Poker Stats Guide | Key HUD Metrics, Formulas & Optimal Values
A complete guide to poker stats including VPIP, PFR, AF, 3-Bet%, and WTSD. Learn the formulas, optimal values, and how to read opponents by combining multiple stats.
What Are Poker Stats?
Poker stats are numerical indicators that quantify a player's behavioral patterns.
"How often does this opponent enter pots?" "Do they fold easily when raised?" — Stats let you understand these tendencies through concrete numbers rather than gut feeling.
Understanding stats gives you the ability to:
- Quickly identify your opponent's playing style
- Make betting and folding decisions with solid reasoning
- Objectively discover weaknesses in your own play
This article covers the major poker stats — their meanings, optimal values, and practical applications — organized by category.
Preflop Stats
These stats quantify preflop actions — what hands your opponents play and how aggressively they enter pots.
VPIP (Voluntary Put In Pot)
VPIP (Voluntarily Put In Pot) is the percentage of hands in which a player voluntarily puts chips into the pot.
VPIP = Hands where chips were voluntarily contributed ÷ Total hands dealt
The key word is "voluntarily." When the BB (big blind) is forced to post chips and the hand checks around with no raise, it is not counted. However, if the BB calls or raises against an opponent's raise, it is counted as a voluntary action.
| Category | VPIP | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Tight | Below 18% | Only plays strong hands |
| Standard | 20–27% | Balanced participation rate |
| Loose | Above 30% | Plays a wide range of hands |
For a deeper dive into VPIP — including optimal values by position and how to adjust against different opponent types — check out this guide:
PFR (Preflop Raise)
PFR (Preflop Raise) is the percentage of hands in which a player raises preflop. This includes open raises, 3-bets (re-raises), and 4-bets.
PFR = Hands raised preflop ÷ Total hands dealt
| Category | PFR | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Passive | Below 12% | Calls often, rarely raises |
| Standard | 15–22% | Raises at a balanced frequency |
| Aggressive | Above 25% | Raises aggressively |
Pay attention to the gap between VPIP and PFR. A large gap (e.g., VPIP 30, PFR 10) indicates a passive player who enters pots mostly by calling rather than raising.
3-Bet% (3-Bet Percentage)
3-Bet% is the frequency of re-raising (3-betting) against an opponent's open raise.
3-Bet% = Number of 3-bets ÷ Number of 3-bet opportunities
| Category | 3-Bet% | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Tight | Below 5% | Premium hands only (AA, KK, etc.) |
| Standard | 8–10% | Balanced 3-bet range |
| Aggressive | Above 11% | Likely mixing in bluff 3-bets |
Fold to 3-Bet
Fold to 3-Bet is the percentage of times a player folds when facing a 3-bet after they open-raised.
Fold to 3-Bet = Times folded to a 3-bet ÷ Times 3-bet was faced
| Position | Optimal Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| IP (In Position) | 40–45% | Positional advantage allows wider defense |
| OOP (Out of Position) | 45–50% | Positional disadvantage warrants more folding |
Against opponents who fold 70% or more to 3-bets, you can profit by 3-betting liberally. Against those below 30%, they tend to defend against 3-bets, so avoid bluff 3-betting.
ATS (Attempt to Steal)
ATS (Attempt to Steal) is the frequency of raising from late positions — CO (cutoff), BTN (button), and SB (small blind) — to steal the blinds.
ATS = Raises from steal positions ÷ Steal opportunities
"Opportunity" = being in CO, BTN, or SB with everyone before you having folded.
| Category | ATS | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Passive | Below 25% | Rarely steals; strong hands only |
| Standard | 30–35% | Steals at a balanced rate |
| Aggressive | Above 40% | Wide steal range; many bluffs |
Fold to Steal
Fold to Steal is the percentage of times a player in the blinds folds when facing a steal raise from a late position.
Fold to Steal = Times folded to steal raise ÷ Times steal raise was faced
The optimal value is approximately 60%. Against opponents above 80%, you can profitably raise from steal positions with a wide range. Against those below 40%, they defend their blinds frequently, so tighten your stealing range.
Squeeze% (Squeeze Percentage)
Squeeze% is the frequency of re-raising (squeezing) after an open raise and one or more callers.
Squeeze% = Number of squeezes ÷ Squeeze opportunities
The optimal value is 7–9%. Opponents above 12% are likely squeezing with light hands, and you can counter by calling or 4-betting more widely.
Postflop Stats
These stats show postflop behavioral patterns — how aggressively opponents play after the flop and how far they go in a hand.
AF (Aggression Factor)
AF (Aggression Factor) is a numerical measure of postflop aggression.
AF = (Bets + Raises) ÷ Calls
| Category | AF | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Passive | Below 1.5 | Calls frequently, rarely initiates action |
| Standard | 2–3 | Balanced aggression |
| Aggressive | 4 or above | Frequently bets and raises |
An opponent with AF below 1 calls more than they bet or raise — a "calling station." Against such players, bluffs rarely work; instead, focus on extracting value with strong hands.
Flop CB% (Flop Continuation Bet %)
Flop CB% is the percentage of times the preflop raiser makes a continuation bet (c-bet) on the flop.
Flop CB% = Flop c-bets made ÷ Flop c-bet opportunities
| Position | Optimal Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IP (In Position) | 50–70% | High frequency leveraging positional advantage |
| OOP (Out of Position) | 25–35% | More checking OOP; varies greatly by board texture |
Fold to Flop CB (Fold to Flop C-Bet)
Fold to Flop CB is the percentage of times a player folds when facing a c-bet.
Fold to Flop CB = Times folded to flop c-bet ÷ Times flop c-bet was faced
Against opponents who fold 60% or more, c-betting widely is profitable. Against those below 40%, they tend to float the flop, so tighten your c-bet range and extract value with strong hands.
WTSD% (Went to Showdown)
WTSD (Went To Showdown) is the percentage of times a player reaches showdown after seeing the flop.
WTSD = Times reached showdown ÷ Times flop was seen
| Category | WTSD | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Over-folding | Below 24% | Folds easily to bets |
| Standard | 27–32% | Balanced between calling and folding |
| Over-calling | Above 35% | Rarely folds; bluffs are less effective |
W$SD (Won Money at Showdown)
W$SD (Won Money at Showdown) is the percentage of times a player wins when reaching showdown.
W$SD = Times won at showdown ÷ Times reached showdown
The optimal value is 49–54%.
Reading WTSD and W$SD together is especially effective:
| Pattern | WTSD | W$SD | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good player | 28–30% | Above 50% | Folds appropriately, wins when staying in |
| Calling station | Above 35% | Below 45% | Calls too much and loses often. Target with value bets |
| Over-folder | Below 24% | Above 55% | Only stays with strong hands. Target with bluffs |
WWSF (Won When Saw Flop)
WWSF (Won When Saw Flop) is the percentage of pots won after seeing the flop. This includes both showdown wins and non-showdown wins (opponent folds).
WWSF = Pots won after seeing flop ÷ Times flop was seen
| Category | WWSF | Tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Passive | Below 44% | Not applying enough postflop pressure |
| Standard | 45–53% | Balanced postflop play |
| Aggressive | Above 54% | Winning many pots through bets and raises |
Reading Stats in Combination
Rather than viewing stats individually, combining multiple stats gives a more accurate picture of your opponent's tendencies.
VPIP–PFR Gap
The gap between VPIP and PFR is an important measure of preflop aggression. A gap of about 3 points indicates a player who primarily enters pots by raising — an aggressive style.
| VPIP / PFR | Gap | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 21 / 18 | 3 | Raise-heavy entry. Common among winning players |
| 25 / 20 | 5 | Slightly wider but healthy. Typical 6-max regular |
| 30 / 10 | 20 | Mostly calls to enter. Passive and exploitable |
| 56 / 5 | 51 | Almost all limps/calls. Major leaks |
Winning players typically fall within 19/17 to 25/23, with a gap of 2–5 points. An opponent with a gap of 10+ is a passive player who enters pots by calling rather than raising.
Sources: BlackRain79, Poker Copilot
WTSD, W$SD & WWSF — The Triangle
These three stats are interconnected, and combining them reveals a player's postflop style.
Key principle: Players with low WTSD tend to have high WSD.
| WWSF | WTSD | W$SD | Type | Counter-strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High (54%+) | High (35%+) | Low (below 45%) | Aggressive bluffer | Build pots with strong hands; call down with medium hands |
| Low (below 44%) | Low (below 24%) | High (55%+) | Passive/tight | Bluffs work well; fold when they bet |
| Standard (~48%) | Standard (28–30%) | Standard (50–52%) | Balanced | No obvious weakness; play a standard game |
Sources: Hand2Note, Upswing Poker
ATS & Fold to Steal — Blind Battle Dynamics
ATS measures the stealer's side, while Fold to Steal measures the defender's side — together they represent the attack and defense of blind battles.
- High ATS × Opponent's high Fold to Steal → Steal paradise. Raise aggressively for easy profit
- High ATS × Opponent's low Fold to Steal → Tough defender. Tighten your steal range or fight postflop
- Your own high Fold to Steal → You're giving up blinds too easily. Increase your defense frequency
Sources: BlackRain79, Pokercode
3 Key Points for Using Stats Effectively
1. Be Aware of Sample Size
Stats are unreliable without a sufficient number of hands.
| Stat | Benchmark Hands | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| VPIP & PFR | ~300 hands | Occurs every hand, converges quickly |
| 3-Bet% & ATS | ~1,000 hands | Only occurs in specific situations |
| Fold to 3-Bet | ~1,500 hands | Even more limited situations |
| Squeeze% | ~3,000 hands | Very low frequency |
| WTSD, W$SD & WWSF | ~8,000 hands | Fewer hands reach the postflop stage |
Source: Upswing Poker
2. Look at Position-Specific Stats
Looking at position-specific values rather than overall stats improves accuracy.
For example, an opponent with overall VPIP of 25% might have 15% from UTG (earliest, most disadvantaged position) and 40% from BTN (latest, most advantaged position). This indicates a skilled player with good positional awareness.
An opponent with roughly the same VPIP across all positions likely lacks positional awareness and is easier to exploit.
3. Ask "Why" Behind the Numbers
Stats are a starting point, not the answer. What matters is thinking about the reason behind the numbers.
- Opponent with VPIP 40% → Playing weak hands → Easier to dominate postflop
- Opponent with AF 1.0 → Calls a lot → Bluffs don't work, but strong hands extract value
- Opponent with WTSD 22% → Folds quickly → Bluffs work, but if called, they have the goods
Build the habit of thinking in three steps: Stats → Hypothesis about tendencies → Counter-strategy.
Stats Quick Reference
A summary of optimal values for all stats.
Preflop
| Stat | Full Name | Optimal Value (6-max) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPIP | Voluntarily Put In Pot | 20–27% | Upswing Poker, SplitSuit |
| PFR | Preflop Raise | 15–22% | Upswing Poker, BlackRain79 |
| 3-Bet% | 3-Bet Percentage | 8–10% | Upswing Poker |
| Fold to 3-Bet | Fold to 3-Bet | IP 40–45% / OOP 45–50% | Upswing Poker |
| ATS | Attempt to Steal | 30–35% | BlackRain79, Pokercode |
| Fold to Steal | Fold to Steal | ~60% | Poker Copilot, BlackRain79 |
| Squeeze% | Squeeze Percentage | 7–9% | Upswing Poker |
Postflop
| Stat | Full Name | Optimal Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AF | Aggression Factor | 2–3 | BlackRain79, Pokercode |
| Flop CB% (IP) | Flop C-Bet (In Position) | 50–70% | Upswing Poker |
| Flop CB% (OOP) | Flop C-Bet (Out of Position) | 25–35% | Upswing Poker |
| Fold to Flop CB | Fold to Flop C-Bet | Below 50% | Upswing Poker |
| WTSD% | Went To Showdown | 27–32% | Upswing Poker |
| W$SD | Won Money at Showdown | 49–54% | Upswing Poker |
| WWSF | Won When Saw Flop | 45–53% | Upswing Poker |
Summary
Stats are a powerful tool for understanding opponents' tendencies through numbers. Simply understanding VPIP, PFR, and AF is enough to identify what type of player you're facing.
However, stats are not a magic bullet. Be mindful of sample sizes, look at position-specific data, and think about the reasons behind the numbers — keep these three points in mind to turn data into actionable insights.
Once you can identify how your opponent's strategy deviates from optimal play, it's time to think about how to adjust your own strategy. This requires a solid foundation in poker theory.
Want to put your stats knowledge into practice? Houou-sen is a competitive poker league where your stats are tracked, letting you review your play through numbers and sharpen your skills.
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