Limit Hold'em Coaching

Coaching Philosophy

Over the past four years, I've helped dozens of players improve their games in one-on-one sessions, and thousands through forum posts. Often the question comes up of why? Why for a comparably small amount or nothing would you teach other players how to beat the games? For me, the answer is simple. Teaching the game makes me a far better player. Before each session, I will ask you to give me an agenda for the meeting so that I can take the time to ensure I have the fullest understanding possible of the subjects to be discussed. During the session itself, I will work with you to help you gain a full understand of the subject by encouraging questions and thoughtful discussion. I never take the position that the things I say are infallible or that there aren't exceptions to every rule. Using this open approach allows the discussion to move from basic concepts to the cutting edges of poker strategy and enables us to make drastic improvements to your game.

What I Teach

First and foremost, I teach a philosophy of poker. Specifically, that poker is a mathematics based discipline. You can be a great poker player without math, but you will work much harder, and you will never have the confidence to know why your winning. You will have lucked into the right style at the right time against the right players. If the games change, you may well be less successful and lack the skills necessary to turn your game around. Learning the math behind the decisions you make allows you to play confident in the knowledge that you have a quantifiable edge on your opposition.

There are two main areas that math is most easily and usefully applied to poker, expected value calculation and large sample data analysis. One of the foundations of statistics is the concept of expected value. With enough time and effort, it can be used to analyze any situation in poker. Often though, it's a fairly simple process, which, once completed, yields a concrete answer to a situation you previously had no understanding of. Data analysis too can yield huge dividends by analyzing information you have on your opponents and your own results. I have an extensive knowledge of both the practical elements of analyzing poker databases as well as a rigorous formal background in mathematics and statistics necessary to understand and interpret the results. Learning even the basics of expected value and data analysis will change the fundamental way you make poker decisions. You will still face tough decisions and make mistakes, but you will know that every situation can be analyzed. Should you face that spot again, you will be able to have a concrete rational for the choice you make.

Coaching Programs

One-on-One sessions ($60 per hour) - Ideal if you are a new player looking to kick start the learning process and ensure you're on the path to success. Also useful for fixing problem areas in your game which you've identified. Some potential session topics include:

-Fundamentals of learning and improvement
-Tilt control strategies
-Quick introduction to expected value (with examples)
-Fundamentals of data analysis
-Dealing with tough opponents
-Handling LAGs
-Playing marginal high cards

Group sessions ($30 per person per hour) - Ideal if you're a microstakes player looking for coaching to help you move up stakes on a budget.

Continual education ($110 per 4 weeks for bi-weekly meetings $200 per 4 weeks for weekly meetings) - Ideal if you're a serious player looking to improve quickly and willing to work hard in between meetings to implement the strategies and adjustments seen in each session.

Complete Game Review ($500) - Ideal if your game is in crisis from a downswing or from months of stagnation. This package includes five hours of objective professional data analysis and hand reviews done on your database plus two 2.5 hour one-on-one coaching sessions spaced a week apart. The package also includes a plan to refocus you on improvement, address fundamental flaws in your game, build confidence, and remove a results oriented mindset.

Qualifications

-Six years of limit hold'em experience (three at midstakes)
-Four years of coaching experience
-Bachelors degree in Mathematics
-Masters degree in Statistics (to be completed in May '10)
-Four semesters teaching Introductory Statistics at the college level
-Hundreds of hours tutoring statistics

Contact Information

PM me here
AIM: Leader2p2
Email: leader2p2 (at) gmail (dot) com

Scheduling a Session

Scheduling a single session is as easy as PM'ing me a time and a list of topics. I am generally available Fri-Mon afternoon/evening/late night United States eastern time. Please allow 72 hours in advance of the meeting time to allow me to prepare and confirm my availability. If you have quick questions or concerns, I'm happy to help you on AIM. If you'd like to establish a longer term relationship or are interesting in the Complete Game Review package simply contact me so we can meet to discuss the details.

Payment Methods

I currently except Stars, Cake, Absolute, Ultimate Bet, and Paypal Transfer.

can u post or pm me some results? sounds like a good deal. very affordable.

I just had a coaching session with Leader, and it went well. I was interested in learning how to figure out what rough game-theory optimal solutions looked like in various situations. We decided on a hand to analyze a few days before the session. We did the session by IM, and Leader already had everything worked out, with links to screenshots of the program we were using at various points in the analysis. Getting these sorts of math-based concepts across in an IM conversation is not an easy task, but Leader did an excellent job. It would have been difficult had he not prepared for the session thoroughly in advance, so I very much appreciated that he did so. Given the time that Leader put into preparing the session, the clarity with which he explained his ideas, and the price of the consultation, I would very much recommend Leader to anyone wanting to improve their limit hold'em through mathematical analysis of his game.

Iv recently started some coaching with Leader. While i have had other coaching in the past that i was extremely happy with, i felt i needed some help on my Math side of the game. ie. session reviews, EV calcs. I stumbled upon this thread and i enquired.

I had a quick consultation with Leader about what i would be looking to achieve and what my goals are. I then booked 4 sessions for 2 week intervals. I was so happy with my first session i asked if i could do weekly sessions instead of fortnightly. Luckily i was fitted in.

During my sessions, id be shown some Math that i was thinking, WTF, how am i meant to do that but leader broke it down and made it digestable, he had links and even some simple equations for me to work on for after the session.

Leader is super friendly and easy to talk to, he always mentions at the end of each session that i can chat to him on aim/skype if i have something that i need help with. Im only on my 3rd week so i have no awesome graphs to post yet. But i would have no problem in recomending Leader to anyone looking to improve their game. Iv only 1 session left but i will definitely be booking some more after.

tl:dr - Leader is a good coach who knows his math

I am looking to get a good handle on the math. Im a NLH player though. Do you offer math based training sessions for NLH players?

The fundamental mathematics are the same. The data analysis methods I teach are no different regardless of game. Equity and hand analysis has the same form with only slight alterations. Equity and hand analysis does however require that you make assumptions about your opponents' play. Since I'm not a professional NLH player, I will not be able to help you make these assumptions.

So the answer to your question is that yes I can help you. I've helped other NLH players in the past, but you need to have a solid understanding of NLH strategy to begin with.

In live games I do way more than hold my own. the net has been a different creature for me to handle. So the answer would be yes I have a handle on starting and intermediate NLH principles. I cant send PM's here..I can use AIm but dont have skype yet..can we speak? So i can field some pricing and see what i fully get in return?
thanks

P.S I need help in the implied and reverse odds area...determining EV and ICM. Things like that. Im decent with math and a quick thinker but this stuff has not been super instrinctual to me so far..I am truly willing to look into highering you as its Math I want the help with but Ive seen too many horror stories so far so before I start paying i want to make sure I wouldnt be a fish so to speak..no pun intended LOL

Feel free to find me on AIM (Leader2p2). I'm in and out. You can also send me an email.

Interested in weekly sessions. I sent an email, but I'm not sure if you got it? Let me know if you can fit me into your schedule. Thanks!

Since Leader only recently posted on here offering his services, I think it's important to give my review of the coaching sessions I've had with him. I came to Leader specifically for math help in my game, and it has been a fantastic decision.

First of all, the man has a Masters in Statistics. Even the most complex poker math is so simple to him, and that gives me great confidence. Before the end of the first session, I was already blown away by the amount of independent research he had done on his own. Learning many of his conclusions directly probably saved me 100s of hours of research if I tried to do it on my own.

Secondly, he's very open and friendly. He works hard to simplify the answers to the complex questions I've asked. No matter what I asked, he was able to frame the answer in the objective form of mathematics.

But here's the bottom line. I've been playing a long time, and I've done very well in the past until the advancements in my opponents' games overtook me. Leader has taught me concepts that I have been unable to grasp no matter how hard I tried...stuff not found in almost any poker book, nor in articles. Even when I saw pieces of info, it has always been too difficult to understand in any form I've ever seen it. He took these concepts and broke them down for me step by step until I got it. Honestly, my head hurt at first and I wondered if I'd be able to effectively use these new ideas in my own game. I could not have guessed how quickly it would change my whole outlook on the game.

I remember recently we talked a lot about some specific postflop situations. He suggested strategies I've never used and I was intrigued. The next session I played, before I had been able to implement any changes on my own, I started to see plays that have always been used against me in a whole new light. Good players were making bluffs and rebluffs, aggressive value plays, and smart calldowns...all because they utilized mathematical concepts I never knew existed. I couldn't believe how much more familiar I became with my opponents' strategies literally overnight. Talk about getting into somebody's head. I felt the gap between myself and the winning $5/10 6max players shrinking rapidly.

And that is the impact you get when you talk to somebody as smart, knowledgeable, and helpful as Leader. Seriously, he's a huge bargain just when you consider his success at the tables and long history of credibility at 2+2, but when it comes to his expertise in poker math the price is just laughably low...impossible to beat.

Where are you located geographically? If I wanted to do a one-on-one, would I have to travel to your location?

I'm currently in MA. Typically my sessions are done over skype. I'm happy to meet but I suspect it would be rather pricey. Feel free to find me on AIM/skype: Leader2p2

I have had several lessons from Leader. I usually get a lesson from him after a significant downswing. Usually when I have been losing I wonder do I call to much or not enough and after each lesson from Leader I have felt much better, because of the way he teaches you how to brake down a hand mathematically.

Leader does an extensive handanalysis with you. I.e. You on Bu with Ac7d BB defends flop is Qc9c5d. BB CR your flop bet. Leader will show you based on your assumptions of what he CR you with, whether or not it is profitable to call down, fold flop, turn or river.

I highly recommend Leader as a coach. He will teach you how to figure out through math, whether to call or fold on any given hand

Just wanted to throw in my 2c that I also think Leader is a fantastic coach. Would echo everything everyone else has said and would just note that one big differentiating factor is that he's very good at teaching you HOW to analyze hands ("teaching you to fish", so to speak), in addition to giving you advice/insight on specific hands.

Highly recommended.

Had my first session with Leader a few days ago. It was very enlightening and thorough. I'm a NL player looking to learn limit and I've definitely learned more in an hour with Leader than what I've learned in hours of watching videos / playing on my own. Highly recommended.