How to review a poker hand, one decision at a time
Start with a question you can answer. Reconstruct a completed hand, choose one decision and inspect the strategy for that particular situation. Winning or losing the pot is not a substitute for reviewing the decision.
1. Record the question before the result
Write down the street, your hand and what made the choice difficult. “Was my river bet a useful size?” is easier to investigate than “Did I play badly?” Avoid changing the question after you see the solver output.
Use the sample below if you have no suitable export. It is a synthetic learning fixture, not a real player’s history. Download the text and start in the web review area. Sign in if prompted.
2. Reconstruct the hand
Check the button, blinds, starting stacks, hole cards and action order before asking for an analysis. Follow the board street by street. An imported hand can replay correctly even when it cannot be mapped to a supported solver spot.
For this sample, Hero starts with As Ah and the board runs Ks 7s 2d / 5c / 9s. Both players invest 3 preflop and another 3 on the flop, so the turn begins with a 12-chip pot and 94 behind each player. Those are arithmetic checks, not a solver recommendation.
3. Inspect the model, not just the answer
A postflop solve needs ranges for both players, an effective stack, a pot and permitted bet sizes. Your opponent’s revealed cards are not their entire range. Review suggested inputs instead of assuming that import inferred everything correctly.
If analysis begins on a later street, check the range assumptions at that starting point. A range that has not been filtered by earlier action can answer a different question from the one you intended. Keep that uncertainty in your notes.
4. Compare one decision and write one takeaway
Choose the relevant node and inspect both frequencies and EV when available. Do not label a low-frequency action an automatic mistake. Record the exact configuration when you compare two results.
Finish with a narrow note: “Next time I review this river, I will check the available bet sizes before interpreting the mix.” Then repeat a related exercise. If the hand is unsupported, use it for action review and set up a supported custom spot separately; do not silently discard extra players.
Recorded web interface example. Layouts and available controls can vary by version.