PokerWorks

In the first part of my review of the poker training site DragtheBar, I focused on the parts that I felt would help my game the most while hopefully giving the readers a pretty good indication of the kind of help that is available for those looking to make their game better.  Today I am focusing on the other great features of DragtheBar, including the cash game video, blogs, and forum sections.

As mentioned in my first post I was also looking to begin dabbling in low stakes cash games, and hopefully be able to eventually parlay that into being the next Tom “Durrrr” Dwan.  Ok, maybe those goals are too lofty for a beginner, but I certainly found out that DragtheBar has more than enough resources to help me pursue those goals of at least becoming a formidable cash game player.

The coach’s video I was most looking forward to learning from was Dusty “Leatherass” Schmidt.  A number of years ago I remember reading an article in Sports Illustrated magazine that focused on a young gifted golfer who had endured a heart attack at the unlikely age of 23.  The heart attack would put his goal of becoming a professional golfer on hold for a number of years, but a competitive streak that wouldn’t fade led him to poker.  Roughly 7 million hands of online poker later, Schmidt is both $3,000,000 richer and considered one of the best No Limit Hold’em cash game grinders the world over.

The video I focused on was “2 Tables of 6 Max 100NL.”  Much like the tournament videos in Part I, right out the gate “Leatherass” made a move that left me scratching my head, but at the same time showing why he has a $3,000,000 bankroll and I am writing about him.  He raised the very first hand with 8-5 suited.  For most, they are rather tight when they first get to a table.  For Schmidt it’s basically whatever image he feels like employing that day.  He ended up having to fold that hand due to a big raise, but the very next hand he found himself all in with Jacks and lost to A-K, which felted him.  While most of us would curse our luck right after starting, Schmidt simply laughed it off, and actually said “I’m sort of glad it happened like that.”  Again, most of us play waiting for cards, hoping to play those hands for maximum value.  Guys like Schmidt are willing to look like a donk, and even lose a significant part of their stacks, while trying to set up an image.  In other words, in short order he’ll have his average opponent wrapped around his finger.  Overall, I was very impressed with Schmidt’s ability to teach, while keeping level headed in every situation that presented itself, a strategy he employed in all the videos of his I watched.

While I watched a ton of videos, it’s of course impossible to touch on all of them.  I will say that the library of videos is hundreds deep, and has videos for every single level of play for those that play No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha.  What makes it even better is that the format to find these videos is easy.  If you have a coach in mind and you know you want to watch all of his videos, you can use the simple drop down menu and click on that coach’s name.  If you are instead looking for a particular topic, you can use the “tab” feature, which is also as simple as it sounds.  First click the name of the game, the format (cash or tournament), what stakes level, and then either heads-up, 6-max, or full ring, and then you are provided with all the videos that fit that description.
 
As a blogger myself, I was excited to see that the coaches on DragtheBar all run a blog, which additionally can be another invaluable source because of your ability to get inside the head of these great poker players.  Every day at least one coach updates his blog, and usually its 2-3 updates per day, so there is always something fresh to read.  In addition to talking about hands and strategic stuff, many of the players will give trip reports of their poker playing stories from around the world, which makes for good entertainment. *Jeremy “Chipsteela” Menard blogs at PokerWorks and coaches at Drag The Bar*

One of my favorite parts of DragtheBar is the forum.  The forum operates in much the same way the “tab” feature in the video section does.  The range of subjects is vast.  You, of course, have your typical poker related threads, where you can ask questions regarding recent tough hands you’ve come across, to complaining about bad beats, which is always good for those needing to vent.  However, they also offer a “Poker Psychology” section.  In one of those sub forums you can directly ask DragtheBar coach Jared Tendler any question you have regarding poker psychology.  Tendler helped Schmidt through a tough downswing early in his career, and has gone on to help many people deal with demons they may suffer at the table.  

On a lighter side, the forum also has subjects on “Sports Talk & Sports Betting,” “Video Games,” and the generally not suitable for work “Off Topic” section.  These topics, as well as all the others are all very popular, and at any given time there are a couple hundred of people viewing the forum including many of the coaches.

Of all the software, programs, books, training sites and all the other things you can buy that “promise” to make your poker game better, I’ve always looked at it in what I believe is a rather simple way.  If you feel that whatever “tool” you are contemplating can pay for itself in short order, than it’s a good value.  I sincerely feel that DragtheBar is one of those tools that will pay for itself, and probably pretty quickly.  If you are hesitant at first you can choose the free 7-day pass.  Once you’re satisfied DragtheBar can help you, you can choose between one month, three months, six months with three months added for free, or one full year with six months added for free.   Prices are also much cheaper than the bigger sites out there and will pay for themselves as your game improves, and the teachers are every bit as qualified as those that run those sites.

After examining all facets of DragtheBar, I am certainly impressed.  For starters, the videos alone are worth the price of admission, and when you combine the rest of the features, I would imagine it can go toe-to-toe with any training website out there.  Unlike the other websites however, is that DragtheBar is still in its infancy, and if they are already on par with the big boy training websites, it’s only a matter of time before they overcome them.

*Read Billy Monroe’s Blog*