponent’s likely range?

  • What was my perceived range?

  • What were the stack sizes and positions?

  • What were my bet sizing options?

  • Was there a better line (check, raise, fold)?

By focusing on decision quality, not outcomes, you build long-term consistency.

3. Use Software Tools to Analyze the Math

For online hands, run tough spots through analysis tools like:

  • Equilab – Estimate equity vs opponent ranges

  • GTO Wizard or PioSolver – Compare your play to GTO solutions

  • Flopzilla – Explore how boards interact with ranges

Even simple equity calculations can reveal whether a call, fold, or bluff was mathematically sound.

4. Categorize Your Mistakes

Over time, you’ll spot patterns in your play. Group your errors into categories such as:

  • Playing too loose/tight pre-flop

  • Over-bluffing or under-bluffing

  • Bet sizing mistakes

  • Calling too much on the river

  • Misreading opponent tendencies

This helps you create targeted study plans to fix recurring leaks.

5. Review Hands With a Study Partner or Group

Explaining your thought process to others forces you to think more clearly and exposes blind spots. You’ll benefit from:

  • Alternative perspectives on tricky spots

  • Feedback from players with different styles

  • Accountability to keep studying regularly

Use Discord groups, forums like TwoPlusTwo, or private chats to share hands and learn faster.

6. Revisit Old Hands Periodically

A hand you didn’t fully understand last month might make perfect sense today. Revisiting past reviews helps track your progress and unlock deeper insights as your game evolves.

Try reanalyzing older hands after reading a new book, watching a training video, or studying a new concept. You’ll often see how far you’ve come—and how much clearer the spots have become.

7. Turn Reviews Into Action

Great reviews don’t just sit in a notebook. They fuel change in your game.

After each review session, ask:

  • What specific mistake did I make?

  • What adjustment will I make next time?

  • Can I write down a quick rule or reminder?

Turning analysis into simple, repeatable corrections is the key to long-term improvement.

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