RealPokerTraining.com Review
RealPokerTraining.com was launched in 2005 as the first ever subscription based poker training site. The basic idea is that for a fee, you get access to a constantly updated library of poker videos and articles produced by well known poker pros. The videos allow you to see their hole cards and listen to them think out loud as they play in real money poker games and tournaments.
The emphasis at RealPokerTraining.com is on multi-table tournaments, with the occasional foray into other poker variants. One of the poker instructors at RealPokerTraining.com specializes in Five Card Draw, which is a big change from the other poker training sites.
Notable contributors to the RealPokerTraining.com library include:
- Todd Arnold (NSXT2)
- Ryan Fisler (gotskillz?)
- Chad Batista (lilholdem954)
- David Williams (runner up in the 2004 WSOP)
Todd Arnold and Ryan Fisler are the home pros of RealPokerTraining.com but you will still find the occasional contribution from Chad Batista, David Williams, and several other well known pros.
First Impression
The front page of the RealPokerTraining.com website is somewhat amateurish. The use of various font sizes/colors, random white space, and video that plays automatically all make the site look unprofessional. You can’t judge a book by its cover, so we can give them a pass on the design. The quality of the strategy is what counts.
While reading through the site, I noticed quite a few typos. I can deal with a couple of typos, since these are poker players and not English majors… but still, it doesn’t bode well for the quality of the strategy articles. If nobody took the time to fix the front page, what will the rest of the site look like?
RealPokerTraining.com Video Tutorials
There are already more than 300 hours of video poker footage in the RealPokerTraining.com library and new videos are added every day. The majority of the videos are focused on multi-table tournaments, but there are also a few videos dedicated to SNGs, no-limit cash games, Omaha poker and 5 Card Draw.
If you’re a tournament player, you’ll find the strategy videos quite handy. The ones produced by Todd Arnold are highly educational. Ryan Fisler also produces some very solid video content. Being able to see their cards and listen to them explain their every move is incredibly helpful.
The cash game and other non-tournament videos are pretty good too but there just isn’t a lot of volume. Cash game players will probably find Card Runners to be a better fit.
RealPokerTraining.com Strategy Articles
The RealPokerTraining.com strategy articles are free. You can find them by visiting the RealPokerTraining.com home page and looking at the left side of the page. Overall, the quality of articles is decent but there’s nothing groundbreaking in there. If you’re a new player, you might find some of the advice useful but that’s about it.
This might seem a little nit-picky but I felt like some of the articles were difficult to read because the paragraphs were so long! Some of the articles looked like giant walls of text. When reading things on the internet, big walls of text are really hard on the eyes. Additionally, there were a few formatting errors, with random symbols stuck in between words. I have no idea what that was all about.
RealPokerTraining.com Forums
The forums at RealPokerTraining.com are open to the public as well. You don’t have to be a member to read the forums or participate in the discussions. Overall, the forums are decent but they don’t stand out in any way over other poker forums. The forums have a good amount of traffic but I didn’t see much in-depth strategy discussion.
RealPokerTraining.com Memberships
Now I'll explain the various memberships you can purchase:
Articles and Message Board Access: Free
Anyone can visit the RealPokerTraining.com website and read the strategy articles for free. You can also participate in the forums without a membership. One section of the forums is closed to non-members but that part of the forum is not as busy as the public area.
Monthly Membership: $24.95
You may join and have unlimited access to the members-only forums and poker videos for $24.95 a month. There is no signup fee and you can cancel at any time.
One Year Package: $149.70
You can join for a year up front for just $149.70. This works out to about $12.48 per month, or about half the regular monthly membership. This membership is a better deal, of course, but there are no refunds.