How to Use Your Poker Calculator as a Personal Coach
I have been asked on many occasions if I could personally coach players in their quest to get better in sit and go and multi-table tournaments online, and due to enormous time constraints, it’s simply not workable. However, most of the requests come from players who may be overlooking a much more economical and efficient poker coach they may already have. The solution would of course be using their poker calculator.
If you could really have a poker coach while playing you would get advice like play position properly, learn your opponent’s profile, don’t call a raise with a dominated hand, and pay attention to your stack size and your opponent’s.
Well in case you haven’t heard, that’s exactly what some poker calculators are capable of! It’s just that a lot of owners of poker calculators want a “magic indicator” to solve all their difficult situations, and of course such software tools cannot do that, but in reality neither could a live coach either.
This goes to the heart of the underlying learning curve of poker in that the rules, hand strength, betting, game structure and even probabilities are going to come up time and time again so that you eventually learn an inherent scientific guide to the game. However, the game critical decisions come from a deeper corner of your poker mind that may involve a lot more intuitive perception and emotional control.
Not coaching or poker calculators can help you with that, but playing can. Playing enough so that you start to think on a different level and become better than your coach. Better than the tools you use. Sure you can always touch base with your poker calculator for that grounding perspective, or subtle reminder of what kind of player you are up against, but often, as with any sport or challenge situation, you are left on your own, to do on your own, and to grow as a player on your own.
So before you really think you need some personal coaching, make sure you have exhausted your poker calculator as a coach and understand your own limitations. You may actually find you are probably better off just reading another poker book.
Marty Smith has video reviews of all the online poker calculators so you can see them being used before you decide which one is right for you. He also has a tournament strategy video series that is free just for signing up.
