Taking proper notes is a data collection and management problem. Your job is to provide future versions of yourself with objective and concise data which can be used in real time on future decisions. I have used and refined this method across ten years.
Sometimes bits of information are redundant. I make no attempt to remove redundant information where this helps me get data quickly in the future unless it causes, in my judgment, present excessive suffering. Often its just as troublesome to remove something if I've said it twice. The most important thing is that I know what I meant.
This legend breaks into multiple parts including position, action, betting stage (ie. preflop), and of course hole cards. I also include short observations as tags or commentary.
Tags:
PASS = Passive
AGRO = aggressive
WEAK = weak
SMART = smart
SLOL = foolish slowplay
GOOD = a strong line
FANCY = something tricky like checking twice to raise a strong hand.
HERO = I am the hero. That's right.
Actions:
x = check
c = call
oc = open call
or = open raise
r = raise with limpers
iso = raise with limpers
3! = 3 Bet
4! = 4 Bet
cc = coldcall
cc3! = coldcall 3bet
ol = open limp
/ = and then.
example: or/cc4! = open raise then coldcalled a 4 bet.
Position:
EP = Early Position
MP = Middle Position
CO = Cutoff
BTN = Button
SB = Small Blind
BB = Big Blind.
BVB = blind vs blind.
HU = heads up.
Note: or/c CO = open raise then called in the Cutoff. Notice position is capitalized to avoid confusion whereas actions are lower case.
Betting Stage:
--- = after this is the flop
- = after this is the next card
Example: ol/c MP --- = open limped then called in the cutoff. This part is more clear when a full example is provided.
Holecards and Boardcards.
XX = unknown holdings
AJs = Ace Jack of spades
AsJ = Ace of spades Jack offsuit.
AoJs = Ace off suit Jack of spades.
KKs = Kings with the King of spades
J54ss = a flop with Jack five four and two spades. (its never mattered which cards were the spades but ymmv).
Let's look at a hand. This was pulled from a penny stakes game, the first hand which included holecards.
PokerStars,
Hold'em Limit - $0.02/$0.04 - 5 players
UTG: $0.37 (19 bb)
CO: $1.54 (77 bb)
BU: $0.44 (22 bb)
SB: $0.36 (18 bb)
BB: $1.59 (80 bb)
Pre-Flop: ($0.03)
3 players fold, SB calls $0.01, BB checks
Flop: ($0.04) 7
♥ J
♠ A
♣ (2 players)
SB checks, BB checks
Turn: ($0.04) T
♥ (2 players)
SB checks, BB checks
River: ($0.04) 5
♦ (2 players)
SB checks, BB checks
Total pot: $0.04 (Rake: $0)
Showdown:
SB shows 6
♣ K
♣ (high card, Ace)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 66%, Flop: 78%, Turn: 86%, River: 0%)
BB shows Q
♥ 5
♣ (a pair of Fives)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 34%, Flop: 22%, Turn: 14%, River: 100%)
BB wins $0.04
Notes I might have taken here:
WEAK ol SB K6c --- AJ7h, x - T, x - 5, x.
PASS x BB Q5o --- AJ7h, x - Thh, x - 5, x. No Bluff Qhigh GSSD
When to take notes:
I make a habit of regularly taking notes. Even of players whom I don't expect to see in the future. This encourages me to clearly digest exactly what happened NOW and it makes me a much better player.
Considerations:
- Notes of this type usually fit on one line. You have space for comment.
- Its very easy to over adjust based on notes, but this system has helped me avoid that. The tags are usually the most useful for future reads, and the hand data gives me an idea about what I meant.
- If you follow this closely and just stick to objective observation your future self will know what happened.
- The idea is not to remind yourself about bad beats. My own hole cards are almost never included except if I've just shown a bluff or something that my opponent might try to adapt to. For example, taking an odd line showing something odd and noting that as a reminder to use the same line later with a hand that punishes adaptation.
Some other examples:
A regular I used to play with a lot.
WEAK vs Hero BVB c BB K5o --- K95cc, r - J, b - Tccc, CHECK
Translation: in blind vs blind he called my raise, raised 2 pair on the 2flush flop, bet the Jack turn and checked the four straight three flush river. His last action is capitalized and spelled out because it's the important part of the hand. His decision may even have been the correct one at that time, but I believe it's a tough decision for my opponent and noteworthy that he picked the weaker option.
A tight and not too aggressive player.
WEAK with 2nd PP vs 3BET RANGE or/4! QQ --- AT7hh4h7, bxx.
Notice that the whole board and actions are compressed here. I also did not include his position, which would have been a problem if he had an unusual hand like 22 in early position. With Queens I don't care as much.
Translation: the Tight player open raised and 4bet with Queens. The flop was Ace Ten Seven with two hearts. Turn was a four of hearts, river seven. His actions in the hand were bet, check, check. In that scenario he probably misses a bet on the river and I agree with my past self that in a tough(ish) situation he picked the weaker line.
