Category: advanced

What is the Poker Game Tree & Why Does It Matter?

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Upswing Poker

Learning poker is a gradual process. You start by learning about your hand strength and play poker without factoring in much else. Gradually, you start to consider more factors like board texture and ranges. But as you become a more advanced player, you start to look at the game differently. Sophisticated, high-level players take a […]

The post What is the Poker Game Tree & Why Does It Matter? appeared first on Upswing Poker.

3 Micro Stakes Players Pick Up Premium Hands in 3-Bet Pots (Analysis)

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Upswing Poker

Improving at poker is easier when you’re surrounded by like-minded people. That’s why those of us at Upswing Poker take great pride in the exclusive Upswing Poker Engage group. In the private Facebook group for members of the Upswing Lab training course, members and coaches interact for thoughtful, high-level poker discussions. (If you’re not a […]

The post 3 Micro Stakes Players Pick Up Premium Hands in 3-Bet Pots (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Bizarre Multiway Pot Between 3 High Stakes Regs ($28,350 Pot Analysis)

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Upswing Poker

Nosebleed online poker has been active in 2021. We’ve been tracking some of the craziest hands, as you can see with our first, second and third installments of this four-part series on the craziest cash game hands of 2021. The final hand of this series is a particularly weird one (definitely not solver approved) between […]

The post Bizarre Multiway Pot Between 3 High Stakes Regs ($28,350 Pot Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

3 River Bluffing Tips That Will Help You Smash Cash Games

Posted on April 6, 2021 by Upswing Poker

Bluffing is the most fun part of poker for some people. For others, it’s the most terrifying part. On the river, when the pot is at its biggest, it can be especially hard to pull the trigger. But you can’t let the fear of getting called deter you from bluffing the river altogether. In order […]

The post 3 River Bluffing Tips That Will Help You Smash Cash Games appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Print Money on Paired Flops as the Preflop Raiser

Posted on March 19, 2021 by Upswing Poker

Playing well on paired boards is crucial in order to maximize your win-rate. To help with this, cash game pro Fried ‘mynameiskarl’ Meulders launched a learning module in the Upswing Lab course, focusing on how to play paired flops. In this article, you will learn some of the basic principles from this new lesson. I […]

The post How to Print Money on Paired Flops as the Preflop Raiser appeared first on Upswing Poker.

What Is Equity Distribution & Why Does It Matter?

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Upswing Poker

There’s no doubt about it: Poker has gotten tougher over the years. There are many concepts that shape modern strategy that were unheard of during the height of the poker boom. One of those concepts is equity distribution. If you want to play (close to) optimal poker in certain scenarios, understanding equity distribution is crucial. […]

The post What Is Equity Distribution & Why Does It Matter? appeared first on Upswing Poker.

The 100 Most Valuable Poker Strategy Articles for 2021

Posted on January 26, 2021January 27, 2021 by Upswing Poker

Hopefully you’ve taken advantage of all the great strategy content that’s available here at Upswing. But in case you’ve missed something, or want to double back and reinforce what you’ve learned, we’ve compiled our top strategy articles. Each of them falls under one of the following categories (click to jump to that section): General poker […]

The post The 100 Most Valuable Poker Strategy Articles for 2021 appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How To Play Ace-King On A Middling Flop After 3-Betting

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Raise your hand if you feel like every time you 3-bet with AK, the flop brings three undercards. 3-bet pots are common, but the amount of money involved from the get-go makes things a bit more tense. Today we will try to ease that tension by explaining how to proceed on a pretty common board […]

The post How To Play Ace-King On A Middling Flop After 3-Betting appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Can You Ace Our 10 Toughest Quiz Questions?

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Upswing Poker

There are dozens of poker quizzes here on Upswing Poker. Over the past few days, my team and I sifted through each of them to find the 10 questions that were answered incorrectly at the highest frequency. In other words, these are the most challenging Upswing Poker quiz questions ever. All were answered correctly by less […]

The post Can You Ace Our 10 Toughest Quiz Questions? appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Dominate Ace-High Flops in 3-Bet Pots (Deep Analysis)

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Upswing Poker

You need to be well-versed in 3-bet pots if you want to win in 2020. 3-bets are much more common than they used to be, which is why it’s more important than ever to know how to play well in 3-bet pots. This article will zoom in on one specific, but relatively common situation: playing […]

The post How to Dominate Ace-High Flops in 3-Bet Pots (Deep Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Simplify Your Poker Strategy Without Sacrificing Value

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Upswing Poker

We all strive for simplicity in our life, but is it something to strive for in poker too? Short answer: Yes. In this article, I am going to cover some pros and cons of simplifying your poker strategy so it’s easier for you to execute in-game. Then, I’ll demonstrate the (very low) cost of simplifying […]

The post How to Simplify Your Poker Strategy Without Sacrificing Value appeared first on Upswing Poker.

10 Crucial Stats To Include On Your HUD In 2020

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Want to maximize your win-rate? Then you always need to be on the lookout for ways to exploit your opponents. One of the best ways to do that is by using a HUD. What is a HUD in poker? Short for Heads-Up Display, a HUD is a tool used in online poker games to track […]

The post 10 Crucial Stats To Include On Your HUD In 2020 appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Should He Call 3 Expensive Barrels With Middle Pair? (Analysis)

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Upswing Poker

When you play poker, it can be easy to feel like a one man wolfpack. Even if you get along with the people that you are playing with, at the end of the day, you are still competing against them for money. Table camaraderie only goes so far. That’s why it’s so important to network […]

The post Should He Call 3 Expensive Barrels With Middle Pair? (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

5 Advanced Poker Strategies & Tips To Supercharge Your Poker Wins

Posted on June 2, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Ready for some advanced nuggets of poker wisdom that will help your game? For today’s article, I dug through Upswing’s extensive library of strategy articles and extracted five of the most important tips that have been covered over the years. While these tips cover vastly different topics, they should all play a part in your […]

The post 5 Advanced Poker Strategies & Tips To Supercharge Your Poker Wins appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Bluff-Raising to $302,000 vs Patrik Antonius (Analysis)

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Let’s take a look at what is perhaps the most interesting TV poker hand Doug Polk ever played. The blinds are $1,000/$2,000 with $2,000 in total antes. Both Doug and his opponent, the famous Patrik Antonius, are very deep, with an effective stack depth of $470,000 (235 big blinds). Let’s dig into the action! Preflop […]

The post Bluff-Raising to $302,000 vs Patrik Antonius (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Was This Bluff a Mistake? (Analysis)

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Upswing Poker

This two-part article series will help you improve your strategy with missed draws. In part one, cash game crusher Fried Meulders missed a flush draw with Q♥ 7♥, but got his opponent to fold with a couple of huge overbet bluffs. This time Fried misses a straight draw in a 3-bet pot. Will his aggression […]

The post Was This Bluff a Mistake? (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Stuck Inside? Watch a Free Poker Training Video from a Premium Course

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Crazy times. We know a lot of you are stuck inside at the moment, battling boredom and (hopefully not too much) stress on a daily basis. To help you pass the time and improve your poker skills, we’re giving you a full Play & Explain video from the Upswing Lab training course (for free). So, […]

The post Stuck Inside? Watch a Free Poker Training Video from a Premium Course appeared first on Upswing Poker.

[QUIZ] What is Your Poker IQ Score?

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Upswing Poker

How knowledgeable are you when it comes to the most popular “big bet” poker games? This 8-question quiz includes questions about No Limit Hold’em (cash games and tournaments), Pot Limit Omaha, and “big bet” poker theory […]

The post [QUIZ] What is Your Poker IQ Score? appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Why 5♠ 4♠ is Better Than 9♠ 8♠ (And How That Fact Impacts Optimal Strategy)

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Since the advent of preflop solvers, poker players have discovered some very interesting things about preflop strategy. One particularly interesting and useful discovery has to do with suited connectors. In certain scenarios, low suited connectors (like 54s) are preferable to higher ones (like 98s). You’re about to learn why, and how you should adjust your […]

The post Why 5♠ 4♠ is Better Than 9♠ 8♠ (And How That Fact Impacts Optimal Strategy) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

3 Key Hands from a Sunday Million Final Table

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Home Ernest Gorham|Poker Strategy|Jan 28, 2020 3 Key Hands from a Sunday Million Final Table 3 Key Hands from a Sunday Million Final Table Ernest Gorham|Poker Strategy|Jan 28, 2020 Home Ready to improve your strategy by getting inside the head of a truly great tournament pro? Keep reading. One of the best parts of the […]

The post 3 Key Hands from a Sunday Million Final Table appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How the World’s #1 Cash Game Player Has Changed His Strategy

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Home Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Jan 10, 2020 How the World’s #1 Cash Game Player Has Changed His Strategy How the World’s #1 Cash Game Player Has Changed His Strategy [This post contains video, click to play] Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Jan 10, 2020 Home The text below is based on the video above. How has LLinusLLove been crushing […]

The post How the World’s #1 Cash Game Player Has Changed His Strategy appeared first on Upswing Poker.

When to Attack After Your Opponent Checks Back (4 Tips for Probing)

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Upswing Poker

Home Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Jan 3, 2020 When to Attack After Your Opponent Checks Back (4 Tips for Probing) When to Attack After Your Opponent Checks Back (4 Tips for Probing) Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Jan 3, 2020 Home Being out of position sucks, but it sucks a lot less when your opponent checks back on the flop. […]

The post When to Attack After Your Opponent Checks Back (4 Tips for Probing) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

When to Attack After Your Opponent Checks Back (4 Tips for Probing)

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Upswing Poker

The post When to Attack After Your Opponent Checks Back (4 Tips for Probing) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Online Poker Legend Shares Secrets for Four Flush Boards

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Home Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Dec 20, 2019 Online Poker Legend Shares Secrets for Four Flush Boards Online Poker Legend Shares Secrets for Four Flush Boards [This post contains video, click to play] Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Dec 20, 2019 Home Boards with four cards of the same suit are a special combination of weird and rare… …and many […]

The post Online Poker Legend Shares Secrets for Four Flush Boards appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Mastering 4-Bet Pots with Deliberate Practice (Quiz & New Tool)

Posted on December 17, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Home Alex Sutherland|Poker Strategy|Dec 17, 2019 Mastering 4-Bet Pots with Deliberate Practice (Quiz & New Tool) Mastering 4-Bet Pots with Deliberate Practice (Quiz & New Tool) Alex Sutherland|Poker Strategy|Dec 17, 2019 Home We’re mixing things up today with a guest post from one of Upswing Poker’s partners (Simple Poker). If you use solvers, the five […]

The post Mastering 4-Bet Pots with Deliberate Practice (Quiz & New Tool) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Play Strong Hands on Monotone Flops (Check-Raise vs Slow-Play)

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Home Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Dec 13, 2019 How to Play Strong Hands on Monotone Flops (Check-Raise vs Slow-Play) How to Play Strong Hands on Monotone Flops (Check-Raise vs Slow-Play) [This post contains video, click to play] Mike Brady|Poker Strategy|Dec 13, 2019 Home The text below is based on the video above. Imagine taking a seat at […]

The post How to Play Strong Hands on Monotone Flops (Check-Raise vs Slow-Play) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

(Quiz) Let’s Play a Final Table with $173,000 Up Top

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Home Ernest Gorham|Poker Strategy|Dec 10, 2019 (Quiz) Let’s Play a Final Table with $173,000 Up Top (Quiz) Let’s Play a Final Table with $173,000 Up Top Ernest Gorham|Poker Strategy|Dec 10, 2019 Home Fortunes are won and lost at final tables, so it’s crucial you play well when you’re lucky enough to make one. To help […]

The post (Quiz) Let’s Play a Final Table with $173,000 Up Top appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Flopping Top Set in a $1,000,000 Tournament (Analysis)

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Humans are results oriented creatures. When we lose a hand we’ll go over it in our heads numerous times. Yet when we win a hand we often don’t give it a second thought. However, when analyzing your play, it’s extremely important to look back at all of your hands with an analytical eye, regardless of […]

The post Flopping Top Set in a $1,000,000 Tournament (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Flopping Top Set in a $1,000,000 Tournament (Analysis)

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post Flopping Top Set in a $1,000,000 Tournament (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Firing a Triple Barrel Bluff with 6♣️ 5♣️ on K-7-4 (Analysis)

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Home Dan B.|Poker Strategy|Nov 8, 2019 Firing a Triple Barrel Bluff with 6♣️ 5♣️ on K-7-4 (Analysis) Firing a Triple Barrel Bluff with 6♣️ 5♣️ on K-7-4 (Analysis) Dan B.|Poker Strategy|Nov 8, 2019 Home All of the world’s top poker players have something in common: they play extremely aggressively. Playing aggressively allows you to put […]

The post Firing a Triple Barrel Bluff with 6♣️ 5♣️ on K-7-4 (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser)

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Home Dan B.|Poker Strategy|Oct 11, 2019 How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser) How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser) Dan B.|Poker Strategy|Oct 11, 2019 As I said in part 1 and part 2 of the series, blind vs blind battles are happening way more […]

The post How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser)

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser)

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser)

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to React to a Check-Raise on the Turn: Theory vs Practice

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Upswing Poker

If facing a turn check-raise has ever made you hate life, this is the article for you. We are about to go over both the theoretical and practical aspects of this situation so you can quickly identify the winningest strategy for your given hand. Table of Contents: General Advice for Playing vs Turn Check-Raise Practice […]

The post How to React to a Check-Raise on the Turn: Theory vs Practice appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to React to a Check-Raise on the Turn: Theory vs Practice

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post How to React to a Check-Raise on the Turn: Theory vs Practice appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Blind vs Blind Play Explained by a Super High Roller

Posted on June 28, 2019 by Upswing Poker

As promised, Nick Petrangelo is back to help you improve your poker skills. The focus of this hand review video is blind versus blind strategy, but some money bubble-related concepts come up as well. Enjoy! [This post contains video, click to play] Check back for video #3 next Friday! It will cover a big spot […]

The post Blind vs Blind Play Explained by a Super High Roller appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Advance Your Multiway Skills with Nick Petrangelo (Free Video)

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Upswing Poker

High stakes tournament BOSS Nick Petrangelo is here to bolster your multiway pot game. He’s also got a special announcement about a new project he’s been working on. Watch below! [This post contains video, click to play] Want to win a free shirt, hat, or hoodie from the Upswing shop? For a chance to win, […]

The post Advance Your Multiway Skills with Nick Petrangelo (Free Video) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

Advance Your Multiway Skills with Nick Petrangelo (Free Video)

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post Advance Your Multiway Skills with Nick Petrangelo (Free Video) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

When a WSOP Champ Called All-in with Ten-High (Analysis)

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Upswing Poker

With 5 players left in the 2019 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event, Ryan Riess and Manig Loeser played a hand that shocked poker fans around the world. Here’s what the stacks looked like before the hand was dealt: And the prize structure: Riess started the hand as by far the shortest stack — even shorter […]

The post When a WSOP Champ Called All-in with Ten-High (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

When a WSOP Champ Called All-in with Ten-High (Analysis)

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Upswing Poker

The post When a WSOP Champ Called All-in with Ten-High (Analysis) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

When to Avoid Playing Theoretically Sound

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Upswing Poker

I was just listening to a podcast with Doug Polk and Andres “Educa-p0ker” Artinano. This quote from Andres stood out (paraphrased): Solvers are very good for studying the preflop and flop strategy, but not so useful for studying the turn and the river. Andres is basically saying that it’s less important to play theoretically sound […]

The post When to Avoid Playing Theoretically Sound appeared first on Upswing Poker.

The Only Two Valid Reasons to Bet in Poker (Every Other Reason is Wrong)

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Why do we bet? This question has fascinated the best poker players for decades now. The legendary David Sklansky probably had the biggest contribution to the unraveling of the reasons behind fundamentally sound betting. Until recent years, the consensus was that there are two reasons to bet: To get value with our strong hands from […]

The post The Only Two Valid Reasons to Bet in Poker (Every Other Reason is Wrong) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

How to Win More Chips When Out of Position in 3-Bet Pots

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Upswing Poker

Like I said in part 1 of this series, a quick way to increase your win-rate is to improve your c-betting strategy in 3-bet pots. Last time you learned about c-betting in position (IP) as the 3-bettor on two different types of flops (coordinated and uncoordinated). Today you’ll learn about c-betting out of position (OOP) as the […]

The post How to Win More Chips When Out of Position in 3-Bet Pots appeared first on Upswing Poker.

When Should You Bet on the Flop After 3-Betting?

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Upswing Poker

A quick way to increase your win-rate is to improve your c-betting strategy in 3-bet pots. This article series will help you get ahead of your competition by improving your understanding of these crucial spots. In this first part, we’ll take a look at c-betting in position (IP) as the 3-bettor on two different types of […]

The post When Should You Bet on the Flop After 3-Betting? appeared first on Upswing Poker.