Due to recent releases, you may find some of the contents of this online manual, including the video tutorials, to be outdated. Specifically, it's important to note that the current Mac version of PokerSnowie does not yet contain all the features, since the Hands Import and Hand Range are not yet implemented. However, our team is working on it. We are also currently in the process of updating these materials. In the meantime, you can get a more accurate description of PokerSnowie's features on the various platforms by visiting the Downloads page and try out the software.
PokerSnowie training
The Training features (formerly "Challenges") are a great way to learn poker, while having fun playing directly against the PokerSnowie Artificial Intelligence.
PokerSnowie Training game configurator
Clicking on "Training" in the main menu opens The PokerSnowie Training configurator, which will allow you to specify how you would like to train. In particular you could simulate a 1-table tournament by clicking on Freezeout, or pick a regular Cash Game, or also set up a custom situation from where you would like to play your hands over and over.
The 3 options are quite self explanatory. Please note that you can open maximum 2 tables at the same time.
Freezeout
The 3 different speeds let you set how fast you would like the blinds to increase. Please note that since we are not in a real tournament environment, where time is the factor that usually defines how often the blinds increase, here we have decided to increase them based on the number of hands played.
Cash Game
Among other features, the Cash Game option lets you sit down and reload your bankroll for as long as you wish. The session ends when you decide to end it.
You can choose to rebuy automatically with the Auto rebuy to max threshold. By default it is set at 70% of your starting stack, but you can modify this with the selector to go down to 50% or up to 100% of your stack. Note that the PokerSnowie players reload following the same logic.
If you choose a buy-in equal to or lower than 50BB, you have the option to play at a CAP table by checking the box "CAP table". In this case the buy-in value will be used as the CAP value; the auto rebuy threshold will work as usual. Please note that if at the beginning of a hand, the amount of money you have at the table is greater than the CAP value, it will be reset to the CAP.
Custom
This is similar to Cash Game, but with a few great options: pick your position from where to play every hand, and optionally pick a situation from where you would like to train.
If you believe that you have some weaknesses when playing in certain positions, for example in BB position you notice that you are losing much more than you should, you might decide to start a specific training session with PokerSnowie where you are dealt each hand in the same position, so that you can try over and over to improve and you can then analyze your hands afterwards, since PokerSnowie will automatically import and analyze your hands.
About the specific situations, for now the first simple one we have defined is the Open Raise, i.e. when you are the first to open on each hand. More situations will come, also based on your feedback, like for example the ability for you to build the ranges you would like to train with.
Live Advice
For each training mode you choose, you have the option to turn on the Live Advice and get PokerSnowie suggestions while playing!
From PokerSnowie version 3.2, you will no longer see the Live Advice on a separate popup constantly showing you what is the right play in PokerSnowie's opinion. Now you will need to think about the right play before you do it, as PokerSnowie will only tell you the right play when you actually do something wrong. You can also set to receive such suggestions only when PokerSnowie thinks you made a big error (blunder), so that you won't be bothered by it too often if you are still learning or if you are experimenting with new strategies.
When you have bet/raised an amount which is not considered optimal by PokerSnowie, if this is considered an error, PokerSnowie will always show the evaluation triplet (FOLD, CHECK/CALL, BET/RAISE) both for your play and for the PokerSnowie best play.
Click on Got it to continue the hand.
Please note that if you FOLD the hand using the fast fold feature, PokerSnowie won't evaluate this move.
Post game analysis
Once you have finished your play session, all your hands are automatically imported in PokerSnowie, where they are available for full analysis. The import process can take a couple of minutes after the end of the session. To analyze your PokerSnowie Training session, go to the import manager. The files from your game are called either cash_xxxxx or freezeout_xxxxx. Select the file you wish to analyze and click on the view analysis button to go through your play.
Table Features
You can open a maximum of 2 tables at the same time.
On the cash game tables, you will see your current win/loss status as well as the number of hands played at this table.
By default, new hands start automatically. You have an option to change this and pause the game with the "auto start next hand" tick box.