Winamax to Offer New Take on HUDs with Integrated Poker Tracker

October 16th, 2019 | by Jason Reynolds

Online poker operator Winamax is looking to develop its own stats-tracking software as the industry push-back against third-party products continues.

Winamax is looking to hire a software engineer to develop an in-house poker tracker. (Image: Winamax)

Although the operator hasn’t made a formal announcement, it has advertised for a new engineer.

Posted on the Winamax jobs page, the ad calls for an intern that will work on a “poker tracker integrated into the Winamax application.”

Winamax Doing Its Own Thing

The successful applicant will develop of prototype in order to demonstrate the feasibility of launching a live product.

Key aspects of the in-house poker tracker will be:

A heads-up display (HUDs) for each table/player.
Opponent statistics and player profiles.
Personal statistics.

As well as being integrated into the Winamax poker platform, the advert calls for the software to allow “interoperability with third-party software.”

Given that Winamax is on the lookout for an engineer, a new tracker is some way off. However, what’s interesting about the idea is that it fits into the current trend of operators changing the way stats are tracked.

Earlier this year, Partypoker outlawed third-party tracking software. Working on the assumption that HUDs create a predatory environment, the online poker site stopped allowing them.

Taking a similar line with his own poker project was Phil Galfond. Understanding that trackers are useful but also a problem, he developed a unique system for Run It Once.

Instead of displaying statistics such as a player’s betting frequency, the site’s avatars are dynamic. In practice, this means an avatar’s mood will change depending on someone’s playing style.

Finding Balance in Online Poker

By developing its own poker tracker, Winamax is aiming to strike a balance somewhere between the two extremes.

Bringing tracking in-house will offer some degree of control over the information players can view. This, in turn, should make their usage less predatory.

What’s more, it should placate any concern that experienced players are having their skills squeezed. As online poker operators have worked to attract more newbies, pros have seen many of their options limited.

HUDs and tracking software have not only been used as a way to gain an edge in live play but as learning resources away from the table. By restricting the data someone can analyze, it stifles the learning process.

Indeed, many of today’s top pros were able to move up the ranks by reviewing stats and fixing their own mistakes.

However, while tracking software does help people gain more skills, it comes at the expense of others. Given that online poker companies are trying to attract casual players, finding new ways to manage the situation is important for everyone.