How to keep a poker journal
A poker journal is a short note you write before and after each session. It tracks what spreadsheets can’t: how you played, how you felt and what you learned. Five minutes per session is enough, and over a few months it shows patterns you’d never notice otherwise.
Why keep one
Section titled “Why keep one”- You see which conditions lead to your best and worst play (time of day, tiredness, mood).
- You remember lessons instead of relearning them.
- It makes you focus on decisions, not results. See poker variance.
Simple template
Section titled “Simple template”Before the session
- Date, game, stakes, planned length
- How I feel (energy, mood, distractions)
- One focus for today (e.g. “no limping”, “fewer river calls”)
After the session
- Result (money or buy-ins) and hands/hours played
- Did I follow my focus? Yes / partly / no
- One or two hands to review. See review your hands
- Did I tilt? What triggered it? See tilt
- One lesson for next time
- Keep it short — if it takes too long, you’ll stop doing it.
- Be honest, especially about tilt and tiredness.
- Once a month, read back through your entries and look for repeating patterns. Combine with your results tracking.
- Use whatever is easiest: a notes app, a notebook or a spreadsheet.
See also poker study plan and poker leak finder.
What is a poker journal?
Section titled “What is a poker journal?”A short note before and after each session about how you played, how you felt and what you learned.
What should I write in a poker journal?
Section titled “What should I write in a poker journal?”Your focus for the session, how you felt, results, hands to review, any tilt and one lesson.
How long should a journal entry take?
Section titled “How long should a journal entry take?”About five minutes per session.
How does a poker journal help?
Section titled “How does a poker journal help?”It reveals patterns in your play and mindset and keeps you focused on decisions, not results.