In my real job as a mental health therapist I often scribble notes while counseling individuals. Many people assume that a therapist's notes are overridden with psychological jargon.
In reality, most of our notebooks are filled with simplistic reminders of the client's life story. Names of relatives, diagrams of relationships, brief summations of the presenting problems, and similar information help the counselor recall the situation. Since we work with dozens of people every week, it is nearly impossible for even the most experienced counselor to remember the details and concerns of so many lives.
Just as I have seen many people in a counseling setting, I have played against thousands of players at the poker table. With both endeavors, I keep my notebook handy. Flipping through my notes, I know that I played in a home game back in 2005 with a young gunslinger named Hicks. Hicks had a significant tell, and my notes show that he consistently tucks his card protector onto his hole cards in quick fashion whenever he has a big pocket pair.
It has been over three years since that game, and I can hardly remember what young Mr. Hicks looks like. If I happen across him again, my notebook is my guide to assure that I have a leg up on him from the very first deal. I do the same online.
If you are serious about the game of poker, it may be time for you to treat it as more of a business and less of a recreation. To do that, it may be necessary to start taking notes as furiously as you did during your last college history class. The online version of the game makes it easy. Most online card rooms have a quick tab that allows you to attach notes to players as you go.
At your home game and in your favorite traditional casino, a little pocket notebook may be the best option. Keep track of the players. You never know when you may encounter them again at a critical juncture. Log their strengths, their weaknesses, their tells, their playing styles, and how they played any key hands. This can be valuable information in the future. It might even come in handy later that session.
There is no doubt that you will certainly get the attention of tablemates as you jot notes. In fact, you may be able to use their curiosity or paranoia against them. In addition, taking notes assures you of staying focused on the action at hand, even when you're not involved in the hand.
It may seem uncomfortable or dorky to take out a pen and pad and make notes during a poker game. You will probably even come across more than a few crass individuals who will razz you about the practice. Allow them to make jokes at your expense as you venture to win their chips. Like a therapist taking notes on a client, the notebook can be a vital and powerful tool in the trade of poker. To meet optimal success at the tables it is time for you, a poker amateur, to face the game more professionally.
