Taking notes at a live game

[toymach776]

I dont think theres anything wrong with it. Just be prepared to take a lot of [censored] for it from other players.

[JLimbs]

This is really interesting to me, I play live cash all the time and I have never taken any form of notes. I've always had a pretty good memory and that seems to be enough. Do you guys find that this helps you when you run into the same players again in the future or do you just study over hands when you are away from the table and look for mistakes?

-Jerry

[spyu]

I don't see a problem with it, but you will look like a total nit. I've played w/ a couple people who do this and I've noticed that they don't get any action ever from the more observant types.

[philfan05]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are a good player, playing at a low limit, dont do it. Any advantage you get from taking notes will be countered by weak players thinking you are a shark. You want to create a nice relaxed atmosphere for the fish to lose their chips. Don't do anything to disrupt this.

[/ QUOTE ]

That pretty much sums it up. If you are playing in any low to mid stakes games, you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Just try to fit in and act like you are there to have fun. I used to always be silent at the table, but now if the table is playing tight I strike up a lighthearted conversation and 4/5 times the players start easing up and playing looser.

[cliffspiro]

I always take notes and have developed a system and scorecard that makes it quick and easy. At the WSOP, someone told me they didnt need notes and I asked him how manyh hands he played the last hour. He said "two"...the answer was "four". If you are interested, contact me.

[MitchL]

He said "two"...the answer was "four". If you are interested, contact me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol,very important info. Taking notes at the table is really bad.It makes you look nitty and like a killjoy. Just enter hands in your phone away from the table so it looks like you are texting. Can people not really remember a read or a tell on someone?

[SteelWheel]

[ QUOTE ]

If you want to take notes and not have people realize it, try using a blackberry, iphone, or some other electronic device with a decent keyboard. People just think you're checking email or messaging someone, not taking notes. It has the opposite effect of them thinking you're a shark...they think you're not paying that much attention to the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is good advice, but more for live games than for tournaments. The rules about electronic devices at tournaments are so (stupidly) draconian; it's nearly impossible to use such a device to take notes during tournaments.

In the 2006 WSOP ME, I tried to take notes on my cell phone, and the players at the table called the floor on me immediately. The ruling was that I could not even step away from the table, record my notes on my phone and then sit back down in my seat!

At this year's ME, things were (slightly) more liberalized--I was able to post to my micro-blog, provided I did so while I was out of the hand in progress.

However, a couple of days later, when the Bellagio Cup ME was cranking up, the iPhone mania was in full swing, and the rule from the floor was no electronic devices period, noway, nohow--the rationale apparently being that the floor did not want to be in the position of figuring out who might be using an iPhone as a music player, and who might be using it as a phone/email device/whatever.

Long story short--if you want to take notes, use a pad and a pen, if anything.

[carddown]

cliffspiro, I'm interested in your method and sent you a PM, but I agree with the other poster's concerns about being seen making notes at the table. I have seen one guy that is a Houdini with a notepad. He makes entries only while out of the hand, and seemingly only during player or dealer actions. Most players are oblivious to his entries.

I'm currently making my notes away from the table and fleshing them out at home. The worst thing about my method is that if I don't see a player for several months, I may forget him and not connect him with his file.