The SharkScope.com website is well known to poker players for its phenomenal database of online poker tournament histories. This database includes both tournaments and sit'n'gos played on a multitude of online poker rooms. For a monthly subscription fee, members will be able to search many online poker rooms to find the win/loss histories of almost all players on that room (except those who have requested to be removed from the database)
To give an example of the usefulness of the website (which will be linked to the software we will discuss later), imagine you are at the final table of a tournament on PokerStars. On your left you have a player about whom you have no information. A quick SharkScope search will tell you that he is a regular in the €55 tournaments and in 1745 tournaments he has won a total of €25,675. You will also get several other pieces of information about his or her playing habits. This will provide you with valuable information for future decisions. However, the disadvantage of this tool is that we have to search each time on each player for whom we want to obtain information, which can be tedious
SharkScope's tools do not stop at a website, however (and fortunately). SharkScope is also a software that can be downloaded and installed on your computer (software called SharkScope Desktop & HUD). The advantage of this software is that it will allow you to display real-time information on each of your opponents. The advantage is, of course, that you don't have to research each of your opponents; they are available at a glance. All this information will be available to you shortly
The information will be presented in a classic HUD in this way:
Among the information displayed are average buy-in, VPIP, preflop raise, aggression, 3bet percentage and many other very useful information
As with a regular tracker, when you click on the statistics on the HUD, you will see a more detailed pop-up with information about your opponent:
See also in this pop-up that there are several tabs: Summary, Preflop, Steal, Postflop and finally, a SharkScope tab
If you are interested in the software, let's see how to download and install it
Download and install the SharkScope Desktop & HUD
SharkScope Desktop & HUD software is available for PC and MAC. Here we will see the steps to download and install the software. For this demonstration, we will install the PC version under Windows 10
- Go to the following address: https://fr.sharkscope.com/#SharkScope-Desktop_fr.html
- You will then see 2 download links. For this example, we will click on the Windows version to download the installation file
- Then save the installation file to your computer. Once this is done, double click on it to start the installation. Here is a visual of the file in question:
The installation is now running:
- You will then see this window displayed:
Click on "Next"
- You will then need to choose a location to install the software. It is suggested that you let the software install in the default location. When you have indicated the location, press "Next"
- Then choose the options that suit you best and press "Next"
- The software installs:
- That's it, SharkScope Desktop & HUD is now installed on your computer! You can now press "Finish" to launch the software and start exploring
Overview and presentation of SharkScope Desktop & HUD
When you first launch the software, you will be asked to read the terms of use and click on "ACCEPT AND CONTINUE"
From here you can log in to your SharkScope account by entering your personal information (email and password). If you do not have a SharkScope account yet, you can create one for free by clicking on "Create new account"
Now you're ready to start !
SharkScope Desktop & HUD Software Overview
We will now review the different sections of the SharkScope Desktop HUD software
These are the sections of the software:
The Welcome section
The Welcome section is the section where you will get a general overview of the software. This is also where you will get your alert messages. For example, if you have not set up your poker room to SharkScope HUD, you will get the following alert message
This is the main home panel that introduces the features of the SharkScope HUD. You can also use the shortcuts on this page to subscribe to SharkScope or purchase the software:
SharkScope Sync
This is the SharkScope synchronisation. SharkScope Sync is a tool that ensures synchronisation between your local database and your information on SharkScope (on the website)
Synchronisation takes place every 3 minutes. This option allows SharkScope to upload missing tournaments to its database. Please note that this option is only available to SharkScope Silver members (or members with a subscription higher than Silver)
Overview
The Overview section is divided into two parts:
- Combined Bankroll
- Session Overview
In the Combined Bankroll section you can view your winnings using the following filters:
Your earnings will then appear on an X/Y graph like this:
The X-axis is the day axis and the Y-axis is the profit axis. You can then view your profits by day, week, month, year or lifetime. You will also be able to view your profits by starting position (SB, BTN, CO, etc.) by configuring the filters discussed above
The Session Overview section will give you an overall view of your performance. There will be less detail than in the Combined Bankroll section, but you'll get your information faster, at a glance
Tournaments
The Tournaments section is divided into 13 subsections:
This section will detail the results of your tournaments according to different criteria. For example, in the "Tournaments by Date" section you can see the results of your tournaments on a specific date. This section is an excellent tool to review your previous tournaments or to identify flaws in your game. For example, if you do some research, you may find that the bulk of your profits are always recorded on Mondays and the bulk of your losses are almost always recorded on Fridays. With this information, you can then investigate the reason for these results. Perhaps the players are stronger on Fridays? Maybe you don't play as well on Fridays because you are tired from your week? Perhaps you are used to playing in a café on Fridays and this environment is not conducive to the attention your online tournaments require
You can also search by player to see the biggest winners and losers among your opponents. You will also be able to find out which players you have good results against and which players you have bad results against. This will allow you to make the necessary adjustments
The last four sections are related to your profits. You will be able to see your total bankroll, your all in equity (to know if you are in "run good" or "run bad"), your tournament winnings as well as a personalized table of your tournaments.
Ring Games
In the "Ring Games" section, you will find the same information as in the "Tournaments" section, but in relation to your cash game information:
The information you will find under each section is very intuitive. This section will contain a wealth of information to review and analyse your game. These are the same options and filters you will find on other trackers such as PokerTracker 4 or Hold'em Manager 3
Leak Detectors
The "Leak Detectors" section is similar to what you will find on other trackers such as PokerCopilot. This section will be divided into 5 sub-sections:
The Leak Detectors section is for information purposes only. You should not blindly trust this section. You should only use it as a guide to help you in your game. This feature is useful for identifying some glaring flaws in your game
The Preflop Aggression section will tell you if you have the necessary preflop aggression from each position. As a general rule, you will want to raise at least 50% of the hands you play from all positions at the table. Your preflop aggression is calculated by dividing your preflop raise frequency by your VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money In Pot). You will be able to check your preflop aggression factor for both tournament and cash game play.
The Positional Awareness section detects whether you understand the positions well. The further you are from the button, the tighter your game should be. This section will tell you if you are too wide (loose) on certain positions. To take a simple and blatant example, if you play more hands in the UTG position than in the dealer position, you are not aware of the position at all! This function will analyse your VPIP from each position
The Blind Stealing section will check that your blinds are profitable. If you don't try to steal the blinds at least 20% of the time, you'll be giving up potential wins. Conversely, if you try too hard to steal the blinds, you may lose out on your attempts to steal the blinds. You have to find the right balance and it is in this section that you will get an idea of where you stand
The Pocket Pairs section will show you your VPIP with your pairs in hand. You should have a VPIP of at least 85% with your 8 and better pairs. Each of these hands should be winners in the long run
Finally, the Suited Connectors section will give you information about your performance (gains or losses) with your matched connectors. Visit this section regularly to make sure you don't lose too much money on these. Many players, for example, will lose by a wide margin with hands like 78 suited when they play them UTG, but will continue to play them again and again. Don't be like them
The SharkScope HUD
In addition to the tracker options, the software offers a HUD that you can display directly on your table like this:
The information displayed at the table can be adjusted. For example, if instead of displaying the Aggression (Agg) statistic you want to see your opponents' 3bet percentage, it will be possible for you to make this adjustment
The information displayed about each player directly on the table is summary. It will be possible to display more information by clicking on the HUD to see the general pop-up (panel):
This panel contains pretty much all the information you would want to know about your villains. If the panel is too small for your eyes, it will be possible to adjust the font by clicking on the "tT" at the top right. You will be able to move through the tabs above: Summary, Preflop, Steal, Postflop and SharkScope
You will also be able to filter the information you display on this panel (e.g. SNG, 9-Max, KOs, MTTs, etc.)
You will also be able to use this panel in cash games and not only in tournaments
The Sharkscope icon
The Sharkscope icon is one of the most interesting tools built into the SharkScope HUD. You will find it directly on your gaming tables, in the top right corner of the HUD:
This tool will give you information about the villain. This information will be taken from the SharkScope database. In other words, you will have a very complete picture of your opponent's performance, even if it is the first time you have met him at the table
Note that you will not get information on all players. By clicking on the icon, you can obtain the following results:
Found : (Found) Information has been found about the player and the statistics will be displayed correctly
Not found : (Not found) The player's name cannot be found in the SharkScope database
Not opted in : The player has expressed his refusal to have his information made public. It is possible for players to express their wish that their statistics not be disclosed. However, this information will tell you that this is a player who is well-versed in the tools of poker. So he is not a beginner
Loading : (Loading) You will only see this icon for a few seconds. This is a sign that the statistics are being uploaded to the SharkScope website
Not supported : This indicates that the poker room is not supported by SharkScope and therefore no statistics will be available for this player
When statistics are displayed, let's see an example of what you can learn about your opponents:
At the bottom right of the panel you will see several statistics. Here are some indications of the latter:
Count : This is the total number of tournaments and sit'n'gos played by the player in question and recorded by SharkScope. Here, SharkScope lists 3700
Av Profit : The average player profit per number of tournaments by removing the entry fee. The player in question wins on average $0.30 per tournament played. You could almost call it a break even player
Av Stake : This is the average cost of the player's entries, which is calculated by adding up the total of all his entries and dividing this amount by the number of tournaments played. The player in question plays tournaments averaging $5.85. This information is very useful in determining its size. If you come across him in a $215 tournament, for example, you will know that this player will be out of his comfort zone and may be less likely to bluff or play very aggressively. Conversely, in a $1 tournament, you can guess that he might be more curious and aggressive than a regular player of that limit
Av ROI : The famous Return On Investment. The ROI gives us an idea of the player's competence. The ROI is obtained by the following calculation: Total tournament profits/Total buy-ins = ROI
Profit : We saw above that the player in question earned $0.30 per tournament. Since he played about 3700 tournaments, we know that he made roughly $1,110 in total (rounded up to $1K here).
Ability : This is a score that is given to the player between 0 and 100 depending on his statistics, 100 being the perfect player. Our villain who has 66 here is an average winner. A player is considered to be strong from 75
Total Profit : Here you will have a visual of your opponent's gains or losses. You will therefore know whether he won his profits gradually with a lot of volume or in a single tournament. There is a difference in skill between a player who wins $50,000 in 5,000 tournaments and a player who gradually loses $50,000 and then wins $100,000 all at once by getting lucky in a tournament, to have a total winning graph of $50,000. You will then have a more accurate picture of your villain
The SharkScope panel may also be displayed in French:
This panel of statistics tells us that we are dealing with a consistent loser who loses little but regularly
Note that you will also be able to filter the information you see on the screen using the menu at the top of each table, in the middle:
Very useful for not being influenced by past information from a date or variant other than the one you are currently playing
How much does the SharkScope HUD cost?
There are several options for getting started with the SharkScope Desktop HUD today. You can purchase the SharkScope Hand Tracker on its own for a one-time fee of $99 (US$) or take out a SharkScope subscription (Silver and above) to enjoy the benefits of this tracker. Note that with Silver and Gold subscriptions, you also get searches on the SharkScope website (150 per day for the Silver subscription and 1000 searches per day for the Gold subscription). The following is a summary table of the purchase options:
