How do you interpret VPIP Stats?

Hi everyone,

I'm fairly new to both CC and online poker, and I just downloaded HEM and would like to get some help on HUD stats.

I've searched the forums here for how to interpret the VPIP stat, and I really didn't come up with anything specifically on this.

I am looking for how you interpret the VPIP value and correlate it to playing styles or characteristics of your opponents. Also, I'd like your thoughts on what other HUD stats you use in conjunction with VPIP that help you figure this out.

For the most part I play MTTs and 9 or 90 SNGs with buyins under $3.

Thanks in advance!

the higher the number the looser he is and vice versa. However, you need to use that number in correlation with other stats to acurately evaluate a player unless he has like an obscenely high vpip.

For example, if a player has a Vpip of 60 and a preflop raise perctange of 2, you can tell yourself that he is basically a donkey and limps almost every hand or flat calls almost every raise. If a player has like an 18 vpip and a 15 preflop raise percentage, since those numbers are very similar you can tell yourself that he is a fairly solid player and rarely limps in and only opens the pot with a raise although he will flat call a raise from time to time. A player like that is selective yet aggressive with the holdings he decides to play. a player that runs 50/50 is loose with the holding he plays but playes them aggressively.

Really generally speaking, for full (9 person) tables...

- 0-10% = nit
- 10-20% = tight
- 20-30% = standard/slightly loose
- 30-40% = loose
- >40% = bad at poker

Obviously a bit of common sense is needed here - 11% VPIP is still pretty nitty and there are TAGs with 21% VPIP, for example, but splitting it up any more would give me a headache. The above is just meant as a rough guideline.

Be wary of shorthanded hands skewing stats (especially at 1-table SNGs where you might have logged a lot of HU hands with a player), and bear in mind that a decent sample size of hands is needed to make concrete judgments (someone could have 100% VPIP over 5 hands but could feasibly have been dealt AA/AK/etc in those hands, for example).

The above are also really general observations. To get the most out of HEM, you need to learn to use the VPIP stat in conjunction with other stats like PFR% and AF (for example someone with 35% VPIP and 0% PFR over a decent sample is a loose-passive and is bad at poker).

Thanks for the replies Chiefer and DM.

I know that when playing MTT's it's hard to get a large sample size given that you are moved so frequently. What VPIP sample size do think starts to give a fairly good representation of playing style (I think this is called convergence)?

You can start to place some reliance on it once you have 20+ hands on a player, but 50+ is better.

Yes, I would say 50 hands is a very good place. Nobody goes on 50 hand heaters and if he is still at a very high VPIP, by then you can tell he's pretty much an idiot.

Play a few STT's and you will get a good gauge on how to use VPIP. the players don't go anywhere but out.

Read the HEM Articles several times.

After that read "Winning in though Hold 'em games" by Nick "Stoxtrader" Grudzien and Geoff "Zobags" Herzog from http://www.stoxpoker.com/

I think you will have a better idea of what you are asking.

Similarly, If your opponent is stealing a bunch, you need to reinterpret his VPIP in light of that. His effective opening range is tighter than the VPIP evaluated in isolation would suggest.