Poker Tracker...do I need it?

[pokerlaw]

Perusing some Poker Tracker posts and checking out their website, I am wondering if I should get this.

I play for fun, low limits and low bankroll; the whole law thing will make my $$ in the future. However, I am, like many here who devote time and energy to posting, uber-competitive and always down to get an edge. I 3 table currently...how helpful is the program for this? I feel my reads on players are fair, but I sometimes when there are a few left, I feel like I could use more reads.

Some questions:

1) Does anyone use it with UB? Any complaints?

2) The program seems to utilize a lot of memory. I have about 1GB free on my laptop (which will be replaced in july), is that enough?

Thanks in advance...

[Slim Pickens]

Buy PT. I use it with Playerview. My Lappy is a Dell Latitude POS and even 4-tabling (which is hard due to my small, dim, screen) it doesn't bog down too much.

[Maulik]

[ QUOTE ]
Buy PT. I use it with Playerview. My Lappy is a Dell Latitude POS and even 4-tabling (which is hard due to my small, dim, screen) it doesn't bog down too much.

[/ QUOTE ]

I played last night and didn't use PV whatsoever and I think my game benefits from intutive play, based on bet sizes and things of that nature.

[Slim Pickens]

Yeah, I guess I should have said "Try Poker Tracker. I personally find it very helpful."

[ilya]

Do not buy PokerTracker. Instead, pay more attention while you play. You will improve more.

[pokerlaw]

thanks for the input. i'll definetly download the free trial to see how it works. happy playing tonight all....

[Slim Pickens]

I get more out of PT as a self-analysis tool than as a player-tracking tool. Import a summary, double click the tourney in the "tournament Notes" tab, Click on the "Game Notes" tab and page around in there.

[ewing55]

I own PT and used it for ring games. When I started SnGs I used it (w/PV) for a while, but find it distracts me too much. I do fire it up during level 3 to find out which players I should be worried about.

It shows me how many hands I have seen them play (a lot = their a "regular") and I also look up to see their finishes.

On the other hand, I have over 7,500 unique players in my DB (I data mine ALOT) and it is uncommon for me to play against someone I have any record of! And if I do it is usually just 1 tourney.

(I've been playing SnGs for about a month, all 11's.)

I do find the tracking it gives me of my play excellent and the ability to replay an entire tourney (to review my stupid plays) in about 5 minutes extremely helpful. If you are going to be serious about poker, you gotta have it. (or something like it.)

----------Jeff

[Voltron87]

I've never used any poker tracking software of any kind and I play goot. I don't even keep my ROI and finishes most of the time. I did for a little bit when I moved up a level, but quit when I knew I was winning.

[Maulik]

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I do find the tracking it gives me of my play excellent and the ability to replay an entire tourney (to review my stupid plays) in about 5 minutes extremely helpful.

----------Jeff

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how do you do that?

[ewing55]

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how do you do that?

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Do you have PT and want specific instructions or do you want to know in general how it works?

------------Jeff

[Maulik]

I simply don't know how to load up HHs and replay them in the client.

[DasLeben]

I'm curious: How much does Playerview help out when multitabling? One of the things I have most trouble with when playing more than 2-3 tables is the ability to adequately read my opponent. If I had some data on screen to aide me, I'd think that'd help a ton.

[KSKevin]

Using pokertracker with playerview helps a lot towards the end of tournaments, as you have 40 or 50 hands recorded from each player, and you can tell roughly how tight they are. If you have a hand like AJ and an opponent raises preflop for the first time all tournament, you shouldnt be playing that hand. On the other hand, if a player has been preflop raising 35% of the time, you should push. These are the things that pokertracker can help you with during the tournament, especially if you are multitabling.

[ewing55]

You'd better be careful around me. I play about 5% of hand during the first 3 levels. I'd only play AJ on the button if I had already won a lot of chips. In level 5 I'm liable to push with anything. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[ewing55]

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...replay an entire tourney...

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how do you do that?

[/ QUOTE ]

1) Click the "Tournament player stats" button.
2) Click "Tourney Notes" tab.
3) Click on the tourney you want under tourney details.
4) Under "Games Played" click on the "Game#" column heading to sort by game # so your games are in order.
5) Make sure the top row is highlighted (but don't click on the hand number, that will show you the hand history *text*)
6) Click on the "r" button right about the Games Played window to bring up the hand replayer.
7) Look at your hand, if it's 72o, you know you will fold, so click the right arrow right next to the hand number in the upper left corner of the playback window to go to the next hand.

8) I just keep clicking on the "next hand" button and watch my chip count. When it changes I go back one hand to the hand that I bet on and review that play.

It's really funny that I usually only play about 5 - 10 hands until I get into "push or fold" mode on the button.

It is also real helpful to review someone else's (who is good) tourneys. It made all the difference in my game. Many thanks to my "coach." You know who you are. /images/graemlins/heart.gif /images/graemlins/cool.gif /images/graemlins/heart.gif

[AA suited]

[ QUOTE ]
Using pokertracker with playerview helps a lot towards the end of tournaments, as you have 40 or 50 hands recorded from each player, and you can tell roughly how tight they are. If you have a hand like AJ and an opponent raises preflop for the first time all tournament, you shouldnt be playing that hand. On the other hand, if a player has been preflop raising 35% of the time, you should push. These are the things that pokertracker can help you with during the tournament, especially if you are multitabling.

[/ QUOTE ]

for SnG's, does playerview differeniate between blind levels?

my preflop raising is very low at lvl1-3, but very high (near 100%) when heads-up at 300/600 blinds.

[barycentric]

PT helps you learn about your own game better. I know ppl playing 1/2 who have benefitted from it. It should pay for itself at the latest in 10k hands.

[DasLeben]

Alright, I just screwed around with Playerview while 2-tabling some SNGs. It was waaay distracting, and some of the information was just unnessecary. I had it set up to show VPIP, Attempted steals, and % folding the BB to steals. Also, I had Table VPIP and PFR shown. The information sounds like it'd be great, but I found that it just wasn't helpful.

[pokerlaw]

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I had it set up to show VPIP, Attempted steals, and % folding the BB to steals. Also, I had Table VPIP and PFR shown.

[/ QUOTE ]

VPIP, PFR? you might as well have said the bleeps, the jeeps, and the creeps... could you elaborate please? thx.

[Nottom]

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I had it set up to show VPIP, Attempted steals, and % folding the BB to steals. Also, I had Table VPIP and PFR shown.

[/ QUOTE ]

VPIP, PFR? you might as well have said the bleeps, the jeeps, and the creeps... could you elaborate please? thx.

[/ QUOTE ]

VPIP - Voluntarily Put $ in Pot - basically how many hands they play.

PFR - Pre-Flop Raise

[Socrates]

I'd be willing to bet that PT would pay for itself once you start identifying your leaks through it. UNless you can remember every hand and bet size etc...it is a very useful tool.

[pokerlaw]

[ QUOTE ]

VPIP - Voluntarily Put $ in Pot - basically how many hands they play.

PFR - Pre-Flop Raise

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks nottom.

So it seems that the general consensus is that PT is more useful for self evaluation than for analyzing opponents play.

I think it would be nice to know the VPIP and PFR #'s as well, though I usually rank making notes as to size of leading raises my #1 priority in taking notes on players. anyone else focus on other observations?