Longtime Online Player Looking for Software advice...Please help...

[csd]

I am a long time online player who has just been too lazy/stupid to delve into the software aids that are available to the online poker player....
Pardon my ignorance but I think PokerTracker & PokerOffice are a couple of the names of these types of software....

I have done well for several years using absolutely no aid whatsover on Party, Stars, Paradise, UB, Royal Vegas, Pacific, blah blah blah.....

Now I pretty much play FTP only.
Call it fear of doomswitch (Stupid I know) but I am just about done with Stars because I simply just don't win hands there anymore....Several thousand dollars deposit or transfered into my Stars account and I simply can't make a hand hold up there anymore whether it be a cash game or tournament....

Nonetheless other than the occasional multi-tourney I might be inclined to play at Stars I will be playing exclusively at Tilt. Although on a side note their customer service is a joke IMO...Sometimes 4-5 days to get an email responded to and I am also an affiliate and don't get me started there....Absolutely horrid customer service for my affiliate account.

I digress.....
So taking into account the fact that I will be playing 99% of the time at FTP (1/2 NL, 2/4 NL w & wo cap and MTT's) what online poker software advantages would be best suited for me???

I have seen some screen shots of some software that "overlays" onto the online tables itself but I don't understand what all the abbreviations stand for.

Also I have read a lot of posts regarding "data mining"....
In fact someone at a 2/4 NL with a cap game on Tilt the other day was on total tilt and went through about 2k in a few hours and some guys started talking about putting him on their auto-find list....whatever that means????

In a nutshell my questions for anyone kind enough to take the time to help me are these???

1) What software would you suggest for me???
2) Is it really that beneficial to your online game???
3) Is the datamining software productive? If so how?
4) If you multitable does the overlay stats work on all tables, even if you only have 1 program of the software?

5) Is it pretty much either Poker Office or Poker Tracker?
6) Considering that I am pretty ignorant on software/computer issues what else am I missing that might be beneficial to increasing my profit potential???

Thanks in advance,,,

Chad

[DLKeeper1]

you might find a better answer in the software forum

[fozzy71]

You should of really asked this in the "software forum" here.

PokerTracker (PT) would be my suggestion - its a must have. Pokertracker.com u can get a free version that will import 1000 hand histories - make sure you save your FTP hand histories. 50$ but well worth it. You will want to find some user tutorials, etc.

There is a great free HUD (stats overlay)for FTP in the software forum by MikeChops. You dont even need PT to start using it, I think. The stats overlay on all the tables. The stats come from PT, and you will have to educate yourself a bit as to what they all mean, and how to interpret them.



PT is what is used for dataming, with possible additional programs for opening and closing tables.

They are all invaluable to an online player that multi-tables. You can find leaks and they help to get reads on your competitors.

I make some sweet table and card mod's for the graphics on FTP. There is a huge thread in the software forum. Makes multi-tabling much easier.

[Jzo19]

1.ftto (full tilt table opener) , pokertracker , RT HUD or PA HUD, sixth sense (you can find all these programs in the software forum , some are free some are not )

2.yes ,

3.i can datamine games and choose which games i want to play it depending on which tables are the softest , also in online poker there alot of players , which means alot of unknown players are constantly sitting in and out of the tables , with datamining software it doesnt take me half an hour b4 i figure a players playing style

4.huh, dont get the question

5.pokertracker FTW

6.pokerstove is another great tool ,it is used for calculating odds and equity for hands www.pokerstove.com

[Bobo Fett]

[ QUOTE ]
1) What software would you suggest for me???
2) Is it really that beneficial to your online game???
3) Is the datamining software productive? If so how?
4) If you multitable does the overlay stats work on all tables, even if you only have 1 program of the software?

5) Is it pretty much either Poker Office or Poker Tracker?
6) Considering that I am pretty ignorant on software/computer issues what else am I missing that might be beneficial to increasing my profit potential???

Thanks in advance,,,

Chad

[/ QUOTE ]
1) Poker Tracker and PokerAce HUD.

2) Yes.

3) Datamining varies from site to site. I don't do it, so I'm no expert, but here's what I know. Datamining is just collecting the same hand history you do when you play, but at tables where you're just observing. At some sites you can do this by simply opening the tables in question, and Poker Tracker will collect this information. I'm not positive, but I think FT might be one of those sites. Many sites don't allow you to collect hand histories for hands you're not in - you can get around this at some sites with additional software, I believe...at some sites this is not possible. Also, some sites (like Poker Stars) strictly prohibit datamining in their T & C's. The benefit is simply to get more data - to have better reads on players and/or to have more hands to study...although I think most people are using it for the former.

4) Yes.

5) I believe so...PT being the favorite with most 2+2ers.

6) Use your PT data not only to get reads on other players, which seems to be the focus of your post, but also to review your own play afterwards. Analyze your play for weaknses, post hands on the strategy forums.