Taking coaching to the next level with oblioo
We chat to prolific tutor Dustin 'oblioo' Juniper about the benefits of getting a private poker coach.
We have a multitude of different ways to learn the game here at PokerStrategy.com including videos, live webinars, hand history reviews and strategy articles. However one other method that can take your game to the next level is private coaching. Most of our coaches provide this, and today we talk with one of our most seasoned private tutors to learn more about it.
"Coaching helps me refine my own game"
PokerStrategy.com: You have coached lots of players one-on-one, what do you get out of it (Other than the obvious financial benefits)?
oblioo: I do enjoy coaching, probably even more than playing. I have always loved teaching, and it’s satisfying to see my students improve, move up in stakes, and transform their game based on coaching sessions we’ve had together.
The financial aspect for me is two-fold: obviously students pay me for coaching, but on top of that, coaching helps me refine my own game which translates to higher win-rates for myself as well as for students.
Also, of course, there’s also the satisfaction of helping people improve, and it’s often enjoyable to connect, chat and joke around with students.
PokerStrategy.com: So it is a valuable learning tool for you even when you are the teacher?
oblioo: Yes—sometimes a student will introduce a point or way of thinking that I hadn’t thought of, which helps expand both my own thought process and also helps me understand what various opponents may be thinking.
Also, sometimes my students will send me hands that they’ve played based on a strategy/concept we have discussed during a coaching session, and seeing students correctly apply concepts helps reinforce them for myself as well to apply in my own game.
"We start off coaching by identifying leaks"
PokerStrategy.com: What does a typical coaching session look like? Before, during and after?
oblioo: Well before a session, we schedule a date and time, generally at least a few days in advance, and we will have a plan for the coaching, whether it’s focusing on a specific leak, reviewing a video, looking at stats, constructing ranges, sweating, etc.
The actual coaching session could look like any of the aforementioned plans.
Afterwards we review the most important points for the students to keep in mind and work on, and I am always available via Skype or email to discuss hands and/or strategy and answer any follow-up questions.
PokerStrategy.com: You coach one of our coaches, babel92, is it easier to teach when your student is a coach as well?
oblioo: I feel that a fellow coach may have a better framework for learning than an average student, so that is a plus. With babel92 we started off with looking at his stats, identifying leaks, and focusing on those leaks in subsequent sessions to improve his overall game.
PokerStrategy.com: What makes a good and bad coaching relationship? Have you ever had a difficult time because of students having high expectations?
oblioo: Mutual respect and good communication are both important for a healthy coaching relationship.
I feel it is important for both the student and coach to have an open mind and be willing to not only discuss various elements and strategies, but also be willing and in fact eager to change and improve on how they think about the game.
I have coached hundreds of students over the years, and out of that I have only had two negative experiences—in both cases the student seemed to refuse to listen and always assumed that he was right about everything.
In one of those cases I ended the coaching relationship myself, as I didn’t feel it was productive for anyone, and in the other case the student in question decided he did not need or want a coach.
"A solid player and coach can teach any stake"
PokerStrategy.com: What stake should someone coach? Should a $5/$10 player coach at $5/10 or should they coach lower, for example at $1/$2?
oblioo: As long as someone is a solid player AND a solid coach, I believe she/he can effectively coach any stake up to the one that she/he plays. In my case I actually have a couple students who regularly play up to $10/$20NL, even though I generally don’t play higher than $5/$10 myself.
PokerStrategy.com: Do you feel a sense of responsibility and pride for your students' results?
oblioo: Yes, it always feels good when students of mine move up in stakes and continue to crush. There are plenty of examples of players that I started coaching at 50nl, 25nl, or even 10nl, who have since moved up to 200nl and in some cases higher. I am happy to hear that babel92 is doing so well now since our coaching sessions.
PokerStrategy.com: How can someone get a private coaching from you?
oblioo: The best way to get in touch is email: obliopokercoach@gmail.com. Skype works as well; my Skype name is “andthefurniture”. I charge $175/hr for individual sessions, or $150/hr for students who buy a package, and each session is 90-minutes long.
PokerStrategy.com: Thanks Dustin, good luck to you and your students.
If you are interested in getting a coach, we have a huge private coaching forum with all of the big names you see producing videos for us. You can find a coach to suit all bankrolls and stakes.
 Barry Carter is the editor of PokerStrategy.com and the co-author of The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2. He has been working in the poker industry for nine years and in 2013 won the APAT Award for Best Poker Media Provider. You can learn more about his work here.
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