Note taking and counter measure planning.

[thetank]

Playing 9 handed STTs with a slow structure.

I want to make sure that the counter measures I'm planning against regular opponents are sensible.
There's no point in me taking extensive notes on hands played if they are going to lead me to do silly things, so I thought I'd check in with the collective blonde brain.

Maybe a few people can benefit from this sort of thread, I'll try it out and see how it goes.

It can work like this, I'll describe a player from what notes I have, and you guys give some examples of what counter measures you might make against him.
If there's any demand, I'll post a new player each day.



Here's the first guy...


Loose in his re-raising standards pre-flop, and loose when calling re-raises (esp blind vs blind or to defend his BB.)
Aside from some loose calls, seems to have a good ICM game and a reasonable ROI.

Passive post flop. I have not seen him bet less than top pair.
This is true in blind vs blind pots too. Will not bet unless he has something, even checking down hands in position that have no chance of winning.

Check calling the whole hand and then raising on river is what he does with a flopped monster such as nut flush or full house.

Only seen him bluff once, but that was heads up at the end of a tournament after an opponent made a weak bet. (he showed the bluff)

[thetank]

Example for the above player.


If to my left, and I don't have a massive hand in SB, tend towards completing and making a steal bet on the flop or turn rather than steal raising pre.

He's going to be loose in calling 2.5/3 BB pre-flop raises. I'll probably be c-betting and in so doing playing a big pot when I'd rather not.

If I complete against him, I know he's not going to steal the pot from me post flop. When he bets or raises, I can fold all but my best hands with confidence that I'm beat.

[fergus8]

excellent thread, ill be reading

[Longy]

If this opponent is in the blinds i would be less likely to make steal attempts from the co/btn but would be inclinded to induce 3 bet shoves from him. For example making it 2.5*bb with 8-12bbs with qq+.

Post flop i would get the hell out of there without a strong hand but would be happy to call raises in position if stacks are deep enough as he sounds easy to read.


Tank from a wider perspective, are your notes really this detailed?

Do you use the colour coding on FTP (I do), if so how?

[thetank]

I take two types of notes.

In game using FT software (don't use colour coding yet, but doing so is on my to-do list)
These notes are done in the thick of battle and never that detailed.

"can r 1/3 stack then fold to rr"

that kind of thing.

The other type of notes I use Holdem Manager's software. I do this away from the tables post session. I'll use Holdem Manager to review a players stats, but mostly I look at the hands where I know their holecards. From this, I'll get a general feel for their play and compose a note of detail such as the one above.

( I only do this once I have played a certain amount of games with a particular player. I've only reviewed half a dozen players in this kind of detail so far.)


If I have these type of notes on a player, an icon appears in the HEManager HUD next to their stats. Hovering over it reveals a pop-up where I can read the notes, and I'll do that when a game starts to refresh my memory.

[thetank]

I colour code some of the stats on my HUD, but that's a whole different thread.

[Longy]

Hmmm might starting doing that in HEM in my studying/reviewing time, good idea.

Yeah my notes are bit like that a quick line if i see something weird especially from a reg, the raise folding over a 1/3 of their stack is one of my faves.

I use the colour coding mainly for table selection purposes, red for top regs all the way thru to purple at the other end of scale for the totally braindead. When you are loading up on ftp, the colours are shown in the lobby so you can quickly see what the table is going to be like, before sitting.

[thetank]

Not too much interest, but I'll pop one or two more up and see if I get any replys.

This guy plays a lot of games with me...



Good regular player, played over 10k games @ 8%

Doesn't always c-bet flop. Only twice seen him do it with just overcards (both in big pots, and the bet was all-in)
Checks his big draws rather than c-betting with them.

Generally bets between just under 1/2 and 3/4 pot. Sometimes bets pot or just over pot with o/pair or TPTK on a draw heavy board. Haven't seen him bet with a weak holding, prefers to check call.

I have never seen him raise on the turn or river. Ever.

Checked flop boat twice and bet exactly 1/2 pot on river.

Pre-flop re-raising range with 15+ BBs seems to be TT+ AQo+

Will either check down when a player is all-in, or bet massive. When he bets massive in this situation, he is massive.

ICM good. Maybe he misses a few any two shoves.


Thoughts on this guy? I've maybe played him in 30 tournaments so far, he's active most nights.

[thetank]

The last guy...

Loose in his re-raising standards pre-flop, and loose when calling re-raises (esp blind vs blind or to defend his BB.)
Aside from some loose calls, seems to have a good ICM game and a reasonable ROI.

Passive post flop. I have not seen him bet less than top pair.
This is true in blind vs blind pots too. Will not bet unless he has something, even checking down hands in position that have no chance of winning.

Check calling the whole hand and then raising on river is what he does with a flopped monster such as nut flush or full house.

Only seen him bluff once, but that was heads up at the end of a tournament after an opponent made a weak bet. (he showed the bluff)

My main counter measure note on him is...

Loosen up my standards required to just flat call his pre-flop raises

Thinking I can get good value by seeing free turns and rivers when he doesn't bet. Going OTT wonldn't work as he's quite loose at calling.