Poker Software Aids or Not?

I have observed many posts indicating the use of software for odds calculations, personal poker records, stats, etc. that help a player better his/her game. I am curious to know how many members actually use such things and who, like myself prefer to play like I would have to at a casino (aside from wearing my PJ's to the game ). I really feel in the long run they would spoil my feel for the game. I would like to hear opinions on this subject.

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Real poker players don't cry....

The FLOP determines how good your hole cards are!!

visit me at http://www.myspace.com/tzucanow

I use poker tracker, and it is excellent. It gives me every stat i could ever want on my play and allows me to regualrly analyse my game and attemp to plug leaks (e.g. I noticed last week i was losing money everytime i Raised A 10 from MP (1st position 6 max)..so now i fold this from that position). Just simple plugs like this help to maximise your win rate. I can also see what my best game/limit is, how often i go to showdown, how often i check raise turn etc....basically every stat imaginable.

It also gives me real time stats on my oppenent which i can manipulate at a glance..e.g. It will show my oppenents agression on the flop and turn...now if this is high on the flop and low on the turn it means this person is great to float etc..

It is essential software for multi tabling and 99% of online pros and serious ameteurs use it (or some software equivilant)....

I don't.

If I had a really good HUD I might.

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Just a Sig

I used to use poker tracker and it definatly helps, but it is umbearably slow. I dont know if its because ive got so many hands on it now, but it often takes up 99-100% of my computer and unless im running poker stars, my entire comp while freeze up for an hour.

I was going to upgrade to PT3 but ive read that its actually worse than PT2. So i dont know what im going to do at this point. It definatly helps comparing sessions and seeing if your playing consistant and see any potential leaks or bad habbits forming . I cant use it while im playing a) because it illegal on pokerstars and b) because theres no way i could multitabling.

using sharkscope or opr helps get certain info as it pertains to tournies and sng's also.

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IM KIND OF LIKE ROBIN HOOD, EXCEPT I TAKE FROM THE DONKS AND GIVE TO MY BANK ACCOUNT.

No I dont use any aids to help me with my game, Im not sure if I should or not..I like playing the way I do and since I dont play proffesionally, only for fun, I enjoy my game.

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CalifNaughti - PokerStars

All of you who don't use aids are making a terrible mistake. It is no different than if I went back to take the CPA exam and didn't use a calculator (you couldn't when I took it) but let everyone else in the room use theirs. Why in the world wouldn't you want to:

1. Know instantly what your opponents hole cards were when they lose at showdown? This allows you to take excellent notes on the hold cards they play and tendancies

2. Replay your hands after your session to see holes in your game or your opponents game.

3. Find out, by examining your stats, where leaks in your game might.

4. Not leave to memory (which is faulty in all of us) how each particular starting hand has fared, by position, over time. Then further study can reveal things like how you did limping versus raising with AA, etc.

Far too much data to make you a far better player. Plus, this data will make you a better player when you do play live as well.

For those who have issues with PT bogging down you can try a number of things.

1. Check the PT forum for help (there are many things to do to speed it up)

2. Eliminate PT files older than ????? (you pick the time period).

Make sure you compact files often but check PT forum for tons of things to do.

nice post rocket -

I used to use PT - then I downgraded my pc and struggled to even run PS let alone along side any other programes alongside.

I am conteplating getting it again. What I have found is that I never really utilised it to plug holes in my game. I did plug the odd one or two - checking post flop stats that otherwise would not be revealed. The main reasons for this is that I do a lot of self analisis of how I play and whilst i could do more replaying of tourneys I have played to plug further leaks.

I mainly used it to pick up reliable statistical information about opponents that can affect my playing decisions and also to help identify trends or leaks in play that I can exploit.

I would say that it is an exceedingly useful tool if one is willing to put a little extra effort in. If you dont use it you are losing an edge. There are however lots of styles of play. Most people cannot absorb all aspects of what is playing during a tournament. Whilst poker tracker can help if people struggle to absorb info in that way or absorbing the information that it provides stops people noticing or focussing on a key non-statistical/ historic aspect of a hand. Depending on your style of play and your ability to absorb the information it provides it could vary from a distraction to an essential tool. I have been able to make decent profits with and without poker tracker. I play almost exclusively tourneys.

I have played though in different ways each time i have been playing serious profit orientated poker.

I can't even install PT on this laptop because of the database API or whatever that gives me one of 20 random errors every time I try

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Just a Sig

Does anyone know how much memory this program requires? I am using a computer from the dark ages.