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Introduction

The ICM-trainer will allow you to train for a mathematically optimal SnG game. This means that you can train for specific situations in order to make the right decision. ICM is an abbreviation for "Independent Chip Model" and basically allocates a specific money value to the amount of chips in a tournament/SnG. Anyone who wants to get further details can find them in the ICM-article.
http://www.pokerstrategy.com/de/strategy/sng/175/.

System requirements

Supported operating systems: Windows Vista/XP/2000.
Resolution: At least 1024 x 768.
Hard drive space: roughly 50 MB.
Memory (RAM): We recommend at least 512 MB.
Required runtime environment: .NET Framework 2.0.
Miscellaneous: Windows Installer 3.0.

The calculation of the ranges

The ranges that are given by the tool are an approximation to the Nash equilibrium. For all those who don't know what the Nash equilibrium is, it is the principle that players will push/call/overcall perfectly against the ranges of his opponents. No player can improve his equity by changing his own range.

Here's a simple description of the calculation: We assume that players know the exact ranges of all other players on the table at any time. We start with a random player. This player now changes his range so that they are optimal against the ranges of his opponents. We continue step by step and allow the next player to adjust his range. After we have created the whole orbit, the range of the first player is not optimal anymore because the ranges of his opponents have changed since his last adjustment. The described incident is the same as an iteration of fictitious play.

We repeat the adjustments for the ranges of all players, orbit after orbit. Ideally we will find a situation in which the players cannot change their ranges anymore after a few runs - as every player plays a strategy which is optimal against the ranges of his opponents. In this case the fictitious play algorithm would converge (this means that additional iterations wouldn't change the result), and we will have found a Nash equilibrium. None of the players can change their ranges in order to improve their equity.

Start screen

On the start screen you can start the ICM practice and configure the framework requirements, for example the poker site, the blind levels, the stack sizes and much more. The functions are explained in detail after this graphic.

Main menu:

File(1)
Restart Finishes the current session and shows the start screen.
Quit Quits the program.

Extras (2)
Language In this option you can change to the desired language if available.
Check for updates... Checks if there is a new version of ICM trainer available online and installs it if applicable.
Check for updates automatically If this option is enabled, the program will regularly check for newer versions of the program.

Help (3)

Show help... Opens the online help.
About... Display additional information about the program and the current version.

Toolbar (4)
Restart Finishes the current session and shows the start screen.
Load hand Loads saved hands into the list of hands.
Load list of hands Loads a saved list of hands in the list of hands.
Save hand Saves selected hand.
Save list of hands Saves the current list of hands.
Help Opens the online help.
About... Shows additional information about the program and the current version.

Filter settings: (5)

By changing the different filters, you determine which situation the ICM trainer should create.

Pokerportal (6) Here you choose the desired poker site with the specific type of game.
Blind level (7) You choose the desired blind level from this list.
Stack sizes (8) You can configure whether a player is chip leader, underdog, all players roughly have the same stack size or if a random option should be chosen.
Number of players (9) By changing the engaging switch, you set the number of players who take part in the situation.
Handrange (10) By changing this engaging switch you determine which handrange the cards of the players belong to. The lower the value the better the cards.
Practice mode (11) Here you determine the situation which is to be created. "No player all-in" means that the player is first in and has to decide whether to push or to fold. When you choose "A player all-in" or "Two players all-in", call or fold situations will be created. When you choose "Random" all situations could occur.
Our position (12) Here you choose which position you want to be seated in.
Our advantage in percent (13) Which advantage do we want have over the ranges of our opponents.
Show range of player (14) Gives you the opportunity to decide if the ranges of players should be displayed or not.
Calculate again (15) Starts the calculation over.

Result screen: (14)

Quickstart (16) Shows the quickstart.
Start new ICM practice (17) Starts the ICM practice.

Practice screen

ICM table: (1)

On the ICM table the current ICM situation will be displayed. You will see the cards of the player as well as the blinds and antes, the stacks sizes of all players and whether a player has gone all-in yet.

Push (2) Pushes the current hand.
Fold (3) Folds the current hand.
Copy to editor (4) Copies the current situation to the ICM calculation and opens this tab.

Result screen: (5)

In the result screen you will find the evaluation of the last hand. It shows which action was taken and what the right decision would have been. Furthermore the cards, stack size, position, blind level and the push range - hands that you could have pushed in this situation - will be displayed in the table.

Pause ICM practice (6) Pauses the ICM practice with the option of continuing or starting a new session.

Current practice unit: (7)

The results of the current session will be displayed here.

List of hands: (8)

The list of hands that have been treated so far.

Hand (9) Shows the hand.
Action (10) Shows the action that has been taken.
Result (11) Displays whether the action was correct or not

ICM calculation (1)

You can get to this screen by clicking on the tab ICM calculation. This option enables you to add your own situations which you want to calculate.

Settings:

Blinds (2) Here you define the desired blinds.
Player (3) In the boxes next to the position you can add the stack sizes of the players.
Calculation (4) Calculates all push, call and overcall ranges with the predefined settings.

Result screen: (5)

Delete calculation (6) Resets all settings.
Copy from table (7) Copies selected hands to the ICM calculation.
Table of results 1 (8) This table lists all players with their stacks and push range.
Table of results 2 (9) The second table evaluates the situation in more detail. Push, call and overcall ranges of an optimal play are displayed.