Types of Poker Software

Intro

Some types of poker software are not allowed by poker sites. If you are planning on using poker software, then you should either contact the site directly (or better) post online and see what others' experiences are with using the software. If you are using a kind of software that is prohibited by a site, then your account may be banned. Given that there are few highly-liquid poker sites to play at now-a-days, you certainly don't want this top happen.

Some poker software incorporates multiple types of software in one application. Here is a breakdown of the different types of poker software:

(Probably) Allowed Software

  • Poker Trackers

    Poker trackers parse the hand histories that poker players download at the end of their playing session. The software accumulates all of these hand histories and stores the statistics into a file on your computer. Poker tracking software allows the user to run reports in order to monitor various statistics about the player, such as: profit & loss, hands played, and time played. The software calculates statistics for each session, cumulative, and averages. It may present the information in graphical form for easier analysis. The software can be utilized to find holes in your game by looking at statistics broken down by position, or a specific starting hand or final hand. This software may come with a hand replayer, which enables the user to replay any specific hand.

    Most of the poker tracking software is fairly sophisticated so it won't be free. Since poker tracking software doesn't allow you to see hole cards or automate decision-making, it is generally allowed on most online poker sites.

  • Odds calculators

    Odds calculators automatically calculate the odds for a given hand, using the information about your own cards as well as other players' that is available. Odds calculators can be good for people who are really bad at math and need a crutch. They can also be good for beginners who are still learning how to calculate odds on-the-fly. To become a skilled poker player you will need to develop the ability to assess the odds of a hand, even if you can't calculate them exactly.

    Odds calculators can be broken down into two separate types - "offline" and "live". Live calculators connect to the online poker site and calculate the odds of the hand that you are playing in real-time. This kind of odds calculator is usually not allowed by the site. Offline odds calculators require you to manually enter the information from a hand.

  • HUD

    A HUD ("Heads-Up Display") allows you to display information about your hand that you are playing directly onto the poker table. It can display your personal statistics from poker tracking software or display the odds of the hand. A HUD is sometimes built into other poker software, such as odds calculators or poker tracking software.

  • Buddy Lists

    Buddy list software will allow you to keep a list of bad players that you want to play against. The software will tell you which table they are playing at, and may even alert you when they log on. With buddy list software you will be making manual notes for each player. Buddy lists are some of the least sophisticated software, and some of the poker sites themselves allow you to make notes on players.

  • Poker Journals

    A poker journal is used to record your poker sessions, but is used more to keep track of non-quantitative factors. For example, you may want to write down which hands you played wrong, or talk about how you psychologically handled the sessions. Many professional poker players write about their sessions. Some of them take short notes. Some of them write longer blog entries. Since you don't actually need software to do this, poker journal software tends to not be that popular.

  • Tournament Software

    Tournament software is software that gives you statistics and advice based specifically about tournament play. This usually has to do with monitoring your stack size and the average stack size to advise you on how aggressively to play. The software can help you with both Sit-N-Gos (SNG) and multi-table tournaments (MTT).

  • Poker Training Software

    Poker training software has become more popular over the past couple of years as some of the non-famous poker professionals have branched out into the poker education market. Poker training software can help you develop your overall poker skills and is not geared towards people looking to help with specific or mathematical aspects of their game. Poker training software is usually complemented with poker training videos and discussion.

(Possibly) Dis-allowed Software

  • Table Selectors

    Any poker pro knows that table selection is one of the keys to being a winning poker player. Table selection software automatically scans current tables (according to a user-selected limit and game type) . The software uses popular table statistics as indicators (such as "Flop %") of how profitable the table will be. Some table selection software will hook into your poker tracking software and calculate the profitability of the table based on the specific players at the table. Poker table selection software is disallowed by some of the major poker sites.

  • Data Mining

    Poker data mining software collect large quantities of hand histories that can be used by poker tracking software to allow a player to create a database of data about all the players at a particular poker site. The data is analyzed (and can be displayed using a HUD) and is used to become a more profitable player.

(Definitely) Dis-allowed Software

  • Poker bots

    A poker bot is a piece of software that it programmed to automatically play without any kind of human work. All online poker rooms normally prohibit their use. Although many poker conspiracy theorists love to point out that every site uses bots, poker bots are not considered to be common.

  • Card scanners

    A card scanner is software that allows you to see other players' cards. This kind of software is considered more of an urban myth. There has been no specific program (to my knowledge) that has ever been shown to successfully see other people's cards. There have been programs that have been sold to poker players which have claimed to be able to see other players' cards. These ads are scams in order to trick people into playing them money. One such purported software was "Spyonpoker". If someone truly had software which allowed them to view other players' cards, they would be able to make millions of dollars by using it to play poker, and would never sell it for $50.

COMMENTS:

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I find pokerspyware.net to be the real thing and the rest knock offs.

Kelly on March 10, 2006

I agree with pokerstud in August reply on the diferent sites that try to get you to pay for download of spyware. They cheat you out of our money . Do,nt work -do,nt buy it.

Gen.Hippie on December 15, 2005

They are all rip offs. If u try to contact them before u purchase u will notice that the email addresses do not exist and there is no phone number or mailing address, which is a dead give away that they are just trying to scam u out of some money.

Poker_Stud05 on August 14, 2005

I'm glad to hear opinions that Spyonpoker doesn't work.How about Viewcards.net? And I've seen another similar program promoted. I have seen an occasional comment saying they do work, but those could be from someone connected to the distributor. What I haven't seen is someone who has actually tried the programs and proven they don't work. I don't want them to work, but am concerned about being at a disadvantage if they do. I asked PartyPoker.com about their security against such programs and did NOT get any assurance from them.Has anyone actually proven that they cannot be used against honest players?

rmisteree on August 6, 2005

Spyonpoker can not possibly work, cause if its work ,they will not sell this program, but they will play himself to be rich lol

if spyonpoker program really work, plss someone send me the program !i will pay $500 after i try it into the real money n win some money lol

jeffry_yan on July 30, 2005

Spyonpoker can not possibly work. I did a detailed analysis of the datastream during a poker game at Party Poker. The opponents cards are not even sent in the stream. Therefore this application would need to have query access to the database that tracks the hand histories.Something even a first year computer guy could prevent. I agree that cheaters are the ones who get cheated so screw em!.

Slainte on July 22, 2005

spyonpoker, why would the poker site allow access to other players cards before the end of the hand?

bytesighsltd on July 18, 2005

I agree with AndyP_911 about spyatpoker being a rip off, but anyone who tries to buy software that claims to help you cheat by seeing the hole cards of others deserves to get cheated himself.

ddd on July 15, 2005

just tried to contact spyatpoker.com and found out the contact address they have IS FAKE!!! The whole thing sounded shaddy from the start, they are selling a software that claims to allow you to see your opponents hands. The site dosen't give any details about the software, or how it works, there testomonials sound fake and very generalized. Also if a software like this really existed....why don't they offer a free trial version like some of the other softwares offer? Spread the word to others....i hope this saves everyone some $

AndyP_911 on May 2, 2005

I saw an Ad on a chat box for SpyonPoker.com. Does anyone know anything about this software? They claim that you can view other players hole cards. Sounds like cheating to me. Replies please

CooSaw on February 6, 2005