Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

My roomate has asked me to teach him poker when I go back to school in the fall. I'm both excited and kind of unsure about it. I consider myself a very good teacher of the game, but my entire experience is teaching people who already have SOME idea of the game. When I do coaching lessons, my student are generally already pretty good, I just help them plug leaks and such. My roomate however, I think just barely knows anything more than the rules.

I was pondering teaching him limit first, as we wouldnt have to deal with the concept of bet sizes, and possbily could simplify it. Then again, at a certain point I wouldn't be able to help him anymore, cause I haven't seriously played limit in like 3 years. I have always thought that it would be easier to transition from limit to NL, though perhaps I am wrong. Also, I am basically clueless as how to start off in the beginning. Teach him preflop I guess, then get on w/ post flop stuff?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

i would advise if he's interested to start with small tournaments and sit n gos, this way you can apply simple NL and theoretical concepts where its actually fun for the novice (concept of winning versus losing in 1st place terms rather than the grind of a winning session).

once he's fully understood the whole tight aggressive approach, then move from sngs to full ring cash, and then after a few weeks of that make the move to microlimit 6max. ofc throwing in tournaments for fun.

i would advise against limit. i started building my bankroll playing limit for over a year and i seriously regret I didnt get on the NL bandwagon sooner. plus it was kind of a bitch to get into the NL aggressive mindset, i would think my limit upbringing set my learning curve with NL back about 6 months.

using NL betsizing in a learning approach should be first and foremost imo.

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

Are you teaching him MTT's or cash?

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

I tried this with my best friend, who didn't even know what a flush was when he started.

I gave him a few lessons and started him off playing .01/.02 6max with $15 at a time.

Let him know he's going to lose money as it's an investment in education.

My friend has probably put in like 30 hours of play and I think he's almost a breakeven player at .01/.02, and it's not like he's a retard.

For someone with absolutely no background, it is much much harder to teach than someone who just has leaks.

Good luck, try not to get too frustrated, and let him know when you start exactly what you're thinking, ie. it's going to be frustrating as hell teaching him, he's going to make tons and tons of huge mistakes for the first long while, etc.

Just be totally honest with him and try to be as patient as you'll be telling him to be.

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

Ansky, I don't think you realize how hard this is going to be

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
Ansky, I don't think you realize how hard this is going to be

[/ QUOTE ]

Why? I've talked to you about poker before.

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are you teaching him MTT's or cash?

[/ QUOTE ]

cash.

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

- i remember when i had no clue how to play poker i would openlimp any hand with a jack or better in it and raise big pairs and big aces. which, if you had no idea how to play poker, would make sense, because you would hope to hit a pair and then bet it.

- i think it would be far easier to teach an NL player Limit than vice versa.

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

Tell him

"Don't do it, life is worth living"

and walk away

Re: Kinda OT: How to teach a total novice poker
 

It took me a while before I stopped open limping A4o and stuff. I remember as I was really starting to get into the game, I wished I knew someone really good who could teach me. I feel like w/ the constant exposure he really can skip a ton of the idiot mistakes.