November 19, 2008
Common Coaching Questions
Over the past year a lot of people have asked me about various aspects of coaching. I’ve compiled some notes from different threads and private messages I’ve received and thought it might be interesting to address some of the most common questions.
How often do you have a session?
While Entity and I have put out a series of videos as part of a DeucesCracked Season (RLMG Season 1 ran in DC Season 2, RLMG Season 2 ran in DC Season 4, and RLMG Season 3 is currently running in DC Season 6) we usually do about one session per week (unsurprising given our production schedule demands one video per week). During the off season times we have probably met on average every other week.
How long is a session?
I would say our average session has been ~1.5 hours.
What software is needed?
You probably already have a lot of it (a poker client, Skype, a database manager like Hold ‘Em Manager, and Poker Stove).
We use Mikogo as a screen sharing application.
For hand history review we use the Universal Replayer, but you can get by just using the HEM replayer if you would rather.
For recording, we use Camtasia Studio, and Entity runs Pamela, which allows him to sync up the audio later.
Do you have any other advice?
Put a lot of effort into choosing a coach as it’s a big decision. Try to get a feel for if their teaching style will work for you – watch their videos, read their posts, talk to other students they have, etc. And make sure they’re available! Not just that they’re accepting students – make sure your schedule aligns with theirs so you can get regular sessions in. For example, I’m three hours ahead of Entity, which is occasionally an obstacle, but not really a problem. I imagine that being on different sides of the pond may make scheduling difficult.
Figure out what kind of coaching you think would be best for you, and discuss it with your prospective coach. This is where your friends can help – try doing sweat sessions and / or video swaps with them and see what techniques really benefit you.
Consider recording your sessions (of course get the okay from your coach first). Preferably a full recording, but I think even just audio would be valuable as a reference.
Lastly, get coaching assistance as often as you can. Besides the above, one of the most common questions I heard was something like, ‘I can only get coached once or twice a month – is it still worth it?’ Absolutely it is. Coaches are coaches for a reason – they’re very good at what they do. That said, realize that if you were getting coached once a month I think that bumping that up to twice a month would be more than twice as beneficial to your poker game.
A Typical Coaching Session
Entity and I usually get on a Skype call, catch up a little bit, clear up any outstanding business from our past sessions, and come up with a plan for the current session.
Then one of us fires up a Mikogo meeting, which allows us to both view the same desktop.
As far as format of the session, those of you who have watched our DeucesCracked videos already know, but we have used three main coaching techniques: hand history review, live sweat sessions (which we have done both with me playing, and at other times with Entity playing), and post hoc video analysis (taking a pre-recorded video of one of us playing and then analyzing it together). Each format has it’s own pros and cons.
Hand History Review
This format is really great for in depth theory analysis. If you have a one hour session you may only look at 4-6 hands, which means you can take each one and thoroughly evaluate different lines, talk about plans for alternative (hypothetical) board cards, etc. I would say the main downside is that you often lack the context (table dynamic, recent history with other players, your image, etc.) that you would have in most poker situations.
Live Sweat Session
The strength of this method is also it’s weakness. Having your coach with you and discussing plays as you make them can be a boon because it forces you to be aware of your thought process and explain your rationale for certain plays. Some people can really benefit from bringing the way they think about the game under closer scrutiny. Others may find it stressful to articulate their thoughts in the moment or uncomfortable to be observed so closely.
Video Analysis
In some ways I regard this as a hybrid between the two previous methods. You have a lot of flexibility to pause and rewind, meaning you can discuss any point as in depth as you please. At the same time, the coach is able to see you in a normal poker setting making real time decisions. I would say the only real downside of this method is that it may be difficult to remember exactly what you were thinking during the play of a given hand.
Real Life: Microlimit Grinder 