In the early days of poker, the only way to learn was through practice. Beginners would sit down at the table, lose, and learn from their mistakes. Later, experienced players began publishing books that talked about strategy. One of the first such textbooks was "Super System" by the legendary Doyle Brunson.
Time has passed, and technology has made it possible to transmit knowledge in educational videos. However, the most effective way of learning is to work with a trainer. The hero of our article today is one of the best MTT coaches, Alexander Fitzgerald.
The Life of Alexander Fitzgerald
Alexander Fitzgerald is a poker professional and successful coach. He plays and releases training videos under the nickname "The Assassinato". Born and raised in the United States, he began his poker career in 2006 at Full Tilt Poker.
Alexander specializes in multi-table tournaments (MTTs). He has won over $3,000,000 online. His success in live poker is more modest. As of July 2023, Fitzgerald's prize money is just over $650,000. The Chasing Poker Greatness podcast stated that Alexander Fitzgerald has conducted perhaps the largest number of individual training sessions in the world.
Alexander Fitzgerald wrote 3 books:
- The Myth of Poker Talent
- Exploitative Play in Live Poker
- 100 Biggest Mistakes Poker Players Make
In his books, Assassinato summarizes his experience of playing and training over the past 16 years.
Poker Career: Important Successes
As a poker player, Alexander’s first achievements came on Full Tilt Poker. In total, he won over a million dollars on FTP. His most significant online results look like this:
- Winning a WCOOP tournament on PokerStars in 2012. For first place in the $1,050 buy-in MTT, Alexander received $148,400.
- Third place in the FTOPS on Full Tilt Poker in 2011. The reward was $123,676. A few months later, Black Friday happened, so Fitzgerald couldn't cash out until much later.
The Assassinato also has six-figure winnings in live tournaments:
- Seventh place in the EPT Main Event brought in almost $224,000, the biggest prize of his career.
- Third place at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure paid around $119,000.
Fitzgerald showed top results between 2009 and 2012. Then the professional player retrained as a coach.
The Book "The Myth of Poker Talent"
The Myth of Poker Talent is Alexander Fitzgerald's most popular book. It was published in 2016. The coach believes that anyone can become an outstanding poker player, not just the ones with natural God-given talent.
In it, Alexander summarized the results of working with a thousand students over a decade. One of his main ideas is that the key to success in poker does not depend on innate talent. Many poker books focus on analyzing specific situations at the table. Fitzgerald emphasizes a structured approach and improving the thought process. The huge advantage of "The Myth of Poker Talent" is that the author presents ideas in simple and understandable language.
From the book you will learn:
- How to use your temperament and playing style to find and develop your own approach
- Principles of using poker programs and which ones are most effective
- What the fundamental mistakes of players are
- How to mathematically justify every decision at the table
Search engines will help you easily find a copy of “The Myth of Poker Talent.”
Other Options to Start Your Poker Training
Alexander Fitzgerald has achieved significant success in poker and contributed to the game's development. He claims that anyone can do it.
The main goal is systematic training. The most effective methods include coaching, backing, software, and practice. We will tell you about each in more detail.
- Find a Coach. A good mentor will analyze your strategy, find key flaws, and create a training plan. As a result, you will save months, if not years. The main disadvantage is the cost. The minimum price for 1 lesson starts around $20-$30. A full course will cost several hundred dollars, and not all beginners have that kind of money.
- Find a Backer. Some schools and backing funds teach conditionally free in exchange for a share of future income. To pass the selection, you need to meet the school's requirements. Most often, the applicant must have a good reputation, a decent sample size, and dedicated time for poker. Greenline Poker is one of those funds.
- Use Software. You can improve your skills on your own with training programs. Many players have raised their skills to the highest level thanks to systematic software work. At the initial stage, Flopzilla will be of the greatest benefit. In just a few weeks of analysis, this calculator will teach you to calculate draw variants, find bluffing spots, and feel equity. The developer provides a free 7-day trial.
- Constantly Practice. Poker theory should be reinforced by playing against real opponents. You can do this risk-free in freerolls we publish every day for major poker rooms. There you will get practice and win your first money. The top three players at month's end share an additional $350 reward. We hold 3 tournaments every week. Here is the schedule:
