The Shah and I

What working with a poker coach has done for my game.

by Kelli Griggs 

For those of you who don’t get the title of this article, “Shah” means King in Persian.  The relationship between Shah and I feels reminiscent of the classic movie, prim and proper. Shahin Shojaeyan, or Shah as he is known to his friends, is an old-world gentleman who exudes class, strength and character.  Much like the lead character in the movie Anna, I often feel out of sorts in his very different world.  Shah has got his own very young and attractive, Persian Rat Pack where he assumes the role of Sinatra.  I call him a King because of his Diamond status at practically every casino we venture in.  In his presence, I am exposed to a world of “comps” including a two-week stay at the World Series of Poker where the casino host is more like a close relative versus what you see on the hit show, Las Vegas.  With Shah, I am welcomed immediately into the high-limit world of gambling; where doors are opened for me when walking in with “the player.” Despite the fact that all the casinos know him, he is still an unknown in the entertainment world of poker.  Though he has won countless tournaments he has yet to win in a professional event that would give him the fame and recognition he so richly deserves.

I asked Shah to coach me because his game is extremely impressive.  Shah plays what others have coined “precision poker” and his talent amazes me as well as those who take the time to watch.  I began working with him about nine months ago.  I told him I wanted to go pro and I really needed to understand the intricate complexities of the game.  Shah uses different techniques to help you reach your peek performance by bringing out your inner game.  It was clear early on that he would encourage me to push me in my aggressive nature. He said with some work he could guide me into being the female version of Gus Hansen.  He said, “I want others to fear you and never be able to put you on a hand.”  I was certainly okay with that!

In our first few sessions, we went through the very basics.   He taught me about playing in/out of position, and which hands were playable in each situation.  He asked me to read Doyle Brunson’s Super Systems and Dan Harrington’s “Harrington on Hold em’.” We later worked on betting styles and techniques and once I was really comfortable with the game of Hold em’ we moved into playing the people and not just the cards.  Establishing a table image and being able to adjust your game in an instant were two areas we talked about a lot.  We spent a lot of time on the phone and talked poker night and day.  I’d track key hands, how I played them, what my chip count was, what my opponent’s chip count was and what the outcome of the hand had been, etc.  With no fear, I headed to Bay 101 and started playing in the Saturday tournaments.  Slowly I started doing better each time getting a little farther along and then something inside me just clicked -- I finally got it!

Feeling prepared, we decided to try out these new skills at the Ladies Event in the World Series of Poker at the Rio in Las Vegas.  When I walked into the room I was blown away seeing the entire pavilion filled with thousands of players.  The WSOP is truly Disneyland for a new poker player.  Seeing Daniel Negranaeu is much like seeking Mickey Mouse and yet everywhere you turn you see someone that you have watched play on TV.  Having a coach helps you to focus your energy on what you came here to do and mine was completely inside my head.  My whole goal was to simply “make it” through the field of the 1,128 players.  I wanted to be no less than 564. Shah reassured me on every break and kept encouraging me to fight.  After I made it through my goal of 50% of the field, I then wanted to make it to the money and after that I wanted to make it to the final table etc…

One thing I was not prepared for, that no coach can prepare you for, even though he told me over and over, was how exhausting it is to play for 14 hours on no sleep over several days.  So it was no surprise that I made a very bad move at one o’clock in the morning and pushed in with my pocket 8’s.  My caller had AK and flopped two pairs and I was out in 59^th place.  Poker is brutal but having your coach there to retain an objective supportive position is very helpful.

Your friends and family might understand poker or like to watch it on TV, but having a coach live it with you is very rewarding - every win, every beat, all analyzed, all savored.  I’m so happy I hired a coach and if you have considered it, I encourage you to do so!  A coach is the voice inside your head that helps you recall what you already know and teaches you to follow your gut.   A Coach picks you up after bad beats and praises you when you make a good decision.   It makes sense that a star athlete would have a coach – why shouldn’t a poker player?