Winning without a HUD

I know about the free trials, however even afterwards I won't have the money to invest in a HUD just yet. Has any one successfully won tournaments or regular cash games in places that allow them.

How do you go about keeping reads on opponents without software?

Z_T said:

I know about the free trials, however even afterwards I won't have the money to invest in a HUD just yet. Has any one successfully won tournaments or regular cash games in places that allow them.

How do you go about keeping reads on opponents without software?

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I think I will experience that too in about 2-3 months. I think I would either move to 6 max and just keep an eye on my opponents (much more action there ) or just play like a nit and hope for the best (basically what I am doing now ). I mean nit= boring, play few hands but if those hands hit you benefit quite a bit. (just hope you don't run into AA or something like that )
Anyway, I can't think of anything else to do without a HUD

For starters, you shouldn't have to rely on HUD's to get a read on your opponent. Personally I think they should be banned anyways. Just watch the game and observer your opponents instead of being lazy and relying on a bunch of statistics.

Z_T said:

How do you go about keeping reads on opponents without software?

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Make notes on them so that you have a reference from session to session but for the most part if only playing a few tables 2-3 should be able to keep track of who is who during a session and quickly pick up on the type of players they are etc and the notes come in handy for when you run into the same players in different sessions.

Z_T said:

I know about the free trials, however even afterwards I won't have the money to invest in a HUD just yet. Has any one successfully won tournaments or regular cash games in places that allow them.

How do you go about keeping reads on opponents without software?

Click to expand...

I won CC tournament on FullTilt not long ago. And I won other tourneys when I didnt have helping software. So they are good, they can help a lot especially when you are multitabling, but that's all.
Live tournament players have no HUD anyway...

pretty difficult if you're a mass multi tabler, definitely can be done just make sure you're making notes and picking up on some of your opponents leaks and tendencies.

If you a cash gamer,then it would be a necessary tool for you.Especially if you are playing more than 1 table.

Z_T said:

I know about the free trials, however even afterwards I won't have the money to invest in a HUD just yet. Has any one successfully won tournaments or regular cash games in places that allow them.

How do you go about keeping reads on opponents without software?

Click to expand...

By making notes.
if no HUD, the numbers of tables to play is going to be limited.
think you could keep an eye on the player on your left, and anti-clock wise, till you have an total image of the whole table.
and try to write down notes for everyone you observed.

HUD do the same thing but automatically, you are going to do it manually.
and good luck.

PS: without HUD the numbers like VPIP would be count on the hands dealt and on the player who entered pot numbers, make an office excel and write it down.
if you need that number just do the quick maths by your self.

joe777 said:

If you a cash gamer,then it would be a necessary tool for you.Especially if you are playing more than 1 table.

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essential when play 6+ tables.
don't think human able to track so many players like 36+ players same time.

there are sites where you cant use a hud, everyone on same playing field lol. but if you can can 4-6 table and take notes you shouldnt really need one n e ways

In my opinion, if you want to improve your skill, then don't use software to support you, play only one table, then improve yourself, when you begin to earn money from this game, then you want to be a multiple table player, at that time, I think you can think about the software.

You can always revert back to the old ways of keeping notes on players at your table which every player has attached to there player icon.
It's not fool proof but without a HUD it's a lot better than nothing.
I am a tourney player and often don't see the same players very often at the same table, but when they do appear, I check the notes I have made on them and if or when neccessary update or add to the notes already there.

Of course it's possible to win without a HUD. There's nothing magical about a HUD that makes you a better or winning player in and of itself. Until you learn to use a HUD properly it can actually cost you.

HUDs are just tools that, if leveraged properly, can help automate what tends to be a tedious manual task (keeping notes/stats on players). You still have to interpret those stats and make good poker decisions. Far far more valuable than the HUD is the tracker, which is what will make you a better player when studied away from the table.

Where HUDs really shine is with multitabling, because you can't possible keep track of that many opponents coming and going across multiple tables when you have to act every second or two.

And it's pretty silly to suggest they should be banned. Virtually everyone who thinks that don't really understand HUDs and how they're used. The sites like Bovada that "don't like HUDs" (but don't ban them either) don't like them because they're a staple of winning players, and these sites are adamantly anti-winning-player. So they figure if they take steps to thwart HUDs, it will drive the serious players away while favoring the re-depositing, never-withdrawing recreational fish. I think that idea has kinda backfired on them though, because plenty of solid players still crush the fish there and withdraw without using a HUD. As I said, it's not really necessary especially if you're not massively multi-tabling (which you can't do at Bovada anyway, I think 8 is the max?). I just don't play there out of principal.

It will probably surprise some of you to know that most other sites/networks embrace trackers and HUDs and even fund their development. If a new poker site comes online and wants PT to support them, for instance, they approach PT and have to pay them to add support.

Ive never used a HUD to play online but I do want to try it. Does anyone know which HUDs are compatible with what sites? US sites obv

Z_T said:

I know about the free trials, however even afterwards I won't have the money to invest in a HUD just yet. Has any one successfully won tournaments or regular cash games in places that allow them.

How do you go about keeping reads on opponents without software?

Click to expand...

For NL10 and below on pokerstars, you do not really need HUD to help your to win profits.

Z_T said:

I know about the free trials, however even afterwards I won't have the money to invest in a HUD just yet.

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How many people have I seen over the years who think or at least hope they'll make big bucks from poker but who aren't willing (often stated as being unable) to reach into their wallets for the cost of tracking software, which is peanuts compared to how much they're aiming to win?

Yes, you can win without software. But it's penny-wise, pound foolish. If you're even semi-serious enough to play poker for years and to learn enough to win ate even the lowest levels, think of it as a tiny up-front investment that will repay itself many, many times over the course of your "career".

By taking notes.

You can assign color codes to any styles.

You can see "player notes" just by right clicking the opponent.

Good luck...

i have won tournaments and never used a hud. I barely downloaded HM2 and im actually liking what it shows. It really does help improve your game and i will say that it is something your gonna need. You can cash in tournaments. I will say it is hard if your gonna try cash. I wouldnt even bother with cash games, since the normal people who play cash already know how things work, they are just sitting waiting for you to put money basically. So if you want to try to win a tournament, just make sure you can afford it. make sure you got 10-20x buy in just in case. For me, i have never used a hud in a tournament, the way i play is by noting my opponents, how they play each street and what type of hands. You only need to note em enough for you to knock them out or to label them just in case you bump into them again in a game. You wont have a mathematical edge so it gets harder in later stages when blinds go up and antes go in, so you have to remember to keep strategizing and always be ready to switich things up. Your gonna get people pushing you all in because if they have a hud they will know you wont shove against a re raise all in or theyll know if you like to raise preflop alot . I learned by watching my opponents, and i keep on testing every opponent when i get the chance.

I've done quite well in tournaments without a hud, There are disadvantages and the best players will profit against you because of these advantages.
Like when you get to the last 50 of an mtt with 3,000, 4,000 runners or more
expect every weak spot to be exploited.
If they can see your weak when it comes to fighting back or you don't 3-bet enough.
Or likewise you bluff bad on the flop or your too honest, this wont be missed.

Personally I can't even use a hud I'm gonna invest like 2 weeks to master using a HUD at some point this year

I know couple of regular winning players which are not using HUD. So its quite possible. You need to focus, have a good memory, make notes.

But, if there is something giving you an extra edge, why not to use it? If you are serious about poker,I dont think some 50$ is so big investment.

And as mentioned by cotta777, its not just about HUD. Tracking software is esential for you to analyze history of you own play and detecting leaks.

I think if you play single table, then you don't need software,

sometimes, the software will let you make a bad decision.

If you play multiple table, then I think you can think about the HUD.