Inside Poker Software with Jon Van Fleet (apestyles): Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of our sit-down interview with Jon Van Fleet, who is better known in the online poker world as apestyles. This time out, we'll talk about his HUD, among other topics.

PokerSoftware: As a respected author and poker coach, do you advise that beginning players use a HUD?

Apesstyles: I can't imagine not using one. In my opinion, the more information, the better.  However, I do know some very good pros who do not use them.  I don't fully understand their rationale, but there are a few arguments against them.  For instance, in tournaments, people play differently in each blind level and stage of the tournament.  Also, it is easy to make incorrect decisions based on a small sample size.

I know one player who said his results got better once he stopped using a HUD.  I just think he was using his HUD wrong or was overwhelmed by the additional information on the screen.  However, when it comes down to it, I think anyone who is serious about winning at poker should use a HUD.  I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want the additional information you receive from it to aid in your decisions unless you are one-tabling and paying very close attention to game flow.

PokerSoftware: How do you ethically feel about sites like Official Poker Rankings, Sharkscope, and HighStakesDB that track how players are doing?

Apestyles: Since you used the word ethically, I'm going to say I strongly disagree with their existence.  They are bad for the game for a number of reasons.  First, it isn't anyone's business if you're winning or losing, in my opinion.  Second, losing players don't need a reminder of just how much they are losing, especially because idiots tend to bring it up in the chatbox.

Now that PokerStars, rightfully, forced them to be on an opt-in system (other than HighStakesDB), I think they are fine.  I miss being able to look up people's profit data and being able to more accurately game select, but I do not miss seeing people beak at losing players about how much they're losing.  For HighStakesDB, I think I feel the same way.  However, I'm definitely guilty of sweating the ups and downs of high-stakes cash game players and use all of the information that I can.

Although ethically I would prefer that these programs not exist, in reality if they do exist and are allowed under the Terms of Service of the poker sites I am playing on, I am wise to use them to my advantage even if I feel they are bad for the game.  In the past, I think Sharkscope was a highly beneficial tool for me because I game selected high-stakes sit and gos.  Now that most people are locked or haven't opted in, it is lowering my bottom line.  That being said, I think it is the right decision for the longevity of the game.

Thank you apestyles for sharing your thoughts on poker software.  For anyone seeking coaching, you can PM apestyles on PocketFives.  Also, you can get into the mind of apestyle’s strategy through his popular book, "Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time: Volume III," available at Amazon.com, Dimat Publishing, Kindle, and Apple iBookstore.  The Poker Coach Pro iPad app contains hands discussed in this book and is available in the iTunes Store.

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