Trackers, Bots, Sidekicks & Indicators

[bagadonuts]

From time to time I have received emails from different software developers specializing in different types of poker 'bots, odds indicators and sidekicks. You know, those things that attach themselves to your poker room window and do just about everything short of hitting the keys for you. I've gone so far as to download two or three of them and ran them for a trail period. Although I've found some of the information they provide useful I've also found them to be a huge distraction. If I'm to believe what I've read about them, they're totally capable of winning on a regular basis. Honestly, that doesn't sound fair...or fun which is mainly why I play. I enjoy the challange and therefore the resulting satisfaction of a win. I don't see how that satisfaction is possible if I'm leaving the decision making process up to the software. I've also read that their use is rampant and many online poker rooms restrict the use of certain types of this software. I'm wondering if I'm a fool not to accept and use what's available to aid my play and so I'd like to know what you guys think about this and if there is a particular program that you feel is fair and helpful. As always, thanks for your input.

[dmtrav77]

DON'T use any and if you find anyone using any program turn them in and see what happen's ..you wont like it i'm sure .account gone and banned just a couple of things that come to mind.you got a brain use it ..and i mean this in a good way good luck and hagd..

[Fictive]

those poker programs are based mainly on mathematics, so theoretically one can win with them. I've tested a few programs when I started playing, and found that there are huge flaws with them. wouldn't recommend using them.

[Fictive]

DON'T use any and if you find anyone using any program turn them in and see what happen's ..you wont like it i'm sure .account gone and banned just a couple of things that come to mind.you got a brain use it ..and i mean this in a good way good luck and hagd..

You are talking about bots. Those are banned everywhere, and poker sites do search for bot users all the time. however, programs like Poker Tracker & Poker Ace hud (attaches stats for all the other players on the table like flop%, pre-flop raise%, fold stats for each street, aggression factors, and a ton of other stats) are completely allowed everywhere. What they do is keep track of your stats and your opponents stats, nothing illegal about that. That program is actually a huge help, because you instantly see how tight/loose-passive/aggressive a player is, how often they fold on the flop, etc... so it makes it easier to read and bluff them.

[Roboligraphy]

sometimes it seems like some of the players are bots; is there anyway to differentiate?

[Fictive]

It should be actually fairly easy to spot a bot. I don't have experience on the matter, but I have read a bit about them some time back. the easiest way to spot them is the fact that this "player" seems to act everytime pretty much exactly at the same time, say for example, exactly 2 seconds after the action reaches them. Lots of red flags should be raised also if a player makes mathematically the perfect play every time, and I mean every time.

[eaglelite]

Wow I have never heard of these things, never knew they existed. I have noticed some of those things the red light things. Thanks alot for this now I can watch out for them.
So how do these things work? So they tell you statistic's and stuff what do you do with those? Sorry guys if I'm sounding a bit dumb here but, could do with a little help understanding the things.

GOOD LUCK on and off the felt

[freiaaron]

I have never come across a bot that works, but as far as the tracking programs they def. provide a lot of useful information.

[Fictive]

Poker programs can be a HUGE asset while playing. This is why (and a whole lot of other people) I use Poker Tracker to track my hands, BB/100, etc... PokerAce hud is a program that you can use with PT, and it does the same for the other people. this way you get tons of information on other players and you get to concentrate just on playing, and not using all your energy on following the way others play.

It looks pretty much like this:


By clicking the name of a player, it opens up a box that shows around 50 different stats of the player, and you can choose what to use, and the options for that are nearly endless.

What comes to poker bots, I'm not sure, but I think that with a bot you don't even play yourself, the bot handles that as well.

[fleabit1]

They also dont chat from what I hear.
I think some sites have a scanning program incorporated with thier software, so when you download or update a client they check for those kind of programs in your computer. From what ive read, the poker sites are not too worried about them unless the bots are winning bots or player are complainig!
Tracking programs and calculators can be very usefull! This site is also pretty intresting
Pokerbot World Championship