The Goal Of Hand Review (One Sentence)
Find repeatable mistakes and fix them before they happen again.
That’s it.
Not to prove you were unlucky.
Not to “feel better.”
To reduce leaks.
If you want the full foundation first, start with Online Poker Guide: Rules, Strategy & Tips. This article gives you a simple review system you can run after every session.
Step 1: Save The Right Hands (Don’t Review Everything)
Reviewing every hand is overwhelming.
Instead, tag only the hands that matter:
- big pots won or lost
- close all-in spots
- confusing turns/rivers
- spots where you felt unsure
- hands where you tilted or sped up
If you use a tracker, tag them. If you don’t, take a quick note:
- “Called river big bet with top pair — unsure”
- “3-bet pot, c-bet flop, turn check — should I barrel?”
Step 2: Rebuild The Hand Without Emotion
Before you analyze, rebuild the situation:
- tournament or cash?
- blinds/antes?
- stack sizes in BB?
- positions?
- action preflop?
- flop/turn/river lines?
- bet sizes?
This matters because the same hand can be played differently depending on:
- stack depth
- position
- opponent type
If stack depth is still fuzzy, revisit Importance Of Stck Sizes In Online Poker.
Step 3: Assign Ranges (Not Exact Hands)
This is where most reviews get stuck.
Instead of “he had AK,” ask:
- what range would they play from that position?
- how does their range change after they bet/call/raise?
A simple approach:
- start wide preflop
- narrow after each street
If you need the foundation, revisit Using Ranges Instead Of Hands In Poker Analysis.
Step 4: Identify The Decision Point That Actually Matters
Most hands have one key moment that decides EV:
- a preflop call you shouldn’t make
- a turn barrel you skip
- a river call that’s too wide
- a check-raise that’s too ambitious
Find that moment.
Then ask:
- what was I trying to accomplish?
- what worse hands call if I bet?
- what better hands fold if I bluff?
- what happens if I choose a different size?
This keeps you from wasting time on irrelevant details.
Step 5: Look For “Leak Categories” (Patterns, Not One-Offs)
You improve fastest by finding patterns.
Common leak categories:
- calling too wide preflop out of position
- passive middle stage (blinding out)
- over-c-betting bad boards
- overcalling rivers in under-bluffed pools
- punting when tilted
- missing profitable shove spots
When you see the same leak 3+ times, it’s real.
Fixing one leak can be worth more than learning 20 new tricks.
Step 6: Turn Each Leak Into A Simple Rule
This is the most important part.
A leak is useless unless you translate it into a rule you can follow.
Examples:
- “No more calling 3-bets out of position with dominated offsuit broadways.”
- “If I float flop in position, I must know which turns I bet when checked to.”
- “Near bubble, I tighten calls and prioritize shove spots.”
Rules are what show up in your next session.
Step 7: Create A Weekly Review Loop (So You Actually Improve)
Here’s a simple weekly routine:
After Each Session (5–10 Minutes)
- tag 3–10 hands
- write one sentence why you tagged each
1–2 Times Per Week (30–60 Minutes)
- review tagged hands
- group them into leak categories
- pick one leak to focus on next week
Track One KPI
Keep it simple:
- “Did I avoid my #1 leak this session?”
That’s how improvement sticks.
Common Hand Review Mistakes To Avoid
- reviewing hands to feel better, not to learn
- blaming variance instead of identifying decisions
- trying to solve everything at once
- ignoring stack sizes and positions
- using results (“he had it”) instead of range logic
- collecting hands but never making rules
Quick Takeaways
- Hand review turns volume into skill
- Tag only important hands (big pots, close spots, emotional punts)
- Rebuild the hand objectively with stacks and positions
- Think in ranges, not exact hands
- Find the single key decision point and analyze that
- Turn leaks into simple rules you’ll follow next session
- Use a weekly loop to make improvement consistent
Mini FAQ
Do I Need A Solver To Review Hands?
No. Solvers help, but a solid process (ranges, decision points, leak categories) improves most players fast.
How Many Hands Should I Review Per Week?
Enough to find patterns without overwhelm. For most players, 20–50 meaningful hands per week is plenty.
What If I Don’t Use Tracking Software?
You can still improve by saving hand histories and writing short notes about what confused you.
Where To Go Next
You now have a simple hand review system: tag key hands, rebuild the spot, assign ranges, find the decision point, and turn leaks into rules you actually follow.
If you want to reinforce this, the best next move is to learn how to identify leaks more systematically—because once you can spot your biggest leaks quickly, your study time becomes 10x more effective.
Continue with How To Identify Leaks In Your Poker Game.
