“Working 15 Minutes a Day is the Most Efficient”
In the book “The Mental Game of Poker”, Jared Tendler reminds us that trying to jam learning into long sessions of cramming is not productive: “Problems result from working too intensely on your game… continual ups an downs… feeling confused because you have so much more to think about when playing.” Jared recommends: “Developing consistency means working at a steadier pace. When learning poker skills or poker knowledge to the level of Unconscious Competence, working fifteen minutes a day is the most efficient method.”
I am proud to say that my essays by email program was conceived 15 years before Tendler’s book was published. Dr. Alan Schoonmaker Ph.D. has been a recipient of them for years, and is a valued critic: “I agree that frequent, shorter sessions of study are much better than longer, but less frequent sessions… Active learning is immeasurable more effective than passive learning.” Our review of “Purposeful Practice for Poker Players” by Dr. Patricia Cardner, was positive affirmation of the value inherent in these emails.
Why Essays by Email?
- Provide continuing education using a series of short (15 minute) essays
- Expand the readers knowledge and get them to think about poker – every day
- Improve upon specific skill sets and identify weaknesses
- Create a mindset that affirms and reaffirms making good poker decisions
- Encourage interaction with the coach
Essays Cover A Wide Range of Topics
- Game preparation with goals, planning, and mindset
- Mental game approaches for tilt, fears, and confidence
- Player profiling and target marketing
- Strategies for tournament stages and varying stack sizes
- Hand reading and constructing hand ranges
- Detect and decipher tells
- Poker book reviews
Players Comments On Essays
There are a few things that separate Jan Siroky from most poker coaches:
One – he is a coach first and a player second; he is there for his players not only on a scheduled basis but also “when they need him”.
Second – he brings a combination of poker knowledge, people knowledge, and poker psychology to the equation. His coaching is designed to help them play “their game”.
Third – He offers a unique daily essay by email program that can be digested in 15-30 minutes. It includes book review, strategic concepts, a weekly report, and often an extended dedication to an individual topic.
Finally – his system is designed to be continuous. This means he is committed to long term growth and a long term commitment to learning.
— Alan Schoonmaker Ph.D.
I really like your emails; they show a good depth of knowledge. I think your students are getting their money’s worth.
— Tom McEvoy
“…a pleasure to read your articles… always a gem… read Positive Poker twice after you recommended it. It’s articles like this which lead me to recommend you as a coach.”
— John Robertson
“you have a great poker mind. I probably would not have been able to handle the situation last night without having read the recent series on anger management.
— Bob Castiore
“Excellent article today. Fold has become my favorite word and call has slowly disappeared from my lexicon… My 4th WSOP cash and the ‘Director’ was in charge the whole time…The ‘Handicap of Intelligence’ just save my tournament life.”
— James Woods
Miami John Cernuto credited the emails for his recent resurgence in his testimonial, and has been a source of numerous referrals. Mike Holm reads them regularly, and forwards them to his friends- leading to over 20 referrals.