I think a coach can definitely acclerate the learning process. I do think, however, that you simply have to have been in certain situations enough times to realize the right play. It other words, a coach is no substitute for experience, which is what I took you to mean by paying your dues. No matter how good your coach is they can't teach you that bad feeling you get in your gut when you have aces and get check raised on the turn. But once you've had that happen enough to you, you realze that 9 out of 10 times you're beat and better off letting go right then. So I don't think they can teach the instincts that you develop with experience, ie "paying your dues."