Online Poker Forum - Getting notes on opponents- Specific hands

mikec7809 · Two Pair Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 55

What kind of things can or should I be able to learn about my opponents based on looking at a specific hand? What kind of things do I want to know?

Should I be looking for what type of plays they make in certain situations, or mistakes they make, or am I just trying to get a general idea of their style and starting requirements?

Am I trying to do too much here?

For example, I've posted three hands. In two of them, the hands were shown down at the end, and in the other the winning hand was mucked.

What notes would you make about the play in these hands, and how would you use that information?

Any specific examples of what can be learned from any these hands or just advice on reading opponents in general would be greatly appreciated.

Hand 1

Seat 1: ricnan55 (2,055)
Seat 2: mikec7809 (1,455)
Seat 3: shotzy100 (1,305)
Seat 4: CoolGuyAzz (1,185)
Seat 5: Two Outer (1,620)
Seat 6: Palookamania (1,425)
Seat 7: likeluckbetter (1,530)
Seat 8: paintballerX4X (1,290)
Seat 9: jp12345 (1,635)
paintballerX4X posts the small blind of 20
jp12345 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #7
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mikec7809 [Kh Jh]
ricnan55 folds
mikec7809 folds
shotzy100 folds
CoolGuyAzz folds
Two Outer folds
Palookamania raises to 80
likeluckbetter folds
paintballerX4X calls 60
jp12345 calls 40
*** FLOP *** [Ts 6h 8s]
paintballerX4X bets 100
jp12345 folds
Palookamania calls 100
*** TURN *** [Ts 6h 8s] [Kc]
paintballerX4X bets 200
Palookamania folds
Uncalled bet of 200 returned to paintballerX4X
paintballerX4X mucks
paintballerX4X wins the pot (440)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 440 | Rake 0
Board: [Ts 6h 8s Kc]
Seat 1: ricnan55 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: mikec7809 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 3: shotzy100 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: CoolGuyAzz didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Two Outer didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Palookamania folded on the Turn
Seat 7: likeluckbetter (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: paintballerX4X (small blind) collected (440), mucked
Seat 9: jp12345 (big blind) folded on the Flop

Hand 2

Seat 1: ricnan55 (2,015)
Seat 2: mikec7809 (1,455)
Seat 3: shotzy100 (1,265)
Seat 4: CoolGuyAzz (1,185)
Seat 5: Two Outer (1,620)
Seat 6: Palookamania (1,525)
Seat 7: likeluckbetter (1,530)
Seat 8: paintballerX4X (1,550)
Seat 9: jp12345 (1,355)
ricnan55 posts the small blind of 20
mikec7809 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #9
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mikec7809 [8d 4d]
shotzy100 folds
CoolGuyAzz folds
Two Outer folds
Palookamania folds
likeluckbetter folds
paintballerX4X raises to 100
jp12345 folds
ricnan55 calls 80
mikec7809 folds
*** FLOP *** [3d Kd 2d]
ricnan55 checks
paintballerX4X checks
*** TURN *** [3d Kd 2d] [Jh]
ricnan55 checks
paintballerX4X checks
*** RIVER *** [3d Kd 2d Jh] [4h]
ricnan55 bets 80
paintballerX4X raises to 160
ricnan55 calls 80
*** SHOW DOWN ***
paintballerX4X shows [Kh 7c] (a pair of Kings)
ricnan55 mucks
paintballerX4X wins the pot (560) with a pair of Kings
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 560 | Rake 0
Board: [3d Kd 2d Jh 4h]
Seat 1: ricnan55 (small blind) mucked [Js 8s] - a pair of Jacks
Seat 2: mikec7809 (big blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: shotzy100 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 4: CoolGuyAzz didn't bet (folded)
Seat 5: Two Outer didn't bet (folded)
Seat 6: Palookamania didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: likeluckbetter didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: paintballerX4X showed [Kh 7c] and won (560) with a pair of
Kings
Seat 9: jp12345 (button) didn't bet (folded)

Hand 3

Seat 1: dillon78 (1,410)
Seat 2: mikec7809 (1,285)
Seat 3: Dino937 (1,385)
Seat 4: t1020n515 (355)
Seat 6: Kernie (1,545)
Seat 7: copdave (1,410)
Seat 8: Iceman913 (3,680)
Seat 9: DanJay1983 (2,430)
mikec7809 posts the small blind of 20
Dino937 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mikec7809 [4d 7s]
t1020n515 calls 40
Kernie folds
copdave folds
Iceman913 folds
DanJay1983 raises to 80
dillon78 folds
mikec7809 folds
Dino937 calls 40
t1020n515 calls 40
*** FLOP *** [As Tc 3c]
Dino937 checks
t1020n515 checks
DanJay1983 checks
*** TURN *** [As Tc 3c] [Js]
Dino937 bets 300
t1020n515 folds
DanJay1983 raises to 600
Dino937 calls 300
*** RIVER *** [As Tc 3c Js] [Ts]
Dino937 checks
DanJay1983 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DanJay1983 shows [Qs Ad] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
Dino937 shows [Ac 9h] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
DanJay1983 wins the pot (1,460) with two pair, Aces and Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,460 | Rake 0
Board: [As Tc 3c Js Ts]
Seat 1: dillon78 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: mikec7809 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Dino937 (big blind) showed [Ac 9h] and lost with two pair, Aces
and Tens
Seat 4: t1020n515 folded on the Turn
Seat 6: Kernie didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: copdave didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Iceman913 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: DanJay1983 showed [Qs Ad] and won (1,460) with two pair, Aces
and Tens

mikec7809 · Two Pair Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 55

The third hand got cut off, so here it is.

Hand 3

Seat 1: dillon78 (1,410)
Seat 2: mikec7809 (1,285)
Seat 3: Dino937 (1,385)
Seat 4: t1020n515 (355)
Seat 6: Kernie (1,545)
Seat 7: copdave (1,410)
Seat 8: Iceman913 (3,680)
Seat 9: DanJay1983 (2,430)
mikec7809 posts the small blind of 20
Dino937 posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mikec7809 [4d 7s]
t1020n515 calls 40
Kernie folds
copdave folds
Iceman913 folds
DanJay1983 raises to 80
dillon78 folds
mikec7809 folds
Dino937 calls 40
t1020n515 calls 40
*** FLOP *** [As Tc 3c]
Dino937 checks
t1020n515 checks
DanJay1983 checks
*** TURN *** [As Tc 3c] [Js]
Dino937 bets 300
t1020n515 folds
DanJay1983 raises to 600
Dino937 calls 300
*** RIVER *** [As Tc 3c Js] [Ts]
Dino937 checks
DanJay1983 checks
*** SHOW DOWN ***
DanJay1983 shows [Qs Ad] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
Dino937 shows [Ac 9h] (two pair, Aces and Tens)
DanJay1983 wins the pot (1,460) with two pair, Aces and Tens
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,460 | Rake 0
Board: [As Tc 3c Js Ts]
Seat 1: dillon78 (button) didn't bet (folded)
Seat 2: mikec7809 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 3: Dino937 (big blind) showed [Ac 9h] and lost with two pair, Aces
and Tens
Seat 4: t1020n515 folded on the Turn
Seat 6: Kernie didn't bet (folded)
Seat 7: copdave didn't bet (folded)
Seat 8: Iceman913 didn't bet (folded)
Seat 9: DanJay1983 showed [Qs Ad] and won (1,460) with two pair, Aces
and Tens

GripHoldOn · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:15 am Post subject:

If you try to get information from every single meaningless hand, you will end up tired, and confused. At least wait for a showdown before you start judging the play of an opponent.

idonkeykickyou · High Card Joined: 21 Aug 2005 Posts: 10

Alright Mike here's how I structure my notes modeled after some online guides and friends.
VERY TIGHT-VERY LOOSE : SOLID-MANIAC-CLLR-PASSIVE : VERY BAD-VERY GOOD as the first row.......these you can find towards the end of the game once you see some hands shown down.....here's how I make those decisions.
PR (he raised the pot) RP: (called a raise) p: (limped in) RR: (reraise)
BET: FL DRW (flush draw) STR DRW (straight draw) 1st PR, 2nd PR, 3rd PR, A HGH, BLUFF
CALL: same situations as w/bet, ie. if he calls draws how much, etc
NOBET: (basically how he plays nut hands)
RR: hands he rr's with.

These are how my notes are structured but obviously its impossible to get everything for each player......you just gather this information on what was shown down. As far as hands not shown, just file this info into your head and notice that he plays a lot of hands, or raises and then ends up folding to a bet. Try to pay the most attention to the 2 players to your left and right, and anyone who has a big stack.

Here is how i would take notes for the situation that you described.

Hand 1: Just see that the raiser raised min.....and then bet 1/2 the pot and then ended up folding once someone called, maybe indicating a min raise doesnt indicate a big hand for him....and see if the situation presents itself again.

Hand 2: (notes on paintballer)
PR: K7o (2.5xBB mid late p rd2 1st in)
NOBET: TOP PR K (7 kck fl brd, flp+trn, rr 2/5 pot riv bet dbl on riv)

* Note that raising min w/k7o is a weak play, look for more loose weak plays to confirm. Also that he chck'd a mediocre hand like top pair weak kicker, and willingly let his opponent draw to a possible flush.

Hand 3: (notes on DanJay)
PR: AQo (min r 1 in rd 2)
NOBET: TOP PR A (Q kck, fl brd 2 in)
RR: TOP PR A (Q kck pot trn bet fl +str brd, pot bet dbl r, chck the riv +)
* Checking the river with a good hand there is a strong play, knowing he will most likely only get called with a straight or a set of 10's, also note that he too risked his opp. seeing the flush, so don't think just because he checks a flush draw board that he has nothing.

Notes on Dino
RP: A9o (min r in BB 2 in)
NOBET: TOP PR A (9 kck fl brd 1st act r'd pot on flp)
BET: TOP PR A (9 kck pot trn fl brd, chck'd flp, call dbl rr)
* Note that he is careful enough not to bet the fl w/the preflop raiser to act and a decent hand, pot on the turn is a solid bet with the draws out there but calling the rr is a weak play.

That's all I got for you. Let me know if you don't understand any of my notation. Obviously taking notes this extensive takes practice and has become more complicated the longer I've done it. For now just worry about the top line of playing styles, and what sort of hands people play, raise and call with from where, and whether they'll call draws w/out odds, and how they bet top pair, monster, bluff, draws,etc.

- Donkey

KGBlovesOreos · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:

first, when i take notes, i categorize pretty much every player at my table (loose, maniac, tight, tight-aggressive)...

after that, i leave a note on betting patterns (something like "just doubles the blinds w/ good hands")

lastly, i basically tell myself what to do (ex: "if he bets big on the river, he's bluffing, so raise him if you have something decent")

that is how i take notes

dano2769 · Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:

If I notice something consistently happening like weak aces or other types of hands. I'll usually note that or some other odd play they like to do. But I don't have any developed code.

Jaconda78 · Message Board Junkie Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 4179

I make notes like, "will chase anything for any price (chased gut shot with pot sized bets throughout)" or "bluffs with min bet" or the like.

Cathaleon · Pair Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 29

It's a pretty good idea to make notes on repeated viewings of a player -- not even off just one SNG. Notes can get you in a lot of trouble if you rely on them without knowing the person for CERTAIN plays a particular way on a regular basis.

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