Poker Software Revealed with New Jersey Player Redhotmomma

Women are becoming increasingly active in online poker.  We sat down with New Jersey's Maureen "Redhotmomma" Ludwig to learn about her background and get a female perspective on poker-related software.  Redhotmomma is currently ranked 20th in the state of New Jersey according to PocketFives.
 
PokerSoftware:  Tell us when you first got into poker and when you started taking it seriously.
 
Redhotmomma:  I first got into poker back in the old pre-Black Friday days of PartyPoker.  We had a team that we backed on there and I was one of the main winning players out of about 30 people.  So, I have a lot of experience multi-tabling.  I qualified for the PartyPoker Million with a $22 investment.  I think it was a $10,000 buy-in with a cruise.

I then stopped playing for a few years because of the legal issues in the US before starting again last December when regulated poker came to New Jersey.  In the beginning, I began playing poker online recreationally.  In September, I decided to take things more serious and started to grind five days a week.

It is very tough juggling three kids, the dog, the home, and being up to take them to school after playing until 1am or 2am.  Also, the house is a little messier.

To help me take things more seriously, I consulted with poker coach Mike "Gags30" Gagliano, who has tweaked my game, and my mentor is Brian " Deuxexmachina" Willis, who "adopted" me.  Brian has shared hands with me on final tables, taught me how to bluff short-handed, and taught me that I can't always wait for cards at the final table.  Brian said he saw something in me that reminded him of himself, the nittiness with potential.

I bought PokerTracker 4 in late September to help me track my play and the play of my opponents.  When deciding whether or not to go back to work or not, I looked at my play and saw I was spending about $2,500 a week on tournaments and had a 64% return since I began taking things more seriously.  So, I am pretty happy right now and think I can still do a little better too.  Of course, I want to bring more women into the game as well.
 
PokerSoftware:  In addition to PokerTracker 4, what are some of the tools you use to help your game?
 
Redhotmomma:  I am on PocketFives six times a day.  Sometimes I think I am commenting too much and they will get sick of me.  I also use ThePokerDB to research my opponents on final tables or when I see odd behavior.  There is a correlation where bad or erratic play usually means a losing player that may call gutshots and draws with deep blinds or catch the 20-percenter over and over again.  I can look up that player and they are usually not that strong.

I know all the big names and try to emulate their first, second, and third percentages that I obtain from ThePokerDB.  The fields in New Jersey are so small, so I now feel I know everyone.  I know who's great and who's a beginner.
 
PokerSoftware:  Can you tell us how your HUD set up?
 
Redhotmomma:  I am using a standard tournament HUD that comes with PokerTracker 4, which includes stats for pre-flop raise percentage, VPIP, and aggression factor.
 
PokerSoftware:  How important is your HUD and PokerTracker 4 database to your game?  What adjustments would you need to make without it?
 
Redhotmomma:  I love to track my performance.  I think it's important because I am also able to see my own deficits and shortcomings and adapt.  Also, my HUD helps me find spots to easily exploit a player in position if he has a low VPIP.  As an example of how looking at my stats in my PokerTracker database, last night I only played 9 percent of my hands in the $10K Guaranteed.  I finished in 12th place and, when looking at these stats, I saw I needed to take more risk and not wait for the cards to come to me.
 
So, my PokerTracker database pushes me too.  It's valuable for seeing opponents' tendencies and is also an asset to becoming a better player.  The numbers don't lie.  In the past, I was making continuation bets every time I raised a pot pre-flop and after looking over my stats I have mixed it up a bit.  I didn't realize how predictable my behavior was until I started using PokerTracker.
 
PokerSoftware:  Is there anything you can think of to help to get more women playing online?
 
Redhotmomma:  There is a lot poker sites can do to get more women playing online. Poker sites need to offer more promotions to women and also offer bonuses to people who refer women to their sites.  The online poker sites also need to offer women's-only events with guarantees and satellites.  While I am fine playing with men in live and online events, many women are not.  Women's only events are a great way to introduce ladies to the game.
 
Also, although not online, the live women's events also need to have guarantees.  For example, I am probably not playing the Borgata Winter Open Women's Event since it doesn't have a guarantee.
 
Another thing online poker sites can do to attract more women is to have some online teaching software or instructors available suited toward women.  A woman should be able to call and get help while she learns online.
 
Lastly, sites should consider promoting Moms like me.  I am in my 40s and a stay-at-home mom.  I am proof you can be with your kids and also be a successful poker player from the luxury of home.  It is so convenient to play at home with no hotel or gas expenses.  You also don't have to spend time going back and forth to a live event.

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