Article Index
Poker Edge Review | Poker Calculator
poker-edge part 2
poker-edge part 3
All Pages

Using the data and using the data well are two different things.  I was able to drill down on the various streets and see where I was leaking chips with too much aggression, too many all ins, too many bluffs, not enough aggression and not enough steals, not enough folds etc…  Find a player that you feel plays well and has successful winnings you can check at sites like OPR.  Then sent the filters to the game type and look that player up.  See what they do and compare to what you do.  You may find things you want to change.  Self analysis is a VERY big part of the software.  After all, what good is “playing the player” using the info to profile an opponent when you don’t really know yourself well and are making mistakes with leaks you don’t even know you have?

The first thing I do after setting my filters, is set my HUD stat boxes and icons where I want them.  The populate in standard places on the table but most sites you can move and shift them to suit your tastes.  Then I check the stat box in the hud for the players on my left and right to see what type they are. Then I scan the other players at the table and start making my own notes on the game site notes for each player.  I have a number of standard profiles I use.  You can check out more details on player profiling by clicking here. 

For example, on Full Tilt I use 4 colors to flag my opponents as tight, loose, winners, losers, etc…  Then as the game progresses I monitor what they do and how they play and make any note adjustments or change colors as needed.  This takes the first few rounds which is rock play for me anyway.  I will hover over their icons and see if they reraised preflop and what percent and if they DO reraise preflop, what percentage of the time have they won when they did. 

I look at how often they will bet the flop if they raised preflop AND what percent the time will they win as well as compare it to their turn aggression and flop aggression to see who might cBet and surrender.  When I have time I look up each player in PE main by clicking on their name in the lookup window.  Then look to see if they have any recent showdowns recorded and get a rough feel for their range and propensity.  For example if they had AA and were UTG and limped, min bet once, they probably would again. 

The Poker Edge program is this in depth and intense with tons of data on every street.  It takes quite a while to become proficient with it and get the most from it.  But there is a LOT to be gained from the instant it’s first used.  Usually you sit at a table and unless you have notes on the player or history of play with them in your own personal data base, you are completely in the dark on what you are up against until well into the game. 

With PE you instantly have some data on most of your opponents and a rudimentary knowledge if they are loose, tight, neutral, aggressive, passive, calling station, win or lose showdowns -  All in the first minute.  After that you can dig on each player as much as you want and can monitor and annotate each player with your own first hand knowledge from playing them in this game.  The program is awesome and has saved me thousands of dollars and won me countless of hands.  Someone has a history of playing a certain way and normally I may fold but knowing that is just how they play and not their cards I will play and win the hand if my read is right.

I love PE and avoid playing sites where I can’t use it because it doesn’t support that site.  But it is historical data.  I use PE in conjunction with Tournament Indicator for tourney play and Holdem Indicator for cash game play.  This way I have a summary of their current play right now in this game for a few key stats and can compare them to their historical stats in PE.  If there is a difference I watch to see why.  Are they on tilt, getting better, playing worse, etc…. 

 

I always adjust my game to the here and now, however, people are creatures of habit.  Except for a player improving or on tilt and steaming, usually the short term stats and long terms stats are relatively close if not dead on in some cases.  Sometimes it can be a short run of good or bad cards and good or bad luck.  Knowledge is power and data gives me knowledge which empowers me to play better and make plays, better lay downs and better reads on my opponents.  It helps me to become a better player overall.  Honestly, I can’t imagine playing online poker without these.  I highly recommend you give it a test drive and see for yourself.