Want to switch to online games, will pokertracker help?

[BWillie]

I always hear everyone using this pokertracker, and I really don't know what it is, or if it is worth it. I would like to play more online because then I can do whatever and relax in my own house. It's a pain always going down to the casino's at night, especially on fri and sat when I'd rather be out partying etc.

I'm a winning player live, but I just can't seem to get over the hump online. I haven't played a whole lot online, I've deposited $50 in party & $50 in paradise last year, and $50 in royal vegas a couple months ago. I lost all of it in both of those websites last year, and I'm only up about 20 dollars right now at Royal Vegas. Although I'm a better player now than I was when I played at party and paradise last year, I just feel that it's much easier to make money live. People literally are so easy to read live, and you can just pick on the suckers. It sounds like pokertracker would easily tell me who plays crazy and loose and who doesn't. I really don't know how it works at all so if someone could help me understand what it does that would be fantastic.

I am just frustrated with how I can defeat 3/6 & 2/5 spread limit live games, but I've struggled when I play online. I think a .5/1 online game plays even TIGHTER than a 3/6 live game many times. One more thing, I really like spread limit, because it punishes people who suck at cards. Is there any 2/5 or 2/10 spread limit on the internet? I haven't heard of any. Thank you for your help in advance.

[ArturiusX]

I think you need to take a more serious approach to poker than just dumped $50 here and there.

Bankroll is very important, as swings are inevitable. Poker is gambling, making no mistake, we just merely work off positive edges. Have a read of this: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1659321&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

I'd say pokertracker is a great resource for new players to figure out obvious leaks, and great for reviewing a session. A lot of the guys here post hands after they review their session via pokertracker, and get a lot of out it.

[BWillie]

I have read that, and I understand that $50 dollars is not a high bankroll to begin. I was only playing .5/1 and 1/2 tables on party when I lost my 50, which would be the same as starting on a 3/6 table with 300 dollars. I played the lower limit tables because it best resembled the 3/6 live games I play in. 3/6 online plays much tighter than a 3/6 live game, at least the ones I've been playing in.

My main question in pokertracker isn't what stats it will display for me to evaluate myself. I understand that this will help fix leaks in my game, but what I'm most concerned about is how it tracks weak players. If it even does? How does it track these players? It would be fantastic if I knew four of the 10 guys at the table call a bet with middle pair low kicker on the flop with a preflop raise from a player in front of them 71% of the time and things along that nature. I guess I just don't understand that aspect about it.

[damaniac]

It doesn't tell you exactly what they call with, you have to take notes for that. However, it tracks their VPIP (voluntarily put into pot) so you know how many hands they play (ie, too many), how often they raise preflop, how often they go to showdown, how aggressive they are postflop (as a ratio of bets and raises to calls), aggression on each street, and lots more. It only tracks the hands you play with them (or the hands you get from Party even if you aren't at the table), and obviously you don't get to see what they had unless they go to showdown (or show their hand). But it provides a great shortcut to preflop play at least, since you can tell fairly easily that you should be isolating a person who plays 50% of their hands when the 3 people to act behind you only play 12% of theirs, etc. You still want to take detailed notes on players' postflop play, however.