Knowing the dos and don’ts of the casino is the first step to having an enjoyable time. Some rules are well-known, others not so much. In this article, we’ll be talking about whether you can use a calculator at a poker table.
Depending on the casino, you may be allowed to use a calculator at a poker table although you should inform the floor manager/dealer of your intention to do so. You’ll have to tell them why you need a calculator and the calculator will be checked to make sure it’s not anything more than that.
So, informing your dealer is the first thing to do as casinos may have different policies about what is allowed at the tables and not. We’ll be talking more in detail about the topic below.
Using A Calculator At A Poker Table
First of all, you should know that casinos do not allow electronics – phones, laptops – at the table.
If the calculator you intend to use is an app on your phone, forget it. It’s not going to work as you are prohibited from using your phone on table games.
Generally, casinos will not allow you to use any devices, especially electronic devices when competing against other players. You’ll have to rely on your knowledge of the game, intelligence and experience to have an edge over other players.
Your reason for using a calculator will also determine whether the casino will allow you to use one during a hand. If you just need help counting up the chips to equal the relevant bet, then you may not need a calculator as the dealer may be willing to help you with that.
The casino will decide whether you really need to use a calculator at the table. If the casino gives you the go-ahead, your calculator will be inspected to make sure it’s just a simple calculator and nothing more.
You can also do your calculations on a piece of paper. It’s not unusual to see poker players with a pen and a notebook at the tables. Read our article – Can You Take Notes At A Poker Table? – for additional reading.
Poker Calculators
You must have heard of poker calculators before. While it’s obvious they are used for poker as the name suggests, it’s possible you don’t know much about them. And we’ll be remedying that in this article.
Poker calculators are programs that calculate your chances of winning, losing, or tying a hand by using statistics and probability. Poker is a very complex game and the rules are constantly evolving.
And this fact has made the algorithms of poker calculators to be more based on statistics than probability and card counting. There are three types of poker calculators which are poker advantage calculators, poker odds calculators and poker relative calculators.
How Do Poker Calculators Work
We bet you are already curious about how poker calculators work. And we’ll be satisfying that curiosity by explaining in detail how poker calculators are programmed.
How Do Poker Odds Calculators Work?
The most common type of poker calculator used by poker players.
This poker calculator is designed to calculate your winning ratio which is the number of games won divided by the total number of games simulated in a Monte Carlo simulation for a specific player. The first thing a poker odds calculator first calculates is the raw odds. And this is basically your chances of beating your opponents based on the cards that you’ve been dealt.
This calculator will also tell you whether to remain in a hand or fold. Of course, the cards will have to be revealed first and the software will carry out tons of calculations to know whether you should remain in the game or quit.
An advanced poker odds calculator will provide additional information such as the number of callers at any point, past patterns of betting, and your position at the table, and how strong it is.
How Does Poker Advantage Calculator Work?
This type of poker calculator computes your winning ratio, then normalizes your winning ratio in relation to that of your opponents. The normalized value provided by a poker advantage calculator is usually between -100% and +100%. If your winning ratio is calculated as -100%, then it means you will certainly lose the hand regardless of the number of your opponents. On the other hand, if your winning ratio is calculated as +100%, it means you are definitely going to win the poker session.
You can also use either or both a poker advantage and odds calculators to compute the results of some specific game situations. Such situations include the game type you are playing, the number of opponents you are competing against, and the hands you’ve been dealt.
How Do Poker Relative Calculators Work?
The third type of poker calculators is the poker relative calculators. Relative calculators work by calculating your winning chances in relation to that of other players in the hand. It’s common to see poker relative calculators being displayed during tournaments or poker shows for the audience. And this is because these calculators give a reliable assessment of a player’s winning chance.
What Is The Best Poker Odds Calculator App?
There are several poker calculator apps in the market making it easy for one to get overwhelmed when looking for a poker app to install. All poker calculators are not built the same and it’s important to know the good ones among the bunch. Check out our article – 12 Best Poker Apps for iPhone and Android (2023) – to know about the best poker apps out there.
The poker odds calculator we’ll be recommending is GGPoker mobile app which although relatively new in the poker space has won the hearts of several poker aficionados. And this is because the software allows for smooth gameplay and quick matches.
GGPoker app has been so successful that the company is now one of the biggest in the poker industry. Many poker professionals and experts claim that the GGPoker app has set a standard that all other poker apps should strive to meet.
This app is available on both Android and iOS platforms, so you are sure of having access to the app regardless of your device. GGPoker app is more sophisticated than just an odds calculator app. It has several advanced features that will aid your game. One of such features is PokerCraft. The main benefit that PokerCraft provides is that it helps improve your game by helping you analyze previous games.
This analysis will help you figure out what you could have done better helping you hone your decision-making. And this will make you a better poker player in the long term. Another benefit of this feature is being able to play up to 4 games at the same time without using up too many resources on your devices.
We must also mention that the primary role of this app is to test and play yourself against some of the very best poker players in the world. It is quickly gaining popularity among players and in a few years, it will most likely surpass PokerStars.
Why Use a Poker Odds Calculator?
Let’s quickly take a look at the benefits of using a poker odds calculator app.
- Learn as you play – Poker beginners will find odds calculators especially useful. These calculators aren’t just for ‘monitoring’ the game. No, it improves your overall skill as a poker player as you get to have an astute understanding of various poker hands. Poker odds calculators can turn out to be valuable learning tools.
- Practice with hypotheticals – You can simulate hypothetical situations on a poker odds calculator. These imaginary/hypothetical situations can be as easy or difficult as you want. Do it right and you’ll see yourself becoming a better player over time.
- Enjoy “Automated” play – By now, you should know poker is a complex and pretty intense game. And one of the benefits of playing online poker is that you can use an odds calculator app which can make your life a lot easier.
- The decision-making is still up to you but the software will help you with the analysis. And in a manner, this makes the gameplay ‘automated’.
Other Ways To Improve Your Game
You shouldn’t rely solely on the poker odds calculator. There are many ways to improve your game and using an odds calculator is just one of them. Another way to improve your skill is to have a strategy. You can’t be an experienced poker player without having a well-laid plan which includes your playing style.
Poker coach might be the right choice for you to master your winning strategy, but don’t waste money on any coach. I have a detailed list of things you need to look for when hiring a poker coach (and where to find good ones), that will give you the best chances to start crushing the games.
A great option and almost always cheaper than hiring a poker coach for a few hours is to become a member at one of the best poker training sites (many of those sites have some of the top-notch playing strategies available for free).
There are a lot of poker strategies players use. Some strategies are straightforward and easy to implement. Others not much so. Also, you have a very good understanding of the different poker hands.
It’s important to also know the ‘jargon’ of the game. Poker has its own terminology and you’ll do well to learn them.
