By Paul Ellis

PokerSoftware.com

The sun has set on the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, with thousands of players now scattered across the globe after competing in the industry’s biggest tournament series. As players returned to their homes, the attendance in online poker games increased.

As we left the confines of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino this year, the question arose, “What kinds of poker software are you planning to use?” In the end, the name Hold’em Manager seemed to win out.

“I use Hold’em Manager every time I play in tournaments,” DeepStacks Live instructor Brandon “BRiha5254” Riha told PokerSoftware.com. “I still would have a ton of information from playing with these guys regularly for so long, but I found that if I stacked the tables, I can get a pretty good idea of how they are playing without having to see them actually play. That way, with the HUD running, I could see how much they’re doing whatever they’re doing, like how much they’re raising, how much they’re 3-betting, etc.”

Hold’em Manager was also the poker software program mentioned by fellow DeepStacks Live instructor Tristan “Cre8ive” Wade. While Wade explained that he didn’t really use the full HUD in levels he frequented, as he entered tournaments with players whom he’d never played against, the benefits of the program really began to show.

“As I dropped down into some of the $50 events that were getting such great prize pools, I thought it might be a good idea to try out a couple of programs in events with players whom I’m not as familiar with,” said Wade. “Previously, I found that there were just so many regulars in the events that I play – events like the $100 rebuys and the $1k events that attract players whose style I know – that I didn’t see the need.”

Operating the software is one thing, but learning what data to interpret can be a whole different animal. Deciding what information to look at in your HUD was a topic of conversation that brought up mixed opinions.

“I’m usually looking at VPIP, PFR, 3bet Percentage, and Aggression, but I don’t think I honestly look at the statistics when I’m playing in the moment as much as everyone else does,” said Lock Poker pro Matt “All In At 420” Stout. “I mean, obviously they’re there and I see them, but I don’t really make too many of my decisions based on the numbers until I get into some tough spots. Then I really start to look at them, especially if I’m multi-tabling.”

Live players also debated whether to use a HUD. The consensus was that while using a HUD was recommended, it shouldn’t be the only tool you rely on. “For the most part, I feel like a lot of the decisions are still pure poker, and for the record, I kind of wish that there weren’t any HUDs,” admitted Stout. “I really feel my edge would be bigger if we all didn’t have the numbers and were just playing pure poker. But I can’t just continue to let all these kids have an edge on me. So, I eventually gave in and starting using them.”

No matter what program you’re using, it’s always best to remember that there are plenty of tools at your disposal when you play online. Make certain that you’re taking advantage of all of these and giving yourself as big an edge as you can.

It could be the difference between being a winning and a losing player. Visit PokerSoftware.com to learn more about your options.