When a read is not a read.

[Entity]

For a while now, I've been seeing posts for a while that say things like this:

Button is 22.5/8.7/.4.
CO is X/Y/Z.
SB is 1/2/3.

...and then the hand comes, and people ask how we should play if Button raises, and if CO coldcalls, and if SB checkraises. And everyone is happy. And the townspeople rejoice.

But I'm realizing something. I especially realized it today during a 4-tabling experiment. While clearing PokerNow's bonus today, I decided to honor the terms of their new T&C and not use any Playerview/GT+/PT software while playing. I 4-tabled $2/4, mostly 4 and 5-handed, and made a conscious effort to pay attention to everything that was going on around me. So I watched hands that I was involved in, and hands that I wasn't involved in, and I took a lot of notes. And I got a lot of stuff like this:

[ QUOTE ]
limped AJo, called down when bet into repeatedly w/no pair

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[ QUOTE ]
limped A6s, called flop w/no pair no draw, checkraised when hit runner-runner trips. seems generally passive. calls with any pair to the river, has called river bets w/K-high (KTo) after flop action

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[ QUOTE ]
limps with KK, QQ, etc. has limped then folded to a raise several times preflop

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Later, when I was reviewing my session, I realized how many more value bets I was making. Then I looked at the amount of flop/turn bluffs I was making. And the amount of folds that went from being confusing to easy.

And people were happy. And the townspeople rejoiced.

I'm just mentioning this because I'm starting to wonder how many of you are playing more tables that you can handle, or are developing some bad habits -- and it'd be best if you broke those habits now, while it's easy.

So I've got a challenge for you. However many tables you're playing -- cut out GT+/PV/PT for 5k hands. Go ahead and import the hands into PT, but don't export people's stats: export their plays. Do they bet gutshots? Do they check with TPNK, or do they play it aggressively? What kind of hands do they peel with on the flop? What sort of hands do they limp with? Do they give up easily when they limp preflop?

Stop treating your fellow poker players like numbers. Realizing that the 20/8/.5 guy limped with AJo in EP, then called down when the BB (me) bet out on a 62K flop, called when a 7 falled on the turn, and called when a 6 falled on the river (I had 76o).

The difference you'll see in your game will be significant. Give it a try. I know some of you take great notes already, but the rest of you would benefit greatly from paying attention to your surroundings.

Then, when you return to your PT/GT/HUD/XYZ world of realtime stats later on, you'll know that not only is your opponent an 18/7/2 guy, but that he folds ridiculously easy to flop checkraise/turn bet combos.

And people will be happy. And the townspeople will rejoice.

Rob

[DMBFan23]

I didnt use it by accident one day and it turned out I kind of liked it. I only play 3 tables though.

I love notes like "cappped TPNK on flop against PFR". it says so much more than "Flop: 2.1"

I use GT+ when I'm not sure, or to supplement, normal reads. I also use it to help out isolating maniacs (if I see unknown tight players behind me, for example).

I like this post so much that I'm going to take the challenge.

[Aaron W.]

Another excellent post that has been long overdue. Thanks.

[Bodhi]

Your post implies that someone doesn't already take notes in conjunction with PT, and I don't understand how the posting of stats (to give reads) gives that impression.

[Entity]

[ QUOTE ]
Your post implies that someone doesn't already take notes in conjunction with PT, and I don't understand how the posting of stats (to give reads) gives that impression.

[/ QUOTE ]

The posting of stats is not the posting of a read. If a player here has a read on someone, they should be posting their read on that player. Posting it in conjunction with stats (that have converged) is fine, but just posting 22/8/3 isn't all that helpful, as far as having an accurate decision-making process goes.

That's all I'm saying.

Too many players here are too reliant on stats and aren't paying enough attention. It's costing them money.

Rob

[Bodhi]

Ok, point well taken. If I could access my notes on a player when I'm not at a table, that would be very helpful.

Just today I noticed a guy who would habitually check-raise as a bluff, but his stats showed him as passive. It made for a profitable note.

[Entity]

[ QUOTE ]

Ok, point well taken. If I could access my notes on a player when I'm not at a table, that would be very helpful.


[/ QUOTE ]

Pokertracker -> Import Notes.

[Bodhi]

Hey, I didn't even know I could do that! Thanx! That helps a lot.

[SlantNGo]

Wow, I can't believe I've never used Import/Export Notes before. This opens up a lot of possibilities for post-game analysis. For example, one could potentially go through HHs after a session and take more detailed notes on specific hands then export them back into your poker client. I think that could be useful at any limit besides 0.5/1 where the turnaround is huge.

I only play two tables at a time, so I'm usually watching one hand all the way through on one of them if possible. If not, I look back in the HH to see the full action before writing a note. I try to focus on pots that were raised or short handed, so most of my notes look like:

-PFR KJs EP, bet Qxx flop, c/f turn blank

or for hands where I couldn't see a player's cards, something a bit more vague but still helpful such as:

-Bet flop & turn and laid down to turn raise on 3-flush card

I think you're right that some players are relying on PV/GT+ too much, but I think it's still very helpful to have it up while playing. I played 1k hands at Gaming Club 0.5/1 and didn't find myself taking any more notes than I do at Party, just not having as much of a "fallback" read as I'm used to having.

[FUJItheFISH]

for myself i prefer exporting certain numbers like aggression factor and folding %s per street. it lets me know who lingers lightly and who usually calls down pairs. but i do agree that when i just chill out and play a couple tables that i feel in the 'zone' much more often.