Playing poker online is different in many ways from live play. Some of the differences are difficult to overcome and others are a great benefit especially to the beginning player. In this series (Online Tips) we will look at some of the best online ideas to help the beginning player.

Online Tip #1: Take notes.

Yes you do have to pay attention to every hand, which means you can’t watch TV or read email while you are playing poker. When you see a player make a certain move, put it in your notes. All of the major sites have note taking options. Just click on a player and open the notes section.

Don’t write: “This player is a donkey!” that is not going to help you. But if the notes says: “Cannot lay down top pair, will call to the river.” Now that is both helpful and potentially profitable. The notes don’t have to be extensive but they should be specific. Trust us, the first time you make a big call and take down a monster pot because of a quick note you wrote two months ago, you will understand how much note taking can help your online game.

By the way, just the practice of watching every hand and looking for a note to take will also help your live game. It is not just about writing down the note but also about getting better and better at seeing the tendencies in your opponents that are worth remembering.

-this is Beginner’s Poker Blog Post #201

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