Be the king of the game and amp up your poker skills with a coach

You’ve watched youtube videos on strategy, read poker books, and even spent some time at live poker games. You’ve made some progress with your poker skills but feel that you’re not progressing well enough. Maybe you can’t seem to get to the final table at a multi-table tournament. Or maybe you keep calling hands that you know you should fold.

If you’re experiencing these problems, then a poker tournament coach can help you.

Why do I need a poker coach?

A poker coach will be able to:

Identify your mistakes.

Do you overplay your hands? Hope for coin flips? Or make illogical or transparent bets? Often, people who make these mistakes don’t know any better. They continue to make these mistakes over and over again and then wonder why they aren’t getting better at poker. A coach can help you quickly overcome these newbie mistakes so that you can get better faster.

Identify situations where you have left money on the table.

Have you ever checked the river card when you know you will call any bet that is worth three-quarters of the pot? Next thing you know your opponent checks too. You find out that you have a better hand, but you could’ve gotten more by placing a value bet. Your poker coach will help you spot situations like this and help you increase your profits by taking advantage of them.

Get good at poker fast

If you don’t want to waste time trying to ‘figure things out” yourself, or you want to take the fastest path to becoming a great poker player then hire a coach. They’ll be able to direct you towards the right path and help you avoid any newbie mistakes that will cost you your bankroll.

You’ll Take Action Instead of Procrastinating

How many times have you people lurking poker forums and not taking action?. Maybe you’re one of these people yourself. Hiring a poker coach will keep you accountable and make you take action on your poker skills, instead of procrastinating on forums.

Form relationships with like-minded individuals

By hiring a coach, you’ll naturally start forming relationships with like-minded individuals. While you could do this by going to local poker tournaments, you might not be able to meet the kind of calibre of poker player that will help you get to the next level. Even if you do meet a high calibre player at a local event, they might not be open to coaching.

When Should I Get A Coach?

You have mastered the basics at least

The internet is a great starting point to learn about poker. From articles, youtube videos, to poker forums you’ll be able to get a base knowledge from these poker tips for beginners. Once you understand that there’s more to poker strategy than ‘getting a good hand’ then you’re ready to hire a coach.

You’re willing to invest money

Becoming a pro poker player is going to cost money. From your initial bankroll to poker tracking software you’re going to need to spend money if you’re serious about becoming a pro poker player. This also means investing in coaching.

You have the time and are willing to put in the effort to learn

Becoming coming good at poker isn’t going to happen overnight. Granted, hiring a coach will speed up the process, but you will still need to put in the time to learn, practice and review your gameplay. If you’re willing to do this then you’re ready to get a poker coach.

Coaching Options

So, you’ve decided to get poker coaching and are wondering what your options are. Here are the two main types:

Membership Sites

These poker training sites offer access to content for a set monthly fee. Typically, they also have a discussion forum where you can ask questions and interact with other members of the course. While not as customized as one-on-one coaching it can be a low-cost alternative for those on a budget.

One-on-One Coaching

Poker coaches who offer one-on-one coaching are typically veterans of the game and can charge anywhere from £100 to £500 per hour. While expensive, these coaches could be the missing link of turning you from a good to an exceptional poker player.

Types of Coaching

Sweat session: Where a coach watches a student play (or vice versa) and learns their thought processes in real time

Database review: where a coach reviews a student’s hand history and identifies statistical patterns to their gameplay that can be improved. This is done with player tracking software.

Video play review: screen capture software can be used when playing online poker so that they can be reviewed by your coach at a later date.

How To Choose The Right Coach

Since one-on-one coaching can be expensive it’s important you select the right coach. Here are some points to consider:

  • Do they have results? Both for their students and for themselves
  • Do they have student testimonials?
  • Have you seen any of their coaching materials? You’ll be able to get an idea of their coaching style and whether it will be suitable for you.

Avoid coaches who:

  • Don’t have any results,
  • Don’t have testimonials
  • Don’t have great coaching and training materials.

Poker coaches can be a great way to increase your skills quickly and get good at poker fast. Make sure you choose the right coach for you.