What's Your Strategy for Note Taking?

I use colour coding - I have around 20 different pre-set colour codes supplied with the explanatory information. If the specific player warrants more in-depth notes, then I can always add it later, if I do not have the time to do it while playing him.

I thought that there was a bronze article on note taking, but the only one I can find is silver. http://www.pokerstrategy.com/strategy/bss/1587/1/

Depending on the room, I take notes in either HM or in the room's own note tool.

I also keep a pad of paper beside me to jot down things.

Finally, if things are really hectic, I use HM's hand viewer to mark the hand for review, then make more detailed notes during the review.

Like Styr, I also use colour codes.
The three stop-light colours mean the same thing:
Stop, caution, go for red, yellow green.
Purple means I have a specific steal note,
Blue means a general zoom note
Orange is a 5-CD note.

The big problem for me is that my colour scheme it totally different from what it was a year ago
And I'll probably change it again.

--VS

Well, when a hands ends and i feel that i should right something about my villain (or the players that played the hand) i hit the replay button and take my notes. I take as many notes as i can. I take notes on bet sizing combined with hand strenght combined with the street that they made the bet. Also on their preflop calling/3bing range and from what position they took that action. Generally, if i find something odd i write it down so that i can have an edge against them next time.

Originally posted by Styr
I use colour coding - I have around 20 different pre-set colour codes supplied with the explanatory information. If the specific player warrants more in-depth notes, then I can always add it later, if I do not have the time to do it while playing him.

That's a lot of colors! I never would have thought that someone is using that many.

Yeh its dependant on room.

But Say on stars I will immediately colour-code people based on my first perceptions of them so that I can see them in the lobby - obv table selection is important. These initial assumptions can change.

I also have Hold em manager auto-rate them with my colours....at least I did in version 1, I think i can sort it in v2, havn't done yet.

Yellow=fish
Light blue=nit/tight reg
dark blue=reg
orange=short stack reg

I also mark any hand in hold em manager thats got my attention, or whether one of my own hands/spots needs pokerstoving.

tbh iv got a bit lazy with all this as I feel my spots are quite standard in the main.

Originally posted by zobupasts

Originally posted by Styr
I use colour coding - I have around 20 different pre-set colour codes supplied with the explanatory information. If the specific player warrants more in-depth notes, then I can always add it later, if I do not have the time to do it while playing him.

That's a lot of colors! I never would have thought that someone is using that many.

Needs to be done.

For example:
Dark green 1 - limps monsters.
Dark green 2 - limps SB, calls ALL IN.
Blue - limp folds.
Red - Thief, capable with stealing any two cards.
Black - Early riser thief: capable with stealing with almost any two cards from EP (with enough Big Blinds left)
Purple - Vulgaris stupidus - limps crap, calls ALL IN.
Purple 2 - Steals with any two cards, calls ALL IN.
Yellow - Generic notes.

There are many more, but I am not going to write down everything here.

Some of those stats I can see fairly easily from HEM display. But in reality, they complement each other. And any notes I make specify the villains behaviour even further.

My notation is the following:

[Name of the street (PF, F, T, R)]: [Action] in [Board], [Action in following streets] with [Hand (if we got to showdown)]

Other times I use this other one (positionwise notation):

[Villain's positon]vs[My position (or other player's)]: [Action]...

Examples:

SBvsBU: 3bet Ax, c/c Axx, c/f turn blank;

or

F: donk/fold 1/2 (1/2 pot, that is) Kxx board;

xx means rags and rainbow. If there's a FD, would use xxss.

Originally posted by Styr
For example:
Dark green 1 - limps monsters.
Dark green 2 - limps SB, calls ALL IN.
Blue - limp folds.
Red - Thief, capable with stealing any two cards.
Black - Early riser thief: capable with stealing with almost any two cards from EP (with enough Big Blinds left)
Purple - Vulgaris stupidus - limps crap, calls ALL IN.
Purple 2 - Steals with any two cards, calls ALL IN.
Yellow - Generic notes.

How do you choose which color to assign? I mean one player could have more tendencies, which one do you assign then? Is it yellow for generic notes?
I have 7 colors they are basically nit, TAG, loose aggressive, loose passive and so on to describe the player overall.

Originally posted by Krishjanis

Originally posted by Styr
For example:
Dark green 1 - limps monsters.
Dark green 2 - limps SB, calls ALL IN.
Blue - limp folds.
Red - Thief, capable with stealing any two cards.
Black - Early riser thief: capable with stealing with almost any two cards from EP (with enough Big Blinds left)
Purple - Vulgaris stupidus - limps crap, calls ALL IN.
Purple 2 - Steals with any two cards, calls ALL IN.
Yellow - Generic notes.

How do you choose which color to assign? I mean one player could have more tendencies, which one do you assign then? Is it yellow for generic notes?
I have 7 colors they are basically nit, TAG, loose aggressive, loose passive and so on to describe the player overall.

Yes, that can be a problem. But it is something I specify in the notes. If, for example a player is limping with aces, and doing the same in the small blind (calling a push), then I will make a note of that and colour him with dark green 2. i.e, that is a player against whom I must play more cautiously. Once I get a better sample size I can, and will if needs be, change the colouring.