Keeping a Poker Journal

Just curious to know if anyone keeps a journal where they write down their plays.

Or rather, if you keep one, what do you write in it?

Like the good play you made? The good read you had on the opponent? Or the bad call or bad fold you made and notes on how you should have acted and improved?

Then what do you do with all that? Keep it? Go through it? And if you do, when do you go through it?

Sorry for all the questions in one post. Just that I'm thinking of having a poker journal but I don't really know where to start or what I'm supposed to write in it. To me a journal is a journal, emotional reflection and all that jazz. So when it's a poker journal... I don't think I'm supposed to write about how I feel about the cards I played or how I feel about playing poker in general... right?


(I know this sounds like a completely wtf and bimbo post but I'm guessing one has to start somewhere.)

I used to but I can't be bothered anymore. I used to note winnings/losses, any big mistakes I made during the session, any good plays I made, my emotional state during the session and also stuff like BRM plans. I was useful exercise and reminded me of the noob mistakes I kept making and helped me think about what I needed to do to improve.

Thanks for replying

So a poker journal would be great for those starting out?

I'm undecided. Right now I just keep track of each session and whether I'm up or down in my iphone (some Poker analyser App). Haven't explored it much because I'm only using the trial version. So debating between getting pen and paper and writing it down or using that app.

So if anyone's using an app like that (or similar), I'd love to know whether it's helped and if it should be recommended getting.

Thanks!

go for it, why not....if you are a new player then you can only benefit from noting down good/bad plays and reflecting on it later by asking relevant questions to your thoughts......as you get more experienced i doubt you would want to write certain things down as you would have come across the situation many times, although you could always note your bankroll/win/loss etc etc....more so if you are playing live, if just online then i would suggest having a look at 'holdem manager or poker tracker'.

Thanks AlfieAA.

Just started trying Poker CoPilot. Not sure if it'll help for FR since that's a shove-fest still but be good to practice understanding how other players use it and learn from it.

I think the main problem I get when I am analysing, is that I end up asking more questions and doubting my play. When I know it was a good fold eventhough I feel that I dominate him, but I don't know what his hand is and the guy has such a wide range but I'm just scared of losing my stack. I'm an overthinker... Hahahaha. But I guess you are right, it'll remind me if faced in a similar situation with the same or a similar player and maybe I may try something different and just whack the "what if" out of my head.

What I used to do was keep a log of the tourney I played in and the result. Mostly for SNG. Then I can keep a spreadsheet of what sng I was most successful at. So for example I moneyed in the $3 double or nothing 62% of the time. With that info I knew what games I thrived in and what game I should steer clear of. Kind of nerdy but whatever works for you individually.

If you're writing it for yourself, then probably jot down things that you think you'd want to read later. If you're writing it for someone else then probably jot down what you think they'd want to read when it's published.

Important things you may want to consider adding Time, Day of the week, Winnings/Loss, How many hands/hrs.

Especially time of day and what days .. It is really good if you find that you might be winning only on Friday/Sat/Sun... Win $100 but during the week you could be losing $150 ... ... Or perhaps how long you can play before you turn into a losing player *focus wise*...

Thanks everyone for the great advice

I have a question for redcross (how do I link member names anyway?):

How do you create the spreadsheet? I think that concept is real good. I'm not a nerdy meticulous player but I know that I need to have some rules/routines on my own instead of swinging around blindly in the dark.

@michael_demichele: My problem is I don't know what I would want to read after the game/tourney has ended. So trying to figure out a framework that will make sense to me (and so I guess that is dependent on what would interest me and help me out in my gameplay).

I tried keeping a journal but found it tedious. What I do for Bovada is download all HH and review them with a proggy called onlinepokermanager. It allows you to save notes to the hand histories. Then I cut\paste them to a "reviewed" folder.

I'm way behind on reviewing them but I try to take notes on a few histories every day. It's pretty revealing.

I've never kept a poker journal. I used to take screen shots of "memorable hands" such as my first ever royal flush, rivering straight flush vs fullhouse for a big pot, first final table, big win, etc. These very just fun keepsakes so I could good back and look at for motivation and also served as brags for my friends haha

I've also saved hand histories and gone back to review them whenever I make deep runs in tourneys or hands that were tricky in cash games.

I still have most of the pics I took

I tried keeping a journal but found it tedious. What I do for Bovada is download all HH and review them with a proggy called onlinepokermanager. It allows you to save notes to the hand histories. Then I cut\paste them to a "reviewed" folder.

Click to expand...

I confess that I'm still a newbie when it comes to looking at and trying to understand hand histories (I take 10 minutes to try and understand what's going on). But I guess HH is a type of poker journal. Am looking at the onlinepokermanager and googling to see if there's anything similar for PS. I dont really play on any other site save for PS (maybe I should try).

I've never kept a poker journal. I used to take screen shots of "memorable hands" such as my first ever royal flush, rivering straight flush vs fullhouse for a big pot, first final table, big win, etc. These very just fun keepsakes so I could good back and look at for motivation and also served as brags for my friends haha

Click to expand...

Hahah I sound like an idiot because I did the same thing. Only difference was that it was on Pokerist and I know what a 'fantastic' reputation it has. But back then when I was starting, I think it gave me a little motivation to actually try and learn more about poker and play it.

I just started to writing some kind of journal, it is still in a making, still searching for a right form and most productive way to keep it but so far i like it, i set some goals for a next month and ill start with that...

DrazaFFT said:

I just started to writing some kind of journal, it is still in a making, still searching for a right form and most productive way to keep it but so far i like it, i set some goals for a next month and ill start with that...

Click to expand...

That's great! Let me know of your progress. I'm trying to use an excel spreadsheet to keep track of the games I'm in. Gave myself a goal too. To at least be ITM. Even if its the last spot!

Good luck!

you can find it at brag beats and challenge section, im still not sure how that it will develop. Excel can be helpful but all that you would have if you have tracker, i definitely gonna invest in one but not yet...

blakewyte said:

I confess that I'm still a newbie when it comes to looking at and trying to understand hand histories (I take 10 minutes to try and understand what's going on). But I guess HH is a type of poker journal. Am looking at the onlinepokermanager and googling to see if there's anything similar for PS. I dont really play on any other site save for PS (maybe I should try).

Click to expand...

Here's a popular one:

http://www.boomplayer.com/