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- What Is WTSD and How Is It Calculated?
- What Does a High WTSD Mean?
- Example of a Player with High WTSD
- What Does a Low WTSD Mean?
- Example of a Player with Low WTSD
- WTSD and Hand Selection
- How to Use WTSD in Tournaments and Cash Games
- Top 3 Must-Have Services for Advanced Players
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What Is WTSD in Poker?
- What WTSD Is Considered High?
- What WTSD Is Considered Low?
Success at the poker table largely depends on understanding your opponents’ behavior. One valuable statistical metric for this is WTSD (Went to Showdown). It can reveal a lot about an opponent’s playing style—whether they play cautiously, aggressively, or otherwise. In this article, we’ll break down why WTSD in poker is important, how it can improve your strategy, and how to use it for more accurate reads on your opponents. Let’s jump right in!
What Is WTSD and How Is It Calculated?
WTSD (Went to Showdown) is a metric that reflects the percentage of hands in which a player reaches showdown. A showdown occurs when, after the final betting round, at least two players remain in the hand and reveal their cards to determine the winner.
Typically, WTSD stats are available in poker trackers. To calculate WTSD, you need to know the number of hands a player has taken to showdown and the total number of hands played.
The formula for calculating WTSD is straightforward:
WTSD = (Number of Hands Reaching Showdown / Total Hands Played) × 100
For example, if a player has played 100 hands and reached showdown in 25 of them, their WTSD is 25%.
What Does a High WTSD Mean?
A player who frequently reaches showdown will naturally have a high WTSD. A high WTSD is generally considered to be 30% or above. This indicates that the player is more likely to call a river bet than fold their cards.
If you’re in a hand with an opponent whose WTSD is 30% or higher, ensure you have a strong enough hand before betting. Bluffing such players is pointless—they’re more likely to call than fold. Avoid bluffing against them, or you’ll just end up losing money.
However, this also opens up opportunities to earn more. If an opponent frequently calls river bets, you can make value bets and get paid off more often than against a more experienced player with a lower WTSD.
Here’s what high WTSD may also indicate:
- Passive Playstyle – A high WTSD often indicates a passive player who doesn’t mind going to showdown even with mediocre hands. These players tend to call down to the end, hoping to improve.
- Loose Player – A high WTSD is typical of loose players who play wide ranges of hands and hate folding. They often call with marginal hands like suited connectors or low pairs, aiming to see all the cards.
- Calling Station – Players with a high WTSD are often dubbed “calling stations.” They tend to call bets, especially in growing pots, even without a strong hand. Bluffing them out of a hand is near impossible.
This metric is one of the most critical in poker, and it’s worth keeping a close eye on during play. Most recreational players you encounter at the tables will have a WTSD of 30% or higher. When you spot one, milk them for all they’re worth! Just make sure you do it with a strong hand rather than trying to bluff them out.
Example of a Player with High WTSD
Player A has a WTSD of 45%. They call from the button with 9♠7♠. The flop comes 10♦6♥3♠, giving them a flush draw. Player A calls a bet. The turn brings 5♣, completing their straight. They call another bet on the river and go to showdown with a made hand. This is a typical scenario for a player with a high Went to Showdown in poker.
How to Adapt to Players with High WTSD:
- Bluffing – If you notice a player often reaches showdown, rethink your bluffing strategy. Bluffing against such opponents is ineffective since they love to see all 5 common cards. Focus instead on value betting when you have a strong hand.
- Value Betting – These players tend to call a wide range of hands, so you can extract more value by betting with strong hands. They’ll call even with marginal holdings, allowing you to maximize your winnings.
What Does a Low WTSD Mean?
The opposite of a high WTSD is a low WTSD. This one is just as informative as a high percentage. Players with a WTSD around 20% or lower are tight. They can be considered unbalanced, with specific leaks in their game. While a high-WTSD player plays too many hands, a low-WTSD player folds too often.
Bluffing works great against these opponents—they’re prone to frequent folds. However, if such a player starts calling your bets, it’s a red flag. If they don’t fold, slow down—they likely have a strong hand or a nut draw with a high chance of improving. In that case, you’re probably the underdog.
What to expect from a player with a low WTSD:
- Aggressive Playstyle – A low WTSD suggests an aggressive player who folds weak hands and only goes to showdown with strong combinations.
- Tight Player – Players with a low WTSD typically stick to a tight style, playing only premium starting hands. If they miss the flop, they usually fold.
- Bluff and Pressure – These players rarely reach showdown because they force opponents to fold earlier. It’s easier to bluff them off the pot, as they only call with strong hands, otherwise either pushing opponents out of the pot themselves or folding.
Against players with a low WTSD, you need to be ready to fold even good hands if they stay in the pot.
Example of a Player with Low WTSD
Player B has a WTSD of 18%. They raise from the button with A♣K♠, and the flop comes Q♦5♠2♣. They make a continuation bet, and after two rounds of betting, they win the hand without a showdown as their opponent folds. Player B did not need to go to showdown, which keeps their WTSD low.
How to Adapt to Players with Low WTSD:
- Aggression – Against tight players with a low WTSD, you can adopt an aggressive style, making big bets on the flop and turn. Since they fold more often, you can take down pots without a showdown.
- Caution – If a low-WTSD player calls your bet, be wary—they likely have a strong hand. They don’t go to showdown with marginal hands, so their calls should set off alarm bells.
WTSD and Hand Selection
Players with a high WTSD in poker often enter hands with weaker holdings: low pocket pairs, suited connectors, or gappers. They’re prone to chasing draws and reaching showdown even with just a pair.
Players with a low Went to Showdown in poker prefer premium hands: big pocket pairs (AA, KK), high suited cards (AK, AQ), and strong connectors. If they don’t improve on the flop, they’re more likely to fold.
How to Use WTSD in Tournaments and Cash Games
In tournaments, WTSD can be higher because players are forced to take more risks with their chips to build a stack. This leads them to stay in hands even with marginal holdings.
In cash games, WTSD is more stable since players aren’t constrained by stack sizes and can afford a more disciplined approach. As a result, their WTSD is typically lower, reflecting a more selective hand-playing strategy.
Here’s a quick look at how WTSD ties into other poker stats:
- VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money In Pot) – WTSD is directly linked to VPIP. Players with a high VPIP (wide starting hand range) reach showdown more often, so their WTSD will also be high.
- PFR (Pre-Flop Raise) – A high PFR usually pairs with a lower WTSD, as aggressive players prefer betting and raising to just calling, and they often fold if they miss the flop.
- AF (Aggression Factor) – WTSD also correlates with aggression levels. Players with a high AF often force opponents to fold before showdown, resulting in a lower WTSD.
Top 3 Must-Have Services for Advanced Players
To effectively use WTSD in poker and other stats to improve your game, consider these specialized services:
- HisHands:
This service provides extensive hand history databases for popular poker rooms like PokerStars, GGpoker, CHICO, WPN, 888poker, and more. Using this data, you can analyze opponents’ tendencies and adjust your strategy accordingly. - Statname:
An online platform aggregating data from millions of cash game players. It offers large hand history database for poker stats analysis, including WTSD, VPIP, PFR, 3-bet, and over 100 other metrics. This helps you gain deeper insight into your opponents’ styles and make better decisions at the table. - MagicSeat:
This tool automatically selects the most profitable tables and seats based on opponents’ stats. Leveraging WTSD and other metrics, MagicSeat helps you sit at tables with weaker players (fish), boosting your chances of success.
Integrating these services into your poker routine will give you in-depth player analysis using WTSD and help you make more effective decisions at the table.
Conclusion
WTSD in poker isn’t just a number—it’s a powerful tool for monitoring your opponents’ playing styles. By understanding how often a player reaches showdown, you can determine whether they lean passive or aggressive and adjust your strategy to maximize profit. Learn from every showdown, analyze your opponents’ WTSD, and use this knowledge to boost your win rate!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is WTSD in Poker?
WTSD shows how often a player reaches showdown instead of folding earlier. A high WTSD indicates a passive or loose player who calls frequently, while a low Went to Showdown is typical of aggressive players who either win hands without showdown or only play strong hands.
What WTSD Is Considered High?
A WTSD above 30-35% means a player plays many hands, including weak ones, and often reaches showdown. These players are usually passive and tend to lose in the long run because they call with marginal hands too often. Exploit them with more value bets.
What WTSD Is Considered Low?
A WTSD below 20% points to a tight, aggressive player who rarely reaches showdown and plays only strong hands. Bluffing and aggressive betting work well against them, as they’re more likely to fold marginal hands.
