When taking notes on players...

What specifics should I be noting?

I seem to vary the contents and don't stick to a basic noting system.

For instance, sometimes I will note a player's starting hands, which they limp with and which they raise with... and sometimes I will note how they play low/med pps, or if they die with AK or any unpaired overs with an underflop, etc.

What is the most important thing to observe (and note) about a player?

I hardly ever use notes. The only time I use notes is if I find a true fish. I put FISH down and when I feel like easy money, I find where that guy is sitting. It is my belief that notes are vastly overrated though. If you are playing good competition, they will change gears so to speak. If I were to take notes on anything though it would be betting patterns. For instance: Does he always bet 2.00 in a .25 .50 stakes game when he is bluffing? But mostly, I think that you really have to go by feel. If you know you are beaten, then you probably are. However, this is just my opinion. Others have found a lot of success using notes, I'm not one of them.

Well. Notes seem to help me get a feel for a person by reinforcing what subtleties (sp?) of their game I notice.

It works in the same sense writing out a word over and over helps you remember how to spell it, if that makes sense. It seems to stick with me that way more subconsciously, and my gut feelings seem to be more correct then.

i don't think people-who-play-online's patterns are consistent enough to write down and actually play by
i generally just use the buddy system to flag the fishies and hunt em down
I've played tourneys with guys and written down notes on them that stay consistent throughout the tourney but later on, at another tourney for ex., his/her style will have changed slightly
so personally i just flag them with the buddy system

i think the general things to note, if you really use notes alot, is are how they play certain hands and how aggressive/passive they are
ie small pairs,
big pairs,
what they do when their AK misses the flop,
do they slowplay,
how frequently will they bluff etc

I note anything obvious or out of the ordinary. My notes say stuff like "calls large preflop raises with anything", "Will not fold blinds", "calling station", "maniac" ,or if I really like you,"Huge calling station" (in this case you are now on my buddy list.) I note any strategies that work well consistently with them. Also when I final table in a $30 or up MTT, I will note down "finalist-$50 MTT" so if I run into them elsewhere I will proceed with caution. I will occasionally note down an exceptionally strong player in a ring game as well.

Take notes at all times, dont be afraid to alter those notes at a later time.
A good pro takes notes all the time during a live game, the only difference is, he takes them in his head/ his memory bank.
Its what makes him the player he is.
Success depends on those notes, mental or otherwise.
Remember one thing, if you dont make notes or get lazy making notes, you can be sure of one thing, there will be plenty of notes out there about you.

zinzan1000 lets be careful out there.

"Donks out top pair", "checkraises flush draw heads-up on the flop", "slowplays flopped two pair or better" (never EVER do that, by the way), etc.

I have specifically these three on one guy, and I've gotten them confirmed again and again and again. In other words, when he bets on the flop, I will know whether I'm ahead or not. And when he checks and calls, I can adjust for the possible slowplay. Don't underestimate the value in that.

book notes

This is how I take book. Get a big notebook for starters. One page per player. On the left side of the paper note the Day, time, type of game 1/2 nl or what ever they are playing, then the amount they have. When they leave the room note how much they lost or won and the time all so the buy ins if any. Also write down starting hands if he shows. It helps to make a short hand code. Like this



joe2000 agg 5

feb 20 9:45pm
1/2 nl $78 6 Hd
bb aks,kto,29os
out 10:55pm $34


On the right side do this
Check R 2
bluff no
blind fold 3
re raise 2


Just keep a tally on the right like above to see what they do so you know if they will bluff or check raise. Also I like to write down there aggressive number 1 not to 10 very. Another thing to write down is if they win or lose alot. One thing you need to do is if someone is a avg player dont keep book on them. Only keep book on bad and very good players. After you get alot of people on the books sort out the players you see alot and put them in a diffrent book that so you dont have to look through all your notes to find them.

I'd recommend taking any notes that you think will help you later - that can be lots of notes.

However, depending on your style of play there may be some particular bits of information that are most relevant. Noting when someone is a calling station, perhaps, or a bluffer. Similarly, if they're obviously a fish, and play any hand and don't know when they're beat, note that.

If you're an aggressive player who likes to steal pots, then noting calling stations may be good to avoid bluffing the unbluffable. If you play a solid game, then noting the bluffers and fish may help identify the people you want to play against.

Better still, pick up one of the stats packages which can analyse their plays and identify fish more reliably, and sometimes update your notes for you.