Hold'em Sim learning desk
Resources
Beginner guides, a plain-English explanation of how Hold'em Sim works and answers to the questions people ask most.
Beginner guides
- When to fold in poker: beginner tipsLearn what folding means in Texas Hold'em, how it differs from checking, and how position, pot odds and sunk costs affect a decision.
- Poker hand rankings: a printable beginner referenceThe ten poker hand rankings with examples, plus kickers, ties, ace-low straights and how to choose the best five cards in Texas Hold'em.
- Four of a kind odds in Texas Hold'emCompare the probability of four of a kind in five or seven cards, and the chance of making quads from a pocket pair on the flop or by the river.
About Hold'em Sim
A free Texas Hold'em trainer with a maths coach
Hold'em Sim is a free browser trainer for no-limit Texas Hold'em. You sit at a six-seat table with five bots, each with a fixed style, and play with play chips only. Everyone starts with 10,000 chips and the blinds are 50 and 100.
Before you act, the coach shows an equity estimate, the price the pot is offering and a recommended action based on position, hand strength and pot odds. You can hide the advice and be graded afterwards, or override the coach and see whether you were right. Nothing needs installing.
The Reveal button tests a decision instead of asking you to trust it. It replays your action across 10,000 simulated deals against the table as it actually plays, then shows the result in chips. The Lab tab runs equity for any starting hand, and the Learn tab explains card room etiquette, from the dealer button to showdown.
The tool is built for learning equity, pot odds and position, not for predicting what good human players do. The bots follow rules, and the limits are set out in How the maths works.
Poker practice for beginners
A useful poker app for beginners should explain why a decision makes sense, give you time to think and let you practise without risking money. Here you can play a hand against bots, compare your choice with the maths coach and use Reveal to explore the average chip result. A winning hand does not prove a decision was good, and a losing hand does not prove it was bad.
Start with the hand rankings, then practise noticing your position and the price of a call. Fold when continuing is not justified, rather than chasing chips you have already put in. The guides above explain the ideas before you try them at the table.
The practice table uses fixed bot strategies. It helps you learn the mechanics and review decisions, but it does not reproduce every situation or opponent you might encounter elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hold'em Sim free?
Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no purchase needed.
Is it real money?
No. It uses play chips only. There is no real-money play, no deposits and no prizes.
How does the coach work?
The coach gives a baseline recommendation from position-based opening ranges, hand strength, your equity and the pot odds. It does not read opponents, which is deliberate, so you can see where the table departs from the textbook.
What does Reveal do?
Reveal simulates your decision 10,000 times against the bots at your table, lets them respond using their own rules, and reports the average chip result of your action.
Put it into practice
Learn by playing a hand.
Try the idea at a six-handed table, then compare your decisions with the maths coach.