Coaching

Hi Guys,

I have been asked so many times about my coaching that I have now decided to make a post about it to sum up all the details for you guys. :)

I have started writing so many different things about coaching and I really don't know where to start. So here's how I got started:
I was listening to a podcast from Mike McDonald where he mentioned at some point that he had a coach that helped him improve his game and resulted in winning an online tournament, and I started thinking that if Mike McDonald had a coach I should for sure have one as well. I mean I am not anywhere close or as good as Mike is and this guy is trying to improve his game and learn things while I am staying idle.

I have been following Felix Schneiders for quite a while and I always liked his style and approach to the game. His #grindingitiup series on YouTube had given me a few good tips about the game already. When he mention in a video that he doesn’t like tournaments but loves cash games I thought that this is the right guy.
So I got in touch with him and we started working on my game. That's why I have decided to start my blog as well, to keep track of my progress.

Felix is a great coach and he has really helped me a lot to improve my game and create a better approach to it. Having a coach is more of a milestone in your poker progress (I don't want to say career) because it is the moment you decide to take things differently and put some real effort in your game. We all have heard winning and very successful players saying that they were losing and then they made “their last” deposit and they never looked back. This didn't happen because they went on an insane winning strike but it happened because they decided to study, put some hard work and effort in the game.

This is what a coach is going to offer you. The ability to think different, to be able to see the “right” spots and play better than you used to. Close friends kept asking me how my sessions go and if I have start crushing the game. However, this is a very wrong approach. What I have learnt so far is that Felix (and every coach) don’t have a secret recipe that will make you become a successful player overnight. It requires a lot of work and mostly a looooot of studying.

That’s what I have been doing the past months. I am playing as much as I can and I am trying not to focus on the results. I even avoid to check my balance. I have HEM to tell me if I am winning or losing. But most importantly I am trying to learn and in order to do that you have to make mistakes.

With Felix, we do a lot of review and progressively talk about different topics to improve my game. Then I am trying to put into practice what I have learnt and only focus on these topics instead of all the things that I might be doing right or wrong.

At first, it seemed really difficult and a lot of times I was feeling as a complete novice to the game. However, after a lot of hours of theory and discussion I can say that I am more confident now and more importantly I feel that I am applying what we have talked about, into my game.

Don’t get me wrong, of course I don’t believe that I know everything, there’s still a long way to go but I feel the improvement. Now, whenever someone talks about a hand that he played, all I am thinking is a matrix with his range and the hands he could be playing on that spot.

If you are interested to have a coach, I would suggest you to find a person that plays the same game as you do. Of course I would recommend you Felix if you are playing 6max cash games. He is very positive and supportive and he always there to give me some feedback on my questions, something that I really appreciate. If you want more info you can visit his site http://www.grindingitup.com/

Hope I didn't bore you with my long post. Best of luck at the tables :) 

One step at a time

Hello Guys,

After my last post where I said that I totally burned out, I think it's time to do some evaluation on that.
What happened the past months was that I was adding things to my schedule without realising that you can't do everything at once. I ended up being stressed, chasing vpps and thinking poker in times that i should be relaxing instead.

So what I did the past two weeks was to take a break. Or anyway, I feel that I took a two weeks break. I slowed down in playing online, I had a couple live poker sessions (which are way more relaxing and good confidence boost) and I didn't have any poker coaching (because coaching means volume and homework).

Beginning of the week, and of September I start grinding online again. I am not playing crazy long sessions but I play zoom and it is easier to play more hands. So far I am meeting my volume/ vpps targets and I am happy with it. I feel much better and in a clear state of mind too.
I went for shopping too, and that helped a lot.

A little a bit of bragging now.. The very first hand we reviewed on my coaching session, was a hand where I folded AAs because I got scared of a flush. I happened to have correct odds to call there and recently I found myself on a similar spot where I called and won the hand. I felt quite proud in terms of putting into practise what I have learned.

Today, I played an online "homegame" with my colleagues and I won the tournament!!It was more of a sng to be honest, but I prefer to call it a tournament, it feels like a bigger achievement.  I am looking forward to go to work tomorrow and brag about it all day :)
My Sunday grind went well too. I had a solid session but I only played for two hours as I put a lot of my focus in winning that office tournament. ;) And also I had to write this blog post.

To sum up on my evaluation (and a note to self) is to take one thing at a time. It is good to have multiple things to keep us busy but not to overdo it. Small steps at a time.

I keep saying that I want to make a post regarding coaching but what I have written so far will make it a very long post. I will try to tidy it up and post it soon.
That's all for now, I wanted to share with you that things got better in all the aspects.

Best of luck at the tables.