Coaching & Lessons
If you feel your game is at a standstill and want to get to the next level, then hiring a poker coach may be the answer. People always ask me about the coaching process, how it works, why I do it etc. Here is what I wrote up previously on my blog about coaching
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When people hear that I offer poker coaching, I get a lot of questions. Things like: What makes you qualified to coach? Are you a top ranked player on pocketfives? Why should I pay someone when I can post hands on the forums and get feedback for free? What does your overall coaching program look like? How long will it take for me to improve my game? Why do you want to make your opponents better players?
And while I certainly understand the questions, it does sometimes get frustrating to sort through all the mis-information that people seem to have about poker coaching. I thought I would take a few moments today to give my views on coaching and hopefully clear up some of the confusion.
What makes you qualified to coach? Are you a top ranked player on pocketfives?
First rule of coaching in any sport or game is that we can’t assume the best players will always make the best coaches. Sometimes the natural ability of a player is so strong that they have a hard time explaining to others why they do what they do. I beleive I am qualified to be a poker coach (for NL MTTs) because I have a good understanding of the game and I have the ability to explain concepts to people with different backgorunds and skill levels. I have conducted numerous seminars and training classes during my days in the corporate world and I think that background serves me well as a coach. And although I am not ranked in the Top 100 on pocketfives, I have a number of significant tournaments wins and am very comfortable with my results. One of my first students was a guy named Tom (el_mysterio on Pokerstars.) He had this to say about his experience:
“Mark has helped me go from playing $1 MTTs to being a successful player at levels I never hoped to reach in less than one years time. When I first talked with Mark I had played plenty of cards and was wondering why I was not doing better. Thankfully, he offered to do some ghosting and look at what I was doing. With his situational analysis (something I was not very good at) I was able to rapidly increase my knowlege of the game. There were so many situations where I had been feeling like there was nothing I could do. He opened my eyes by analyzing things like table dynamics, stack sizes, table image, etc. If you think there is nothing more you can learn about the game, then you are 100% wrong! You can never stop learning in this game but you have to be willing to take the first steps in order to improve. I know I would not be playing poker at the level I am today without his help.”
Why should I pay someone when I can post hands on the forums and get feedback for free?
Well you should certainly continue posting in online forums because they can be a great way to learn. But coaching is for those looking for more than just feedback on a few hands. It is for someone who wants to better understand how the game changes as the tournament progresses. Coaching can help you spot leaks much quicker than reviewing single hands in isolation. Rather than getting feedback on what to do with AQ from UTG+1, you may quickly learn that you overvalue drawing hands out of position and it’s hurting your game. Getting someone to work with you 1 on 1 creates an opportunity for you to have an ongoing evaluation of your game by someone who has a vested interest in your improvement.
What does your overall coaching program look like?
As someone who has run corporate seminars, I certainly value having a well structured curriculum and agenda for a training class as much as the next guy. That being said, I have yet to develop a set program that all my students should complete because people come to the table with such varying skill levels and styles that it would be too limiting to force people through a series of courses. I’d rather review a student’s play, discuss their experience level, playing style, etc then work on some solutions specifically designed for their needs.
How long will it take for me to improve my game?
This question gets the standard poker answer – it depends. It depends on how far along your game is already, how willing you are to work and study, how successful you hope to become, etc. But I will say that most students that are open to coaching see improvement very quickly. That doesn’t mean you will win the Sunday Million after one lesson or that you’ll go from a losing player to a top ranked player overnight. But I will identify any visible leaks in your game, give you a thought process to analyze situations, and make you aware of the table dynamics. If you utilize this information, your game will improve without a doubt.
Why do you want to make your opponents better players?
I don’t want to make my opponents better as I like playing against bad players. However, the players that seek out coaching are already on the path to getting better. If I don’t coach them, someone else will do it and then I still have to play against better opponents but some other coach gets paid for it. So financially it makes sense to coach if you have the ability and the desire. Working as a coach also helps me continually work on my game as students with different styles can certainly help me grow my game. And finally, I have to say it is emotionally satisfying to watch a student advance their game and become a better player.
Ok so now you know why I coach and hopefully you have a better understanding of the process. My last bit of advice for you is to seek a coach who you are compatible with. This is going to be an important part of your development as a player so take the time to feel out a few coaches and find the one that you think fits best.
Good luck at the tables!
- Mark
