Is Poker Easy or Hard to Learn: Full Breakdown for New Players

30 Apr 2025

Beginner

This material is for beginner players

Poker is one of those games that looks simple at first glance but quickly shows its deeper side the more you play. If you’re just starting out, you might be asking yourself: is poker actually easy to learn, or is it way harder than it seems? The honest answer is a bit of both. Learning the basic rules doesn’t take long at all — you can probably sit down and start playing in an afternoon. But getting good at poker, reading opponents, making smart bets, and avoiding costly poker mistakes? That takes time, patience, and a lot of practice. In this breakdown, we’ll walk you through what you need to know as a new player so you can start your poker journey with the right expectations.

If you're reading this, chances are you've already moved past the idea that poker is just a game of pure luck. You've probably made good progress in learning the basics. Maybe there was a time when you didn’t even think about studying poker seriously. Like many beginners, you might have overestimated your skills, played too many hands, or even relied on superstitions. But sooner or later, we all realize that no one is born a winning player. Even Phil Ivey, one of the greatest players of all time, struggled and faced setbacks before he truly mastered the game. So what’s the best way to learn poker?

There are plenty of traditional methods to improve your game. But before you decide which approach to take, it’s important to understand what you actually need right now. Think back to when you first started playing. You probably needed reminders that a flush beats a straight, when it was your turn to bet, or even that a red chip was worth $5. At that stage, reading an advanced strategy book or watching training site videos might not have helped much. You likely didn’t need a hand range chart yet to figure out who won after a river bet.

When new players wonder, is poker hard to learn, they’re often thinking about all the advanced poker strategies they’ve heard about. But at the start, poker is easy to learn — it’s mastering the deeper layers that takes real effort. Keeping that in mind, let's take a closer look at some methods that can help you become a stronger player.

Poker books, although not as popular as they used to be, still have a strong influence on the learning process. Most players who take poker seriously have at least a couple of strategy books on their shelves, and some have enough to compete with a full library.

A book might not be the best option if you’re not much of a reader, but there are definitely some advantages. First of all, it’s a one-time expense — you pay for it once and can come back to it whenever you want. You can even get a book for free if you check your local library. Another plus is that books are easy to carry around and you can read them almost anywhere — on your way to work, while traveling, or just at home.

Visually, they’re limited — there’s no video, and pictures aren’t always very helpful — and you don’t have the option to listen instead of read. Because of that, books might not be the best fit for people who prefer to learn by hearing information.

Poker training sites really started to take off once they began using videos to teach poker concepts. Since then, video has become the most popular way to learn poker — partly because it goes beyond what books can offer, and partly because it combines learning with entertainment. Successful and well-known players were quick to jump into this space, and today there’s a huge number of poker training videos out there, both free and paid.

The good thing about videos is that they can be an effective learning tool for all kinds of players. Thanks to the wide variety available, it’s pretty easy to find something that fits your level — no matter if you’re just starting out or already have some experience. On top of that, there are plenty of free resources too, so even if you’re working with a small bankroll, you can still find quality material that’s worth your time.

Most of today’s well-known professional poker players say that having other players around them was a key part of their development. Having people who can relate to your experience makes a big difference. Reviewing hands you've played, discussing poker concepts, just having support and poker friends — all of that plays an important role in the life of almost every serious player.

At the same time, specialized poker forums bring together the strengths of several of the learning methods we’ve already talked about. Most forums have strategy sections filled with poker articles on different topics. Plus, there’s a social side to it — players can post their own questions across different subforums.

There are two big downsides to online forums of any kind:

• You’ll get a ton of different opinions, and it can be tough to figure out which advice is actually useful;
• Arguments and flame wars are common.

A lot of threads just spiral out of control because a few people get too caught up in debating, and what started as a good discussion turns into name-calling and chaos. That said, forums also created real communities. Freerolls often help attract new members, and private events for forum users help bring people together in a way that’s both fun and good for their growth as poker players. There are other social aspects of forums too that people often overlook.

This kind of connection ties back to the "Friends in Poker" idea. These discussions can lead to real learning moments because they push you to think critically and explain your ideas clearly. All in all, poker forums can be a great tool for anyone serious about improving.

Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to hiring a poker coach. Some people think most coaches aren’t worth the money — and honestly, they’re not entirely wrong. But that’s not the whole picture either.

First, be honest about your skills and your budget. You’re not going to hire Phil Galfond if you’re just trying to move from 25NL to 50NL online. And if you’re aiming to go from mid-stakes to high-stakes, a low-stakes grinder probably isn’t the right coach for you either. Coaching tends to be most useful when you’ve hit a clear plateau — not necessarily during a downswing or a rough patch, but when you’re ready to break through to the next level. A good coach will challenge the way you think, sharpen your strengths, and help push your game forward.

Probably the biggest downside of poker coaching is that some people just want your money. That doesn’t mean all coaches overcharge or that there aren’t great coaches at fair prices — just that you need to stay aware. There have even been a few scandals in the poker world around coaching. So if you’re thinking about hiring someone, take the time to research. Well-known coaches are usually trustworthy, but they’re also expensive. Lesser-known players can be much cheaper, but make sure they actually know what they’re doing. Take the next step in your poker career – find the perfect coach to guide you towards success!

Also, pay attention to teaching styles and playing styles. You and your coach need to click for the sessions to really pay off. It’s smart to ask for a free or discounted trial lesson first, just to see if you work well together. And if it’s not clicking, don’t feel bad about moving on. You’re not locked into anything.

Finally, if you’re still playing the very lowest stakes, hiring a coach probably isn’t your best move yet. There are cheaper ways to get better at that level. Plus, at low and micro stakes, a coach might not be able to help much if you’re still working on basic fundamentals.

"I’m not a math person". It’s almost a cliché at this point among poker players — even though so much of the game is driven by math. Odds, probabilities, equity — these concepts are deeply rooted in basic math.

The good news is, most of the poker math that’s truly useful is actually pretty simple, and anyone — at any age and with any background — can learn it. That said, some parts are more important than others. Here’s a list of the most important (and easiest) poker math concepts to learn, roughly in the order you should tackle them:

While every player should spend time mastering outs, odds, equity, and expected value, combinatorics might be a bit more advanced for some. And GTO is mostly important if you’re serious about reaching high-stakes games or want to develop a truly expert-level skill set.

This might be one of the trickiest questions when it comes to learning poker — because the answer is highly individual. Different players will need to focus on different areas and invest different amounts of time, and that’s completely normal. Some pros recommend a study-to-play ratio of 20:80, while others suggest 70:30. First, you need to figure out what works best for you.

If you’re wondering "is poker hard to learn or easy to learn?", the honest answer is: it depends. Almost every player benefits from study, but some players naturally learn better by simply playing lots and lots of hands. If you prefer a hands-on approach, that might be your best bet.

Others will focus more heavily on building theoretical knowledge — reading poker articles, working through EV problems, and studying away from the tables. Whichever type of learner you are, almost everyone would benefit from reviewing more hands than they currently do — whether it's their own hands or hands played by others.

Reviewing your own hands will usually be more valuable because you’ll spot your own mistakes more clearly. Evaluating other players’ hands can still be helpful, and often feels easier, but it’s a step removed from correcting your own patterns.

Regardless of the ratio you choose, make sure you’re dedicating enough time to study — even if it’s just a little bit every week. Poker is a constantly evolving game. Your edge can grow over time — but if you’re standing still, you risk falling behind. Always aim for self-improvement, not just "being the best" or chasing some poorly defined goal.

If you don’t look back at yourself a year ago and cringe a little at how you played, you probably haven’t been improving fast enough. In short, whether is poker easy to learn comes down to your willingness to study, stay committed, and consistently put in the work.

If your goal is to play poker professionally and earn a living from the game, be prepared to invest significantly more time and effort into mastering poker strategy. By this stage, all the fundamental concepts we’ve discussed should already be second nature to you. To reach a professional level, you must dedicate serious time to studying poker theory from A to Z, including poker mathematics and probabilities — without these, sustained success is nearly impossible.

Let’s be clear: this journey won’t be smooth and effortless. The competition is tougher than ever, especially in online poker. However, with the right discipline, structured learning, and consistent effort, reaching PRO status remains an achievable reality.

The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t? Professional players treat poker like a high-performance skill — not just a game. They analyze, adapt, and refine their strategies continuously. If you're serious about turning poker into a career, start training with our poker coaches like a pro today. Good luck!