using HUDs vs not using HUDs

im curious what everyone thinks about using HUDs? do they help out on your ROI or improve your game or just improve your decisions based on the players tight/loose stats?

my concern is i've had the 3month free trial awhile back and while it tracked my stats and hands and gave me stats on the other players i didnt really notice a huge difference. granted i didnt play alot of hands back than which was prolly why it didnt seem that way and i was only playing cash games while using it. so i was curious for players that use it or used it in the passed, does it help with your ROI whether you are playing cash, sngs, or mtts?

my point is this, if im ITM consistently with good ROI, lately concentrating on the $13 6max SNGs without a HUD, would i be even better with a HUD especially if i move up to the $25/$38s?? i only play 2 tables at a time (so i can still concentrate on both fairly good), anything more and my ROI goes down significantly .. or would my decisions still be the same and i wouldnt notice that much of a difference .. thoughts??

stacks if you think this post would be better suited in another area, just throw it there .. i felt this would be good in the BC though and hopefully get some responses as well....

For regs you play against it will help a great deal, but nothing beats notes in a s&g. Since bubble play is such a huge factor in s&g's I would suggest first getting s&g wizard if you don't have it.

ive been grinding 5nl but my experience is limited to <10k hands.

I find the HUD very useful, it lets you me make general assumptions very quickly about a player (providing theres enough hands on them). so long as you realise that the assumption (ie. loose or tight) is only general and not a rule then its great imo.

OTOH, playing without a hud (live) i feel a bit naked but its allll gooooood

edit: i also find it handy for estimating range

I don't play SnG's, but I thought the new HUD's kept stats for full table, near the bubble, and ITM. That way, the reads from early on when folks are tighter don't cause confusion later. Maybe it's a setting you have to tweak in HEM?

Anyway, HUD's have too much vital information to play without them, imo. If PT3 or HEM isn't the right aid, pick up SnG Wizard or some other tool. I think you'll advance further faster with it than without. When you've played a guy in 3 or 4 SnG's and have solid HUD reads on his play (plus notes!), you can play a lot more confidently and avoid trouble easier.

I play SnGs at lower stakes than the OP, but I think HUDs are of less value in these because everyone (well decent players) adjusts so much. In levels 1 to 3, my VPIP/PFR is usually < 10, but if I get ITM, these stats are usually in the 20s, so its hard for anyone using a HUD against me to know what my VPIP/PFR actually is in the later stages when it really counts.

You can set the HUDs so that they only show stats for hands played with a specific number of players at the table. ie If you are on the bubble with 4 left in, you can set the HUDs to only show the stats for hands played with 4 or 5 players at the table. But you then run into the other problem, which is that I rarely run into the same player twice at Stars, so the stats are then based on a really small number of hands. That might be different at $25/$38 though.

Having said that, I have made money exploiting the people who the HUD shows playing 50/5 in the early levels. And some information is better than none. And PT3/HEM are not just HUDs - the analysis functionality is great too. I think buying PT3/HEM is worthwhile for anyone who is even semi serious about poker.

oh shit yeah, without PT3 to analyse my own game id be lost in a sea of goo

I use Poker Tracker 3. The ability to review your play is worth the price. The HUD is an amazing tool as well. You can color code it to easily know if your at a soft table. It will also aid you in making alot of smart folds and bets. I am personally aggressive and have learned how to use my HUD to save lots of $$ on good folds.