Advice on Poker tools and software please!

Hi rabdab,
Welcome to PokerStrategy.com!
Most tracking software comes with a free trial -- the length varies.

Head to this page https://www.pokerstrategy.com/poker-software-tools/
Sidekick is "funware" -- it doesn't do analysis (at least not that I know of)
Start with PokerTracker 4 -- download and install and kick the tires.
HM2 is a good alternative -- choose the one you like the best.

Jivaro works for PokerStars -- if it works for others, I don't know of it.

I have no first-hand knowledge of Xeester or Hand2Note. Perhaps others who have such knowledge can post a reply here for you.

I have not used any of PokerSnowie, PowerEquilab or PokerRanger.

Of the remaining tools on that page, I know only about Equilab and Equilab Omaha
These are free, and are SUPERB tools for examining your equity on various streets.

All the best,
VS

There are indeed a lot of different software.

If you want a HUD, I would definitely recommend Hand2Note. It is probably the most powerful tool for that at the moment. And it is free for NL25 and under. However, if you haven't ever used a HUD and your skill level is not very high, you could find it difficult to use H2N at first. That is because there rare not so many stats readily made so when creating a hud, you maybe need to create some stats on your own.

If H2N is not for you and if you get HM2, you will get a free upgrade to the upcoming HM3. That might be better than the current PT4, so I would get Holdem Manager instead of Poker Tracker.

When it comes to Jivaro that Vorpal mentioned, I think it only works at PokerStars. It also advertises positional awareness of the HUD, but I believe pokerstars banned those. The free trial lasts only one month and then it seems to be 5$/month so could get more expensive on the long run. The software looks beautiful and simple, but I think it might be even too simple.

About that fun software Sidekick: it is not updated or maintained anymore so it could just stop working at any minute if the poker room makes some changes. And there have been already problems reported that it doesn't work.

Equilab you definitely need. The free version is just fine.

If you are just starting out, I think those are the software you need, a tracking software and equilab. When you start working on your game more and get more knowledge you can consider software like power equilab, flopzilla, gto solvers, pokersnowie and so on

Thanks vorpal and La55i for the advice. I'll start with equilab and PT4 for now, and maybe switch to HM2.

Thanks!

Originally posted by rabdab
I'll start with equilab and PT4 for now, and maybe switch to HM2.

PT4 and HM2 are both paid software and they are quite similar. If you mean that you are going to test those with the free version before buying, it is just fine. But if you decide to buy one now, there is no reason to switch to the other software.

Originally posted by AME1122
looks like i need to try this sooner or later. how big a disadvantage do i have if i dont use a hud in online poker right now?

Hi AME1122,
Welcome to PokerStrategy.com!

A fair bit depends on what sites you play on.
On the smaller sites you may get to recognize the regs on your own, and learn their playing tendencies without one.

Also, if you're just beginning, learning how to use a HUD is just another thing to learn.

I would suggest play with out one until you start to wish you had one.

All the best,
VS

There are increasing number of rooms that do not allow hud at all. Many professional poker players play on those sites without a hud.

If your site does allow them, it could give you a small edge. Getting the hands in your tracking software could also help you analyze your game better in the future. However, just like Vorpal said, it is just another thing to learn. If you are just starting out, there are probably more important things to study.

Equilab is the first tool for everyone!

Which poker sites allow equilab?

As far as I know, only Pokerstars forbids it, and even then, they only forbid it during play.
If you have Equilab open, and start PokerStars, as soon as you log in, you get a popup,
You also get an email that says:

We have noticed that recently you have used a poker calculator tool (namely: ‘PokerStrategy Equilab‘) whilst running the software. Certain features of this tool cause it to be in violation of our Terms of Service:

The first time this happened, I replied to the email and said, "If you can detect Equilab running, you can also detect that I'm not playing poker. Why not just send the message when (or if) I open a Hold'em table"

Nobody else cares. For one thing, by the time you entered the details into equilab and got a result, the hand (and probably several more) would be long over.

That having been said, always do your absolute utmost to adhere to the rooms' terms of service. Violations can get your bankroll taken away.

Cheers,
VS

I don't use a HUD and you don't need one to beat the microstakes unless you are playing a lot of tables. I did take advantage of the free HUD on ****** poker a few years back when they allowed UK players, and it totally messed up my decision making.

I now colour code villains:

Red: TAG
Orange: Weak Tight
Yellow: Loose bad/aggressive
Purple: LAG /FLOATER
Green: Loose Passive

It works for me because I only play a few tables.

Agreed arthurbentley.
Notes are often more helpful -- especially with low sample size.
If a player calls you all the way to the river, it might be worth knowing that he did this before with 74o

All the best,
VS

Originally posted by la55i
if you get HM2, you will get a free upgrade to the upcoming HM3.

Is this confirmed? I saw some discussion about it a while back but I never saw anything final about it.

Now on topic...the HUD is part of a tracker. The tracker offers much more than villain's statistics. You can review/analyze/work on your game a lot using it. I would definitely buy one when I could pay for it with poker winnings!

Originally posted by bookai

Originally posted by la55i
if you get HM2, you will get a free upgrade to the upcoming HM3.

Is this confirmed? I saw some discussion about it a while back but I never saw anything final about it.

Yes, this info has been out for a long time

I have had it for a long time now, so no free upgrade for me :/ Thanks, anyway!

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