Taking notes at a live game

[jlauzon]

Is it concidered bad to have a small notepad with you to keep track of certain stats or tendancies of players at your table that youll be playing all day with? Or should i just try to use my head?

[Dima2000123]

It makes you a buzz kill.

[jlauzon]

Lol. Im not gonna have it up on the table, just down on my lap and stealth write now and then.

[Triantafylidis]

at a home game or a casino?
Home game, probably just keep it in your head-esp. if its a game with friends

Casino- Feel free to leave the pad on the table, you're not there to make friends, your there to make bank [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Mygtar]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it concidered bad to have a small notepad with you to keep track of certain stats or tendancies of players at your table that youll be playing all day with? Or should i just try to use my head?

[/ QUOTE ]

Do both; take notes and use yor head. Some folks, not me, will get up and use the bathroom after a hand they want to record others will stay at the table.

Caveat: If you stay at the table and people notice you taking notes sometimes they will try to play better against you. And/or beat you senselessly about the head with your notepad. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Mike Gallo]

Do a search, this subject comes up once every few months.

Keep notes, it will help improve your game.

[mikewpu04]

I think mental notes should be sufficient, but that is how my own head works. I will notice things that someone does and it burns a wrinkle into my brain (as long as I'm sober lol). As an opposing player, if I saw someone taking notes, I think mentally I'd like to take that player out with a nice beat all the more [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] But rude, I don't think so. It will intimidate some I feel.

[sixfour]

Someone called the floor on me for doing this in a donkament once. Seemed to tilt him when floor said I was fine

[JLimbs]

What kind of stuff are you planning on recording mid-session? Are you planning on writing down reads/tells on other players at the table? Are you planning on keeping track of your own results/mistakes?

-Jerry

[ZootAllures]

I take notes for every session, but usually I take them during a break or when I've quit. The only downside I can see for taking notes at the actual table is that it will indeed unnerve some people, as it will draw attention to you and make them realize that you are studying them. This usually will have only minimal consequences but will sometimes cause a major episode with the delicate ones. Additionally, it might distract you a bit because you'll be more focused on recording many past events rather than keeping really tuned to the immediate action. Try to use the most efficient shorthand possible, and I would keep the notepad small and out of sight. Draw as little attention to yourself as possible and just tell them "it's a grocery list" if they ask.

In general, you probably are going to find that your memory development is more important than major note-taking. Usually your note-taking is more important for the recording of who comes when, and what the more salient patterns are of the game and its juicier regulars. Online usually lends itself to more note-taking because of the lack of human interaction.