DeucesCracked Review

The month was October 2008. A fellow poker player and I decided that we wanted to join one of the many training sites out there. We did our research and soon narrowed the list to a few of the top rated sites. We then compared the content of each, startup fees, and monthly prices. We discovered that DeucesCracked had a free 7 day trial so why not try that? Talk about a smart business move on their part. I quickly learned that their videos were DRM free! This means you can download them, put them on your ipod, burn them to a cd - all without being handcuffed by DRMs! Their philosophy is one of freedom and I can't tell you how refreshing that feels. Throw in the fact that they don't charge a startup fee and their prices are very affordable and you've got yourself a very promising start.

How is the actual site you ask? AMAZING. I'll get to the poker content soon enough, but first let me say that there are other things to consider. First, technical support. The moderators of the forums reply to any problems you have almost instantly. Can't get the videos to work? Having problems logging in? All of your issues will be addressed in a very timely manner, often by some of the top guns for the whole site, Entity and Joe Tall.

Another facet that you should consider when selecting a training site is the community. Are members active in the forums? Are coaches active in the forums? The answer for DC is a resounding yes and yes. Once you start posting, you'll join a poker community with which you can share ideas, have a laugh, and grow as a player and a person.

Now to the poker content (I know, finally). I come from a tournament background and came to DC to learn how to play cash, which is their specialty. My game has improved by leaps and bounds since joining thanks to their educational videos, such as Real Life MicroNL Grinder, The Coaching Tree, and Unconventional Wisdom. What came as a complete surprise, however, was a little series called Last Man Standing by AMT (Alex Triner). This series focuses on SNGs and proves to be a seemingly hidden gem among cash game videos. Over the course of 8 videos, AMT single-handedly turned my SNG game inside out and took me from a break-even player to a regular winner at stakes from $6.50 to $60. He explains the "bias against confrontation" concept and describes how a chip in your stack is worth more than winning other chips early in the tournament. The idea that doubling your stack early doesn't double your equity in the tournament made perfect sense and seems simple now, but I must say it was revolutionary when I first heard it. These are just a few of the concepts explained (I'm not sure I want to share any more!). AMT teaches in a manner that is very easy to understand, and his articulate style combined with the depth of his knowledge will most likely result in me hiring him as a personal coach in the future.

So in conclusion, DeucesCracked gives you a free trial, no startup fee, affordable monthly prices, amazing and quick technical support, and pure, unadulterated poker knowledge in an interactive environment. And after all of that, they are still working to improve every day, and it shows. Beat that.