Poker Table Habits Field Guide
A casual study notebook for clearer decisions and better review habits.

Tier 2 independent resourcehand reviewupdated 2026-08-19

Hand-Review Notes That Stay Useful

Review the decision, not only the result

A result can make a decision feel obvious after the fact. My review notes work better when I reconstruct what was known at the time, what I expected, and which alternative I actually considered.

The four-line template

I start with the setting: position, number of players, board texture, and action before me. Next I write my decision and the reason I gave myself. Then I record the new information that changed the situation. Finally I write one question for later research or discussion.

Review prompts

Separate uncertainty from error

Sometimes the most useful note is not “I made a mistake.” It is “I did not know which factor mattered most.” That distinction helps me choose a study topic. If I repeatedly miss the same factor, I can build a small exercise around it instead of collecting vague criticism.

Build a small review library

I group notes by topic rather than by dramatic hands. A folder for position, one for sizing, one for board changes, and one for table observation is easier to revisit. I add a short title that describes the decision, not the final result.

Keep personal details private

Do not put account identifiers, private names, or sensitive screenshots into a public notebook. Redact them before sharing a study example.

A worked hand-review example

Suppose my note says: “late position, one caller, uncertain after the turn, continued because the earlier plan felt committed.” That sentence is not enough to judge the decision, but it is enough to begin a review. I expand it into four parts: what happened before me, what I expected, what changed, and what alternatives I considered. I also record whether I had observed any relevant pattern or whether I was guessing.

Then I write a counterfactual without pretending it was obvious. If the turn card had not changed the board, would my plan have stayed the same? If the earlier player had acted differently, which part of my reasoning would have changed? These questions show whether my plan was connected to the situation or merely carried forward from the prior street.

Finally I create a reusable note titled “plan carried forward after new information.” The next time I see a similar spot, I can compare the new example with the old one. If the two situations differ, I keep the distinction. If they are close, I ask whether my process is becoming clearer. The review produces a better question, not a claim that one answer works everywhere.

Questions I carry into the next review

I finish each page by choosing one question that can be answered with another example. I avoid questions that are so broad they produce only a list of opinions. A useful question names the situation, the decision, and the information that might change the plan.

Keeping the question small makes the notebook easier to maintain. It also gives later pages a clear connection without forcing every page to repeat the same recommendation.

A practice log I can reuse

For the next three examples, I write the setting in plain language before I write my opinion. I note the action order, the information that changed, and the reason I chose the line I chose. I then write a second sentence beginning with “Another possibility was…” This forces me to remember that a decision had alternatives even when the final result makes one option feel obvious.

At the end of the review, I classify the note as clear, uncertain, or incomplete. Clear means I can explain the situation and the reason without filling gaps. Uncertain means I can state the competing ideas but need more study. Incomplete means I cannot reconstruct the action accurately. I do not use the categories as grades. They tell me what kind of follow-up is useful.

If the same uncertainty appears twice, I make a small study card with the question on the front and one carefully chosen example on the back. I keep the card focused and revise it when a counterexample appears. This gives the next session a practical purpose without turning the notebook into a rigid rulebook.