Limitation of PT stats

[dtbog]

Obviously we shouldn't just be relying on PT stats as we play -- specific player-based reads are very important too.

Consider three players:

(1) One will limp EVERY pot that has not been raised before him, and complete every SB in an unraised pot. However, he will only call a raise with a premium hand (top 10%).

(2) One will see the flop with his top 50% of hands, no matter what. Raise and a reraise? He coldcalls. Raise from tight UTG? He calls. You get the drift.

(3) The third is an average fish with a VPIP of 50%.. he's not a good player, but he does have capacity for some level of reasoning. He will fold a hand like Q9s to a raise and a reraise. He will fold a hand like K3s, which he probably would have limped with in early position if no one had raised, to an early-position raise. Things like that.

Consider how much more useful VPIP/PFR numbers are with a context.

Quick, easy example:

You raise with AA. 60% VPIP villain calls. (see the hand dirtdog55 posted today.)

Yes, he voluntarily puts money in the pot 60% of the time -- but see villain 1 above. He will only actually see the flop to a raise with the top 10% of starting hands.

Wouldn't this information be very useful when the flop comes 997?