remembering who did what in online hold'em

[pastabatman]

Hi,
I'm almost done with my first read of Internet Texas Hold'em by Hilger, and have about 600 hands under my belt. I'm finding it's one thing to leisurly read a hand description in the book's quizzes, and a whole other thing to sit at a PartyPoker .5/1.00 table and remember who did what in a hand. Like, when on the turn, I can't remember for sure if a particular player bet out or called before the flop. Are there any techniques for doing this well? Discussed in any books? Or will it just come with experience? I've considered making notes during a hand, but the pace seems to much too fast for that to work. It's all I can do to take my eyes off the screen momentarily to look at my starting hand charts.

Thanks for any help,
Pasta

[thirddan]

Hmm, i suppose you could try memory improving tapes or books, but i think you just need to sit and concentrate. Dont play the tv or a stereo, and only play one table. Each time it is your turn take some of your time to recall the previous action of the hand, this will also allow you to get a read on your opponents play. Good luck...

[deacsoft]

Just give it time. With some solid experience under your belt this will come naturally.

[Bukem_]

If you can't remember all, start easy.

Just remember what UTG and last to play each round did.
Or try to pick out a strong and weak player from the table and remember what they did.

[Rudbaeck]

It will come with experience. Don't even consider playing more than one table at a time until you can repeat in what order the bets went in on earlier streets. A few months and it will be a breeze doing it on four tables at once.

[pastabatman]

Thanks for the encouragement guys - I'll hang in there.
[ QUOTE ]
A few months and it will be a breeze doing it on four tables at once

[/ QUOTE ]
Seriously? How many hours a day would one have to play to get that good in a few months?

Pasta

[thirddan]

for me it all kinda clicked after a couple months of one tabling. Adding the second table was the hardest, play two for a while and then adding a third table was easy...

[ThaSaltCracka]

uh, don't they tell you in the chat box which people bet/call/fold?

[ QUOTE ]
It's all I can do to take my eyes off the screen momentarily to look at my starting hand charts.


[/ QUOTE ] Don't worry about what your are gonna do until its your turn. So don't worry about what hand group your hand is in until it's your turn.

[Rudbaeck]

I played maybe two hours a day on average for around 2 months before I was sure I basically always remembered who did what during the hand.

Playing a little each day rather than alot only on Saturdays will make it alot easier too. You are learning to think in new ways, so it's alot like brain workout. Practice makes perfect.

[Big Country]

If at party, and most likely the other sites, have the chat box to show all, and it will give you a play by play of who did waht throughoutthe hand.... if you cant remember if the turn bettor checked orled out the flop, just scroll up to find out.

But after more practice it will become second nature to keep a mental note of who did what on the hand.

[jimcrow2]

Was interested in this thread - I am a beginner also and have been practicing (without playing) remembering who bet and when.
Good luck to you, Pasta. I doubt that I'll ever be a poker player but started on HEP and now reading TOP. Very interesting! /images/graemlins/cool.gif <font color="blue"> </font> Good luck to you, Pasta.

[pastabatman]

[ QUOTE ]
If at party, and most likely the other sites, have the chat box to show all, and it will give you a play by play of who did waht throughoutthe hand.... if you cant remember if the turn bettor checked orled out the flop, just scroll up to find out.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, but the box is so small, it's almost useless. It can display only one action at a time, and it's easy to scroll past where you want to be. As someone implied earlier, I should be watching the action until it's my turn to act. And then I have, what, 20 seconds to review the hand history, read the board, and decide the best action? Maybe I should move to a site with a better UI? It would be great to have a huge display of what's happened in the hand so far.

Thanks,
Pasta

[deacsoft]

[ QUOTE ]
uh, don't they tell you in the chat box which people bet/call/fold?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but who has time to scroll through the chat box to see who did what on 4 tables at a time? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Vollycat]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, but the box is so small, it's almost useless.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you try a Prima Poker site you can make the box large along the entire right edge of the table and see the info on the last 2 or three hands. I started playing at Prima and then moved to Party and it was an adjustment because I couldn't 'cheat' and looked what happened. But then I just concentrated a little more and it became easy to remember--just needed the crutch until I figured out I didn't need it anymore!

Good Luck!