Taking notes at the table - Does it affect your opponents?

[sucka]

On my next trip to Vegas in a couple months I was thinking about taking a small pocket sized notepad to record a few various thoughts/hands/etc... I want to be able to go back and review some hands that I'm in on later when i don't have time to do it, at least in detail, at the table.

Even if done discreetly, is this something that would cause other players at the table to react to? I play LL ($3/6 -$6-12) and notice that most opponents are so bad and so inattentive that they wouldn't even notice. However, I'm interested on how others at the table might react to that.

I've never done it before and can't recall anyone really overtly doing it at any table that I was at. Of course, I don't plan on recording every hand - just a few that I want to clearly remember most of the details that I normally forget after playing another several hours. Every time I think I'll remember - when the sessions over I'm always missing a few details that I'd like to have to recap and evaluate.

I think I can do it fairly inconspicuously - but don't know as I've never tried it before. I'm not dead set on it - especially if it will adversely affect how others play against me - but interested to hear any opinions...

[Dentist]

I hate to say it, but if I saw you taking notes and I even THOUGHT it might be about the game - I would think you were a HUGE dork that took the game too seriously - which is a big no-no at the low limits. Have you read the loose game section of HPFAP? Anything that tips you off as being "better" than everyone else is BAD BAD BAD.

Let me tell a story:
I was playing some 1-5 stud at my B&M the other day just to pass time waiting for a 6-12 Hold 'em seat.
There was this HUGE DORK sitting next to me with his worn out "Inside the Poker Mind" book (a great book-on hold' em no less) with him. And he bought in for nearly $400 in a freakin' 1-5 game.

Anyway, I'm not sure what he what he was going for with all that, but it automatically identified him as a poker nerd who goes straight by the Stud strategy book.

It was so EASY to play against him because I knew exactly what his raises, calls, and limps meant. It was like he could have just shown me his cards... I knew when to fold and when to re-raise.

Now, there were others at the table that didn't pick up on all this (sadly) and he was doing OK overall.

Nonetheless, I really think the moral of the story is that I can't imagine the "I'm a huge poker dork that knows everything" image being good for you.

I know the game, and so I would react very quickly if I saw you do this. Maybe others wouldn't, but if they saw you do something fishy, they just might critique and watch you a little more.... do you want that?

[sucka]

LOL - I hardly doubt that my actions here would even come close to me being classified as such. Of course, if I saw someone reading a poker book at the table I would think that was hilarious. But what I'm talking about here is something that is very sporadic and as covert as possible - maybe once every couple hours at best. I'm not going to fling a 3 ring binder up on the table and start going to town.

I'm talking about notating a hand that comes up that really gets me thinking. I would quickly want to note the board, my position in the hand a couple other facts that might take 10 seconds to write - just basic stuff that will allow me to more accurately recreate the hand later for review. As I'm doing this on my knee under the table, I hardly think that would classify me as a dork.

It's probably not the best idea in the world - which is why I tossed it out here to see what people thought. It just seems there are always 2 or 3 hands during a session that I really want to be able to pick apart later when I have time to think about it. I can always remember what I have and the texture of the board but can't always recall who was in the hand or how the betting went. There are a few situations in particular that I'd like to be able to go back and objectively look at my play at a later time - perhaps even post them here.

I'm a pretty happy guy at the table - far from being the 'dork' you describe, so I'm not really worried about picking up an image that horrendus with my actions. I would consider myself to be a pretty good player and while it's not neccesarry for me to do this, of course, I think I could learn alot in the process - particulary if I could recount events exactly and post them here for critiquing.

Anyway, I appreciate your response but think we are on different wavelength's here.

[bernie]

ive played with a guy, (and his wife) who take notes at the table....

i asked him about it once when we were next to each other. he said he has taken notes for 7 yrs. but hes was taking notes on how hands he played faired. i didnt mention that there are plenty of books that already do that work for you...id rather not clue him into more 'useful' stats to keep track of...heh heh [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

who cares what the others think. they may not put you as an 'educated' player per se. the more observant players will watch your play for this...btw...the 7yr guy is kinda weak tight. can be tough to get his chips, but he sure doesnt maximize nor protect his hands that well....

ive played with guys reading cardplayer at the table. funny thing though, they dont play like they read cardplayer. just because they have a book/magazine doesnt mean that theyre understanding or going to use it. some will read an article, try a move, not understanding it really, lose with it once, concept in the scrap heap. then he lulls back to their comfort zone...

go ahead and take notes. there's nothing wrong with it. (as long as you dont hold up the game) develop a quick shorthand if you can so you can write quicker. maybe youve already done that...

i hardly notice the 7 yr guy jotting down stuff...but once in awhile i check to see if he still does it...and yep...he does...so does his wife when she plays...

if anyone asks, you could say your doing a research paper for a night class your taking. then run a line of BS with that one. it will take their mind off your 'seriousness' of your note taking if they are really noticing it....

someone doesnt like it, screw em....they cant force you 'not' to do it...

also, if they take you more seriously, you may be able to bluff a little more....maybe...

just some ideas...

have fun...

b

[MRBAA]

I have a friend who takes notes. But he brings a small notebook that fits in his jacket pocket and walks away from the table most times to write stuff down -- maybe in combo with a bathroom trip. He's not secretive about it or anything, but he doesn't do it at the table much.

[pauly2x]

I was playing in a home tournament once where a guy had a little notebook. He won the first three hands and kept scribbling stuff down. Turns out he was just making little checkmarks when he would win a hand. I knew this guy wasn't a card player, but when I saw that it gave me a laugh. What he was trying to accomplish I still have no idea. Must have made sense to him.

[The _Grifter]

Couple of things here. If you think that by taking notes will improve your play ( which should)...then why not do it ?

What Sklansky and Malmuth failed to point out is that " mulling" over some plays can have an adverse effect on your opponents by having them play bad in some spots.

....Take notes if it will help you....the lower limits should be a stepping stone anyway.

The Grifter

[Toro]

I'm sorry but I got to agree with the dentist. The few times I have seen this I had the same reaction. Remember the movie the Cinncinati Kid and the guy who took notes during the game. As I recall he didn't get too much respect from the other players. But that was just a movie.

[SlyR]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
It just seems there are always 2 or 3 hands during a session that I really want to be able to pick apart later when I have time to think about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Two or three hands in a session should be few enough for you to remember in detail. That's about what I can handle. A friend of mine has an even better memory; he can relate to me exactly how I played any given hand after a session. While his memory skills might be beyond those of the average person, it should be reasonable to expect to recall the important details of a couple of the more important hands.

[J.A.Sucker]

I'd keep the notebook out on the table, and everytime the cocktail waitress comes by, make like you're gonna ask for her phone number, but then go to the notes and check them. After doing this all night, somebody will ask you what the hell you're doing. Tell them that you already have all the digits for all the unmarried (and some of the married) waitresses at the Bellagio/Mirage for those special nights out, but there's one that you're missing. You think it's her, but need to check the list, cause it would sure be embarrasing to ask for her digits after giving her the night of her life previously [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

After this, people won't care what notes you're taking.

Just my opinion, but I'm Just Another Sucker. (who takes no responsibility if this stunt somehow lands you in "poker room jail"). [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]