A lot of people have begun to worry about how flooded the poker training site market has become. A lot of people realize that as the competition gets better they have to think of new ways stand out, so the demand for poker training is through the roof. So are these programs still worthwhile, or is it just another scam to separate you from your money?
While this is a business and one of the main goals is profit, that does not mean there is no value in a poker training program.
In fact, since other people are using them it his becoming more imperative to have some sort of formal training. The learning process is becoming more deliberate, and to compete, you have to have a plan.
Just use some common sense when choosing a company. This is always true when handing over money, and in the online realm it is more true than ever. Ask some hard questions.
Does the site look janky? Where are their training videos coming from? Are their “experts” known professional poker players? How current is the site? Do they offer a money back guarantee? If not, they might know something about their program they don’t want you to know until you have spent your money—like it won’t help you win.
It pays to know who a training program is associated with. Do your homework. While you may be quick to assume a program associated with a major poker celebrity is all hype, think again. Many poker celebrities are very conscious about their reputation in the poker community.
Also, use the poker community itself to get a judge of a poker training site. Get involved online and start forming relationships with other guys like you who are out there making a living. These guys form a pretty tight-knit community and share a lot of information with each other. Stay tuned and find out what others are saying about the program.
Another way to evaluate a poker training site is to read reviews from an independent online source. Find out what other people are saying, and if a site says nothing but good things about a program, there is a good chance they have an incentive to do so. No training program is perfect in every way.
But a training program is definitely still a good way to learn. There is no other way to get a chance to watch live play and have someone walk you through it the way these guys will, and nothing improves your game like a dedicated coach, as long as that coach is dedicated to your improvement. Find out exactly what your coach’s obligations will be before you buy.
As I said before, just use some common sense. There are people in this world who are only out to get your money. Sure—that is a given. But there are also plenty of businesses who know the best way of accessing other people’s money, especially for the long term, is to provide value. Learning poker from people who understand long-term strategy is what we want, so these are the programs you want to find.
Good luck!