A heads up display, or HUD, is a tool used by online poker players to display statistics on other players at the table directly around their name. To the skilled professional this tool is indispensable. When professionals play poker online they often play several tables at a time. Many players will play 4-16 tables at once across several monitors. When you are playing this many tables and hands at a time it is virtually impossible to keep track of the playing style of every opponent at the table. The HUD can help you to keep track of who plays how by just glancing at their stats before you act. So how does it work?

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.

An opponent’s weaknesses can be exploited by watching them closely and learning their style. You can gain a massive advantage over your opponents with a HUD in conjunction with a data-mining software program. Without studying them in real time you can move from table to table and always know how your opponents play. The software does it all for you. Some players may fold the flop 60% of the time, but always check raise the turn. If this is seen on the player’s stats, when they call the flop, then you can often expect a check raise on the turn. This may be the time to save two bets and check behind with a mediocre hand. You would have to watch this player closely for thousands of hands to realize their standard play when they make a big hand, instead a HUD does the watching for you. You will pick up on some players easily when they raise 50% of the time before the flop but you’ll know what you’re playing with before the first hand is dealt with a HUD.

With a HUD your opponents’ hole cards will also be displayed after the hand is over if they go to shutdown. Often players will muck their cards to keep you from seeing them but the data will still be picked up by a HUD. This will help you value bet the river against players who will showdown weak hands by allowing you to know what a player will call a river bet with.

The heads up display should be used by anyone playing poker online. You should play like the pros and use them too.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker and receives Aced Rakeback from Rakeback Solution.

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