Which poker HUD should you choose?
Spot opponents’ tendencies, track your own play and prepare your reviews: a good HUD makes your hand histories far more useful. Here is how to choose between Hand2Note, PokerTracker 4 and SharkScope Desktop, then build a display that feels comfortable to use.
Three complementary functions
The HUD is the small statistics panel beside a player. The tracker imports and organises your hands, so it remains useful long after you close the tables.
HUD
Observe
It summarises observed actions, such as how often a player raises, 3-bets or folds.
Tracker
Find
It brings your hands and results together so you can examine a position, session or pot type.
Solver / trainer
Study
It lets you study a strategy or practise a situation after your session ends.
The right tool for the way you play
Hand2Note
Explore statistics in depth
Build custom HUDs and explore patterns in your hand database. A particularly appealing choice if you enjoy detailed analysis.
Explore Hand2Note →PokerTracker 4
Organise your tracking and reviews
A complete toolkit for collecting hand histories, tracking results and finding hands to study. You can adapt its HUD as your needs develop.
Explore PokerTracker 4 →SharkScope Desktop
Add tournament context
The Desktop application combines statistics from your hand histories with SharkScope data. It is particularly relevant if you already use SharkScope to track your tournament play.
Explore SharkScope Desktop →| Tool | What it offers | First steps |
|---|---|---|
| Hand2Note | Custom profiles, statistics and reports | Start with an existing HUD, then adjust the statistics. |
| PokerTracker 4 | Results tracking, filters and hand replayer | Import a session and explore the replayer’s filters. |
| SharkScope Desktop | Hand histories and SharkScope data | Connect tournament tracking with the hands you played. |
A clear HUD starts with fewer numbers
For your first display, hand count, VPIP and PFR already provide an overview. Add another statistic when you know which question it will help you ask.
- Hands
- The size of your history with this player. It gives context to the other numbers, but not every situation occurs equally often.
- VPIP
- The share of hands in which the player voluntarily put money in preflop. Useful for seeing how often they enter pots.
- PFR
- The share of hands in which they raised preflop. The gap from VPIP helps identify a tendency to call or limp.
- 3-bet
- How often they re-raise when given the opportunity. For a clearer reading, also check position and the number of opportunities.
Keep the detail in popups that open on click. You can consult it when needed without turning the table into a spreadsheet.
The same percentage, two very different readings
An opponent shows a 67% fold rate against 3-bets. Before adjusting your play, open the detail: the number of opportunities matters as much as the percentage.
2 folds in 3 opportunities
An initial observation
Just one more hand would move the figure sharply. Note the tendency and keep observing.
40 folds in 60 opportunities
A better-supported tendency
There is more evidence here. Now check the positions, raise sizes and hands involved before adjusting your strategy.
Fictional teaching example with rounded percentages. Opportunities must relate to the statistic being measured, not the total number of hands played.
Set up successfully in three steps
- 1
Check your poker site and format
Hand-history support and HUD display are separate functions. Check your tracker’s documentation and your poker site’s rules to learn what works at your tables.
- 2
Import a short session
Set the hand-history folder, then check that hands, screen names and results are imported correctly. This is the best starting point before customising the display.
- 3
Make the display comfortable
Place the statistics by the correct seat and choose a readable size. Try a simple profile on a few tables before adding popups and colours.
What if a HUD is unavailable?
Post-session analysis remains useful when your site lets you export hands in a compatible format. Reports and the replayer can help you work on your decisions even without live statistics at the table.
Turn a statistic into a study topic
Start with a specific question: “How do I defend my big blind against the button?” Filter those hands in your tracker, then examine comparable pots. The cards, stack depth and bets give the numbers meaning.
01
Identify
Isolate a situation that recurs in your sessions.
02
Review
Replay a few hands and note the decision you find difficult.
03
Study
Study that decision, then look for it in your next reviews.
Two tools to take your game further
Your results and hand histories reveal spots to revisit. Explore the relevant ranges with GTO Wizard or practise against PokerSnowie before reviewing your decisions after play.
GTO Wizard
Understand ranges and study a spot in depth. Explore solutions, then practise decisions that come up at your tables.
Start with the Free plan
PokerSnowie
Learn through practice. Play against AI, review your decisions and identify recurring mistakes: a useful partner for building a regular training habit.
10-day free trial
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