Coaching Poker Forums

Second question...what are some books the coaches here absolutely recommend and ones that should be avoided at all costs?

Second question...what are some books the coaches here absolutely recommend

Elements of Poker.

ones that should be avoided at all costs?

Everything else.

Everything else.

You really don't think any of the 2p2 books are applicable to the games of today? What about Sklansky's Theory of Poker?

i have read books but really the best way watch videos and make notices and plays a lot hands and go to analyse your hands with somebody via holdem manager or make some videos with camtasias.

but i think must important put the villain on one range, book not go to helps you, but meer plays a lot of hands and try to put him on one range(also can do that when you are not in the hand), he can hit the flop, he think i can hit the flop, i have equity in my hand, i have fold equity

when you do that good you can play well on the micro stakes i guess

but who i am i omly plays poker for 7 weeks but i watch every day also 4 videos here on deus and bluefire

A bit off topic, but the outcome either way will have an effect on poker in general, and thus on the coaching industry...

any predictions (and I know that they are just that) regarding the outcome of the potential legislation of online poker in the U.S.? It is a very scary topic, one which I wish I felt a bit more optimistic about.

Will we see regulation? If so, soon or are we talking years away?
Will the govt/banks make moving money around difficult to the point that the novice players will give up?
How long before we see major changes?

(great discussion in the Poker Legislation forums on 2+2, but I would like to hear from the great minds of DC.)

I felt that way long before I coached, but that has only confirmed my original thinking. I think intellectual capacity may be the appropriate term, but I know really smart people who could never beat 100nl because they hate the idea of gambling or losing money. I'd say it's a combination of genetics, ego, and personality.

Give or take one stake level, I'd say around 200nl.

Sorry for my obsession with this topic, but are there any other coaches that would like to provide feedback (jk3a original quote: I strongly believe that everyone is capped in terms of the highest stakes they could beat.)?
FWIW, I agree w/ jk3a's feedback, and most of it I assumed. What I did not have a clue about was the actual level, and tbh, hearing 200NL is kind of depressing.

Adding a little more questions to my 10 previous ones.
11. Whats your recommendation to your student in order to improve or get the max out of coaching in the period between sessions?
12. Whats your advice on implementing concepts? (one at a time, all at a time ...)
13. If you see your student has a hand reading problem. How do you help him and how does he helps himself?
14. When taking shots, Do you prefer he does it with you or alone and Whats the best way to do this?(less tables, a video or maybe half-stack..)
15. If you see a leak on your student. Whats the best way for him to fix that when he is alone?(-Do you just assign homework?, -you just show him how to filter that problem on Hem OR PT3?....)
16. Lets say a player is losing to much from blind play or in 3bets pots OOP. Best way to approach the problem (Power Point presentation, HH review, sweat.....)and fix the leak.

17. What to do, When 2 concepts collide from the teachings of your actual coach and past coach?(i.e. your 3betting range!)

Hope of hearing from any of the coaches soon.
Thanks tubasteve for your lasts answers
Best of lucks at the tables!

I saw a thread that Joe Tall had locked b/c it had to do w/ op looking for somebody to sweat on FTP... apparently this is against their rules (new?).

Are coaches no longer allowed to sweat on FTP?
Will you guys no longer be able to make live sweating videos on FTP?
Is this thread going to survive? Awesome idea (thanks DC)... momentum dying.

Are coaches no longer allowed to sweat on FTP?
Will you guys no longer be able to make live sweating videos on FTP?

i'm pretty sure live play videos are ok, but live sweat sessions (ie more than one person) are not allowed.

Sorry for my obsession with this topic, but are there any other coaches that would like to provide feedback (jk3a original quote: I strongly believe that everyone is capped in terms of the highest stakes they could beat.)?
FWIW, I agree w/ jk3a's feedback, and most of it I assumed. What I did not have a clue about was the actual level, and tbh, hearing 200NL is kind of depressing.

The things that hold students back include more elements than simply mental capacity/intelligence (as jared already pointed out). Factors outside of intelligence include: work ethic, how someone works "hard" (ie, working "smart" not just "hard"...spending the time doing the right things), ego, ability to control their emotions, ability to focus for long periods of time, ability to be self critical without being self destructive, competitiveness, and more.

It's not simply enough to ask a question similar to: "if a person is reasonably smart and works hard then what stakes can they expect to play?" because there are so many more factors involved and everyone's definition of "smart" and "works hard" is different. I've had people tell me how hard they work, but when asked it sounds like they aren't working at the right things. I've had people tell me that they watch every single video and get nothing out of them, but i guarantee you they aren't doing the things I suggested in the Haj School series to get the most out of their time. There are a million and one excuses and a lot of it boils down to how open people are to criticism (ego), how willing they are to put in a shit ton of "smart" hard work, and if they aren't going to accept failure as an option.

I'd say for the sake of generalizing and for the sake of assuming how many "serious" poker players are, 200nl is about right for a "cap". However, if they can somehow change some of those personality flaws or correctly identify what issues are holding them back, then perhaps they could go higher. The problem is that they don't or can't or won't and it's frustrating to them when 1 hour of their time spent "working hard" is not equivalent to 1 hour of durrrr's time "working hard" on their game. People should not expect their progression to be the same as their peers and they need to realize this. IMO they don't realize the things Jared and I have outlined here, and this is where the cap comes in.

WoT

Sorry for my obsession with this topic, but are there any other coaches that would like to provide feedback (jk3a original quote: I strongly believe that everyone is capped in terms of the highest stakes they could beat.)?
FWIW, I agree w/ jk3a's feedback, and most of it I assumed. What I did not have a clue about was the actual level, and tbh, hearing 200NL is kind of depressing.

Most 400nl players are pretty serious about poker. All 600nl players are serious about poker. Avg. Joe has almost to stop being avg. Joe for him to become a winner at those stakes.

There are two problems.

1) Who is avg. Joe in a poker context?
- That is very hard to say. At this point I have no idea.

2) If avg. Joe has enough patience and somehow has more time available for thinking about poker will he then be able to stop being avg. Joe?
- I think it is possible. I just don't think it is likely. There are simply too many things that can go wrong.

The above is actually why I think it is every misleading when some people claim that all it takes to become a msnl winner is emotional control.

How has coaching changed your own approach to the game? Have you ever picked up something new from a student and applied it yourself?

bump =)

Aaron, I really appreciate your post. This may be too broad of a topic for you to address, but would you mind giving some examples of working "smart" and the right things to focus on?

For example, I am (well, will be lol) trying to, for every day I play, break down around five hands (detailing both my and my opponent's range, as well as general thoughts about alternate lines and ways I could have played better, and then some thoughts about exploitability/balance, although I realize it's not important at the moment -- it's more of a looking-ahead exercise) and then posting the most interesting/difficult on the forums. I also am trying to watch a video for an hour a day with detailed notes/pause and predict/writing my thoughts on a topic before an instructor addresses it. Would you think that this plan is an example of working smart, or beating my head against the wall? What could I improve, in your opinion?

Aaron, I really appreciate your post. This may be too broad of a topic for you to address, but would you mind giving some examples of working "smart" and the right things to focus on?

For example, I am (well, will be lol) trying to, for every day I play, break down around five hands (detailing both my and my opponent's range, as well as general thoughts about alternate lines and ways I could have played better, and then some thoughts about exploitability/balance, although I realize it's not important at the moment -- it's more of a looking-ahead exercise) and then posting the most interesting/difficult on the forums. I also am trying to watch a video for an hour a day with detailed notes/pause and predict/writing my thoughts on a topic before an instructor addresses it. Would you think that this plan is an example of working smart, or beating my head against the wall? What could I improve, in your opinion?

All of those things I would consider working smart (and it just so happened I talked a lot about them in the Haj School series, so well done ).

For all who want a simple/basic test for working smart, ask yourself "Am I actively engaged and driving my own learning or am I sitting there waiting to be spoon fed?" If you can answer that honestly as being engaged, chances are you are working smart.

WoT

Do Vanessa or FWF offer LSAT coaching? I'm taking it in June, up to 172 on my last practice test but I want even higher.