Note taking

[Malachii]

I've been working on taking better notes while I play online, but my notes are frequently disorganized and rambling. I would like to develop a concise system that I can use to easily make decisions. What sort of note taking systems to fellow 2p2ers use for deciding if a person can be bluffed, if they make continuation bets, etc.

[wdead]

Good post, lets get some replies and sample notes. I just record the relevant situation and info, then give myself advice for how to handle this player in the future.

Ex: If I check river to a probable missed draw villain will make PSB bluffs. Check lots of rivers.

[kongo_totte]

I usually make a note of the whole hand. For example "C $4 SI OTB w/ K K, c/c 1/2 flop Kx 8s 7s EP HU, c/c turn 7s EP HU, c/r river 2s all in $80 PSB w/ TOP SET ON A 4-FLUSH BOARD!!!!!".

EP= early postiotion
EMP=Early middle position
SI= second in
C=call
c/c= check-call
HU=Heads up
MWP3= multiway pot 3 (3-handed pot)
OTB= On the button
1/2= half pot bet

Also, if I noticed someone is a calling station I'll simply note "don't bluff him" etc.

[pokerjoker]

this is probably the most complete and precise system I have ever seen in poker.

[pokerjoker]

[ QUOTE ]
this is probably the most complete and precise system I have ever seen in poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

---refering to Kongos system

[pokernicus]

Great idea for a thread!

I tend to make a note regarding how someone plays on the flop after they've raised pre-flop; i.e., how often do they make a continuation bet? And how often do they fold if they encounter resistance (i.e., a re-raise...) on their continuation bet.

I also tend to note whether someone is a calling station, what kinds of hands they are willing to go all in with, etc.

[DirtDog]

I usually make a note if I notice that a player will fold to a second bullet.

[lmw]

would a check list saved as a word doccument and copied and pasted be an effective way to organize your notes? For example

Loose/Tight L/T
Aggressive/Passive A/P
Will make C. Bets y/n
Will bluff missed draws y/n
Will folded TPTK y/n
Will go to far with TPGK y/n
slowplays big hands on coord. flops y/n

and so on....

or do you all like more precise notes?

[gol4pro]

I've got a language as well.

V = very
Bl = bluff
CS = calling station
CSE = calling station extraordinaire
VAM = very aggressive moron
RCK/ /_\ = rock
LC = loose caller
PF = preflop
pF = post flop
CR = check raise
R = river
VB = value bet
CB = continuation bet
RPF = raise preflop
SEF = sees every flop
E when combined with certain terms = excessively (REPF, CBE)
--> = stabs at pots
VAG = Very aggressive
T when combined with certain terms = Tight(TPF)
$$$$ = willingness to fish for draws with bad odds
#####= idiot marks, the more the merrier
**** = suspect marks; people who are probably VAMs.
EP = early pos
MP = middle
LP = late
CO = CO
Btn = button
BB = BB
SB = SB
FL = fish level (similar to idiot marks, but worse)
DN = do not
dN = does not

terms can be combined as well, ie LCPF = loose caller preflop

Typical note; "###, $$$$, VLCPF, nCB, DNBL, -->,"

[NT!]

Bison had a long thread on this a while back, it's probably in the archives by now. I think it mostly referred to limit play but it was really good. The title of the thread was something like, "Some notes on notes."

NT

[DWarrior]

I also have a system of my own:

tool - bad player
moron - worse player
idiot - even worse player
f*cker - super bad player who drew out on me

[Malachii]

[ QUOTE ]
this is probably the most complete and precise system I have ever seen in poker.

[/ QUOTE ]
Kongo is a very complete and precise dude.

[Malachii]

Lollerskates

[pauliepairs]

Since I play a lot of different stakes, limit, NL, and tournies, I always preface my notes with the table type.
For example:
2/4
3/6
50NL
SNG
MTT

[PokerFink]

Other ideas...

1) I always write the game and their general classification on the top line. For example: "100nl6; CS - IDIOT" means 100NL sixmax, calling station, idiot.

2) I write out the way they play certain types of hands as a new line. For example: "SET: c/ca F, c/r T, 1/2psb R" means check/call flop, check/raise turn, bets 1/2 the pot on the river.

3) I note whether they will raise with a draw and bluff a missed draw on the river.

4) Two of my favorite terms are "underbettor" and "makes donations." The first is a person that consistantly donkbets 2 or 3 dollars into large pots. I put this in the top line so that I know I can check to this opponent and see the next card cheaply if desired. The second is a person that will consistantly call PFR and then fold on harmless looking flops to a continuation bet. These players are sometimes set miners, so I have to beware if they play after the flop.

[djoyce003]

personally I take notes only of tendencies, or if I see them do something particularly tricky or donkish.

examples - calls pot sized bets on draws.
raises with draws
will push with tp no kicker
Always bets full pot continuation bets when he hits, bets half pots when he misses.
Likes to checkraise
Will fold to agression on scary boards
etc.

[RiverFenix]

Since hands are usually so different and so many different lines can be played all I write down is:
if they bet draws
if they will call pf raises with junk to try and catch
if they fold to 2nd barrel cont bets
if they slow play flopped hands
how they play AA/KK pf

[-Skeme-]

I sum up their overall playing ability with a quick description in the first line. It's usually, "Weak player. Do not bluff." That's by far the most common. For specific situations, I make note of where the hand took place, the conditions, and then I break down the hand.

These are my last 3 notes, all from SNGs:

"Willing to limp from UTG+2 with Aces in Turbo SNG. Minraised SBs ragged flop lead with Aces."

"Willing to minbet from SB, into a field of 3 other players, with MPNK, in Turbo SNG."

"Weak player. Do not bluff. Limp-calls UTG with JTo. Called my 4xBB preflop raise with JTo on button in Turbo SNG."

All of my notes are like this.

[voltron.]

[ QUOTE ]
"Willing to limp from UTG+2 with Aces in Turbo SNG. Minraised SBs ragged flop lead with Aces."

[/ QUOTE ]

awesome

[Isura]

I tend to take very detailed notes since I mostly 1-table. I break my notes into 2 categories: general tendencies and specific lines. I use the specific lines to deduce how people might act in similar situations.

Examples:

1) cont b 1/2 F overs 3w w/ pos - continuation bet F 1/2 the pto with overcards in a 3-way pot with position.

2) ck F oop after pf raise w/ JJ set hu - Check flopped set after preflop raise out of position heads up.

3) cl pf sb and lead F underpr into pf rsr - call from the small blind preflop and lead F w/ under pair into preflop raiser

4) ck/cl F/T and lead R hu w/ tp - check/call the flop and turn and lead the river with top pair heads up.

I got this system from bisonbison and I have refined it.

[Malachii]

Yes I do this as well. In a SnG or a MTT I usually include the blinds at the time also.

[RichS]

Great post!

One thing I add to my notes: What people buy in for and whether or not they post, and/or what they had when I sat down.

140/200s = 140 stack at 200NL s = when I sat down.
40/200p = Bought in for 40 at 200NL p = posted <-- I love these guys
200/200w = Bought in for 200 at 200NL w = waited for blind <- Me, often indicates that the person is just a bit more careful and given no other reads I'll be a tiny bit more careful with these folks until they show their donkishness.

finally I add a r in front for rebuys
40/200p,r40/200,r25/200,r20/200 <--- These guys are gold!