Why are GTO calculators ineffective for novice players?
A GTO (Game theory optimal) is a game that is optimal in theory and is based on a Nash equilibrium from game theory. It is used to build a game strategy. The opponent’s actions may be anything, but by GTO the decisions of the player (who actually uses it) will always be in balance.
In essence GTO strategies demonstrate ideal conditions for all players, as mistakes are eliminated and the game is played perfectly. There are now a huge number of different GTO programs, including GTO calculators. With their help, the player can decide on strategies and look at the action.
You can see active advertising of poker software today. Many streamers promote GTO calculators, and poker schools provide training on how such tools work. However, such services are not suitable for beginners. Such methods are of low efficiency even in training. There are several reasons for this.
Mistakes of poker players on the selected limit
The GTO strategy calls for perfect play by all involved. But you may come across an opponent who makes a lot of mistakes. A competent poker player will take advantage of such an opportunity and start using the opponent’s counts to his advantage. Essentially, he’ll just adjust to his opponent, because that gives him a much better chance of winning.
The opponent’s flaws can help not just to win, but to completely “defeat” the opponent. The strategy of exploiting mistakes is called an exploit. In these cases, the GTO calculator is not so much ineffective as it is meaningless. Playing on your opponent’s mistakes will bring you much more money.
Evaluating Ranges
Every poker player encounters a situation where your opponent winds up with a hand he is not dealt. The sudden turn of events fundamentally changes the game, as one must either change strategy or lose everything out of desperation.
The GTO calculator is based on how well the ranges are evaluated. If it is done incorrectly, you can lose a large sum of money. A mistake in the valuation entails an incorrect choice of strategy.
Nuances in the software
GTO software has a lot of different buttons and tools. Despite the fact that many developers are trying to make everything as simple as possible, there are still programs that are extremely difficult to understand. Usability issues with this kind of software mean that it can take a long time to get the hang of it.
Difficulty in understanding the software
In order to use the GTO software effectively, one needs to understand the logic behind how it works. In other words, you need to understand why it makes the decision one way, and not the other. It could miss a hand with one suit, but reject a similar hand in a different suit. It is necessary to understand its logic and then we can talk about the effectiveness of the software.
Thus, GTO calculators are useful, but not for everyone. Due to the presence of many subtleties, the programs will be useful for experienced poker players. And the latter will be able to figure out the logic of the software, make the right settings and use other useful features more quickly.
