Tracking the results of your poker sessions

There are many things a player can do to improve their results at the poker table. Studying game theory, analyzing your play, and of course practice top the list. However, often overlooked is the concept of tracking and reviewing the financial results of your poker sessions.

I run into players on a regular basis who don’t keep on top of this aspect of their game. In my opinion, this is an absolutely essential component to the financial success of any player. Keeping accurate records will give you a statistical, honest look at how you’re playing. It brings a wealth of insight into analyzing and improving your game.

By looking at the numbers, you can quickly discover:

• Leaks in your game that you might not otherwise have noticed. For example, the results might show you that you play much worse at night (perhaps because you’re tired and not paying as much attention).
  
  
• What types of game structures (tournaments, cash games, etc), and level of buy in are most profitable for you.
  
  
• Your hourly rate as a player, allowing you to track it on a month to month basis. If the number keeps rising, you’re doing something right. If not, its time to take a look at how you're playing and find the holes.

There are some poker tracking software packages out there that will do the job. However, if you’re short on cash, a tool that we’re quite fond of is the Poker Dominator. It’s free online poker tracking software that allows you to log your session results on their website. It comes complete with a charting package that allows you to view your session data in many useful ways. The site is excellent, speedy, and extremely useful. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to track their results cheaply.

If you'd rather not use a website, tracking your results doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A simple excel spreadsheet works fine, as does any sort of database program. Keep track of the date, time, number of hours/minutes played, starting bankroll, and ending bankroll. In addition, keep track of the structure and limits.

Before you know it, you’ll be scanning the numbers, plugging leaks in your game, and finding the most profitable spot for yourself in the poker world.