Want to learn more about Dustin Goldklang? Learn about his poker history here:
Where is your original hometown, and where do you call home now?
I grew up in Atlanta, GA, in the United States. After moving around a bunch, I’ve been living in Asheville, North Carolina for the past few years.
Where specifically are we most likely to see you playing cards these days?
I mostly play online, but I go to Harrah’s Cherokee a few times a year, and Vegas in the summer for WSOP.
When and how did you start playing poker?
I started playing with friends for fun around 2005. I’ve always enjoyed games, and strategy/puzzle games in particular, so I ended up taking it more seriously than all my friends just because I loved the game, which led me to getting involved in the underground Atlanta poker scene. I was 18 years old and playing private games with mostly middle-aged businessmen.
When and how did you decide to play poker professionally/seriously?
As a birthday present one year, my older brother deposited $50 for me on Party Poker. I started playing for fun, but when I realized I could make more money per hour than I could at a normal day job, I stuck with it.
What do you consider your proudest poker achievements?
In 2014, I won two major online tournaments two Sundays in a row.
When and how did you start coaching others (please include a specific year)?
I started coaching in early 2011. I was watching more and more training videos, and noticed there were plenty of micro and small stakes players looking for a coach. I gave it a shot and discovered that I have a passion for teaching, and ended up enjoying coaching even more than playing.
What is your coaching specialty? Do you consider yourself a ‘specialist’ in any games, and if so, please say which games and why.
For the majority of my poker playing and coaching career, I have focused on online no-limit hold’em cash games. Last year I transitioned to PLO, which is the majority of what I play now, and I have begun coaching 3 students in PLO, helping them with the transition from NL. I also play tournaments and have done a fair amount of MTT study, but I don’t really coach tournament play unless I’m specifically asked to.
What is your goal in providing coaching through Red Chip Poker? What do you hope to achieve for our members?
I hope to provide players with new insights and new ways to think about the game. Everyone has their own style, and my style emphasizes logic and strong thought processes, including knowing what variables to consider when and why, and how to use that information to make the best decisions at the table.
Please share a coaching success story with us:
Instead of a story, I’d like to share a graph one of my students sent me:
Do you have a professional career / background outside of poker? If so, please describe in brief.
Nope—poker has essentially been my only job ever, besides delivering pizza for 3 days when I was 18.
What are your favorite hobbies and pursuits outside of poker?
I play music and write songs and help set up DIY shows in my town. I also enjoy spending time outside, cooking, eating and drinking, learning, and playing with my dog.
Provide any links to your results (Hendon Mob, etc.) or a screenshot of your graph if you wish:
Here are all my online NL Hold’em hands from 2016:
Rapid Fire Fun Questions:
Favorite color: green
Favorite starting hand: 86 suited
Favorite poker room: Harrah’s Cherokee
Last song you listened to: “When I Needed You” by Carly Rae Jepsen
Waffles or pancakes: no thanks (carbs in the morning make me feel lethargic)
Favorite drink: old-fashioned
Favorite thing to cook: ribs
Do you have a lucky object?: I have a dirty Hawaii hat that I wear for luck sometimes
Favorite board game: Is PLO a board game? They call community cards “the board”, right? Settlers of Catan is fun too.
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