What's in Your HUD with SDK1987

We are pleased to be interviewing a Dutch amateur poker player, SDK1987. He plays a combination of freerolls, micro-stakes tournaments, and Fifty50 sit and gos, primarily on PokerStars, and has built has bankroll without ever making a deposit. He took a little time to share his use of poker software. Since many people finding out about poker software are just building their bankrolls, how SDK1987 has approached the game with software should be a good model for everyone.

PokerSoftware: What HUD and tracking software do you use while playing online poker?

SDK1987: I have been using Holdem Manager 2 for about a year.

PokerSoftware: Can you share how your HUD is configured line by line?

SDK1987: Line 1: Name / Total # of Hands / Tourney M / # of Big Blinds

Line 2: TOT VPIP % / TOT PFR % / Post-Flop Aggression Factor / TOT 3Bet % / TOT Fold to 3Bet %

Line 3: TOT Steal % / TOT Fold to Steal % / Flop Cbet % / Flop Fold to CB % / Net $Won

PokerSoftware: Which stats do you find most useful on a regular basis?

SDK1987: I use TOT VPIP %, TOT PFR %, TOT 3Bet %, TOT Fold to 3Bet %, TOT Steal %, and TOT Fold to Steal % all quite regularly. They help me make close decisions when I know the tenancies of my opponents in the situations that come up often.

PokerSoftware: What type of sample size do you need on an opponent in order to start using the information from the HUD to your advantage?

SDK1987: For TOT VPIP % and TOT PFR %, I can make decisions with a relatively small sample size. Twenty hands or more usually gives me a general idea. For most of the other stats, I feel I need at least 100 hands to make good decisions versus an opponent.

PokerSoftware: Do you use any of the pop-ups for additional stats?

SDK1987: I use the normal programmed pop-ups for additional stats. I use them when I have a difficult decision like making a call or fold pre-flop when opponent pushed all-in.

PokerSoftware: Do you use HM2 for study purposes?

SDK1987: I use HM2 to improve my game when not playing by studying my various statistics. I also use the software to find hands to post for discussion on evaluation boards such as PokerStrategy. I also enjoy using the graphs to see how my profits or losses are in a long or short period of time in a clear and easy way.

PokerSoftware: What do you think of the pricing of HM2? Do you think it is good value for the money and would you prefer a monthly fee versus a one-time fixed fee?

SDK1987: I think the pricing of the software is fair. It is now $99 for a Pro version of the software. So, you can easily win it back if you use HM2 the right way. The only problem is that you need to use a credit card to pay and most Dutch consumers like me do not have a credit card. I prefer a one-time fixed fee because if you use the software for a long period of time, it is probably a lot cheaper than a monthly fee.

PokerSoftware: Which tournament tracking sites do you use and how do you use them?

SDK1987: I sometimes check the results of other people on Poker Pro Labs and Sharkscope. Most of the time, though, it is only for fun of when one of my online buddies had a nice win in an MTT.

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