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the previous article we looked at ways we can boost our efficiency as poker players by carefully selecting the physical hardware we use. In this article we'll talk about software and computer specifications.
the previous article we looked at ways we can boost our efficiency as poker players by carefully selecting the physical hardware we use. In this article we'll talk about software and computer specifications.Computer Specifications
Timing out during a hand can be costly in the long run if it happens frequently. The most common cause of timing out is our computer failing to cope with the demands of our software.
Naturally single tabling poker can be done on most computers even if they are pretty old. But by the time we add in the demands of multi-tabling, tracking software, other scripts running, and whatever else we are using our computer for at the same time, in some cases we actually need a beast of a computer to succeed in online poker.
There are some basic specifications that are required to run HM2 and PT4 tracking software. You will need at least 2GB of RAM, but it's recommended that you use 6-8GB RAM especially if you want to multi-table and make use of advanced features such as Notecaddy. Additional scripts such as Table-Ninja and StarsHelper, will benefit from the additional RAM.
Having a huge chunk of RAM is quickly becoming insufficient on its own especially if you use large databases of hands (especially true in the case of using data-mined hand-histories where your database can have in excess of 10 million hands). In such instances it is becoming more and more necessary to upgrade your standard hard-drive to a solid state drive (SSD). SSD's can read and write information significantly faster than standard hard-drives which read data from a spinning memory disk. Even with 8GB of ram I struggled with HUD lag issues until I upgraded to an SSD.
ou will need at least 2GB of RAM, but it's recommended that you use 6-8GB RAM especially if you want to multi-table and make use of advanced features such as Notecaddy. Additional scripts such as Table-Ninja and StarsHelper, will benefit from the additional RAM.
If you are looking to upgrade your hardware setup, purchasing and installing an SSD is by far the biggest upgrade you can make for the smallest amount of money. SSD's are not cheap however when compared to regular spinning hard-drives. I recently purchased a 512GB SD for around $150. It's by far the best upgrade I have ever made. On my SSD I put everything poker related, poker clients, tracking software, other scripts, database installations etc. For other files where storage space is more important than performance, perhaps films, training videos, pictures, text documents, I utilise an external HD which uses the basic spinning disk system. If you have the money you could naturally use a large SSD for everything, but the most cost effective thing to do is use a regular hard-drive for most files and then a smaller SSD for everything poker related. Once our SSD is installed we generally want to keep it free of clutter and unnecessary files to maximise the performance.
Power Backup
This will not affect all of you and is somewhat obvious, but needs to be stated. If you live in area where power supply is not always constant, it's useful to have some kind of backup. You can purchase power banks for laptops these days. I paid around $100 for a laptop power bank that will keep my laptop running for 4 hours or so if the power goes down.
Internet Backup
Again somewhat obvious, but if your ISP has a bad track record then it's recommended that you have a backup internet connection in case your current connection drops. Your backup connection doesn't need to be as fast as your main connection but should provide connectivity. Personally I use a mobile data connection as a backup. Most smart-phones have a “hotspot” option which turns the phone into a router allowing you to connect via a PC or laptop.Virus Free
As
a general rule we at need to be at least remotely savvy at protecting ourself from various threats such as viruses. Viruses can slow down our computer and hackers can steal our money or see our hole-cards. Few of us stand a good chance against the best hackers, but we can protect ourself by at least employing basic anti-virus and firewall software.Tracking Software
Naturally those without strong computer skills are going to shy away from using tracking software. Even if tracking software is installed they might not make use of some of the advanced analysis features that winning players are making use of on a daily basis. If we want to maximise the benefit we get from using our tracking software we need to dedicate some time to figuring out how it works.
Scripts
Additional scripts can be run along side our tracking software to make playing easier. Here are a few -
- Table Ninja – Automates certain bet-sizing decisions, helps us to lay out the tables quickly, allows us to set up hotkeys, and a bunch of other features.
- StarsHelper – Similar to the above but with slightly different features. This software works specifically for Pokerstars. It's a very common choice among professionals and includes such features as, SPR indicator, pot-odds indicator, fold-equity indicator and the option to convert stack size from $ to BB's.
- TableScan Turbo – This software helps to automate the process of table selection. This is very good for poker clients that don't have a comprehensive table selection feature. It can link with our HH database to help spot fish quickly and consistently get on the best tables.
- AutoHotKey – For advanced users, this is essentially a scripting language that lets us set up various hotkeys and other features which help speed up our response time. Coding our own scripts can involve a steep learning curve especially if the scripts are complex, but coding simple hotkeys can be done without too much intense study, and will be free, unlike other software which has a paid subscription. It is however, possible to download scripts that other AutoHotKey coders have made. Sometimes you will pay for these, sometimes they will be free.
Analysis Software
The best players make use of various calculators to help them analyse the profitability of certain decisions. Here are a few -
- Flopzilla – Allows us to see how hard certain ranges hit certain board textures. Useful tool for constructing continuing ranges in many situations. It can also be used as a tool to store default preflop ranges.
- Equilab – Similar features to above. There is a free version that has less features than Flopzilla and a paid version which has more features than Flopzilla.
- CREV – Card runners EV. This allows us to construct decision trees to help us speed up the process of EV calculations. EV calculations can be very complex, especially if many variables are included in such a calculation. If we make one mistake in a big calculation it can completely distort the output we get. By automating the process with CREV we drastically reduce the chances that our EV calculations are erroneous.
Other Tools
- Skype – It's
no big secret that the vast majority of poker players use Skype to communicate over any other medium. Skype is a chat service that allows you to send text messages and make free calls to other Skype users. If we want to become a strong player it's important that we connect with other strong players and engage in discussion. Skype is one of the principle means of doing this. It is also the main tool used by poker coaches to talk with their students during a coaching session.
- Teamviewer – Teamviewer is software that allows us to share our screen with another player. This is good for sweat sessions, coaching sessions etc. There are other services that offer similar features, such as Mikogo and Join.me. Teamviewer appears to be the most commonly used currently.
- WeakTight – www.weaktight.com is a website where we can upload hand-histories. The site will display our hand in an easy to use format which can be viewed by other players.
- Forums – It's hard to imagine that a computer user in this day and age doesn't know what a forum is. However, doubtless such people exist. Aside from skype, the next most common medium for poker communication are poker forums. These are places where poker players can create an account and discuss with other players various poker related concepts.
- Twitch – Possibly one of the latest crazes for online players. Twitch.tv allows poker players to stream their session real-time. Even if you are not interested in streaming yourself it is possible to watch professional players streaming their sessions which can help with learning.
- Training Sites – For example the one here at pokervip.com. It's no secret that one of the biggest factors that differentiates a winning player from a losing one is access to training content. Without good computer skills we might never realise these places exist. Since you are here reading this article here on pokervip.com you have already taking a big step towards becoming a winning player.
Putting it Together
We 
shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that a good computer knowledge in itself is enough to make us winning players. Tactical understanding and good mindset still play the most crucial roles in our success as a poker player. However our poker skill cannot be realised unless we have an effective medium through which to use it, i.e a good poker set-up.
shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that a good computer knowledge in itself is enough to make us winning players. Tactical understanding and good mindset still play the most crucial roles in our success as a poker player. However our poker skill cannot be realised unless we have an effective medium through which to use it, i.e a good poker set-up. There is a reason why computer scientists often have success at poker while players without computer skills may often do badly. We could be the best poker player in the world but our success will be capped if we don't understand modern technology.
It's often said that poker is a young person's game. Is that because young people have an inherent advantage over older players? Is it because their brains work faster than older players? There are actually conclusive studies to prove this is not the case. There is no reason that someone in their late 50's can't crush online poker. The older generation have more life experience to draw on and a stronger understanding of many of the concepts that make poker players strong.
The common idea that once you are over 30 you are past the optimum age to become a poker player is a total myth. However, it's pretty easy to see why one can easily draw this conclusion when we see the younger generation succeeding while the older generation fail.
So why is it that young people tend to succeed in poker while the older generation tend to fail? It's because on average the older generation do not understand how to make use of the various resources that young people intuitively understand how to utilise. If you compare a 50-year-old on the world oldest desktop PC to to a young player with the latest hardware, software, gadgets, and access to training material, is it really surprising that the younger player is going to do better? It's got nothing to do with mental power whatsoever in this instance. The common idea that once you are over 30 you are past the optimum age to become a poker player is a total myth. However, it's pretty easy to see why one can easily draw this conclusion when we see the younger generation succeeding while the older generation fail.
If we level the playing field and assume a 20 year old with 1 year of a poker experience and a 50 year old with 30 years of poker experience have exactly the same access to the latest technology, I would be the 50 year old every time. The richness and depth of such experience is going to give the more experienced player a huge edge, assuming they have the same understanding and efficiency regarding technology use.
So after reading this 2 part series, if you are missing out on any of the following, it's recommended you make adjustments to maximise your poker success:
- Physical Hardware
- Computer Specifications
- Software
