All popular online poker rooms allow you to save off your poker results into text files called “Hand History” files. PokerStars for instance allows you to configure the software to automatically export your entire session for post game analysis.

Since the files are pure text, they are hard to follow. There are several online tools for converting your hand history files into easy to follow summaries with card images. 

Here is the typical text output from PokerStars :

PokerStars Game #20493078073:  Hold’em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) – 2008/09/17 23:21:19 ET
Table ‘Edda’ 6-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: billyjoe76 ($97.25 in chips) 
Seat 2: remo13 ($99 in chips) 
Seat 3: rule187 ($47.70 in chips) 
Seat 4: snooker1212 ($49.75 in chips) 
Seat 5: geoffm33 ($101.45 in chips) 
Seat 6: vikesfan20 ($84.90 in chips) 
remo13: posts small blind $0.50
rule187: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to geoffm33 [Ks Kh]
snooker1212: calls $1
geoffm33: raises $4 to $5
vikesfan20: folds 
billyjoe76: calls $5
remo13: folds 
rule187: folds 
snooker1212: folds 
*** FLOP *** [7h Jh 3s]
geoffm33: bets $7
billyjoe76: calls $7
*** TURN *** [7h Jh 3s] [2s]
geoffm33: bets $15
billyjoe76: calls $15
*** RIVER *** [7h Jh 3s 2s] [Js]
geoffm33: bets $15
billyjoe76: raises $15 to $30
geoffm33: calls $15
*** SHOW DOWN ***
billyjoe76: shows [As 6s] (a flush, Ace high)
geoffm33: mucks hand 
billyjoe76 collected $113.50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $116.50 | Rake $3 
Board [7h Jh 3s 2s Js]
Seat 1: billyjoe76 (button) showed [As 6s] and won ($113.50) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 2: remo13 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: rule187 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: snooker1212 folded before Flop
Seat 5: geoffm33 mucked [Ks Kh]
Seat 6: vikesfan20 folded before Flop (didn’t bet)

 

And here is the same hand converted at WeakTight.com:

>>>

$0.5/$1 No Limit Holdem
6 players
Converted at weaktight.com

Stacks:

Pre-flop: ($1.50, 6 players) Hero is UTG 1

snooker1212 calls $1, Hero raises to $5, 1 fold, billyjoe76 calls $5, 2 folds, snooker1212 folds

Flop: ($12.50, 2 players)
Hero bets $7, billyjoe76 calls $7

Turn: ($26.50, 2 players)
Hero bets $15, billyjoe76 calls $15

River: ($56.50, 2 players)
Hero bets $15, billyjoe76 raises to $30, Hero calls $15

Final Pot: $116.50
billyjoe76 shows:
Hero shows:

billyjoe76 wins $113.50 ( won $56.50 )
snooker1212 lost -$1.00
Hero lost -$57.00

>>>

See our Hand Analysis section for more examples of this.

Two popular converters for hand history files can be found at WeakTight.com and FlopTurnRiver.com. I tend to favor the converter at WeakTight.com as it allows you to replay the hand in a poker room mockup window. Have a look at both and decide for yourself.

You can also use hand history files with software like PokerTracker to:

• Track your bankroll.
• Analyze starting hand selection.
• See how you play from different table positions.
• Track your opponents in game with a HUD (Heads up Display).
• Export your hand directly to WeakTight.com for conversion.