Do you use notes on players or rely on memory?

TheniT · Apr 8, 2026

Whenever I can, I take notes on my opponents, since my memory isn't very good. I confess I should do this more often, but sometimes I'm just too lazy.

doom · Apr 8, 2026

i use notes and colors

23maxim88 · Apr 8, 2026

It helps a lot on poker rooms with a small player pool to mark players with colors and make some notes. I also take notes on bigger rooms, but where it’s allowed, I use a HUD as well.

skaterick · Apr 8, 2026

doom said:
i use notes and colors

i wish they had color codes on replay poker for the CC freerolls .

wushibala · Apr 8, 2026

I only mark players in red who go all-in with garbage hands. Then, when I have a chance to call, I do it with confidence — and it really helps me.

MAFNL16061986 · Apr 8, 2026

i rely on memeries and ehatches the names who is hoe to play

thwenth1983 · Apr 9, 2026

Good morning everyone, poker is a game of information. The more information you have about your opponents, the better your decisions will be. I play at micro stakes, and my notes help me a lot. In my opinion, players from these limits who are from Germany tend to include a higher number of recreational players. I believe this happens because poker is very popular in Europe and Germany is the richest country in Europe, so many players deposit money just to play for fun.

In CardsChat freerolls, my notes almost always help me a lot. Against players marked as strong, a top pair is rarely enough to play big pots (60 blinds or more). For example: open with AKo from UTG with 35bb; the villain, marked as a strong player, calls from the SB with 36bb. Flop: Ac 5d 9s. The hero bets and the villain check-raises. Most likely, the villain has 55, 99, A5s, or A9s — and in most cases, AKo will be behind against this type of player.

On the other hand, against players marked as recreational, AKo on this board tends to be ahead most of the time. These notes help me a lot.

anasslaaleg · Apr 9, 2026

Memory feels sharp in the moment but it fades, gets biased, and often remembers the big hands while ignoring the small patterns that actually matter. Notes, on the other hand, turn observations into something real and repeatable.
A quick note on how someone plays their draws, how they react under pressure, or how often they bluff in certain spots can become a long-term edge. Over time, those small details add up in ways memory alone simply can’t.
The best players don’t trust recall they build systems. Because in the long run, information you capture beats information you think you remember.

istbno · Apr 9, 2026

I use notes consistently, especially for opponents I face regularly or who play tricky styles. They may seem small at first, but over time they add up remembering tendencies, timing patterns, and bet sizing helps you make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes. Even general observations recorded immediately after a session can give you a huge edge compared to relying on memory alone. In my experience, disciplined note-taking separates serious players from casual ones, and it’s one of the most underrated tools for long-term improvement online.

Pabloro10321 · Apr 9, 2026

I like to take notes on opponents who repeat moves or have a very strong style of play, but with the others I play by heart.

Rmi · Apr 9, 2026

I always take notes and put colors on them to know which player I'm up against

ranon77 · May 7, 2026

Yes, I use notes. Memory fades, notes don’t. I also try to sit at tables where I know at least one player. Having a read on someone from the first hand is a huge edge.

fernandovr · May 7, 2026

No, I prefer to analyze the player directly at the table instead of taking a lot of notes. I think every tournament is unique, and the same player can act completely differently depending on the situation, their stack size, the stage of the tournament, or even their emotional state at that moment.

Coolcassv9. · May 7, 2026

I check my memory or the play history, and I've already decided what to do at that moment.

Chebchoub · May 7, 2026

Nesehorn156 said:
When playing online, I’ve seen some players take detailed notes on opponents, while others just rely on general memory and tendencies.

I try to take notes, but I don’t always stay consistent with it.

Do you actively use notes, and do you think they give a big advantage over time?

Hi

I think it is good to use notes on players, or if you will, it is good to exploit this feature in online poker as long as it is available to us, because the matter is different in live poker, as it depends only on our memory.

david018 · May 7, 2026

yes taking notes gives a real long-term edge in no limit texas holden because it helps you track opponent tendencies instead of relying on memory, simple consistent notes, are more affective than detailed writing, as long as you actually use them during play.

BillyR23 · May 7, 2026

I still use notes often while playing online, maybe not as detailed as I should because of HUDs - mostly the player style and/or some 'weird' hands... I found it to be very useful, especially when a big decision is needed and you have some extra info that is helpful in making the correct play, so I do agree that this will be a big advantage over time...

ninocabral · May 10, 2026

on sites that have how I take notes, those that don't have how I remember some players

Lodestone · May 10, 2026

When I'm playing larger BIs than usual I will usually look up everyone on sharkscope and ID who is a losing / winning player in addition to anything abnormal I notice at the table.

skaterick · May 10, 2026

i am writing notes constantly . sadly it never seems to help my results .

Kashmir · May 10, 2026

Too hard to recall who's who... so don't bother just play loose and hope for the best...

Doubledunk · May 10, 2026

Notes. It is easy to forget who is who when you are multi-tabling.

KeyPatience · May 10, 2026

Nesehorn156 said:
When playing online, I’ve seen some players take detailed notes on opponents, while others just rely on general memory and tendencies.

I try to take notes, but I don’t always stay consistent with it.

Do you actively use notes, and do you think they give a big advantage over time?

Personally I’m not a big fan of notes actually!
Those notes necessarily don’t always work in your favour!
I prefer to play the hand to the best of it’s ability irrespective who’s in front of you!

anbu210 · May 12, 2026

Yes, I definitely prefer using player notes rather than relying only on memory.

Notes help a lot in future hands, especially against regular opponents you meet often.
You can track things like bluff tendencies, sizing patterns, tilt behavior, or how wide someone shoves.

Sites like ACR and GG Poker have good note features, which are very useful for long-term adjustments.

Some platforms like WPT and a few others don’t offer proper note-taking, and I really feel that limitation during sessions.

Over time, good notes can become a big edge in online poker.

CDNMAN 42 · May 12, 2026

I use notes extensively, especially when I notice a pattern, however caution is needed also as the activity you note could be a one of???

Do you use notes on players or rely on memory?

TheniT

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doom

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23maxim88

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skaterick

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wushibala

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MAFNL16061986

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thwenth1983

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anasslaaleg

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istbno

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Rmi

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ranon77

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fernandovr

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Coolcassv9.

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Chebchoub

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ninocabral

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Lodestone

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