Applying the GTO Strategy with Deepsolver - the Best Poker Software

You might think that entitling our product "the best poker software" is a bold claim. We won't deny that, but we'll gladly prove this is not an overstatement.

In this article, we'd like to show how you can apply a few basic GTO concepts to take your poker game to the next level. Almost all game theory optimal findings are valuable, but because poker is a very complex game, it's easy to get lost in or misapply the knowledge provided by modern poker tools.

Before you dive into the search for optimal poker strategy, remember that no hand is played in a vacuum. You are a human, so is your opponent, and that's why it's imperative to challenge the assumptions of the poker software tools, as they will likely need some adjustments.

If you are not used to working with poker solvers or looking for ideas to use them more efficiently, we're here to help. In either case, you should start with picking a particular concept and investigate how the solver approaches it in practical examples.

Here are a few ideas to start learning advanced poker strategy.

Find which sizing is the most prominent one in specific spots

If you have never studied GTO poker, you probably prefer to use a particular bet size over others. It's likely an effect of subconscious choices, past experiences or mimicking  other players. The GTO solver allows you to check whether your approach does make sense from the theoretical point of view (and it almost certainly does not).

Effective studying of the GTO poker strategy is all about simplifying things. Of course, Deepsolver is not constrained by computing limitations, so it will sometimes suggest using various bet sizings, but you can control it easily with the "Simplify" option or by running the simulation with a simpler tree. For a start, we'd advise using small game trees until you reach proficiency in the solver's usage.

Given how hard it is to recreate a strategy with multiple sizings, you will do perfectly fine if you use a strategy based on two sizings: small (20-40% of the pot) and big (60-90%). Keep in mind that values in the brackets are arbitrary, and you should treat them as guidelines. The exact percentages are not that important; what really matters is the ability to pick the correct size and correct combination.

There are many different poker situations you can look into. The continuation bet is a great starting point for your studies, as it is the basic poker move. Whatever your format of choice is, c-betting is a vital part of the strategy. That's why we're proud of the flexibility of our software. Whether you play tournaments, cash games or spins - Deepsolver's output finds its application in every format. With just a few clicks, you can adjust the rules of simulations and customize them to the format of your choice.

Whatever part of the poker game you'd like to study, set one variable as a constant. We suggest starting with a stack size (that's an especially easy choice for cash game players) and toying with others. What follows is up to you; you can run the simulation of c-betting strategy vs the big blind with the same board, but with a different range for open raiser, or you can keep the positions but slightly change the board's structure and see how it influences the strategy.  You can also investigate what if you have opened, but it's the in-position player who'd called you.

Needless to say that when you are out of position, the optimal strategy is different.

By repeating similar simulations, you'll see when and which player is most likely to have an equity advantage and what is the expected value of their game theory optimal strategy.

Look for the hands that make the best bluffs in particular situations

Bluffing just for the sake of bluffing is very easy. Bluffing with the right combinations in the right spots is very hard. There are situations and hands where bluffing candidates are easy to figure out, as they are primarily high equity semi-bluffs like open-ended straight draws or flush draws. Traditional poker tools did a great job of teaching us that years ago.

But what if the board is very dry and disconnected? You will probably do reasonably well finding mediocre bluffing combos as an in-position player, but what about being out of position? How often should you raise, what types of hands should you play aggressively, and, most importantly, should you raise at all in the first place?

Deepsolver will help you to find the answers to all of these questions.

This exercise will visualize the usual qualities that bluffing candidates should have. Many decent and even above-average poker players lack bluffs in spots that are unnatural to bluff. Striking the right balance with the value-to-bluff ratio is hard, but at the same time is a solid way to dominate your usual opponents and move up the stakes.

Find out how river strategy changes from the previous streets

The river is a unique street in every poker hand. There are no more cards to come, so your exact hand wins either 100% or 0% times at showdown (barring chops). That drastically changes the river strategies in most situations.

Quite often, the discrepancy between the equities of both players' ranges will be pretty significant. That will translate directly into optimal strategy, which will frequently allow the player in position to bully an out-of-position player severely.

If you change the assumptions from earlier streets and allow the solver to use very big sizings on the river (like two or three times the pot), you might be surprised with the results. The reasoning for that is mostly a combination of two factors: the mentioned equity discrepancy and the fact that no more cards are to be dealt. These elements influence the optimal strategy to be usually way more polar - you'll either bet big or not bet at all.

No other poker software will teach you that!

Dominate every poker table with Deepsolver

If you are playing online poker nowadays, solid poker software at your disposal is a must.

Deepsolver will help you with running simulations for cash games, tournaments and spins. It will take some time and much work, but we are sure there are hardly more efficient ways or poker tools to improve your poker skill.

To ease the studying process, we've created a YouTube channel where you will find video tutorials with all the basic features of Deepsolver explained. Moreover, we run a Discord channel where our staff and other poker community members will be happy to help you in the GTO poker landscape.