Behind the Scenes of PokerTableStats

We recently sat down with Artur Pietrzyk from PokerTableStats, a real-time poker odds calculator and HUD designed to help poker players use the math behind the game to improve their skills and exploit their opponents.

PokerSoftware: Why did you decide to develop PokerTableStats?

PokerTableStats: It was a natural fit for me to get into developing poker-related software, as I have a passion for poker, programming, and business.  I was playing multi-table cash games for few months building my bankroll.  I then simply calculated the amount of salary I could receive from poker programming and compared it to a professional poker player’s income based on my game play data, including risks of that style of job like not having insurance, questionable game play development, and a fast-changing environment.

From my calculations, I concluded that becoming a professional poker player might provide me more income than a programming job, but only after at least two years of bankroll building.  It was a business decision to get involved in programming and I decided to make software for poker players.

PokerSoftware: How long did it take to develop PokerTableStats?

PokerTableStats: It took one year from the time I formulated the idea behind the software to having our first customer of the functional product.  That time included market analysis, website and content development, translation, software development, and beta tests.

PokerSoftware: What were the most important enhancements you have made to the software over time?

PokerTableStats: The most important enhancements were including a Heads-Up Display and better graphical interpretation of statistics.  Our first version of the software did not have a HUD like other competitive real-time poker odds calculators.  This is a key product feature that distinguishes us from the competition.  Our software provides a connection between real-time poker odds calculators and post-hand analytics software like PokerTracker and Holdem Manager.

PokerSoftware: What is your poker background?

PokerTableStats: I have approximately seven years of playing experience in low- and mid-stakes cash games, sit and gos, and multi-table tournaments.  I really enjoy mathematics and that helped me get involved in the poker software industry.

I am always wondering what situations look like using a mathematical model like ICM or simpler situations like ratios between pot size and raise size.  I enjoy evaluating mathematical situations and how particular actions will make more money in the long-term.

PokerSoftware: What type of poker player is this software most suitable for?

PokerTableStats: I think PokerTableStats it most suitable for beginner and intermediate players.  The software can show these types of players major leaks in their games and open their eyes to situations that without the software might not look that bad since they do not have the statistics. I believe PokerTableStats has helped a lot of beginning poker players make the transition between losing money and becoming profitable.

PokerSoftware: Do you plan to roll out PokerTableStats to more poker sites?

PokerTableStats: Yes, of course, and we are actually working on that. I don't know yet whether we will eventually become compatible on all sites at one time or release compatibility site by site.  Once we roll out to more sites, it will open our product for more customers who don’t play on PokerStars.

PokerSoftware: What made you decide to do a subscription version of your software instead of a fixed fee?

PokerTableStats: The main reason is that the link between our software and the poker sites requires attention over time.  That must be calculated in our subscription price over a certain amount of time.  Our software is not similar to parsing poker hand history files like PokerTracker or Holdem Manager.  These software packages always will be parsing the poker site files in the same way because the hand history files themselves don’t change significantly over time. Our situation is different.

PokerSoftware: Is there any other poker software you are in process of developing?

PokerTableStats: Yes, we are in the middle of producing TournamentFox, a cutting-edge software for sit and go analysis.  However, we have paused its development because my partner is currently on vacation in the Sahara Desert. We have already developed around 80% of the project and are excited to deploy another good product.

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