O-Poker

EDIT: This post is getting a lot of hits from the HEM website, so I felt like a little bit of a follow up was necessary. I reviewed HEM when it was first coming on the market. Pokertracker 3 was not yet available. I currently use HEM and am still very happy with the software. PT3 has been released and there isn't much difference between HEM and PT3. They have almost identical features. Your purchase of one product or another should probably be based on how well like the particular software. I think that they both have free trial periods, so I would suggest downloading them both and seeing which one "feels" better to you.

The review below is a little out dated and I have not taken the time to update my review of HEM or PT3.


This is not a paid ad - Holdem Manager doesn't even charge anything yet (since they are still in beta testing) and they don't have an affiliate program as far as I know. It is currently available for free at HoldemManager.net.

I was going to write a long review comparing Pokertracker to Holdem Manager. After I started comparing the two, I figured I could just sum it all up in one sentence. Holdem Manager blows away the current version Pokertracker. Yes, that's right. It gives you access to 10x more data from the hand histories than the current version of pokertracker does.

Don't get me wrong Pokertracker along with Poker Ace HUD is great, but they haven't done much to upgrade the features over the years. It seems like all of their updates are just to keep up with the updates of the different poker sites. I don't think that they have added any new features for years. Holdem Manager has even scared them into doing something they should have done a long time ago - a major upgrade with a ton of added features. I'm not sure the time table on the next generation of poker tracker or what features it will have. I'm guessing that it will probably be comparable to HEM, but it isn't out yet so I don't know.

Why am I so excited about HEM? I play cash games and like to review my sessions. It gives you so much information to look at that your leaks and your opponents jump out much quicker. The heads up display (HUD) still needs a few features, but it seems like they will be added soon. (I'm specifically referring to things like check raise. I had the cr stats by street on my PAHUD stats, but currently HEM only has cr overall as an option. The developer said that by streets with be added in one of the upcoming updates.)

The developer of HEM took the right approach to making a poker stats program for poker players. He created an early version and started releasing it for free beta testing to anyone. There is a massive thread on 2+2 where people posted what they want to see in the software, bugs they encounter, and the developer responds to almost every post.

I'm not sure how much he will charge once the beta testing is done, but I can't imagine it would be more than $100 since it includes the software (similar to pokertracker) and the HUD (similar to PAHUD) along with built-in graphing tools.

I would suggest testing it out. I'm also curious to see what problems people have encountered with it. Anyone reading this use HEM?

I posted some screen shots below from a random player in the DB.

Sessions stats - can be sorted by session, day, week, or month.


Graph with a ton of features.


HEM HUD vs. PAHUD. Both are similar, but the main feature that you can put on your HUD with HEM that you can't with PAHUD is 3 bet. Before HEM how often someone 3 bet was one of the main notes that I put on players.




I'll probably make a follow up post about it once I have started used it more.

Happy Hour + Lucksackery in final 3 = Mookie Win (I think that is the formula).

I went to happy hour after work and didn't feel like playing much poker when I got home, so I grabbed a few more drinks and played the 50/50, Mookie, and the $28k. I busted out of the 50/50 and the $28k but wound up winning the Mookie.

I'm tired and have to be up a few hours. I'll try to post more tomorrow.

Can someone tell me how to put this on my sidebar (how to reduce the width)?

or how to put it in the header without screwing the header up?

EDIT: That is the best I could get it to look in the sidebar. Any suggestions?

Thanks - I'm computarded.

I played three PL Omaha Tourneys last night and was out on the first hand in two of them.

$12+$1 Blogger Skill Game (out 1st hand)

Flopped bottom set on very coordinated flush board. I pretty much knew that I needed the board to pair to win. I decided to double up on the first hand or be done. The board didn't pair and the nut flush won. I could have passed on the hand (both preflop and on the flop) and waited for a better spot, but I was impatient last night and wanted to gamble.

$5+$0.50 Cardrunners (out 1st hand)

Flopped an OESD, Flush Draw, and turned 2 pair in the big blind. I was up against a guy that flopped a set and didn't improve.

$24+$2 PLO $4k Guarantee (out 113 out of 187)

I was cruising along pretty good in the top 10-15 for most of the time until I hit a bad run. I ran a top set into a flush draw and the guy's draw got their after all the money went in. A few hands later I flopped top two pair and an OESD from the BB and got all the money in against a guy that couldn't fold AAxx (no draw, no other pair). The river brought another Ace and I was out.

It official - I suck at PLO. I think it is a good release if you just feel like gambling, but probably has a bigger luck factor than just about any other form of poker.

$24+$2 NLHE $28K Guarantee (140 out of 1,357)

I also played the $26 NLHE 10 pm mtt since I was still in the PLO tourney. I'm not sure why I play these $26 large field tourneys. You have to at least make the final table (out of 1,300+) to make it worth the time to play and it becomes a big crapshoot after about 3-4 hours. I sucked out with AK vs KK late to stay in the tourney only to lose a huge pot a few hands later in a 3 way all-in with QQ vs AK and 1010. Flop had both an Ace and King and I was off to bed with my big $39 payout.

I'm hoping to find time to play some cash games tonight and test out Holdem Manager a little more.

I've been working my ass off since Christmas. I've worked every day other than the two days that we spent at the beach (New Year's Eve and New Year's Day) which has left very little time for poker. I've only played around 1,200 hands so far this month. I played a few tourneys while watching TV, but nothing major and no big cashes.

Hopefully things will slow down as the week goes on and I can put in some solid cash game session later in the week or over the weekend. I have only cleard 1,200 points of the 16,500 points that I need to clear for my $825 FTP end of the year Iron Man Bonus.

Holdem Manager

I was messing around with Holdem Manager last night while watching OSU get stomped by another SEC team. It is awesome and has so, so, so much more information that Pokertracker and PAHUD. I'm going to try to write a review of it sometime this week.


Blogger Skill Series

I'll probably try to play the Blogger Skill Series tourney and maybe the Cardrunners MTT league tonight even though I am pretty run down.

Tonight's Blogger Skill Series game is Deep Stack PL Omaha Hi with Knockouts ($12+$1).

The Cardrunners MTT League tourney tonight is also PL Omaha Hi ($5+$0.50).

EDIT: I decided to make it a trifecta and registered for the 9:15 PM FTP $26 PL Omaha MTT also.

I am really bad at Omaha, so I'm sure to piss some people off with ridiculous calls and suckouts. Hopefully, someone will go off on me like Devilfish did on Burt Buton (sp?). I'll report back on horribly I played tomorrow.

This should be a good way to blow off some steam after a stretch of non-stop work.

Wow, they almost fell apart, but a win is a win especially in the playoffs!!!

Go Jags!!!

It looks like FTOPS VII is starting at the beginning of Feb. I might try to satellite into a few of them once the satellites start - depending on what type of sats they offer.

Based on start times and games, the ones that look most interesting to me are below (not sure how many I will play):

FTOPS #1 $200 NL Holdem (Wed night - so not sure if I can play)

FTOPS #10 $1k 6 max NL Holdem (Mon night - if I can satellite in, I'll stay up)

FTOPS #14 $322 Razz (It's on Valentine's Day, so it's out - would love to play it though)

FTOPS #17 $2,620 NL Holdem 2 Day Event (The satellites to this one were so weak last time. If they have some good sats, I will probably try to satellite into it. Would definitely be fun to play.)

FTOPS #20 $525 NL Holdem Main Event (I've done OK in the FTOPS Main Events in the past. Playing in this one will depend on our family schedule that day/weekend.)

FTOPS VII Schedule Link

I think this hand is a good example of maximizing value with AA by flat calling after raising instead of 4 betting preflop. I often get way too caught up in 4 betting preflop with AA in 6 max cash games. If I 4 bet here, he is folding most of the time. By flat calling, I have a better chance of stacking him which significantly out weighs the chance of him of hitting his set.


Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: cmitch ($345.30) -
Seat 2: ginTonikk ($264.55) -
Seat 3: TonyRomo88 ($278.95)
Seat 4: LOL_CHECKRAISE ($200)
Seat 5: StlrsFan88 ($350.05)
Seat 6: palerider23 ($330) -


PRE-FLOP:

cmitch posts small blind $1
ginTonikk posts BIG blind $2
Dealt To: cmitch


FOLD TonyRomo88
FOLD LOL_CHECKRAISE
CALL StlrsFan88 ($2)
FOLD palerider23
RAISE cmitch ($8)
RAISE ginTonikk ($28)
FOLD StlrsFan88
CALL cmitch ($20) - Cold Call - A lot of players would assume that I am really strong here because I flat called oop. My hope is that he has a big pair and will be willing to get it all in any time he flops and overpair.


FLOP:

Pot: $58


CHECK cmitch - Sometimes I lead out here, but he had an extremely have cont bet %
BET ginTonikk ($29)
RAISE cmitch ($72)
RAISE ginTonikk ($236.55) - Bingo
CALL cmitch ($164.55)


TURN:

Pot: $531.1




RIVER:

Pot: $531.1




SHOWDOWN:
ginTonikk:

cmitch:


cmitch collected $528.1 from main pot with a full house, Aces full of Nines

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $531 Rake: $3

Final Board:


Seat 1: cmitch small blind showed [As Ac] and won 528.10 with a full house, Aces full of Nines - Net Gain/Loss: ($263.55)
Seat 2: ginTonikk big blind showed [Tc Th] and lost with two pair, Tens and Nines - Net Gain/Loss: ($-264.55)

Seat 3: TonyRomo88 didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 4: LOL_CHECKRAISE didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)
Seat 5: StlrsFan88 folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2)
Seat 6: palerider23 button didnt bet folded - Net Gain/Loss: ($0)


Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Cash Game Goals (online)

Play 275,000 cash game hands in 2008 – I didn’t play as many hands I would have liked in 2007. I need to focus on playing more cash games. In October, I played 50k hands, but most other months I averaged between 12k-18k hands a month. I need to shoot for at least 20k-25k hands/month. (Should be relatively easy if I focus.) I'll track number of hands played each month.

Average 5ptbb/100 – I need to look up all my stats from my old computer, but if I remember correctly I averaged only around 3.0-3.25ptbb/100 across all levels. I’m very disappointed and hope to bring that up to 5ptbb/100 or more.

Review hands daily – Either each night after I am done playing or the next day before playing.

Better Table Selection/Maintain a fish list – I usually just register for the open tables with the highest Avg pot and VP$P and sit at the first ones that become available. This should go hand in hand with reviewing my hands – I’ll note any horrible players and search out their tables before just randomly signing up for tables.

Watch at least 3 videos/week – (and really watch them) I don’t always agree with everything in the Cardrunners, StoxPoker, or PokerXFactor videos, but I usually gain some insight by watching them. Sometimes, it is just repetition to get my mind back or track. Other times, it is awesome to see different thought processes from players that play similar styles to mine or, even better, the styles of the players that I am playing against. That is why I love it so much when one of the sites adds a pro or has a guest pro video. I can’t wait to watch a new person’s thought process. Right now, I have probably 15 videos downloaded to my computer from the different sites that I haven’t watched – definitely need to watch more.

MTT Goals (online)

Break my largest online cash ($29k) – Maybe this one should fall into the lofty goals category because I probably won’t be playing that many tourneys.

Play at least 6 mtts/week – I need an occasional break from the cash games. MTTs are great for variety and the variety should help keep things from getting stale while improving my MTT game.

Satellite into some of the WSOP Prelim Events – I spent too much time/bankroll on trying to qualify for the WSOP Main Event last year. I may just play some of the prelim events, either by pulling the cash out of my bankroll and directly buying in or trying to satellite in through the FTP Bracelet race tourneys. (More on this in the Live Poker Goals below.)

Satellite into the WSOP Main Event – As I said above, last year I spent way too much time/bankroll trying to qualify for the WSOP ME. I want to play it, but debated whether or not to make it a goal. I will definitely try to qualify for the WSOP ME, but will put less effort into it this year. I’m going to take a “If it happens, it happens” attitude and probably head to the WSOP for some prelim events.

Live Poker Goals

Play 3-5 Medium to Large ($1,500+) Live Tourneys (Prelim/Main Events) – As I mentioned above, I may shoot for playing some smaller buy-in live tourneys instead of just the WSOP Main Event. I’m considering heading to Foxwoods for the Foxwoods Poker Classic for some of the mid-size events at the end of March/beginning of April. I’ll also probably plan a trip to the Las Vegas during the early WSOP events and maybe head back for the Main Event if I win my way in or do well in the early events.

Cash in a WSOP Event

Cash in a Foxwoods Poker Classic Event (if I go)

Final Table Medium-Large Buy-in Tourney

Win a Medium-Large Buy-in Tourney

I'm going to review my online (cash and mtts) goals monthly and will review my live goals as they happen.

Happy New Year to everyone and Good Luck in 2008.

FTP $30r - 12 players left. I'm a shorty.

EDIT: I busted out 9th.

This one if for Fuel.

I'm ahead.

I'm way ahead.

I'm way behind.

Weeeeeeee - DQB!!!!


Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners

Seat 1: NYpokerguy ($19,970)
Seat 2: gillou8383 ($37,217)
Seat 3: riverratrwa ($59,169)
Seat 4: Bond18 ($34,938) -
Seat 5: Globalnep ($146,964) -
Seat 7: cmitch ($15,846) -
Seat 8: Annette_15 ($69,104)


PRE-FLOP:

Globalnep posts small blind $1000
cmitch posts BIG blind $2000
Dealt To: cmitch


ANTE NYpokerguy ($250)
ANTE gillou8383 ($250)
ANTE riverratrwa ($250)
ANTE Bond18 ($250)
ANTE Globalnep ($250)
ANTE cmitch ($250)
ANTE Annette_15 ($250)
FOLD Annette_15
FOLD NYpokerguy
FOLD gillou8383
CALL riverratrwa ($2000)
FOLD Bond18
CALL Globalnep ($1000)
RAISE cmitch ($15596)
CALL riverratrwa ($13596)
FOLD Globalnep


FLOP:

Pot: $34942




TURN:

Pot: $34942




RIVER:

Pot: $34942




SHOWDOWN:
cmitch:

riverratrwa:


cmitch collected $34942 from main pot with four of a kind, Fives

SUMMARY:
Total pot: $34 Rake: $0

Final Board:


Seat 1: NYpokerguy folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-250)
Seat 2: gillou8383 folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-250)
Seat 3: riverratrwa showed [As Jh] and lost with a full house, Jacks full of Aces - Net Gain/Loss: ($-15846)

Seat 4: Bond18 button folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-250)
Seat 5: Globalnep small blind folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-2250)
Seat 7: cmitch big blind showed [5h 5c] and won 34,942 with four of a kind, Fives - Net Gain/Loss: ($19096)
Seat 8: Annette_15 folded before the Flop - Net Gain/Loss: ($-250)


Free hand converter brought to you by CardRunners