Using A Heads Up Display To Play Online Poker

A tool is available for professional poker players that will display statistics on other players at the table, this program is called the heads up display or HUD. Professional poker players are able to play several games at different tables at once using several monitors. Sometimes the professional poker players will play anywhere from 4-16 tables at once which makes it nearly impossible to keep track of the opponents’ playing styles. Using a HUD it is possible to know who plays how with just a glance at their stats. I’m sure you are wondering how it works.

On your hard drive is stored the histories of every hand you play online. They are then imported into a tracking software and stored into a database. This database is then read by HUDs along with the current hand histories for live tables. The stats are displayed directly on the table which then enables poker players to make a quick decision based on the playing styles of their opponents. Now let’s see how beneficial it is in actual play.

An opponent’s weaknesses can be exploited by watching them closely and learning their style. You can gain a massive advantage over your opponents with a HUD in conjunction with a data-mining software program. Without studying them in real time you can move from table to table and always know how your opponents play. The software does it all for you. Some players may fold the flop 60% of the time, but always check raise the turn. If this is seen on the player’s stats, when they call the flop, then you can often expect a check raise on the turn. This may be the time to save two bets and check behind with a mediocre hand. You would have to watch this player closely for thousands of hands to realize their standard play when they make a big hand, instead a HUD does the watching for you. You will pick up on some players easily when they raise 50% of the time before the flop but you’ll know what you’re playing with before the first hand is dealt with a HUD.

With a HUD your opponents’ hole cards will also be displayed after the hand is over if they go to shutdown. Often players will muck their cards to keep you from seeing them but the data will still be picked up by a HUD. This will help you value bet the river against players who will showdown weak hands by allowing you to know what a player will call a river bet with.

Anyone playing poker online should be using a heads up display. The professionals are using them, shouldn’t you?

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker and receives Carbon Poker Rakeback and Cake Poker Rakeback.