C++: too hard for a beginner
Java: OK for beginner, fast enough for most problems, test bot in Poker Academy, use free IDE like Eclipse
C#: OK for beginner, fast enough for most problems, free version in MS Studio Express
Scala: more concise than Java and completely compatible, and shares all advantages. Maybe hard to learn for a beginner
Python: more concise than Java or C#, but also slower. Don't know more than that.
Popularity on this forum I'd estimate from top to bottom: Java, C#, C++, Python, Scala
Try first to learn from a beginners book. Then get a more advanced book and use Stack Overflow. Or
http://www.kogics.net/sf:kojo might appeal. I don't know a single programmer who learnt from a course. It's unlikely that any CS you will learn at a beginner level will be of any use in this problem.
Poker Academy company has gone bust, but you should be able to download a crack and run in it in a VM.
I'd be cautious about going down the CFRM route. This is likely to take a very long time to develop a working bot. If you are a good poker player it might be quicker to use some of that knowledge in your program.