Just curious how people take notes at the table. I am pretty bad at remembering all my hands precisely after long sessions.

I'm considering just taking notes with a pen and notebook at the table but wonder if there is a downside to this.

Pros

• Easier studying off the table
• Can remember other player's strategies better

Cons

• People might tighten up against me losing me action?
• Players can notice I am taking notes and play more exploitatively against me

Curious what you guys think. For 1/2, 1/3 tables.

Can always step away from the table for a hand, record your thoughts, and return.

Would you miss hands with this strategy?

Yes, just like getting a drink or taking a leak. The game isn’t going anywhere. No harm in missing a few hands.

Send yourself an email or a text, making it less obvious you are taking notes. Half the people at the table are constantly on their phone.

Notes app on iPhone.

This is what I do as well if I’m taking notes that day.

Btw OP, I don’t think taking notes on other players is worthwhile, I would just write down hands you played that you would want to review later.

I would think we all know how to text rather quickly now. That's how I do it - I send myself a text.

Why would you use a pen and notebook instead of a phone? Do you have a smart phone? Wouldn't typing the info be a lot faster?

I use a memo app and save each memo as a separate hand. I've also emailed each hand to myself in the past, whatever you use is up to you.

Recording all of your big hands (especially losing hands) is the most important thing for anyone who wants to improve. It's pretty much a requirement.

Actually, if you pull out a notebook and a pen, they might treat you as a fish

I just use the notepad on my phone in between hands. As long as you don't make a big deal of it no one knows what you are doing and you don't miss hands either.

I don't take notes as I can remember the hands I want to, but sometimes I like to do math on a scratch-pad.

Whenever I bring something to write on people assume I'm taking notes. However, using your phone is very common and completely unsuspicious. Just do that.

I do actually tend to do some math analysis after hands on a poker hand calculator if I'm trying to see whether my intuition was right in ranges.

Same here. I mainly keep notes on the regs that I play against. The most and when something notable happens. By something notesble, I mean “v was PFR, bet same size on flop/turn/river and was weak/strong/nutted/etc”
There are a lot of regs in my room so keeping faces straight is tough...I just look at the bravo on my table and get their name, then add a description. One I currently have is “fatter sideshow bob from Simpsons - named Marius”, because he looks like a fat version of sideshow bob from the Simpsons! Don’t overdo it...

If someone asked what I’m looking at when I go check the bravo, I just say I wanna make sure I’m getting my points and I’m in the right seat...easy

pretty much the same for me. I'm more concerned about regs that I'll see on a day to day basis as oppose to those i'll see once or twice a month. Furthermore, regs that can put in in tough situations post flop stand out even more.


For almost all of the regs, pre/flop isn't really important to me, I'm a lot more intereseted in how they proceed on the turn/river in/oop when they're the pfr.

I also take detailed notes on a hand that went to show down. Thus far, nobody has said anything to me about my note taking. And even if they do, who gives a fook.

I dont understand the point of this really. I happen to have a remarkably good memory and can remember hands from a long time ago and dont take notes, but answer me this:

If you dont have that great a memory and take notes on this kind of stuff, what good does it do you during a hand? I assume you arent going back to your phone during a hand to look at the notes from days or weeks ago.

Whatever you do, for the love of god, don't bring pen and paper to the table. That's worse than wearing headphones and pulling a hoodie up over your head.

If I ever saw someone taking notes with a pen and paper (and it was obvious to the table) id do my best to needle him every chance I got. You want a promote a fun, gambling atmosphere. Not a "I'm taking this low stakes game super seriously to try to squeeze every dollar out of you" atmosphere lol. Who would ever want to play in a game with you if you openly did that?

Did you remember that bragging is annoying?

A couple of shorthand notes in rhythm sparingly on your phone with some extrapolation during a break should be enough. Probably need to take more short breaks. If you are keeping track of the important things during a hand like pot size and is there a flush draw out there, recalling the details of a hand later will be easier. As you get more experienced, I think it is easier to filter what is important, which makes recall easier.

Saying I have a good memory is bragging? Sheesh. People are touchy I guess.

My memory sux ass (seriously). But I focus when I am at the table. Lots o $$$ is changing hands so I consider it part o my job to know what the phuc is happenin in EVERY pot. Its just a function of practice imo.

I just took 6 weeks off from playing (longest break from live poker since BF). I am SLOWLY working my stamina back. I was actually shocked at how bad my focus had become. I would be watching a hand go down and be like WTF just happened. This is not good. No matter how well I feel I am playing this is C poker at best.

As a perfesional I expect A poker from myself a very large % of the time. I am playing fine right now (all things considered) but no where near my A poker. I expect it is going to take a handful more sessions to regain my A game focus.

The whole point of this is - IMO notes are not necessary. If you work on your focus - really work on it and not dick around on your phone/ipad/etc you will remember the EXACT action of every hand you play.

Practice while pots go down that you are not in. Recap the entire hand in yer head while the dealer is preppin for the next hand. I generally dont take a very long for my actions but when faced with an interesting decision in game I take a moment to go through my mental filing cabinent of every hand the V played in order to help with my decision process

The reason to document hands is to review them and study them later, or go over the hands with other players or a coach. This is how every good player improved their game.

There's no way anyone can remember 10 to 15 hands from their session in detail. I don't mean "I 3bet with AK, he called. Flop was Jack high. I bet and he raised me". I mean exactly what your position is, the villains position, eff stack sizes, reads, pf action, what each flop card was, who bet how much, etc.

I played with a guy who used to bring a notebook sized pad that he sat on during hands, and pulled it out after each hand he was involved in. He bought in for the min. and he was one of the worst players at the table. I haven't seen him after that month or so he was there.

At the risk of sounding like an annoying bragger...I can. Some people can hear a song on the radio a couple times and play it on a piano without the sheet music. Some people can taste a dish and recreate it without the recipe.

I can remember all kinds of stuff, most of which I wish I could forget.

I get the point now. It makes sense to take notes to go over the hands later with someone. I thought people were trying to access the notes during a later hand.

Yeah, just to clarify. I have no problem remembering most of my hands, but thinking of documenting important hands of my opponents as well (with the goal of studying them away from the table).

In the past, I used to send text messages to myself. Nowadays, I use the memo app on my phone. I've never felt the need to bring a pen and paper. Not only is it slower than typing on my phone, but it also ruins the vibe of the table.

How could you not take notes?

Most of us over estimate how good our memories really are. Being able to take notes, detailed as possible, is an option that should be utilized if you want to become better.


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