Poker Software Review: NoteCaddy

Poker is a game of incomplete information and the more you have the bigger the edge of your opponent providing you know how to use it. If you have tracking software with a note taking facility this is a major advantage over anyone without the option and all the major products allow you to take notes before, during and after a session with automatic import and export links between their database and the Poker site you play at.

However the fast pace of the online game does not allow detailed and structured note taking during a session (especially if you are multi tabling) and many players do not take notes at all. The normal practice is to mark selected hands, use a replayer to make some notes during the post session analysis and export the notes to the poker site.

If only someone could produce software to do all this automatically DURING the game, allowing you to focus on decisions and game-flow 100% of the time!

NoteCaddy works with Poker Tracker 3 and Hold'em Manager

Note Caddy is a wonderful piece of automated note taking and colour coding software from the Chan Group and is fully compatible with Holdem Manager and Poker Tracker 3. It arrived at the online poker scene in June 2010 and after a short Beta testing phase of just over a month was commercially released at the end of July 2010.

This is how the NoteCaddy team describes their product:

“NoteCaddy takes notes for you - not just any notes, but relevant notes based on actual hands (not stats). NoteCaddy reads hand histories, understands what happens, and takes notes on behaviors that are significant.

All users of NoteCaddy can be their own judges of what is important. NoteCaddy is fully programmable and the different combinations of notes that can be taken are in the billions.

It doesn’t just take notes on single instances, NoteCaddy can identify patterns and frequencies that will help you understand the way your enemies play to a degree that a HUD (heads up display) alone could never do.”

Scripting and Filters
The ability to create your own definitions in NoteCaddy is one of the most powerful features but also one to take slowly and learn how to use properly.

There are no limits to the number of possible definitions and a series of true conditions can be set by street using numerous filters within the General, Range, Previous Actions and Actions tabs (Range is replaced by Cards in the Pre-flop tab).

This allows an almost infinite combination of parameters to put in place for any definition.

There are just over 50 general definitions included with the software to start you off that can be set to ‘active’ or ‘inactive’ and the ‘Seek’ functions produces a list of player notes, allowing you to refine the definition until it is exactly what you want.

NoteCaddy will show the number of times the opportunity to act out a definition occurs AND the number of occurrences that actually took place (for example if a player hits a set 4 times on the flop and raises once, a definition of “Raises set on flop” would have (1/4) beside it for occurrences and opportunities).

You can also use the copy and paste facility in the Test Environment Area to obtain a complete step by step note analysis of any hand.

Groups

NoteCaddy allows you to set up Groups of definitions with their own prefix that appears in the note text box for the player at the table.

There are 4 standard Groups (PF, F, T, R) but any number can be added (for example 3B for 3-bet).
The ability to Group your definitions reduces the ‘clutter effect’ of too much information – you only need to focus on the relevant Group before making a decision.

Colour Coding

NoteCaddy comes with 10 preset definitions linked to standard player types and can automatically colour code your opponents on Poker Stars or Full Tilt, allowing you to see the type of opponents at the table in the lobby before you sit down.

You can use your own definitions instead, with or without colours. NoteCaddy works in tandem with the HEM and PT3 Autorate functions in the HUD note icon box.

Importing and updating the database

NoteCaddy is faster than the human brain in populating an existing database and is able to automatically purge old notes as well as add new notes from more recent dates to keep the information up to date. The update speed is fast, but if you have below the recommended level of RAM and a very big database it is advisable to make the initial update overnight without any other processes running.

It is possible to update notes as you play and are importing into your HEM or PT3 database and a reset facility is available to start from scratch if you don’t like the current data and decide to analyse with notes in a different way.

Synchronizing

If you wish to see your notes in the poker client a synchronize process will do this for you automatically on Poker Stars, Full Tilt and Party Poker (more sites will be added later).

Training, Education and Support

NoteCaddy has a detailed online manual available to download in pdf format and a number of training videos. A forum provides an area for discussion and email support is also available. The NoteCaddy support is fast, proactive and excellent.

The installation and set up of NoteCaddy is straight forward but it is very important to look at the videos, browse the forum and read the manual to set up the software the way you want it BEFORE making your first database update.

New Features

NoteCaddy is currently developing a number of new features:
• Colour coding players based on the types of notes taken for them
• A history window showing the hands that created the notes
• An Omaha version

Things to consider about NoteCaddy

a) NoteCaddy has only been around for a few months and the beta period was very short, leading to releases with new features that had not been fully tested out of a desire to respond quickly to customer demands.

b) We (the customers) will always demand more but a more balanced approach to requests and product stability before future releases has now (correctly) been adopted. The owner is a professional software developer with a successful background as an online poker player so he does understand our needs.

c) There is an art to note taking and all notes are not equal – an experienced player will make better notes on the same situation than a new player without the relevant hand reading skills.

d) NoteCaddy is suitable for micro and small stakes players in the standard format and will give you an edge but you need to develop the skills to create good note definitions (in parallel with poker skills) as you move up limits to maintain the edge over your opponents.

e) NoteCaddy will make you think about the game a lot more, even if you do not use the notes to maximum effect.
Value and Price

NoteCaddy is an excellent piece of software and definitely very good value for money at $50 for a lifetime license.
It offers a free 10 day trial of the full version and there is a very customer friendly $10 per month micro stakes purchase option over 5 months.

NoteCaddy currently works on the following sites:
• Poker Stars
• Full Tilt Poker
• Cereus Network
• Party Poker
• Ipoker Network
• Ongame Network
• Microgaming Network
• Merge Network
• Bodog Poker

Summary

NoteCaddy removes the time and effort from the weary task of taking notes, doing it much faster and more efficiently than any poker player with a massive level of output.

It allows you to focus on decisions with solid information and the more skilled you are at note definitions the bigger your potential edge over the opposition.

The NoteCaddy software is a welcome addition to the ‘player information’ market segment of the poker world and currently offers a unique product. It has made an excellent start and can only get better in the future as new features are added.

NoteCaddy may provide us with loads of extra information, but it is how we use it that determines how good a poker player we really are.