Hand history features on online poker sites can often be used by players with tracking software to identify—and then compete against—weaker players.
Microgaming Poker Network, however, has proposed changes to cut down on the practice.
Alex Scott, Head of Product (Network Games) at Microgaming, discussed the upcoming changes in a blog post.
“We have a difficult relationship with tracking software,” he wrote. “Personally, I think it’s really important for players to be able to track and analyze their own gameplay, and tracking software is an excellent way to improve if used properly. It’s also a great way to be a responsible gambler, because you can’t hide from your results.
“But I also think tracking software has changed the game in a way that makes it less fun,” he said. “It allows you to gather huge amounts of data on your opponents, without requiring any significant attention or observation on your part. It allows you to exploit the weakest opponents exclusively, if you wish.
In cash games, a detailed hand history will only be saved to a player’s computer if that player contributed money to the pot. In other hands, only basic information like the player’s balance and hole cards will be saved. Also, there will no longer be any hand histories for anonymous tables.
“The net effect of this is that you can still use tracking software to track your own gameplay, and you can still use a HUD at the tables,” Scott said. “However, your tracking software will gather much less information about your opponents in general.”
