Whether you are an improving recreational, small stakes poker player or a committed online table ninja grinder, Holdem Manager 3 is arguably the most comprehensive and poker HUDs and tracking software currently on the market.
If you are a player who is familiar with the ins and outs of online poker software, you may want to skip ahead to find out the improvements introduced in this latest version of HEM.
It will show you how the new features help you to improve your game and can maximise the number of tables you are able to play confidently.
For the rest of you, here is a brief introduction to HUDs and poker tracking software.
It will show how they are used and why no semi-serious cash game player should be risking money without one.
As you should have come to expect with Beating Betting, you will find zero bullsh** in this Holdem Manager 3 review.
We don’t beat around the bush, only providing honest facts in order to help you make an informed opinion on the best poker HUDS for you.
HUD Stands For Heads Up Display
The term originates from aircraft pilots being able to view information when flying with the head positioned “up” and looking forward, instead of looking down at lower instruments.
When playing online, information from the HUD is displayed superimposed on the poker client.
Poker tracking software collects information from the hand histories of you and your opponents.
Important data is then fed back to the HUD helping players make quick decisions based on a graphical display.
In practical terms, you should be able to gauge an opponent’s playing style and exploit any obvious weaknesses based on the information provided.
With information being one of the most powerful tools in poker then any edge you may have should increase your win-rate.
You are one small step away from being a profitable online poker player.
Banned from some online poker sites
It’s probably worth noting early on in this review that some leading poker sites and major poker networks have banned certain types of poker software.
Holdem Manager, Pokertracker, DriveHUD, Poker Copilot and similar software are restricted or banned on their sites.
Partypoker is one example as they anomise poker players in cash games.
Other sites are beginning to limit their use and it is important for players to check what is allowed on their preferred site e.g. Pokerstars.
Luckily, Holdem Manager has a superbly simple FAQs section which explains all site scenarios in simple language.
Information about their use in cash games, buy-in tournaments and Blast-like events is available.
The fact many sites are starting to limit the use of HUDs is an indication of how important they can be for serious players.
The idea of limiting their use is to help the occasional, recreational and new players whose leaks and playing style can be exploited easily by players using software.
This suggests any serious players should make use of Holdem Manager 3 while they can.
While some of these sites are limiting the use of graphical HUDs in cash games there are still options to use them in tournaments and other variants..
Importing hand histories can help individual players spot leaks in their own game.
The use of poker tracking software can touch on moral and ethical dimensions though the restrictions placed by some sites stems from the desire to keep a healthy poker ecosystem (and continue to make profits).
Enough of the politics, let’s get into the meat of this Holdem Manager 3 review.
Holdem Manager 3 (HM3) Overview
Whether you are a recreational or a professional player, HM3 seems to have been designed with a simple goal of helping any player improve their results through more informed decisions.
HM3 offers a 14 day free trial, so you can test it out before you part with your hard earned poker cash. Sign up here.
The HM3 Heads Up Display
The HM3 HUD overlays stats on how your opponents have acted against you in previous games. When making a crucial call this information can be vital.
In the hand replayer, these stats are also overlaid.
HM3 comes with many situations pre-configured but also allows you to build custom views in both cash games and tournaments, pre or post flop.
Pop-up windows are also Integrated into the HM3 HUD. These pop-up windows allow you access more detailed information in certain situations.
Real-time functionality
Live play stats offer several pieces of vital information. They are fully customisable to your level of play, style and session length.
Post Game Analysis
Wrapped in the HM3 package are a variety of fairly powerful tools to allow you to review your game play and assess any leaks you need to plug.
There are over 25 default reports allowing you to drill down by player, stack size, position and stakes.
All stats and reports are customisable to suit a variety of queries.
A new feature in HM3 allows you to observe visually a Situational View about which more is described below.
Situational Views
Within the single dashboard of the HUD, mini-displays reveal extra information from specific poker situations including continuation bets, tournament all-ins, river play and 3-betting.
A nifty little extra which is new to Holdem Manager 3 and perhaps sets it apart from its main rival poker software PokerTracker.
Better filter control and visual representations
A new feature in the software is more powerful filtering options providing both statistical and graphical representations of post and pre-flop play.
These powerful filters can be used on many specific areas of data aimed at improving your game.
How are your opponents represented visually?
HM3 has developed a simple but effective colour coding to give players the easiest way to ‘read’ an opponent through their HUD.
The Green-Red ring represents the preflop activity of opponents.
More of the Green (Go)-Red (Stop) circle is completed for players that play more hands pre-flop (VPIP%).
A higher percentage of the ring is red rather than green for heros that raise more often preflop (PFR%).
VPIP = voluntarily put money in pot
PFR = Preflop raiser
An inner Orange ring shows a player’s post-flop aggression percentage.
More aggressive players obviously have a higher percentage of the orange ring completed.
The blue line under every player’s name shows how much information you have on that player.
This is a clear indication of its reliability.
Hand Replayer
Recent hands can be played almost instantly in the built-in hand replayer allowing you to quickly review a situation and spot any mistakes or leaks.
The usability and speed has been increased in the latest version of Holdem Manager.
Not only are the hands replayed, the HUD also allows you to see almost real-time stats, a new graphical pot size indicator for selecting hands within a sample or session.
There is also an option to create custom table layouts and design as well as the possibility to see the number of big blinds, you or your opponents have remaining.
HM3 Apps
For the first time Holdem Manager is allowing third-party apps to be allowed as specific add-ons to their product.
The ability to extend the capabilities of the product by adding on features and tools is a sensible step forward and makes the product more enticing.
TableNinja II is a solid add-on for all multi-table players.
It allows access to stats such as stack size in BBs, Harrington’s M value, amount of tables that are awaiting action, time until your next action and knowing the order of your next plays.
Notecaddy is a recent addition to the tool suite and offers a multitude of information visually to help you make better decisions and play your best poker..
One example is the bet sizing stat which allows you to see an opponent’s tendencies when sizing their bet in a specific way.
Does overbetting imply a bluff? Does pot-size betting indicate a strong hand? All these stats are drawn down from the database and offered to you as a hint in certain situations.
Hand Grabbers which allow for the auto import of real-time hand histories from sites where HM3 is unsupported such as Bovada, Bodog and Ignition.
Hand Grabbers provides an extra edge to your game by using in-game stats for unfamiliar opponents.
Range Wizard
Range Wizard allows you to create hand ranges for opponents (or groups of opponents who play in a similar style).
Grouping players provides a larger sample size and thus better analysis of data.
As well as allowing the ability to download predefined or custom reports, players also have the ability to filter results to their own preference.
This makes it a useful and very powerful add-on.
SitNGo Wizard
SitNGo Wizard aims to teach optimal (arguably near-perfect) late-game strategy.
This allows players to test themselves without making costly real-money mistakes.
There is a steep learning curve to master its intricacies but once a player is familiar with it then it is a uniquely valuable tool.
Leak Buster
As the name suggests, Leak Buster identifies leaks in your poker game through analysis of millions of previously played hands using algorithms.
Leak Buster works with No-limit, Pot-Limit Omaha, and Limit Holdem 6-max and full ring cash games.
Tournaments or SNG games are not yet supported.
Holdem Manager 3 Software Pricing
Holdem Manager 3 is available in 4 different packages
HM 3 Holdem Small Stakes –R$60
HM 3 + OM3 Combo Small Stakes –R$100
HM 3 PRO – Holdem All Stakes (Most popular) –R$100
PRO Combo 3 (Omaha+Texas Hold’em) –R$160
Check the website for further Omaha options and do take advantage of the 14-day free trial version.
Holdem Manager 3 – What has been improved?
As you would expect, the interface has been upgraded.
The improvement gives a cleaner and more understandable first glance view.
Decision making quicker and easier.
The HUD and pop-up editor has been improved to give your more control of what stats you want to overlay on your poker client.
Settings have been re-designed to make them more intuitive as well as giving players greater control.
Graphical HUD. This is possibly the best upgrade in HEM3 as it makes it so much easier to quickly understand the stats being sent from the database.
Quicker decision making leads to being able to control more tables confidently.
Extra features showing you the effectiveness of certain plays eg barrels, c-betting etc.
The previous version of Holdem Manager expected a user to download PostgreSQL.
Although this worked fairly well once installed, its absence is certainly a plus in this edition.
As mentioned previously some poker sites are unsupported but Holdem Manager 3 offers some workarounds for sites like Pokerstars and Partypoker.
All other major sites are fully supported including Microgaming, iPoker, 888, PPPoker Winning Poker and the network of Ignition, Bovada, and Bodog.
Any downsides Holdem Manager 3?
The most obvious downside is the non-compatibility with Mac.
There is a workaround whereby you install a version of Windows on your Mac purely for poker play.
It’s not ideal but worth considering.
The alternative Pokertracker 4 also lacks this compatibility.
As you would expect with such complex software, glitches can happen now and then.
However, the support team and developers seem to be on top of problems. Patches are released regularly.
Higher stakes Omaha players still need to upgrade from the basic package to take advantage of all the features.
Verdict on Holdem Manager 3
Do I recommend Holdem Manager 3?
100% yes!
Sign up for the 14 day free trial here.
The new features along with the improved overall performance of the software, makes Holdem Manager 3 a must have tool for Pro and recreational poker players.
This post was written by Dave Allen, the Beating Betting poker strategy contributer.
