With the US online poker market being shut into silence since Black Friday, the Heads Up Displays (HUDs) of PokerTracker and Hold’em Manager have been shut down all over the country. The online grinders have either moved to different countries or have moved out of their smelly bedrooms and into the live poker arena. Unfortunately, players cannot take their HUDs with them into the casino but they can use Pokerstove.
Pokerstove is a free tool that is used to calculate odds and probability. The software first came to prominence through poker training sites where coaches used it to explain thought processes behind hand ranges, etc al. Most casinos do not allow hand held devices to be used at the table, so using Pokerstove in real time will be difficult, but it can still be used post-event.
Reviewing your game is just as important as playing. Therefore it is important to create records when you play and pump them into Pokerstove when you get home. The worlds top live tournament earner Erik Seidel will tell you that his biggest tip in poker is to be more observational at the table. So take his advice and make diligent notes either mentally or on paper. You can even step away from the table to use a Dictaphone or iphone note system.
Pokerstove is a beautiful and simplistic piece of software that will really help you understand hand ranges in detail. But best of all the software is completely free of charge!
This article was written by Alex, a keen gaming blogger. In the evenings, you'll usually find her checking out an online casino, but she hasn't ended up with the jackpot yet!
