Goals of the ProjectGoals of the ProjectIt is our goal to collect as many hand histories from individual players as possible. Using these, we will determine what accounts for different people's success in poker. Are there any commonalities between the very best players? How much can people expect to make before the flop based upon starting hands alone? To what extent are the very best players beholden to luck?
The number of questions that will be able to be answered is huge. As we begin receiving more and more hand histories, we will keep you updated on our preliminary findings. If anyone has any suggestions for the project or poker questions that you think deserve to be answered, you are more than welcome to submit them here.
Due to the overwhelming popularity of Texas Hold'em, our project will begin by studying games of Texas Hold'em. We're interested in all forms of the game, both limit and no-limit for all stakes. It is essential for analysis that your hole cards be visible in whatever format you submit to us. Poker Tracker does automatically.
We also understand that poker players have reason to guard their hand histories. Therefore, we guarantee that only people who are working directly on the project will have access to people's hand histories. NO ONE'S HAND HISTORY WILL EVER BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE NOT ON THE PROJECT. If you have any questions about our commitment to protecting players' data, you may contact us here.
Everyone who submits over 10,000 hands of Texas Hold'em play will receive a free analysis of their play. Upon receipt of your hand histories you should receive an email confirmation with the number of hands you submitted. The analysis will take some time because it will include specifically tailored advice. We will work to get it to you as soon as possible.
In order to perform your free analysis, it is crucial that your 10,000 hands be for real money and include your hole cards. And of course, the more data you send us the better will be your analysis. Steven Levitt is an expert at statistical analysis and will deliver personally targeted advice on how maximize your profits while playing online. Depending on the stakes you play at and how frequently you play, such advice could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in losses in the long run.
Finally, any serious student of the game of poker knows about the lack of serious research done in the field. While there are many people who have written books on poker theory, no one has tested all of these theories or undertaken a systematic analysis of actual cardplay on the scale that Steven Levitt plans. Contributing your hand histories will help to advance the current state of poker knowledge. We will be very grateful to those of you who contribute to this project and look forward to delivering personalized advice on how to improve your game.