How Poker Players Can Benefit From Having a Poker Coach
All poker players think they are good. It is a just a fact of the game. Anyone who plays poker more than just occasionally feels that he or she is a better player than most of the other players they will be playing against. However, just like a golf pro needs to periodically have their swing or their putting stroke analyzed, so too can a poker player benefit from having a coach watch and analyze their poker game.
Poker is a complex game. No matter how long or short a time you have played, you will find yourself making plays or slipping into patterns that are not only not good, but will be easy for other players to read. This is where having a coach watch you play can really come in handy. A good coach will spot small mistakes that you are making as you play a cash game or tournament that you may not even be aware of. A good coach will give you a different perspective on your opponents, in real time, so that you can make adjustments on the fly. A good coach is invaluable for poker players. Think about this: do you think Phil Mickelson went to the Masters without his swing coach? Not hardly.
So, the problem becomes finding a coach that will help you and that you can afford. Many big time (or even small time!) pro poker players charge $200/hour and up for their services. For most people, that kind of money is out of reach and also not a good spend since it is probably a large part of their poker bankroll. Plus, an hour's worth of coaching is generally not nearly enough to truly improve your game. You can never tell what will happen in that hour and you need a bigger example to do much good.
There are coaches around on the internet who do a great job at a cheaper rate, though, they just take some searching for. I would not recommend spending money with a coach who will not give you their personal information, such as phone number, etc. and I would also not use a coach who asks you to just transfer payment through a poker site, rather than a legitimate form, such as PayPal or an online merchant services account that accepts credit cards. If anyone wants you to just send them money through PokerStars or Full Tilt, they may not be legitimate and they may not help improve your game.
The other thing about coaching is that it takes a willingness to self-examine. This is hard for some people, particularly poker players. You have to be willing to take some criticism and listen to another point of view, no matter how good you think you are. Once you can do this, you are on the road to becoming a much better poker player and in the long run, winning a lot more money.
Poker is a complex game. No matter how long or short a time you have played, you will find yourself making plays or slipping into patterns that are not only not good, but will be easy for other players to read. This is where having a coach watch you play can really come in handy. A good coach will spot small mistakes that you are making as you play a cash game or tournament that you may not even be aware of. A good coach will give you a different perspective on your opponents, in real time, so that you can make adjustments on the fly. A good coach is invaluable for poker players. Think about this: do you think Phil Mickelson went to the Masters without his swing coach? Not hardly.
So, the problem becomes finding a coach that will help you and that you can afford. Many big time (or even small time!) pro poker players charge $200/hour and up for their services. For most people, that kind of money is out of reach and also not a good spend since it is probably a large part of their poker bankroll. Plus, an hour's worth of coaching is generally not nearly enough to truly improve your game. You can never tell what will happen in that hour and you need a bigger example to do much good.
There are coaches around on the internet who do a great job at a cheaper rate, though, they just take some searching for. I would not recommend spending money with a coach who will not give you their personal information, such as phone number, etc. and I would also not use a coach who asks you to just transfer payment through a poker site, rather than a legitimate form, such as PayPal or an online merchant services account that accepts credit cards. If anyone wants you to just send them money through PokerStars or Full Tilt, they may not be legitimate and they may not help improve your game.
The other thing about coaching is that it takes a willingness to self-examine. This is hard for some people, particularly poker players. You have to be willing to take some criticism and listen to another point of view, no matter how good you think you are. Once you can do this, you are on the road to becoming a much better poker player and in the long run, winning a lot more money.
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