When playing poker online, a heads-up display (HUD) can be an invaluable tool when it comes to sizing up your opponents.
Paying attention to the behaviors, tendencies and lines taken by the players at your table is of course something everyone should do, but it can be tougher when playing online. Real world distractions, the high churn rate of players at the tables, and playing multiple games at once mean it’s not always so easy to keep track of who’s doing what.
But the fact you’re using software to play means it’s also easier to keep track if you have the right tools to hand. A HUD will automatically monitor the behavior of your opponents and boil it down into a few key metrics, which you can use to get a handle on their play styles.
HUDs have traditionally been available as third-party add-ons, such as PokerTracker or Hold’em Manager, but online operator 888poker is making them available to players for free, with a new built-in HUD for all players to use.
While other sites have made certain basic data points available - such as GGPoker’s VPIP score, visible under player avatars - this is the first time 888poker has introduced an element like this for all players across the board.
What information is available?
At any cash or tournament table at 888poker you can hover over an opponent’s avatar - or your own - to see an instant breakdown of several key statistics. These include:
VPIP (voluntarily put in pot)
This shows the percentage of pots a player will opt to play, excluding where they only post a blind. Generally, the higher the number, the looser the player and the wider the range they will usually be comfortable playing. See here for an explanation of VPIP.
PFR (preflop raise)
This reveals the percentage of pots the player has raised preflop, and so is a useful measure of aggression levels, as well as how wide a range they will generally open.
3-bet
This metric tracks the percentage of pots where the player has 3-bet a preflop open, again helping to determine how loose a player they are and how much strength you might assume they have when they raise your preflop raises.
In the video above 888poker ambassador Ian Simpson explores how these data points can influence your decision-making for the better.
Additional information available in the 888poker HUD includes where the player is from, their overall tournament winnings, and how many hands the data you can see is based upon (the larger the sample size, the more reliable the data). You’ll only be able to view data from the hands you have witnessed yourself while sharing a table with other players.
Leveling the playing field
Most players who are serious about winning online will use a HUD, as well as player notes, to help them better understand the tendencies of their individual opponents in order to make better, more well-informed decisions.
Now 888poker is putting that information within reach of all its players, it will be interesting to see if more recreational players grow their understanding of poker strategy and how these data points can help.
Dedicated poker HUD software can provide more detailed information - for example breaking down more post-flop behavior - for greater depth and clarity, but this ‘entry-level’ style HUD seems like a fine balance. And the fact that you need to hover over a player to see it means the new feature shouldn’t disrupt the experience for those who are not seeking it out.
