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Engineering Grad, Decade-plus Pro Poker Player, Former Math Teacher
Mike D.

5.0 (290 ratings)

1,170 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $75
Contact Mike
Response time: 4 hours

About Mike

Bio

I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering Degree from The College of New Jersey (highly ranked school, see US News or Forbes rankings) and conquered many Math subjects along the way. My journey took an exciting and unexpected turn when I discovered poker. I loved it from day one, played and studied for hours every day, and became a Professional Poker Player. I continued playing full-time for a decade before I needed a new challenge (Math Teacher), but am now back and fully entrenched in all...

I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering Degree from The College of New Jersey (highly ranked school, see US News or Forbes rankings) and conquered many Math subjects along the way. My journey took an exciting and unexpected turn when I discovered poker. I loved it from day one, played and studied for hours every day, and became a Professional Poker Player. I continued playing full-time for a decade before I needed a new challenge (Math Teacher), but am now back and fully entrenched in all things Poker.

Teaching is a love of mine, and I have tutored since I was in high school. My greatest teaching strength is the ability to simplify complex concepts, making them easier for others to learn and understand. My style is also quite different from most any teacher; not only do I truly care about my students, but I am always honest, a combination that tends to get the best out of people. Spending the next few years as a Math teacher confirmed my ability to help people learn and thrive, as my students consistently made enormous learning gains. I have worked with students of all abilities and personalities, and have not come across someone who wanted to learn that I wasn’t able to help reach new heights.

While I currently work with select students in high-level Math classes and SAT/ACT Standardized Tests, I'm focusing mainly on Poker Coaching. Coaching and teaching provide a level of satisfaction for me that I do not get from simply being elite at Poker or Math myself. I love seeing my students succeed, whether it is at the table or in the classroom, and am always determined to make it happen.

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Education

The College of New Jersey
Engineering Mgmt

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $75
  • Rate details: We can discuss a discounted price for bundling 5+ sessions.
  • Lesson cancellation: 4 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 9/23/2014

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

ACT English

ACT English

I'm the most requested tutor in my area for ACT and SAT prep, as my students' score increases far surpass what is considered typical. Regularly, I have students whose scores get them into their dream schools and/or earn them scholarships! I make sure your fundamentals are rock solid, give you all of the best test-taking strategies specific to each test (very important), then we get to work on past versions of the actual tests.
ACT Math

ACT Math

I'm the most requested tutor in my area for ACT and SAT prep, as my students' score increases far surpass what is considered typical. Regularly, I have students whose scores get them into their dream schools and/or earn them scholarships! I make sure your fundamentals are rock solid, give you all of the best test-taking strategies specific to each test (very important), then we get to work on past versions of the actual tests.
ACT Science

ACT Science

I'm the most requested tutor in my area for ACT and SAT prep, as my students' score increases far surpass what is considered typical. Regularly, I have students whose scores get them into their dream schools and/or earn them scholarships! I make sure your fundamentals are rock solid, give you all of the best test-taking strategies specific to each test (very important), then we get to work on past versions of the actual tests.
Algebra 1

Algebra 1

I taught Algebra 1 at both the High School and Middle School levels, and my students achieved the highest possible score for learning gains every year. I would put myself up against anyone in the world at teaching Algebra 1, and have helped every level of student succeed, regardless of ability.
Algebra 2

Algebra 2

I performed Math at the highest levels en route to earning my degree in Engineering, honed my teaching skills as a High School Math teacher, and have been exclusively a 1-on-1 tutor for all High School and College Math classes since 2019.
Calculus

Calculus

In high school I took AP Calc, and passed the AP test. In College, I took higher level classes through Calculus III en route to my Engineering degree. My years as a Math teacher made me an extremely effective communicator, and I can simplify complex concepts for you. Over the past 10 years, I have spent almost 1000 hours tutoring Calc 1 through Calc 3, and my students always succeed despite how difficult these classes can be.
Chemistry

Chemistry

En route to earning my Engineering degree, I took multiple advanced Chemistry classes, then gained experience as a Teacher. I'm the most requested tutor in my area for all Math and Science classes, and work with many students on Chemistry every year with great success!
Differential Equations

Differential Equations

I graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in Engineering Management, where the curriculum included multiple classes of differential equations. The topics covered in this course are extensions of derivatives and integrals learned in Calculus, which I have hundreds of hours of tutoring experience in.
Elementary Math

Elementary Math

Elementary math is comprised of the basic building blocks of mathematics, which I am extremely strong in. Typically students struggling with this subject simply need further explanation and more repetition. My abilities to articulate my thoughts precisely, explain things clearly, and relate to my student's knowledge base makes me a strong tutor for elementary math.
Finite Math

Finite Math

I graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in Engineering Management, where the curriculum included differential equations, statistics, calculus 3, and many other math intensive classes. In high school I also passed the SAT Math Subject Test, and scored in the 91st percentile in the basic SAT math section.
Geometry

Geometry

I excelled in Honors Geometry in high school. The principles learned in the class were necessary to continue doing well in Trigonometry, and later in earning my Engineering degree through classes such as Dynamics and Strength of Materials.
Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics

I have a degree in Engineering Management, which is basically an engineering degree with a business minor. This included multiple economics courses.
Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

I graduated with a Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and have tutored in many of the classes ever since. My background as a Math teacher enables me to help my students learn efficiently and effectively.
Microeconomics

Microeconomics

I have a degree in Engineering Management, which is basically an engineering degree with a business minor. This included multiple economics courses.
Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word

I have been using Microsoft Word regularly since I was in middle school for everything from essays to technical engineering reports.
Physics

Physics

I'm an Engineering Graduate (had to take Physics 2 and beyond) and have been tutoring Math and Science for the past 15 years. I work with students on AP Physics, College Physics 1, College Physics 2, and Dynamics.
Poker

Poker

I have been either a full-time or part-time professional poker player since I graduated college in 2009. I excel in No-limit Texas Hold'Em in cash games and tournaments, in both live (casino) and online games. Over the past decade, I have coached hundreds of people whose goals ranged from simply beating their friends in a home game to professionals looking to increase their skill and earnings. The main concepts that students typically need coaching in are learning how to master ranges, using the right bet sizes, and understanding how bet size affects your pot odds and therefore how often you should bet/fold/raise. Whether you're a recreational player or aspiring pro, I will help you fill knowledge gaps, create a rock solid foundation, and construct a default game that will win anywhere.
Prealgebra

Prealgebra

I have taught Algebra 1 for the past two years, and Prealgebra is simply the collection of fundamental concepts of Algebra.
Precalculus

Precalculus

Math has always been my strength, which helped me earn my Engineering Degree. From there, I taught High School Math, and learned to be an extremely effective communicator. I'm the most requested tutor in my area, and work with students on Precalc every year (every one has ended with an A so far!).
SAT Math

SAT Math

I'm the most requested SAT tutor for the schools surrounding me, and my students' score increases far exceed what is perceived as "normal." I have completely broken down this test, created my own materials, and have the absolute best test strategies. I can help you achieve a higher score to help you get into your dream school and/or earn a scholarship!
SAT Reading

SAT Reading

I'm the most requested SAT tutor for the schools surrounding me, and my students' score increases far exceed what is perceived as "normal." I have completely broken down this test, created my own materials, and have the absolute best test strategies. I can help you achieve a higher score to help you get into your dream school and/or earn a scholarship!
Statistics

Statistics

I excelled in AP Stats in High School, and went on to complete higher level Stats courses while earning my degree. My years as a Math teacher made me an extremely effective communicator, and I can make sure you deeply understand what you're doing in Stats. I currently run a local tutoring business, and have been helping students with Stats for the past 10 years.
Trigonometry

Trigonometry

I excelled in all honors and AP maths in high school, through AP Calc AB. My math education continued in college, where I earned a degree in Engineering Management, putting my math fundamentals to use daily. This is also reflected in my standardized test scores on the SAT (92nd percentile), SAT II Math Subject Test (87th percentile), and ACT Math (92nd percentile).
Probability

Examples of Expertise

Mike has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 2 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

See all of Mike ’s answers ›
Mike D.'s Photo

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Response time: 4 hours

Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (290 ratings)
5 star
(288)
4 star
(1)
3 star
(1)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(0)

Reviews

GREAT Poker Coach

I have been playing poker for 10+ years and was never really a winning player. I found Mike and he took my game to a new level - honestly and sincere. I have been seeing him the past couple of months and I finally have winning sessions! He does a great job at finding what your leaks are and teaching you fundamental strategy and gives you a better understanding of the math behind it all. Great coach and good dude. He also has a daily newsletter (Winners Circle) about poker strategy and absolutely love reading his stuff w/ my morning coffee. GO BIRDS!

Will, 39 lessons with Mike

Great Experience Learning Poker with Mike

I’ve been working with Mike as my poker tutor, and I’ve been really impressed with his approach. He’s extremely knowledgeable about the game and explains concepts clearly. What I really appreciated is that he didn’t just lecture, he tested me along the way to make sure I understood and could apply what I was learning. This kept me engaged and helped me think critically about my decisions at the table. Highly recommend him to anyone looking to improve their poker game.

Greg, 1 lesson with Mike

Best of the Best

I recently used Wyzant for tutoring on a course I failed three times and was able to pass it with a B with Mike’s help. I have waited to long to post the review (14 days since last lesson), but feel that the help I received needs to be mentioned so others know how much help Mike gives. He was able to picture the problem in several different ways so that if the first option was not easily visualized, he has several other ways to get the point across. I would highly recommend him to anyone in need of help in a course, and know that he values your time and is consistently present and attentive.

Elizabeth, 14 lessons with Mike

Best poker coach on the site.

A coach that can teach all levels of playing from beginner to novice. Went from a real fish a crusher with Mike. Everything is explained clearly and is super easy to understand. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to up their game.

Mike, 8 lessons with Mike

Candid and helpful

I've been working with Mike on my poker game for a while. I don't feel like I'm the fastest learner, but he continues to appreciate that I'm trying. He's also candid in his feedback and expects me to remember what we've already covered and does not pander. I'm not sure if everybody would appreciate that but it's exactly what I want. It drives me to review what we've learned and know exactly what I have in mind for additional lessons. He is a great match for me.

Margaret, 7 lessons with Mike

Mike is very knowledgeable and was very patient with me.

This was my first time to take a poker lesson. As a novice student who played poker in friendly games only, he was very thorough and patient. He explained everything in details and happily repeated those that I didn't understand in the first place. I am going to take more lessons with him until I have confidence and am comfortable to be at serious games.

Saman, 5 lessons with Mike

Amazing results

In less than 60 days, Mike increased my granddaughters' SAT score by more than 150 points. When she started tutoring with Mike her SAT was 1260 which might have stopped her from getting into the type of college she's always dreamed of. Now in less than 60 days, she is scoring in the 97th percentile. Can't thank Mike enough for helping her get the kind of SAT scores that reflects her abilities.

Carol, 8 lessons with Mike

Excellent tutor

Mike is really easy going and straightforward. He explained everything clearly and patiently. Only had one lesson so far but I already feel I have learned a lot! Looking forward to the next lessons.

Tim, 6 lessons with Mike

Too early to be extremely specific (only had one lesson), but promising

Mike helped me understand the importance of being clear about what my own ranges are for different number of players and gave me homework based on that. Using that homework, I played four times at casino since our class. I lost $270 the first day (when I was still just kind of vaguely being rigorous about ranges). Then, next three days I won $934 for a net total of $634, which is a huge profit compared to what I was making before just one class.

Calvin, 2 lessons with Mike

Knowledgeable and Helpful!

Mike wanted to understand the crux of the challenge. He is patient, knowledgeable, and willing to assist in providing clarity on the course. Always great to have a tutor who is passionate about assisting others.

Sonia, 1 lesson with Mike
Hourly Rate: $75
Response time: 4 hours
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