About MDA Demon
Using MDA Demon for data-driven decision making
Introduction
This guide explains how to use MDA Demon to effectively identify how the population is deviating from optimal play in 6max cash games.
The site uses various indicators to show both current and future action frequencies, as well as range construction - for various player profiles including GTO Bots.
What is MDA in poker?
Mass Data Analysis (MDA) in poker is the process of analysing hand histories and has a wide range of uses eg. figuring out how much rake is paid to a poker site, investigating suspicious bot activity, or finding leaks in specific player profiles.
Datasets
There are several datasets to choose from, below is a breakdown of the datasets currently available. Note that there are no hands used which are older than 2023. The WTSD Bot hands have been filtered to counter discrepancies in range construction as a result of Showdown Bias, which has a bigger effect on earlier streets:
GG Reg 50nl
Hands played by Regs (max VPIP of 34, max VPIP-PFR gap of 10) on GG poker at 50nl regular 6max cash tables
GG Reg 200nl
Hands played by Regs (max VPIP of 34, max VPIP-PFR gap of 10) on GG poker at 200nl regular 6max cash tables
GG Fish
Hands played by Fish (any non-Reg, with a VPIP-PFR gap of 9+) on GG poker at 50-200nl regular 6max cash tables
Bots
Hands played by our GTO Bots to simulate how a solver would play
WTSD Bots
Hands played by our GTO Bots filtered for hands that Went To ShowDown, for fairer range comparison to the human datasets
Navigation
Navigating the game tree with MDA Demon is similar to other popular poker software - simply select the action by street using the panels at the top of the page. Note that the data shown for the selected action will always refer to the dataset selected. For example if we choose to look at "GG Reg 200nl" and select SRP, BU vs BB, PFR, B - this will show how 200nl regs are playing the flop cbet node as the preflop raiser in the BU vs BB SRP formation. For more information on the data indicators, see below.
Data Indicators
MDA Demon consists of several indicators, that together provide insights to help with poker decision making.
Action Dials
Understanding Action Dials
Understanding the Numbers
Reactions Panel
| Fold | Call | Raise | Check | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Understanding Reactions Panel
Trend Indicators
Reading Tips
- Hover over percentages for sample size
- Actions to the left of the seperator indicate reactions facing an aggresive action (bet or raise.)
- Actions to the right of the seperator indicate follow up actions after facing a passive action (check or call)
Sizing Chart
Understanding the Sizing Chart
Chart Reference
Strategy Note
Use as a quick reference for optimal bet sizing in different scenarios
Tip
Fold nodes display Expected Value (EV) of a bluff instead
Board Filter
Understanding Board Filters
Examples
Data in MDA Demon can be filtered by board texture, see below examples of how board filters are defined.
Examples
Board Textures
Hand Class Analysis
This chart gives a visual representation of the range composition by hand class. Use it to find where players ranges are too weak, too strong or capped.
Weak Indicator
The weak hands indicator is used for swift reference; especially udeful for identifying overbluffed or underbluffed spots. You can select which handclasses count as weak hands in the settings.