A tool is available for professional poker players that will display statistics on other players at the table, this program is called the heads up display or HUD. Professional poker players are able to play several games at different tables at once using several monitors. Sometimes the professional poker players will play anywhere from 4-16 tables at once which makes it nearly impossible to keep track of the opponents’ playing styles. Using a HUD it is possible to know who plays how with just a glance at their stats. I’m sure you are wondering how it works.

On your hard drive is stored the histories of every hand you play online. They are then imported into a tracking software and stored into a database. This database is then read by HUDs along with the current hand histories for live tables. The stats are displayed directly on the table which then enables poker players to make a quick decision based on the playing styles of their opponents. Now let’s see how beneficial it is in actual play.

We all know that watching how our opponents play closely will help us exploit their weaknesses. When you use a HUD in conjunction with a datamining software program you can get a huge advantage over your opponents. You can move from table to table and always know exactly how your opponents play without spending too much time studying them in real time. Your software will do it for you. Some players fold the flop 60% of the time but constantly check raise the turn. If you see this on a players stats, and they call the flop, you can often expect a checkraise on the turn. This may be a good time to check behind with a mediocre hand and save two bets. Without a HUD you would have to watch this player closely for thousands of hands to realize that this is their standard play when they make a big hand. Other players will try to run over any table they sit down at and raise 50% of the time before the flop. You will probably pick up on this after a few orbits even if you’re playing 8 table or more, but with a HUD you’ll know what you’re dealing with before the first hand is even dealt.

You will also be able to see your opponent’s hole cards after the hand is over if they go to shutdown. This is another useful tool a HUD offers. Even if the players muck their cards so you can’t see them your HUD will still pick up the data. Knowing what a player will call a river bet with is helpful because it helps you value bet the river against players who showdown weak hands.

Anyone playing poker online should be using a heads up display. The professionals are using them, shouldn’t you?

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online, receives rakeback, and participates in the monthly Races and Rolls Freerolls offered at Rakeback Solution.