Post-Game Poker Software Revealed with Josek

Recently, PokerSoftware sat down with Poland's Josek to talk about his use of poker software during his sessions. Now, we want to transition to post-game analysis.

PokerSoftware:  Let's talk about the post-game analytical tools you use.  How are you using PokerStove and in what situations?

Josek:  PokerStove and programs similar to it are a must for anyone who wants to treat this game seriously. It's not a program that will help you with your decisions as they come; it is most useful for post-game analysis. It is an essential part of getting better. Every now and then, I pick random tournaments I have played, look at every single spot in Universal Replayer, and if I have any doubt as to the correctness of a play or the superiority of one play over another, I try to analyze it thoroughly. I assign different ranges to opponents, and PokerStove is the easiest tool to help me see how I am doing with my holding.

By looking at a lot of situations, we very soon start spotting situations that are repeating themselves. After a while, when we play, we don't need the program anymore, as we just know what our equity is, just like with counting odds.

PokerSoftware:  How about ICM Nash Calculator?  What is it and when do you use it?

Josek:  Sometimes, PokerStove is not enough to analyze a certain spot because it's great at calculating chip EV, but takes nothing else into account. And, as every poker player knows, the fact that a situation will show positive chip expectation doesn't mean it will make you money in the long-run.

ICM helps evaluate how much gaining or losing chips is worth money-wise. In MTTs, ICM is not a big factor in the early or middle stages of a tournament, but as we get closer to the final table, it starts to become very important. At the final table, sometimes you will get spots with significant cEV that you will have to pass up because of the stack sizes and payouts. This is when the Nash Calculator becomes helpful. The software shows you what ranges would make for un-exploitable shoves and calls at the final table, taking into account the exact prize structure and the stack sizes at the table.

PokerSoftware:  Can you tell us how else you use Universal Replayer?

Josek:  I have used Universal Replayer for some time to record coaching videos. Some of them can even be found on YouTube, but unfortunately for most of your readers, they are in Polish and not in English.  The program is pretty simple.  It replays the hand histories we upload, so there aren't many ways we can use it, but it is very intuitive and even allows you to choose the skins of real poker rooms to make us feel cozier.

PokerSoftware:  Tell us what topics you covered in your coaching videos and what type of players they are geared toward.

Josek:  I'm a small- and mid-stakes player myself, so that was my typical audience. They are not aimed at someone at the beginning of their poker journey, though, as we were not going through the basics. If you have played poker for a while, want to go up in stakes, and also understand Polish, then these videos are for you.

PokerSoftware:  Let's talk about the social aspects of poker.  We know you are active on PocketFives.

Josek:  Whether you like it or not, poker is a social game, as you will play with hundreds of people per day online. Of course, you may just click buttons and not try to socialize at all, but you're missing out on a lot. It's fun talking to people, making friends, and staying socially active as opposed to spending your whole day staring at the cards. But, it will also profit you a lot as a player.

PokerSoftware:  You mentioned that you use Skype as a software tool.  Can you give us an example?

Josek:  That really goes with the previous post. Yes, you can stay active on forums, but that is like calling versus sending a paper mail. On Skype, you can have a group of players who you can discuss strategy with in real-time when something is still fresh, when you remember everything that came through your mind when you were making a decision. It would be hard to post a hand on a forum while playing 10 tables, but to paste it to your poker buddies on Skype takes 10 seconds.

Some discussions will take 10 minutes on Skype, while on a forum they would take two months. Plus, your poker buddies will tell you things very straightforwardly, whereas on a forum people may not want to offend you.

Thank you, Josek, for the interview.  Click here if you are interested in checking out some of Josek's poker coaching videos.

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