I was in a rare spot the other day where in holdem I wasn't sure what my approximate equity was against my villain's range. He open shoved into five people after a someone else pf raised and I was last to act. I was 100% sure he was on a draw on a 9c 8c 2s board (there is a lot of history). I had 7h 6h and was getting about 2.25 from the pot.

Is it unethical for me to use my blackberry and fire up twodimes.net or pokerstove in this given situation? It is perfectly legal to text and use your phone during a hand at the Commerce. What is my play here?

Should using PDAs be against the rules while in the midst of a hand?

What about using a phone's calculator feature to figure out pot size?

If everyone did this the game would move soooo damn slow.
technically, if you didn't break the rules of the cardroom, well...

Cell phones are not allowed in most places, and I'm sure this trend will grow. Learn math, it's a part of the game.

Your right pfapfap I have no idea about math

Holy condescending.

In any event... OP, whatever the rules are, if you did this most people would rightly want to choke you for slowing up the game.

I have a blackberry and yanking up a website, punching in numbers and scrolling around would take you at least 4-5 minutes. Ugh.

Heh, sorry, didn't mean to be so harsh. But do chess players get to use computerized help? It's up to you and you alone to play the game. One player to a hand.

if i ever see someone calculate odds on their phone id die laughing, i would literally piss my pants, the sunglasses are funny enuff

What if you have a brain implant which helps you do the math? Is that illegal too?

fyp - couldn't resist

This.

Can I use my laptop? It has pokerstove...

The real problem is, if I go to my calculator, my opponent knows I have a marginal decision...

To the core question of is it ethical. If its not against the rules and everyone else at the table can do the same thing, then I cant see anything unethical. Silly and bad for poker, but not unethical.

of course this is unethical. Like someone else said, learn the math. 13 outs is roughly 13/45 + ((32/45)(13/44))

(assuming he doesnt redraw out on us, hence almost)

Well that doesn't really matter in OPs situation, does it?

Uh, obviously Bart had a more difficult decision than just knowing his outs, he was trying to put the guy on a range and find his equity against this range.

I find it humorous that most of the posters act as if the person asking the questions is some NVG-tard.

Bart, I think it is a bad idea and could be very bad for the game as iPhone apps could make this much easier and more common.

I dont think it is a question of ethics, its just against the rules to use of phone at the table especially when involved in a hand.

Bart, put em on a range and learn dem maths.

Edit: Oh and thanks for L@TB, it brought me to 2p2.

Maybe they have a basic strategy card for the OP like the ones they have for BJ.

Bart,

first of all, blackberrys suck. Get an IPhone. Then you could get PokerCruncher which will do hand range equity calculations quickly and easily and save time that your tablemates will appreciate.

And whether I'm in the hand or not, if I'm at the table and I see you do this, the words "Dealer, clock, please" will instantly fly out of my mouth. If you have time to play with your IPhone, you have had more than enough time to make a decision.

This. The ethics part shouldn't have to come up, as it's against the rules in most places. You can't use your phone at the table when in the hand. I believe this would apply to any electronic device as you could be calling or texting someone for help also.

As far as ethical (if it was allowed), I would find it very disrespectful for the amount of time it would take, as you would be holding up the whole table.

I laugh at those saying phones are not allowed. Virtually everyone casiono in the SF Bay area has a no phone rule. And virtually no one enforces it.

Friends that use pokerstove alot when playing online (and run alot of sims when not playing) have been able to get a good feel for equity % based on perceived opponent ranges in common situations, which they can apply live.

I've been working on that to get some practice, it comes in handy. I'm nowhere near as good as they are yet, so I just make sure to put my villan on a hand that I beat.

I'm guessing that if everyone started using their phones/blackberries/whatevers to use pokerstove, and it slowed down the game, then players would push enforcement of the rule more than they do now.

I agree with the above poster that if someone started using their phone while in the midst of making a decision, I would just call the clock.

"The mobile phone shall not be used in any way to assist a player at a table during a hand."

I believe that would be close to how the rule is written, and therefore you should not use it.

The math isn't that difficult if it's a simple call-this-to-win-that-much-vs-this-kind-of-range, and if you're talking about the players behind you possibly calling or folding, then pokerstove can't help you with that either.

This would be illegal under Las Vegas law at least.

Edit: And by illegal, I mean, actually illegal, not just against the rules of the cardroom, as in, it's a felony.