Re: How do I know my coach is qualified?
I haven't hired a coach yet personally, though I plan on doing so at some point when it makes financial sense for me, more on that later.
On a trip to a local casino where I met one of the forum moderators,I got some semi-coaching time for the cost of a few wobblies. I hammered him with questions and we talked poker for hours. Out of respect to him, as he is a coach (at least he had coached) I differed to ask him specific questions about my play but I did get excellent pov analysis of his play that I watched. In fact this is very similar to the experience I get watching the videos on Deuces (though a little better because its interactive)
The boards are good, but personal conversations are hugely helpful even from an indirect standpoint.
From his conversation with me he did strongly recommend getting lessons from Joe Tall stating, "With your style I think you will get a lot of help from Joe Tall"
I take that advice to heart.
Even that has proven extremely helpful. I took time off and reassessed what to study (namely Joe Tall posts and joining Deuces cracked) and came back and I am playing much better than ever.
Now of course the question comes when is it a financially feasible time.
Well that is the dilemma I am faced with now. I know I want a coach, I am pretty sure I know what coach I want to get help from but when is the quesion.
From a practical point of view, the sooner the better as logically if the coach is good its +ev to your bottom line. From a bankroll point of view however, it becomes a little more complex. If it takes me at my current rate of 'income' playing poker of 3BB/hour and I typically can play 10 hours
a week, I need to play at 5/10 for the week to justify an hour's lesson.
At the same time I am not sure I can beat 5/10 for 3 bb/hour like I have up to 1/2 6 max. But looking it at it from the other point of view, if I get coaching now and in fact while I am going up levels, the coaching is able to help with the transitions then the 'cost' of the coach is merely the same 'cost' one has when one goes to get a degree.
In other words, it opens doors you would have a hard time going through without it.
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