Before I get to the free lessons I'm offering, you'll have to read some including why I'm offering free poker lessons. I haven't blogged in a while...heck I've blogged probably 3x-4x in the past 6 months after blogging weekly for the 18 months prior.

As you know I've been dealing w/ a ton of adversity the past 6 months. After having a mildly unsuccessful WSOP (which is usually to be expected so no biggie) my dad passed away from cancer then my cousin passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. Also Black Friday happened and unfortunately most of my online roll was on Full Tilt Poker. I'm just kissing that money goodbye. Also my homes are about $800k under water due to terrible timing in buying (Las Vegas 2005 and 2006 housing market can go to hell). Also I've been running absurdly bad in cash games post WSOP, although I'm actually up a little. Granted I haven't played a whole lot for a few reasons (lack of online games, lack of hands in live poker). A big reason why I haven't played much is because, well, I just haven't had the desire to play.

I guess that's somewhat expected w/ all the stuff I had to deal with. Also I had other personal issues that consumed some of my time (not to mention giving me headaches). Along w/ bordering on burnout for the past 3 years from grinding the past decade (I'll touch on this subject in the future), I just didn't feel like playing any poker. Instead I spent time w/ my family and grinded video games to escape the realities of real life problems (not the answer I know). I guess you can say I'm an expert at Halo 3, COD 3, and NCAA Football 12 now.

I've always been an optimistic person and have always seen the glass half full. Everybody that knows me knows that I'm always in a good mood and poker never affects my life no matter how bad I run. But damn, a perfect storm of beats in poker and life (mostly life) really forced me into a shell that made me avoid all contact outside of my family. Heck I didn't even answer calls and texts from close friends sometimes (sorry guys). Ever a telling sign, I didn't watch a single NFL game weeks 14-17! The only poker stuff I did was make a couple of CR videos (and even those I was late getting to management, sorry Alex!) and defend my friend Joe Tehan in a couple of 2+2 threads.

I never thought I'd ever get in this frame of mind, considering how successful I've been in poker and life pretty much my whole adulthood (except for the time I dropped out of UCLA after my 3rd year to play poker full time, but then that didn't turn out so bad). I can honestly say I've been blessed and thank God (and still do) for all of it.

Anyway after wallowing in some misery (but never asking "why me?") and possibly facing a mid-life crisis (wow I sound old) I reflected on everything on my drive back to Vegas from Los Angeles tonight (after visiting my dad's cemetery site). My wife suggested I see a counselor but I knew I can resolve my state of mind by myself, well because, I always have. I've always had a keen sense of my surroundings (one of my attributes that's contributed to my success in poker) so I know what's going down and how to fix things. I've always been somewhat of a solitary person. Even my friends have told me lately I can always come to them to talk but idk, I am ok w/ resolving things on my own.

Anyway that leads to the free lessons. I'm offering 2-3 lessons to 2-3 people in live poker and 2-3 people in online poker. Why? Well I feel like I've neglected some duties w/ CR and my other coaching site Stack'em Coaching so I need to make it up somehow. Also I need to get my juices flowing in regards to poker.

Also I watched a documentary called "Superheros" on HBO last night and it documented real life people trying to be real life, you guessed it, superheros. As stupid and crazy as it may sound, the people portrayed were actually good people just trying to make the world a better place (actually a couple were just obsessed w/ being superheros). Most of their duties were watching out for crime and calling 911 when they saw any and helping out the homeless.

Well I respect people that go out of their way to help others, no matter how crazy it may seem, so why not help out people myself...doing what I know best, poker, specifically helping others get better at it. Yeah it will probably make me feel good...and heck the people that actually apply and get the lessons may actually improve their games!

Why should you consider me for lessons (free ones to boot!)? Well for a few reasons. I've been playing successfully from '98 to the present. I made $40k in '98 and $400k in 2008 and along the way improved and made more than the following year. Even 2009 and 2010 were good years but it's not easy to match 2008's results grinding mostly nl400-nl1k cash games. 2011 was not a very good year but I still cleared 6 figures (barely) amid Black Friday. I did this while having the added pressure of paying 2 mortgages, supporting a wife and a kid (although my wife can hold her own in poker), supporting other family members, contributing to retirement funds, and helping out broke friends (but no more on the latter since I'm basically burning my money). I also managed time to balance my life w/ things outside of poker, especially spending time w/ my wife and kid. So I can probably offer life advice for an aspiring poker player (if you need that).

Also I've received requests for coaching and my post Black Friday rate was $200/hr. So basically if I choose you you're making a free $400-$600 (now whether it's really worth that is a matter of opinion). Also there's a chance you may actually improve in poker! (or not).

Who can apply? Pretty much anybody. I don't care if you're a beginner, intermediate, heck, a 200-400nl player who just wants bad real estate advice or fantasy football lessons (oh wait, I lost in ff this year). You can ask for tournament or mixed game lessons...although nl cash games is my bread and butter.

The only stipulation is that I may request to record the live poker sessions for Stack'em or make leakfinder videos for CR if I feel it appropriate. I may or may not do this w/ the sessions.

I don't care where you live...but if you're in Vegas I'd be willing to do live sweat sessions, and for online over tv and skype.

Anyway for those interested you can email me at john@stackemcoaching.com or PM me here at CR. I'm thinking the deadline to get in requests is in a week or so, depending on how many I get.