Hand-memory and improvment

[pubbie]

I don't remember things that happen at the tables, every hand is like the first to me. Is this bad? I don't tilt if I play this way, I guess... but improvement takes a longer time. Has anyone experienced this when they were starting their poker-journey? If so, what was done about it?
Luckly, this huge flaw in my game isn't hindering me from winning a little bit now and then since most other SSNL players have the same problem. (I think)

I started reading HOH vol 1 and got scared because dan could remember the hands he played years ago so clearly [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Poker Fool]

you get better at remembering the bad beats as time goes on.

Generally it is a memory training thing, you just get better at remembering the patterns.

[mjws00]

Playing live and online is different. Live you have so much more to tie memory to, so they are far easier to remember. Especially when the hands are meaningful in terms of raw dollars or tournament positions.

Online it is more about patterns, and practice. Play. Play. Play. It won't take long and you'll have an almost instant feel for what is going on. There is no way to remember each and every hand when multi-tabling. Even if you're playing super nit.

But you will remember plays that fail. Moves put on you by a player. Aggressive raising or betting into you. You build profiles from this, compare them to their history in Poker Tracker. The fact that you may never run into them again means remembering each detail isn't important. Getting a thorough and fast read is what matters.

You'll learn more through review and discussion of hands than worrying about memorizing. Review and replay key types of hands. Where are you winning? Where are you losing? If you can clearly explain key concepts here and not get flamed... chances are you have a decent understanding.

Eventually, the mechanics will become automatic. Odds, bet size, prior action, will all give you a sense for the hand. No one needs to remember all their hands, the value is in recognizing where critical mistakes were made. Both by yourself and by villian. Then we study how to extract value from them.

Good Luck. It gets easier.

Mike

[Poker Fool]

Not actually re-read all Harrington Vol1 to verify but is it possible Dans's memory improves significantly during the latter stages of the tournaments when it is televised?

For example he discusses a hand at the beginning of his book a 2003 WSOP final table hand and his memory is so good he knows what Chris Moneymakers, Amhir Vahedi and Sam Farha holecards were even though Chris folded on the turn, and Amhir folded on the river.

Even Dans memory cannot stretch to knowing unseen hole cards.

[QuickLearner]

[ QUOTE ]
For example he discusses a hand at the beginning of his book a 2003 WSOP final table hand and his memory is so good he knows what Chris Moneymakers, Amhir Vahedi and Sam Farha holecards were even though Chris folded on the turn, and Amhir folded on the river.

[/ QUOTE ]
I just figured he chose a hand that was televised...

[kslghost]

You should remember the big showdowns where you really didn't know where you were. I tend not to think about hands where I make the nuts on the river and double up, as much as where a hand like JJ holds up on the river on a T59 flop or something.

If you don't remember anything, that's probably not a good thing. You need some memory of patterns, so hopefully you take a lot of notes when you see things that are indicative of a person's betting patterns.

[kolotoure]

Play stud. That way you have to rememeber which cards are dead

[kslghost]

Have to single table then. SINGLE TABLING? AHHHH!!!

[thedustbustr]

When I started out, I couldn't remember a hand, either. You get much better at it over time.

I still have trouble remembering hands these days, but I play too many tables anyway. I take notes on hands to jog my memory.