People ask me all the time if they should hire a poker coach to help fill the leaks in their game.  This is a very tough decision for many players to make.  First of all, you're opening yourself up to someone you don't know, or with whom you're vaguely familiar.   One thing though, a good poker coach will be downright honest with you about your knowledge of the game in general, your leaks, your strengths and your overall game itself.  But, you have to be prepared and capable of accepting the truth and be open to constructive criticism as well.

Poker coaches for the most part don't come cheaply.  Of course, there are plenty of sites online that offer coaching for as little as $50.00 per hour.  However, 99.9% of those sites don't tell you anything about the coach themselves.  What is that coach's skill level and success rate at the game you are trying to improve in.  Are they really capable of actually coaching you? Do they really have the experience needed? Are they personable? Do they actually care if you improve?

Then of course you have the higher priced coaches who can range from $100 to $1000 per hour, but the same questions and concerns arise again, can they, will they, actually help improve your game?

The answer to these questions can be easy, with the right coach, YES they can help improve your game.  If you can hire a coach that you have some insight on, he/she can greatly help improve your game in many ways.  Having a coach that cares and has self pride is essential.  A coach can't in any way guarantee you success, but if you're honest with them, and you can listen to their advice and implement it into your game and learn as a team, the success rate soars.  One of the best ways to find a good poker coach is through referrals from other players.  Be sure to always contact several coaches though, as each coach is different in many ways and while one might seem perfect for you, their game style might not match yours.

Hiring a poker coach now a days is much different than years gone by.  It's commonplace for all players who have the urge to improve and become the consistent winner they always wanted to be.  Again though, that question arises, "Why do I need one."  Maybe you don't ! Maybe you're comfortable with your game; maybe winning 20% to 30% is acceptable to you.  But if you had an unbiased expert sitting on your shoulder explaining the do's and don'ts and could increase that 20% to 30% win rate to 30% to 60% or higher, wouldn't it be worth it?

Of course, it would be worth the cost of a poker coach! Not only would your winnings rise, so would your knowledge of the game itself and those leaks you had, would likely cease to exist!  Having a coach would pay for itself in a very short time if you're willing to work and put in the time needed to improve.

How does coaching work you ask? Well, a good coach usually takes the time needed to get to know you personally. They need to understand your particular style of play.  It's very easy for someone to teach you a style of play, such as that of Phil Ivey.  But it may not fit in with your personality making it very hard for you to adapt to.  A coach will usually watch you play, spot your leaks, weaknesses and strengths and make notes of these issues to discuss at length later in your coaching sessions.  They usually use some type of live voice chat program (such as Skype) that allows you both to communicate while your playing.  This allows them to direct you during a game and discuss all the issues that arise during the coaching sessions.  Most coaches will also assist you with other aspects of the game as well, including proper bankroll management, strategies, stealing, bluffing etc.

Now am I trying to sell you on coaching?  Absolutely not! I'm merely suggesting how poker coaching can, and will improve your game. But again, you must be willing to listen, take advice and be able to handle constructive criticism before any poker coach can help you.

So, remember, if you're serious about your game, but have leaks and weaknesses...seek out a poker coach that suits you.  Be sure to hire a coach that has experience pertaining to your game type.  Let's face it, a SnG coach isn't likely to be able to help your Omaha game and vice versa.  This is where you need to do some homework and use a reputable site that provides the proper information on all their coaching staff.

Until next time, be well, and good luck at the tables.

Al

RFC Coaching Director

RFC Coach/Mentor