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Old 09-07-2005, 09:41 AM
Mendacious Mendacious is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 41
Default Re: Are these stats normal?

I have mixed feelings about this.

Having pokertracker Omaha and a heads-up display running I think is a tool that like any other, it depends on how you use it.

The Upside: Typically, during a session I find these tools to be helpful during session, and after.

During session, I'd say at least 50% of the value of these tools is table selection. The other 50% is the relatively infrequent, but important times that a person's stats give you some insight into a difficult situation. This is particularly helpful to multi-tablers who don't have the ability to monitor the table well enough to factor anything other than the cards, bets, and odds into these situations.
Its valuable information I promise you. Could you do just as well on a single table without it, yes, maybe even better, but as much as people move around, if you multitable, it pays for itself in a few sessions EASILY! I'd say I factor a persons stats into less than 5% of the decisions I make, but that 5% can be really big swings.

Post session, I like it because it keeps good records, and I firmly believe that you can spot leaks and weaknesses with it.

The downside:

Pretty much what Ribbo said. You can prove anything with statistics. Moreover, there is a real danger to letting statistics govern your play as opposed to developing your insight. Used incorrectly, you are essentially programming yourself to be a bot. Also, for myself, too much focus and information on how I am doing can sometimes lead to poor play. Yes it is possible to focus on the wrong things while playing without Pokertracker (like how much you are up or down-- as opposed to how you are playing) but Pokertracker can make this a compulsion. Playing for stats like trying to keep a win streak going has led to 2 of my 3 worst days. I can't blame it on Pokertracker, but having it played to my own weaknesses.

But, see above about PT0 being a tool. On balance I find it to be a profitable tool for me.
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