The Default HUD for PokerTracker 4 has minimal statistics, but still very useful to understand player tendencies so you can develop a plan to exploit 'em.

Listen to this podcast as you follow along below:

You can also watch this podcast episode on my YouTube channel:

The PokerTracker 4 Default HUD

Let's learn how to use everybody's first HUD, the Default HUD for PokerTracker 4, to exploit your opponents.

Here's what it looks like with its 9 useful elements (in the PT4 HUD Editor):

Figure 1: The Default HUD within PT4

This 1 table shows all of the statistical exploits I discuss below:

Figure 2: The Default HUD used on a 6max cash game table.

TOP ROW: Note Editor

Use the HUD color coding to quickly see what type of player you're up against. My color coding based on poker player type:

• GREEN for Fish
• YELLOW for TAG
• ORANGE for LAG
• RED for Nits

Also, the auto-generated notes (based on showdowns that PT4 sees) are helpful in understanding your opponent.

Put directions on how to exploit (orders to yourself) in ALL CAPS in the notes at the top. For example, Figure 3 shows directions for myself to do against Villain 1: “3BET FOR VALUE WITH ATs+ AND KQs”.

Figure 3: Notes on Villain 1

VPIP

20% is the inflection point with VPIP: less indicates a tight player, more indicates a loose player.

Villain 1 in Figure 2 is loose (35%), while Villain 4 is tight (16%).

The higher it is, and anything over 30%, then you've found yourself a fish and a target at the table.

Exploit: Isolate the fish when they limp or are in the blinds when you have better position. With a low VPIP, realize they play strong ranges and be careful when they choose to enter the pot.

PFR

The inflection point here is 10%. Higher is aggressive, lower is passive.

Hero (PFR = 28%) is very aggressive (in Figure 2) while Villain 3 is the most passive at 3%.

Expect lots of steals and bluffs from aggressive players, and give passive players the benefit of the doubt when they raise with their tight range.

Exploit: You can re-raise bluff aggressive players, and also check post-flop to let them bluff you. When passive players get aggressive, watch out. But, expect passive players to call and give you value pre- and post-flop.

VPIP – PFR Gap

If the gap between VPIP and PFR is > PFR, then you've found a Fish.

• Hero's gap is 2% (VPIP = 30% and PFR = 28%), a very aggressive sign.
• Villains 1 & 3 have a gap > PFR… so they're fishy targets!

Exploit: Isolate the Fish with raises to get them to yourself post-flop. Small gaps are indicative of aggressive and often smart/winning players, so watch out. These players use a HUD, so they're aware of your own statistical tendencies.

3bet

Between 0-3% and you've found yourself an honest 3bettor who only 3bets for value. Between 3-6% indicates a smart, tactical 3bettor and >6% = a bluffer. It's important to look at this by position as well with a popup because some players love 3bet bluffing from specific positions (BTN and SB for example), but only 3bet for value from other positions.

Exploit: Anyone with > 6% 3bet, expect the 3bet before you raise into them. So, have a plan for folding, calling or 4betting before you raise when they're still to act. Tend to give 1% 3bettor's credit for a super strong hand.

Figure 4: 3bet is 0%, but it's only 0/6 opportunities. Doesn't necessarily mean he's an “honest” 3bettor.

Key Idea – Hover your cursor over any stat to see the times and opportunities. 0% 3bet is low and might indicate a value 3bettor. However, if it's only 0/6 opportunities (Figure 4), don't put too much stock into that HUD statistic just yet. Look for 20+ opportunities before you really start relying on a stat, especially at the extremes (closer to 0% or 100%).

Cbet Flop

Cbet honesty (cbets for value) is < 40%. Cbet bluffs have a stat > 65%.

Key Idea – Always compare this % to PFR. Look at Villain 3 in Figure 2. He's cbetting the flop at 100% (11/11), but he only raise preflop 3% of the time. Because he raises so infrequently (maybe just QQ+ and AK), of course he's cbetting these hands as they make TP or an overpair very frequently. It would be a big mistake bluff-raising his cbet.

However, Hero with a PFR at 28% and a Cbet Flop at 70%, is happy bluffing flops. So, bluff-raising might be a good play against him.

Exploit: The higher the %, the more likely they're bluffing. So you can bluff-raise them or call then bet when they check the turn. If they only cbet with TP+, then highly consider folding all of your weak and marginal hands.

BOTTOM ROW: Player Name

This helps to ensure the HUD stats you're reading/exploiting belong to the player in that seat.

Live Amount Big Blinds

This is a great for statistic for tournament players as it can prepare you for how desperate a player might be. As stacks shrink, some players tighten up and try to hold onto their tourney life for as long as possible. Others get very aggressive in an attempt to double-up quickly. Even others use their smaller stack tactically to earn pots and critical chips with shoves and 3bets.

However for cash game players, this statistic is unnecessary.

Cash Games: Replace Live Amount BB with Call PF 2bet and/or Raise First In:

• Call PF 2bet – Anybody with Call PF 2bet > 20% is a Fish and you must isolate them as often as is profitable.
• Raise First In – At < 10%, this is a passive person who raises a very tight and strong range. Beware before calling them. At > 20% aggressive, these players raise first in a lot. Be sure to check out the default popup to see their RFI stat by position. If any position is > 20%, they have a wide range and is more likely to fold to a 3bet bluff:

Figure 5: Villain 2 is very active in the BTN and SB.

Follow along with me and create your own HUD:

Fold to Flop Cbet

If a player's Fold to Flop Cbet is > 60%, you've got an honest person who is happy to fold without a strong pair or a great draw.

If it's < 40%, then you've got a sticky player who doesn't like folding.

Exploit: Bluff the honest players frequently, and value bet bigger against the sticky players. And use this combination for quick profits: Call PF 2bet > 20% and Fold to Flop Cbet > 60%. Isolate them preflop at every opportunity and cbet bluff almost every flop.

Number of Hands Abbreviated

The more hands you have, the more reliable their HUD statistics are. You can start exploiting their stats even at just 10 hands, but be careful.

At 50-100 hands, their preflop stats (at least in relation to 2bet pots) are pretty reliable, as are their flop cbet-related stats. This is because every hand sees the preflop stage and quite a few see the flop, so these numbers accumulate earlier.

Turn and river stats might not be that reliable until you reach 500 hands or more.

Take Action!

Here’s my challenge to you for this episode:

Actively use your HUD to exploit your opponents. Use the stat %’s to understand their tendencies, then pull the trigger on exploits that you believe will work given what you know about your opponent.

Doing this over and over will train your use with the HUD, and eventually, making reads and exploits will become natural and more profitable.

Now it’s your turn to take action and do something positive for your poker game.

Support the Show

Adam Erdreich, Steffen Plouqmann, Jose Silva, Roy Herst, Nick Moore, Osiris Torres, Dang Dung, Indrayana Rustandi and Jamie Hill bought the Smart HUD with a 75-minute webinar for PokerTracker 4.  It’s the best online poker HUD in the business! 16 elements in the HUD and 7 custom popups. This is what every online player needs to maximally exploit opponents.