My opinion is that hiring a coach to study poker is like hiring a professional liar to help you lie better, but what if he lies to you and the main lesson is that he simply played heads up with you for a 100% win(your payment)?
There is a phrase in dead Latin language"Sapere Aude"
You can read article in wikipedia for the meaning.
I can tell my story.
Pokerstrategy website helped me to understand poker and even give me free money to start with, it was years ago and they don't give free money anymore like they used to. This low level information about poker, that they give me about maths/bankroll management and helpful software, it was enough to win $800 with free $50 bankroll at low limits during 1st month. Patience, long run, odds, Eq, VPiP and so on - this free info was good enough to become a player, for some level maybe even a wining player.
The more information i was gathering the more obviously i've seen that something is wrong and nobody will show me a sure way to the top of the mountain. Maybe because there is no such "sure way".
Couple of things helped me to understand poker better.
I was playing live games each day at one restaurant, and one day i've started playing the game without watching my cards. I saw them only with all other players when it ws time for showdown. Nobody noticed this, all the time i acted like i know these 2 cards dealt, but i haven't. I keep playing and acting like i know my cards, bet\check\fold - i performed these actions relying on something else, but not on the cards i've been dealt. It's like you suddenly lost your eyes and your brain has to adopt to the world around you so it starts using other senses better. Brain changes it's structure and what you believed is irrational in past suddendly becomes logical and obvious.
Next - I was surprised to see the right words of some forum member, who stated in some thread that his hobby is to study behavioral economics. I've studied it myself in past for other reason, but it crossed with poker at some point. Studying behavioral, social, mathematical theories is the right key to understand poker better, if your goal is to improve the way you're thinking and make your decisions, poker is just a game that helps you to check if you're on the right way.
If you ask me what's the right way - i believe that there is no right way in poker, being objective i can only say that you have to understand your opponents, not the cards. If 90% of players n the world believe that QQ, KK or AA are the best hands, well - OK, but i belive that Royal Flush on showdown is a best hand. Having 38os in hand with AK888 on the deck is also a best hand.
Let them wait for AA and let them go home being mad at you, they've paid for it.
Ask yourself, if 99% of people are going to the left direction - will it be the best possible way to follow? If 99% are ruled by 1%, if 99% will leave the tourney and 1% or less will sit at the final table, then is it the right way to follow the majority?
Sapere Aude.
