HUD in online poker

Deathclutch

Deathclutch

Well-Known Member
Can anyone explain to me what the different stats mean in the HUD when using tracking software such as HoldEm Manager or Poker Tracker 3 and how can I use them to my advantage? I've been reading the 2+2 forums, but just like when I first got into blackjack the terminology is like a different language to me. I would post a screenshot, but I'm lazy and I'm sure some of you poker players know what I'm talking about.
 
The main stats in defining someone's style are VPIP (Voluntarily Put In Pot, sometimes there's a $ sign somewhere) and PR (Pre-flop Raise). These are what you see in the HUD and the forums as xx/yy (zz). It means the player entered the pot xx% of the time (limp, call, or raise, not including blinds, I think) raised it yy% of the time (so yy < xx) over a sample size of zz hands (often zz will not be big enough to get a good feel, so you can see if it's like 80% or like 20%).

Basically, the average player on 2+2 is a TAG (Tight AGressive player) who plays only good hands and raises them up...around 20/15 are usual TAG stats. Often the bad players are looser and have high VPIP and low PR (50/5, for example), so they play a lot of hands and rarely raise them. When they do, they usually have the goods.

Other useful stats can be found by clicking on the HUD, which brings up a whole break down of stats. 2+2ers often cite the fold to cbet % on flop (how often you can take the pot down after a pre-flop raise with another bet on the flop) and the fold to cbet % on turn (same thing but on turn). If someone has low flop fold% and high flop fold%, for example, then you know what you need to do...

FYI, I use Pokertracker 3.
 
AWP said:
The main stats in defining someone's style are VPIP (Voluntarily Put In Pot, sometimes there's a $ sign somewhere) and PR (Pre-flop Raise). These are what you see in the HUD and the forums as xx/yy (zz). It means the player entered the pot xx% of the time (limp, call, or raise, not including blinds, I think) raised it yy% of the time (so yy < xx) over a sample size of zz hands (often zz will not be big enough to get a good feel, so you can see if it's like 80% or like 20%).

Basically, the average player on 2+2 is a TAG (Tight AGressive player) who plays only good hands and raises them up...around 20/15 are usual TAG stats. Often the bad players are looser and have high VPIP and low PR (50/5, for example), so they play a lot of hands and rarely raise them. When they do, they usually have the goods.

Other useful stats can be found by clicking on the HUD, which brings up a whole break down of stats. 2+2ers often cite the fold to cbet % on flop (how often you can take the pot down after a pre-flop raise with another bet on the flop) and the fold to cbet % on turn (same thing but on turn). If someone has low flop fold% and high flop fold%, for example, then you know what you need to do...

FYI, I use Pokertracker 3.
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Thanks a ton, that was much simpler than trying to make my way through everything they have going on. Hmm, is there a list of different combinations of these stats (like the example you gave above) that give a general description of what type of a player they are? Or is that just something you pick up with time? I'm relatively new to poker :)
 
I think it goes mostly on a spectrum. 5/5 players are complete rocks, 30/20 players are looser TAGs, etc. Poker Tracker 3 has some auto rating software, but I'm not sure how it works exactly. You can also download something like Pokerstove and look at what the top 5%, 10%, 20% of hands are in terms of probability to win against a random hand.

The key though is identifying an exploitable aspect (read: predictable tendency) of a certain player's game and exploiting it. If a certain player is a calling station (you notice him calling people down to the river with middle pair), you can exploit him by making a hand on the flop and betting it on every street. Don't try and bluff him out. If, on the other hand, the player is really tight and weak (meaning he folds easily with a good but not great hand), you might try bluffing him off his hand. Don't try the same thing on everyone! And don't be mechanical - that's how people will exploit you.

I'm still coming to terms with this "play your opponent" part of the game. In general, being tight and aggressive cannot be wrong though.
 
DC, are you using HEM or PT3? One thing you should definitely do ASAP is configure your HUD to display more stats. There are good tutorial videos on youtube under tightpoker.com's channel for both softwares. Different stats will become more important in different levels of play, and they will be dependent on your style as well. I play typical TAG in the micros (25NL), so some of the stats that I find useful are how often an opponent c-bets the flop (so I can get an idea of their initial c-betting range) and likewise, how often they fold to a c-bet on the flop (so I know if I can expand my c-betting range HU against them); also their 3-bet percentage (again, to define range), fold to 3-bet, etc. VP$IP and PFR are huge, but make sure your sample size is big enough. I don't put much stock in those stats until I have at least a few dozen hands. After I get at least a couple hundred hands on an opponent, I am wary of those stats.

Another important thing to consider is your stats at each table. Unless you're playing against regs that also likely have a strong read on you, you can exploit your current "table image" by looking at your stats. Say you just sit at a table full of unknowns and extremely tight players. After a few dozen hands, you've been dealt a lot of premium hands and have been firing away with many hands that never make it to showdown. If there are any unknown players watching your tendencies, look at your stats for that table/session to get an idea of what they see you as. Your VP$IP is likely to be very high, so you may be playing tight with a LAG image. Use that to your advantage. A disclaimer to this: if you're playing the micros, this doesn't apply as much. Most of the players are simply not paying attention and the regs usually have more history on you than this one session.

And finally, just because you have a HUD, don't forget to take notes. I run into a lot of exploitable situations based on notes I took previously that were more helpful than HUD stats.

Incidentally, what site/limit are you playing?
 
AWP said:
I think it goes mostly on a spectrum. 5/5 players are complete rocks, 30/20 players are looser TAGs, etc.
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These are some of the best players to exploit, in my opinion. Complete 5/5 or even 7/2 nits are great for stealing blinds, getting position, and saving money on later streets when they stick around with you after some aggression on your part (hint: they have you beat most of the time). 30/20 are definitely not TAG (very LAGgy stats), but they're great for when you get an absolute monster. I'll often flat these players instead of 3-betting when I have medium-high pocket pairs (even though you're usually ahead) because if you hit a set of other big hand, you can let them bet themselves to death. Say you flat a 3xbb raise with 88 from a 30/20 player in MP+1 and you end up HU on a flop of A83r. Your LAG opponent is likely going to be betting with any Ace, most PP, broadways, and other random cards. This is also where c-bet percentages come into play. Just call it down with these guys, staying aware of the board texture, and let them value-bet themselves to death.
 
25NL on FTP. I'd love to do a sweat session sometime because my game is still pretty so-so at the moment. My only concern is outing myself through my FTP name, but I know you're on the level and I can vouch for DC.
 
I'm playing 2NL on PS (outting my newbie status :P). I'm down for a sweat session!

^^ Listen to Lonesome, he's way more experienced.
 
I'm at 100fr on FT right now so if any of you guys want to do a sweat session I'm game. Don't worry AWP. I played 5nl on stars a month ago just to get my confidence back. 20 tabled and played about 40k hands. Won about 7.5ptbb/100. Its a great way to get your confidence up.

As for your question DC, I basically put players into 3 main classes. This is for full ring by the way, stats will be different for 6 max.

Class 1 is the most common and its the "competant Pre flop stats" They will typically have 14/11 vpip/pfr and about a 3% 3bet preflop stat.

Class 2 is the nit, they will typically run about 9/6 or somewhere in that range. They are very easy to play against since they have good cards 99% of the time. Steal their blinds 100% of the time and dont call their preflop raises unless you have AK or JJ+.

Class 3 is the fish. typically they run about 30+/10. Basically you just want to be at their table. They call way too much preflop and that usually means they call too much post flop. Get top pair and value bet them to death. They are why we play poker.
 
This is how bad I am with the terminology. I think I play 25NL on FTP (BB is .25?) Somehow I've actually been doing okay and making money so far. I'm using HEM and I also have the leakbuster program (figured it would be useful in helping me fix my game since I'm new.) Right now my stats are configured to just have the default.

Just a guess but seems like besided VPIP% and PFR that the fold to cbet % and 3bet % would be very important. Now I just need to watch a video and get my HUD configured.

Which stats do you guys usually display on your HUD? And I'd be down to play, I'm sure you guys could teach me a few things.

Edit: Also I mainly play 6 max games as I try to play very aggressive and I make money there. I've found that playing very aggressive on the 9 man games can get you burnt a lot so I've tried tightening up there.
 
DC, if you feel like it, PM me your sn at FTP and I'll look out for you. I'm rarely in 6max, but I'm going to be playing a lot more 25NL 6max soon for point accumulation purposes. If you haven't already, check out Ryan Fee's free e-book guide to 6max. Sorry, no link right now as I'm at the "real" job. And yes, 25NL means .25bbx100 (max buyin). I'll see you at the tables (if I haven't already)!
 
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