Studying Your 2+2 Books

[Jman28]

So, we all know that you can't read your poker books like you do a novel. My question is, how do you do it? And 'like a textbook' is too vague, and inapplicable to some.

Do you reread monthly or take the hand quizzes often?

Do you make notes in the margins? in a notebook?

Do you read a section and then try and apply it to a session of play?

Do you have another system?

This is really something I want to work on, and I think it's probably a question on a few others' minds. Thanks.

-Jman28

[bigmac366]

i try to study mine like i would before taking a test. i try to do this for an hour daily. i do exactly as the book suggests, i read it once and then go back through and reread individual sections until i feel i understand it entirely. then i realize i dont and i read it again [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[mosquito]

Rereading is a big key. I reread a new book almost
immediately, then again either by sections or as a
whole after X hours play or Y thousand hands play.

Anything I consider to be 'critical' reading goes
on a calendar, with a maximum of 6 months or a year
between reviews. Anything 'critical' has already
been read at least four times before it goes on the
list, usually four times in maybe 8 months.

It's amazing, how a book I have gone through a
dozen times will suddenly show me something I have not
seen before.

If I ever get to the point where a reread does
nothing for me, I take it off the list.

I have gone back to look at non-critical books after
a few years, and found that some had become critical
again while others went to the storage room......

[KenProspero]

If it's me, I usually do the following:

First I read the sections that I think I can most easily apply (I can't help myself).

Then I read the entire book cover to cover. Then I go back to particular parts, and read carefully, notes in the margin, trying to understand the concept, rather than just memorize the advice.

Finally, and I've learned this lesson the hard way. I try to only integrate one or two concepts into my game at a time. If I try to change my game too much, it will get hopelessly muddled. And I won't know where I'm screwing up.

[Hammertim]

I think like in any learning, or in my case relearning process. A little patience should be expected.
Discipline and effort usually equals results in anything you do in life, poker is no different.

Plus, money won is sweeter than money earned... but do i win or earn at a table? Hmmm

[johnnybeef]

I like to take a highlighter to mine and highlight the main points. This helps me focus on the important parts when i reread them. Beyond rereading them, i think that they serve as great reference tools when you are struggling with something. It is also beneficial to go back and re-reread every so often just to apply new concepts that were previously not applicable to your own game.

[stigmata]

1. Read once through, quickly. Get an overview of the general concepts.

2. Read through thoroughly, taking notes. Essentially my notes will be the meat of the book, condensed in to 20 or so pages.

3. Type up notes.

4. Re-read book at the same time as notes, correcting notes accordingly. I usually find at this stage that there are only a couple of the sections of the book that I havent learnt properly yet.

It does sound tedious, but on the final read of the book I have very little left to extract from it.

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
1. Read once through, quickly. Get an overview of the general concepts.

2. Read through thoroughly, taking notes. Essentially my notes will be the meat of the book, condensed in to 20 or so pages.

3. Type up notes.

4. Re-read book at the same time as notes, correcting notes accordingly. I usually find at this stage that there are only a couple of the sections of the book that I havent learnt properly yet.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is pretty close to what I do too. Different people learn differently, but most people learn more by reading and then writing things down than just by reading.

Basically, on the second reading I outline the book. Taking notes makes you think and organize ideas. Quite often, I start to write something down, and it occurs to me that it doesn't make sense in this context, and I have to go back to the book and reread several times to figure it out. I just reviewed my notes on SSHE yesterday, and I have a 25 page hand written outline of the book. My next step will be to type those notes, print them, and put them in a 3-ring binder for easy review.

[nate1729]

Really, I just read them a whole freaking lot of times. Though some of these other folks have some delightfully obsessive methods; I'm impressed.

[SenecaJim]

I keep 2 or 3 on the back of the jon and keep all other reading out. That way I'm constantly looking back over and rereading one thing or another daily. Plus, no interrupions except an occassional grunt.