Hi,
Where does Equilab get the Hand Rankings from to form the Matrix, and can i write a custom version?
I see that there's a HandRankings.ini that lists a whole load of rankings (Pokerstove, Sklansky/Chubukov, Stoxtrader, etc.), but i can't work out which one of these EL is using as a default and how to select a different one
Thanks!
Hi Doublejacket,
Welcome to PokerStrategy.com!
Just when I thought I knew Equilab inside and out, along comes some greenhorn that stumps me on his first post.
WP!
I'll look into it, and hopefully I'll get back to you with a real answer...
Cheers,
VS
OK,
Here are the results so far.
I deleted handrankings.ini to see what would happen (I made a backup 
). Equilab won't start without it, so it obviously uses it.
For my next trick, I removed all sections except [Equity vs. 1 random hand]
I then ran a simple comparison:
Equity Win Tie
MP2 66.70% 65.61% 1.09% { TT+, AQs+, KQs, AQo+, KQo }
MP3 33.30% 32.21% 1.09% { A8o }
I then replaced [Equity vs. 1 random hand] with [Equity vs. 3 random hands (similar PokerStove)]
The results are no different:
Equity Win Tie
MP2 66.70% 65.61% 1.09% { TT+, AQs+, KQs, AQo+, KQo }
MP3 33.30% 32.21% 1.09% { A8o }
Since that might be a reflection of the ranges chosen, I created a totally haywire ranking, where I took the entire range from A8o...32o and cut it and pasted it ahead of AA. When I did so, the results came out exactly the same:
Equity Win Tie
MP2 66.70% 65.61% 1.09% { TT+, AQs+, KQs, AQo+, KQo }
MP3 33.30% 32.21% 1.09% { A8o }
I even tried using a totally empty handrankings.ini -- same result.
From this I conclude that Equilab has no mechanism for using different hand ranking schemes.
I loaded the oldest version of Equilab I had in my archive folder, and that one had no apparent use for handrankings.ini either.
I tried all the of different tools -- the hand range calculator and the hand strength distribution tools both worked fine with a blank handranking.ini file.
Oh well...
VS
The hand selection slider uses the ranking '[exactly Pokerstove (similar Equity vs. 3 random hands)]' from the HandRankings.ini file. Source: trial and error.
Thanks, Tony,
I'll play with that a bit.
Update:
Cute -- if I do my test by copying everything > A8o to the end of the line, then as you move the slider, A8o is selected first.
So there is your answer, DoubleJacket.
Now to see if it actually uses this to evaluate the hands.
(It does not -- the evaluation came out exactly the same...)
I also want to see what it uses if that line is missing.
Answer: It uses the one below it.
Here is something odd: Even after I put things back, Equilab continued to use the line:
[Equity vs. 4 random hands]
I could tell, since 99 comes just after AKs in the PokerStove ranking, whereas in the vs 4 Random Hands ranking, AQs comes next:
[exactly PokerStove (similar Equity vs. 3 random hands)]
AA,KK,QQ,JJ,TT,AKs,99,AQs,AKo,AJs,KQs,88,ATs,AQo,KJs,KTs,
[Equity vs. 4 random hands]
AA,KK,QQ,JJ,TT,AKs,AQs,99,KQs,AKo,AJs,ATs,KJs,AQo,QJs,KTs
VS
The PokerStrategy.com-Equilab allways use the third definition and you can not change it while running.
The Power-Equilab offers 29 different handrankings. You can choose it while running and define your own rankings with the build in handranking-editor.
best regards, nopi
Originally posted by nopi
The PokerStrategy.com-Equilab allways use the third definition and you can not change it while running.The Power-Equilab offers 29 different handrankings. You can choose it while running and define your own rankings with the build in handranking-editor.
best regards, nopi
All hail the good old freemium model 
The number 29 is quite impressive.
