chess coach considerations

When selecting a chess coach, how important is it that the coach play similar openings to what I currently play. For example, should I exclude a coach because I am a 1. d4 player and the coach in question plays 1. e4. Or I play 1. ...e5 as black but the coach is a lifelong 1. ...e6 player.

How much should I let title (GM,IM, etc.) influence my decision? If I'm a 1900 USCF for example, is selecting a NM coach going to give me the improvement I'm after?

Although an NM could certainly help a 1900 rated player, I think that a coach should usually be more than 300 points higher than the student because 1900 players sometimes do beat NMs, especially if they are currently improving. I took a few lessons from IM Stupavsky when I was 1850-1950, and I felt it really helped me, but I honestly don't know that an NM would be able to help as much, especially because I frequently played them and would often draw and occasionally beat them. As general rule I'd say try to get a coach at least 400 points higher than you, although of course there are exceptions, especially when you're over 2000.

As for the repertoire question, I'd say ask the coach. Most coaches probably wouldn't mind because most of them would know the ideas of most openings.

No idea what a d4 player, and no idea what a e4 player is?  If youre looking for an openings coach then yes it might matter.  But if youre looking for a coach to improve your all around game i dont see what difference the opening makes?

Titles are nice, but that doesnt make a good coach or a good fit for you.  Finding the right coach is like trying on shoes.  You need to try different types of shoes, and not base your choice on how they look, but on how they feel.

My first coach was rated 2100, and our playing styles differed completely.  But he was a terrific coach.

Yeah, with respect to repertoire, I'm just wondering if for example an e4 player will have only superficial knowledge of d4 openings. And how much that matters. Because, presumably, getting a coach to give opening recommendations and advice is not the best use of a coach...

Depending on your level 1000 rated player, any 1800 plus  could coach, openings of the coach makes no difference.  If you are 2000+ the situation is much different.

I'm 1920 USCF and I'm aiming for 2000-2100 rating in the short term.

@Fiveofswords yeah my repertoire doesn't change much, and you're right, the opening choices have a big influence on the type of middlegame. And I'm assuming that someone who plays 1.d4 is going to be able to look at my games, and be able to make specific (very useful) comments, like "hey, uh, in the Benko Gambit king walk line, you almost never want to move the bishop there, because..." whereas a 1.e4 player might not have that depth of knowledge. 

 Then you want a coach who plays your openings or someone who is an opening expert who knows many openings. I believe if you pick im or gm as your coach, most of them will have good understanding of most of the major openings.

Fiveofswords, a IM or GM could teach you stuff about an opening you had studied for the past ten years even if they never saw the moves before. 

Three days ago you lost to an 1100er in a standard game. There might be something. 

But that makes it easier to prepare for you even if you don't have games in the database. People will just find games of your coach.

@pfren no, my question was more around the fact that if I know I'm sticking with 1.d4 and 1. ...e5 as black, should I look for  a coach that plays those things. Or at least one of those things. I assume that I would get more bang for my buck if I find a good match, but maybe that's a bad assumption.

also I'm wondering how a coach will distinguish between my "style" and the fact that I might happen to be playing a bunch of openings that don't particularly fit my "style"? Like, if I play the Chigorin Defense, and even if I do it pretty well, does that make me an unorthodox attacking player that leans towards complicated positions? Or would I play a QGA or Nimzo Indian with even better results, because the Chigorin does not actually fit my style?

@fiveofswords are you speak hypothetically or did you actually look at one of my games (it doesn't really matter much but your statement got me curious)? they're all 5 minute games and honestly they're a mixed bag...some I play embarrassingly bad and others I'm pretty proud of the play, even for blitz. My original question is a real one that I'd have for a coach (e.g. should I dump the chigorin for something more strategic/solid) and I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but picking up a new defense to d4 is time consuming and I have other areas of focus right now.

if this is the one you looked at, https://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=1430843847, 4. Nf3 is the book move, and 4. e3 would be a huge mistake, because 4. e3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 dxe3! 6. Bxb4? exf2+ 7. Ke2 fxg1=N+ 8. Rxg1 and black is winning. That's a standard Albin trick. I lost that game pretty badly but because 5. ...c5 is a little unusual and I wasn't sure what to do; but not castling was definitely wrong! Not my finest moment.

Haha, Fiveofswords likes to get a bit of attitude sometimes and say outrageous things. Nice destruction of his post, amusing in a way, IM pfren has often done similar.... it keeps him quiet for a while, but give it a few weeks and he'll be back making ludicrous claims as if this never happened and as if he's a good player. 

People are allowed to make mistakes. I don't even know if the game I posted is the one he looked at. It's just my most recent vs a NM.

huh, what are you on about man?  I am always on the side of people who make mistakes, except if they made them a lot and over big claims. 

Don't insinuate I don't allow for people to make mistakes please. 

Also the way you came in with that you made it sound like you were quite sure it was the one, so how about thinking about your own mistakes and clarify better. 

I'm just being polite and giving people I don't know the benefit of the doubt.  He says he meant 5.g3 and not 4.Nf3, and I can accept that.

Don't pick at another person's post please for the sake of being "polite".