Jungleman Hits $825,635 Straight Flush vs Phil Ivey’s Quads (Analysis)

Half-man, half-machine, Steve Austin was the original six-million dollar man. With superhuman strength and speed, he battled evil for the good of mankind. (I feel like I’m showing my age here!) In this hand, Daniel “Jungleman” Cates is a modern-day Steve Austin, his superhuman brain battling poker legend Phil Ivey for over six-million HK dollars […]

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Can She Fold a Full House Getting 7 to 1? (Analysis)

One of the many common cognitive biases is commitment bias. In short, commitment bias is our unwillingness to make decisions that contradict things that we have said or done in the past. In poker, that is commonly expressed as the feeling of being committed to a pot into which we have invested. Good poker players […]

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€1,115,207 On The Line…Should She Fold A SET? (Analysis)

The late Kenny Rogers famously sang: You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em. Know when to walk away, and know when to run. Today we are going to analyze a famous hand where the person in question (Mario Ho) didn’t know when to hold ’em. The hand sent shock […]

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How to Play Flopped Sets in 8 Common Situations

Who doesn’t love the feeling you get when you flop a set? When it happens, all you can think about is Vegas and the f-in Mirage. But not every flopped set is the same. There are different factors that shape the way you should play your sets. In this article, I’ll explain how to approach […]

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Late Registering Online Tournaments: How Late Is Too Late?

You’re starting to take tournaments seriously. You put a decent amount of time into studying theory / analyzing hands. But you keep finding yourself asking the same question: When should I buy into a tournament? Should I always pre-register, register as late as possible, or something in between? The world of online tournament poker can […]

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$22 Becomes $100,061 in Unbelievably Huge Tournament (Hand Analysis)

Who hasn’t dreamed of turning a small tournament buy-in into a fortune? Upswing coach Daniel “Daniel” McAulay actually pulled off this impressive feat last year. After outlasting over 59,000 players (!!!) in the MicroMillions Main Event on PokerStars, his $22 buy-in had grown to over $100,000. That’s over 5,000 buy-ins! In this article, we are […]

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How “Game Flow” Should Impact Your Decisions in Poker

People aren’t robots. Poker can be a very emotional game, which can cause even experienced players to lose control of their strategy as their stack rises and falls. A tight player with well-memorized ranges might start spewing chips after losing a few big pots. A maniacal 3-bettor might take his foot off the gas if […]

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How ICM Should Impact Your Play at Final Tables

You don’t want to be the person who blows a huge opportunity because of one avoidable decision at a final table. Because of the drastic pay jumps at final tables, your decisions in these spots will greatly impact your ROI. One of the most important factors to consider at a final table is ICM, which […]

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When Should You Slow-Play A Flopped Flush?

Up there with flopping a set, there aren’t many feelings more thrilling in poker than flopping a flush. Just imagine it for a moment. You raise with a hand like A♦ 5♦ and the flop comes… Doesn’t that feel good? But monotone flops like this present an interesting challenge… If you always bet, raise, and […]

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Push Fold Strategy in Poker Tournaments: Beginner’s Guide with Charts!

It happens in most poker tournaments. Your stack gets short and your preflop options are reduced to two: push all-in or fold. Playing optimally in these push-or-fold situations is one thing that separates tournament crushers from average joes. In this article, we’ll cover: What is Push/Fold Strategy? ICMIZER and Chip EV Explained 10bb Push/Fold Charts […]

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10 Poker Infographics That Will Help Your Game

Infographics are a fun and effective way to learn, which is why we’ve created numerous infographics throughout the years. Today’s article is an aggregate of 10 of the most bookmark-worthy poker infographics graphics that we have created. Starting with beginner-friendly topics, the infographics get more advanced as you scroll. Be sure to download the ones […]

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4 Valuable Pieces of Poker Tournament Advice for Beginners

You’ve played your A-game for hours and you made some hands when you needed to. Now, it has finally happened: you’re at the final table eyeing the biggest score of your life. In order to make more moments like this happen for you, I dug through Upswing Poker’s library of tournament articles to pull out […]

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Single-Raised Pots vs 3-Bet Pots: How Should Your Strategy Differ?

If you want to make as much money in poker as possible, you need to be well versed in the most common spots. In this article, we are going to take a look at the differences between the two most common types of pots in poker: single raised pots and 3-bet pots. Based on the […]

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The Ultimate Guide to Squeezing in No Limit Hold’em

The “squeeze” play — 3-betting preflop versus a raise and one or more callers — was once a staple of TV poker. Players used to be much more likely to just call raises before the flop, which presented many squeezing opportunities for aggressive players. Squeezing is a less frequent part of the game nowadays, especially […]

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Can You Ace Our 10 Toughest Quiz Questions?

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 […]

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3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Facing a Bet

Learning poker in 2020 can feel overwhelming. The poker community is always buzzing about solvers and theoretically optimal play — and for good reason. In order to reach the highest levels of the game, you need to be familiar with these things. But for most people, especially those who are newer to the game, mastering […]

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3 Crucial Types of Poker Software for Serious Players in 2020

If you’re serious about poker, there are a few must-have types of poker software / poker tools. Whether you play online or live, these tools can also help take your game to the next level so you can maximize your winnings and rise up in stakes. In this article, I am going to review the […]

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7 Must-Read Articles That Will Help Your Poker Game

I’ve been running the Upswing Poker blog for over four years. In that time I have commissioned, read, and published nearly 1,000 articles to help you, my dear reader, improve your poker skills. Today I’ve gathered seven of the most valuable/fundamental Upswing Poker articles ever published. These articles will help you improve your strategy, mental […]

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5 Mistakes to Avoid When Playing Pocket Aces

After hours of looking down at hands like T♠ 5♣, it finally happens. You get dealt the beautiful pocket aces. But getting dealt the best hand in poker doesn’t entitle you to win a big pot — or even a small pot. To extract max value with your pocket aces, you have to avoid the […]

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10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Exploiting an Opponent

As you’ve probably heard before: everything you do at the poker table conveys information. Anyone that has played live poker for a long time understands that humans are oftentimes bad at hiding what they are thinking. That’s why it’s so important to pay close attention to what your opponents are doing, especially in a live […]

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Patrick Leonard’s 4-Part Recipe for Poker Success

Patrick Leonard certainly knows a few things about success. The English poker pro and partypoker ambassador boasts a poker resume that speaks for itself, with nearly $14 million in career earnings. Leonard recently authored a blog post on Medium, detailing what he calls his “Four Underrated Ingredients to Success”. Inspired by his recent career-high tournament […]

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5 Tips to Stop Bleeding Chips from the Small Blind

The small blind is arguably the most difficult position to master in No Limit Hold’em. This position is particularly challenging for two main reasons: You are forced to pay half of a big blind without looking at your cards You play every single postflop situation with a positional disadvantage If you take this 5-step professional […]

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10 Poker Mindset Mistakes to Avoid

Are mental game mistakes costing you money? In this article I’m going to discuss the most common poker mindset mistakes I see being made by online and live poker players. Whether you’re a high stakes, mid stakes, or low stakes player, you will surely recognize some of these mistakes. 1. Neglecting Your Game When Running […]

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Amir Vahedi’s 3 Bluffing Tips from 2009 Stand the Test of Time

The evolution of poker strategy is fascinating. When I first started my journey into poker a few years ago, I began by reading every old book I could find. As I got more serious about poker, however, I realized that a lot of the strategy taught in these books is outdated. So when I recently […]

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5 Advanced Poker Strategies & Tips To Supercharge Your Poker Wins

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 […]

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[QUIZ] Can You Beat the People of Instagram at Poker?

We love quizzing our Instagram audience with head-scratching poker scenarios. Their responses are usually a mixed bag. The top comment is almost always the hilarious joke “all-in” (makes me laugh every time), but reading the earnest responses gives you an interesting look into how players of different levels approach poker. The quiz below includes 10 […]

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Leveling: How Thinking Too Much Costs You Money at the Poker Table

In 1999 (and then later in 2006) David Sklansky in his celebrated book The Theory of Poker introduced the world to the various levels of thinking in poker. For those unfamiliar with the concept, they can be summarized as follows (slightly renumbered from their original version to include purely irrational actions): Level 0: I do not […]

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How to Avoid Getting Crushed After Defending with a Weak Hand

Most of you already know that you should defend your big blind a lot in tournaments, but do you know what to do next? Specifically, how should you approach postflop play after defending with a weak hand? It’s easy to get lost and make mistakes when playing a hand out of position that you aren’t […]

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[QUIZ] What is Your Poker IQ Score?

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 […]

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3 Key Hands from a Sunday Million Final Table

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 […]

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

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 […]

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How to Handle Downswings Like a Poker Pro

What’s the only thing worse than losing money in one session of poker? Going on a poker downswing that causes you to lose money an extended period of time. Bad beats can seriously test your mental game. Downswings are an inevitable part of poker. It doesn’t matter whether you are brand new to the game […]

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How to Handle Downswings Like a Poker Pro

What’s the only thing worse than losing money in one session of poker? Going on a poker downswing that causes you to lose money an extended period of time. Bad beats can seriously test your mental game. Downswings are an inevitable part of poker. It doesn’t matter whether you are brand new to the game […]

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

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 […]

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

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.

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8 Live Poker Tips That Will Put More Cash in Your Pocket

Home George Mathias|Poker Strategy|Nov 15, 2019 8 Live Poker Tips That Will Put More Cash in Your Pocket 8 Live Poker Tips That Will Put More Cash in Your Pocket George Mathias|Poker Strategy|Nov 15, 2019 Home Despite sharing the same rules, live poker games are quite a bit different than their online counterparts. Whether it […]

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8 Live Poker Tips That Will Put More Cash in Your Pocket

Home George Mathias|Poker Strategy|Nov 15, 2019 8 Live Poker Tips That Will Put More Cash in Your Pocket 8 Live Poker Tips That Will Put More Cash in Your Pocket George Mathias|Poker Strategy|Nov 15, 2019 Home Despite sharing the same rules, live poker games are quite a bit different than their online counterparts. Whether it […]

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5 Tips for Playing Backdoor Flush & Straight Draws

Backdoor draws play a significant role in the range construction process. If you aren’t don’t regularly consider backdoor draws when making decisions at the table, this short list of tips is for you. As you’re about to learn, backdoor draws aren’t valuable just because of their additional equity to hit a strong hand. Backdoor draws […]

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How to Set Up a $145,084 Run in the Sunday Million (Analysis)

If there’s one online poker tournament that everyone wants to final table, it’s the PokerStars Sunday Million. Tournament crusher Moritz ‘Mo’ Dietrich recently did just that, taking home $145,084 after making a deal with two players left. In this article, Mo reveals the strategy behind the first hand he played in the tournament — a […]

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What is Expected Value (EV) in Poker? This Basketball Analogy Will Make it Clear

Today we’re going to discuss expected value — what it means, why it’s important, and how to apply it. It’s one of the most basic concepts in poker, and one of the most important to understand. Table of Contents: What is Expected Value (EV)? Real World Example: The Steph Curry Bet How to Calculate Expected […]

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What is Expected Value (EV) in Poker? This Basketball Analogy Will Make it Clear

Today we’re going to discuss expected value — what it means, why it’s important, and how to apply it. It’s one of the most basic concepts in poker, and one of the most important to understand. Table of Contents: What is Expected Value (EV)? Real World Example: The Steph Curry Bet How to Calculate Expected […]

The post What is Expected Value (EV) in Poker? This Basketball Analogy Will Make it Clear appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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How to Maximize Your Winnings Versus Multiple Limpers

You are playing in a darn good game if you’re often facing multiple limps. To help you maximize your winnings in these juicy games, I am going to shed light on how you should adjust your preflop strategy when more than one player has limped in front of you. Table of Contents: Raising Over Multiple […]

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What an Elite Player Thinks During a Big Final Table (Analysis)

Many tournament players love to talk about their bust out hands. They might play dozens of interesting hands over a 10-hour span, yet that final one is usually all you’ll hear about. We’ve all done it, but this really misses the bigger picture. What separates the tournament crushers from the bad regs isn’t just how […]

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A 3.7 Million Dollar River Card at the WSOP (Hand Analysis)

It’s the 2017 WSOP One Drop final table and just two players remain. The $3,686,865 up top is going to either Upswing Poker’s own Doug Polk or high stakes pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier.  Doug is sitting on a stack of 37.6 million chips (47bb) while Elky has 27.4 million chips (34bb). Doug is on the […]

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4 Quick Hands That Will Help You Conquer Tournaments

Tournament poker can be the most glorious form of the game, or the most brutal. When variance is on your side and you win one, it feels like you’re the best player on the planet. On the other hand, when you are running bad and busting tournament after tournament, it feels like you can’t do […]

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4 Quick Hands That Will Help You Conquer Tournaments

Tournament poker can be the most glorious form of the game, or the most brutal. When variance is on your side and you win one, it feels like you’re the best player on the planet. On the other hand, when you are running bad and busting tournament after tournament, it feels like you can’t do […]

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8 Quick MTT Tips to Help You Top the Leaderboard

The tournament grind is tough. You can go months without a solid score, all the while watching other players succeed around you. Tournaments are nonetheless a high-value format because of the soft competition. So, if you don’t mind the variance, or if you enjoy the format more than cash games, then by all means play […]

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8 Quick MTT Tips to Help You Top the Leaderboard

The tournament grind is tough. You can go months without a solid score, all the while watching other players succeed around you. Tournaments are nonetheless a high-value format because of the soft competition. So, if you don’t mind the variance, or if you enjoy the format more than cash games, then by all means play […]

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Blind vs Blind Play Explained by a Super High Roller

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 […]

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Advance Your Multiway Skills with Nick Petrangelo (Free Video)

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, […]

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Advance Your Multiway Skills with Nick Petrangelo (Free Video)

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, […]

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What Top Poker Pros Already Know About 4-Betting

You’re about to learn how professional poker players approach 4-betting. You’ll find the answers to these key questions in this article: Why do we 4-bet? With which hands should we 4-bet? What 4-bet size should we use? How should we adjust our 4-bet sizes in tournaments? The answers are actually quite simple and you can […]

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What Top Poker Pros Already Know About 4-Betting

You’re about to learn how professional poker players approach 4-betting. You’ll find the answers to these key questions in this article: Why do we 4-bet? With which hands should we 4-bet? What 4-bet size should we use? How should we adjust our 4-bet sizes in tournaments? The answers are actually quite simple and you can […]

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Big Blind Defense Strategy 101: Tournaments vs Cash Games

Did you know that it is basically impossible to win money from the big blind in the long run? The big blind has to pay a full blind without looking at their cards (a massive disadvantage) and will be out of position against most opponents postflop. It’s an unforgiving position with many opportunities for mistakes. […]

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How to Find a Live Poker Tournament

Poker tournaments are still the most popular way to play poker. You have many tools at your disposal when you’re looking for information on live poker tournaments in your area. Whether you’re looking for a local tournament, on vacation, or searching for opportunity to travel and live the poker dream, here are some of the […]

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

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.

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

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.

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7 Poker Tournament Tips for Running Deep More Often

Poker tournament tips is, apparently, a pretty common search term on Google. I assume the searchers are looking for a quick checklist to go over before playing a tournament, and not advice on how much to tip the dealers after a big win. When I searched “poker tournament tips” for myself, none of the results […]

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Why Are Most Poker Players Wimpy Bluffers?

(Photo: PartyPoker) In part 1 of this article series, I told you about the Honesty Principle. The Honesty Principle: As a whole, the poker community bluffs much less than it should. In part 2, you read about the poker artificial intelligence Libratus and its uncanny ability to bluff at balanced frequencies. It should be fairly […]

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When a Poker A.I. Went Crazy with Five-Three Suited (Analysis)

In part 1 of this article series, we talked about the fact that the vast majority of poker players do not bluff often enough. As a result, their betting actions generally represent “honesty” (value hands) rather than “dishonesty” (bluffs). This led me to introduce what I call the Honesty Principle. The Honesty Principle: As a […]

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Why Do Random & Silly Bluffs Work?

Have you ever wondered why pure bluffs work when they do? By pure, I mean situations where the player who is betting has absolutely nothing (not even a draw) while the player who ends up folding has something decent, say at least a pair. Let’s consider the following situation in a live $5/$10 cash game […]

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Why Do Random & Silly Bluffs Work?

Have you ever wondered why pure bluffs work when they do? By pure, I mean situations where the player who is betting has absolutely nothing (not even a draw) while the player who ends up folding has something decent, say at least a pair. Let’s consider the following situation in a live $5/$10 cash game […]

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3 Tips for Winning with Gutshot Straight Draws

If you’ve ever been unsure of what to do with a gutshot straight draw, you’ve found the right article. Today you’ll learn 3 tips that will help you decide when to bet and when to check so that you start earning more money when you hold this type of draw. But first… What is a […]

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Introduction to Pot Odds | How and When to Use Pot Odds in Poker

If you aren’t familiar with pot odds in poker or if you just want a refresher, you’re reading the right article. You are about to learn what pot odds are and how to calculate them step-by-step. After that, we will go over 3 examples of using pot odds in different situations (preflop and postflop). Finally, […]

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

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 […]

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This Proven Method Will Boost Your Live Poker Winnings

You want to increase your live poker earnings, right?  Today you will learn a battle-tested method for doing just that. And all you need to pull it off is an online poker account, a small deposit, and a little bit of free time. The idea is to use online poker as a tool to improve […]

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This Proven Method Will Boost Your Live Poker Winnings

You want to increase your live poker earnings, right?  Today you will learn a battle-tested method for doing just that. And all you need to pull it off is an online poker account, a small deposit, and a little bit of free time. The idea is to use online poker as a tool to improve […]

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Hand Reading 101: How to Read Hands Better Than a TV Pro

Hand reading is one of the most misunderstood concepts among casual poker players. The mistake these casual players make is trying to put their opponent on one specific hand. That may make for good TV, but it’s not a practical or effective way to approach hand reading. You’re about to learn the right way to […]

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Hand Reading 101: How to Read Hands Better Than a TV Pro

Hand reading is one of the most misunderstood concepts among casual poker players. The mistake these casual players make is trying to put their opponent on one specific hand. That may make for good TV, but it’s not a practical or effective way to approach hand reading. You’re about to learn the right way to […]

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What the Best Poker Pros Already Know About Playing vs. Double Barrels

I know something about you without having met you: you love strategy games. (If you didn’t, you probably wouldn’t have clicked on an article about poker strategy.) Whether its chess, Magic: The Gathering, or League of Legends, you’ve probably spent a lot of time playing these games. So, you must already know that there are […]

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5 Strategic Mistakes Poker Players Make (And How to Exploit Them)

Exploiting your opponents’ leaks is how you really take your win-rate to the next level.  What is a Leak in Poker? A leak is a consistent strategic mistake made by a poker player. This article is written so you don’t need to understand poker game theory to use these specific tactics to crush your opposition. That […]

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Why Bad Beats are a Poker Player’s Greatest Gift

A smart friend once suggested to me that perhaps poker would be better if every time players were all-in, the dealer split the pot according to their equity, instead of running it out and pushing everything to the winner of the hand. For instance, if Alice had AA and Bob had KK and both went […]

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This Poker “Cheat Code” Will Help You Win More Hands

You’re about to learn about a powerful play that was kept secret for years by elite poker pros. It’s called “the weak lead”, and it entails leading on the turn into a player who just c-bet the flop. If you’re thinking “isn’t this called donk-betting?” the answer is yes! A decade or so ago, donk-betting […]

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5 Quick Guidelines for Playing Versus C-Bets on the Flop

Poker is a bit like American football. It’s important to have a solid offense (playing as the aggressor), but if your defense (playing vs. the aggressor) sucks, you’re going to have a tough time winning. Perhaps the most crucial defensive situation in poker is playing vs. a flop c-bet after defending your big blind. This […]

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3 Concepts That Should Shape Your Postflop Strategy in 2019 (Positional, Range, and Nut Advantage)

Are you familiar with positional, range, and nut advantages in poker? Using these concepts to shape your postflop strategy will help you make more money in advantageous situations and limit your losses in disadvantageous ones. In this article, you will learn about each of these concepts and how exactly they should impact your strategy. Let’s […]

The post 3 Concepts That Should Shape Your Postflop Strategy in 2019 (Positional, Range, and Nut Advantage) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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3 Theoretically Winning Calls That Lose in Practice

Should you favor a theoretically sound strategy or play exploitative poker? This question has been a hot debate in the poker world for the past several years. Some are fierce supporters of theory (sometimes to their stack’s detriment), while others insist that theoretically sound poker has no value and should be disregarded (an absurd proposition). […]

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3 Theoretically Winning Calls That Lose in Practice

Should you favor a theoretically sound strategy or play exploitative poker? This question has been a hot debate in the poker world for the past several years. Some are fierce supporters of theory (sometimes to their stack’s detriment), while others insist that theoretically sound poker has no value and should be disregarded (an absurd proposition). […]

The post 3 Theoretically Winning Calls That Lose in Practice appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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When Should You Slow-Play a Strong Hand?

It’s generally not a good idea to slow-play strong hands — you’ll usually win more money by fast-playing — but there is a time and a place for every move in poker. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify spots in which a tricky slow-play is more profitable than playing straightforward, and spots where […]

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When Should You Slow-Play a Strong Hand?

It’s generally not a good idea to slow-play strong hands — you’ll usually win more money by fast-playing — but there is a time and a place for every move in poker. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify spots in which a tricky slow-play is more profitable than playing straightforward, and spots where […]

The post When Should You Slow-Play a Strong Hand? appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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What is a Capped Range? How to Take Advantage of (And Protect Your Own) Capped Ranges

You probably already know that a range is the totality of hands that a player can have in a situation. You also probably know that focusing on ranges, not specific hands, is the professional way to approach poker. But are you familiar with the concept of capped ranges? Learning what a capped range is and […]

The post What is a Capped Range? How to Take Advantage of (And Protect Your Own) Capped Ranges appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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3 Spots You Should Actually Consider Theory (And 3 Spots You Shouldn’t)

Poker theory can baffle new players, partly because they have preconceived notions about the game — they’ll say things like, “look him in the eye and you’ll know if he’s bluffing,” or, “I had a feeling that raising was the right play.” Usually, these players learn the hard way that there is much more to […]

The post 3 Spots You Should Actually Consider Theory (And 3 Spots You Shouldn’t) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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What Are Implied Odds? How to Use Implied Odds Like a Veteran Pro

Implied odds aren’t difficult to understand, but many players misapply them while playing. This leads to easily avoidable but costly mistakes. To help you avoid such mistakes, you’re about to learn what implied odds are, how they work, and how they should help shape your strategy. We will cover: What are implied odds? How do […]

The post What Are Implied Odds? How to Use Implied Odds Like a Veteran Pro appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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tonkaaaap Reveals 3 Insights On His Way To A 2000% ROI

“Do as I say, not as I do” -Parker “tonkaaaap” Talbot as he analyzes a hand from a $530 multi-table tournament (MTT) on PartyPoker, which he went on to win for about $10k. In this 1.5 hour hand review for Upswing Lab members, tonkaaaap walks you through every hand he played in this MTT. I […]

The post tonkaaaap Reveals 3 Insights On His Way To A 2000% ROI appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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tonkaaaap Reveals 3 Insights On His Way To A 2000% ROI

“Do as I say, not as I do” -Parker “tonkaaaap” Talbot as he analyzes a hand from a $530 multi-table tournament (MTT) on PartyPoker, which he went on to win for about $10k. In this 1.5 hour hand review for Upswing Lab members, tonkaaaap walks you through every hand he played in this MTT. I […]

The post tonkaaaap Reveals 3 Insights On His Way To A 2000% ROI appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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[QUIZ] Phil Hellmuth Sees Poker Players as Animals. Which One Are You?

When Phil Hellmuth sees a poker player, he sees an animal (according to his book Play Poker Like the Pros). The specific animal he sees — whether it be a mouse, an eagle, or something else — is based on that player’s style. Ready to find out which animal Phil thinks you are? Take this […]

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PKO fans rejoice as massive value BIG Bounty Hunters launched

Bounty Hunter tournaments are some of the most-exciting and potentially lucrative multi-table tournaments found at partypoker, a fact that grows truer with the launch of the value-packed BIG Bounty Hunters. The new BIG Bounty Hunters shuffle up and deal for the first time at 19:00 CET on Monday 24th September and they are sure to […]

The post PKO fans rejoice as massive value BIG Bounty Hunters launched appeared first on Online poker news and updates | partypoker blog.

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$60 million POWERFEST Day 20: More Than $60 Million Paid Out!

The total prize money awarded during the current POWERFEST broke through the $60 million barrier on Day 20 when another $1,531,867 was paid out across 29 events. Let’s check out who won big on Day 20. $60 million POWERFEST: The story so far Days remaining: 2 Events played: 609 Events remaining: 61 Prize money awarded: […]

The post $60 million POWERFEST Day 20: More Than $60 Million Paid Out! appeared first on Online poker news and updates | partypoker blog.

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$60 million POWERFEST Day 15: Ben Tollerene Wins a Championship Event

What a day the 15t day of the $60 million POWERFEST was. Thirty-five champions were crowned and a massive $6,872,414 was distributed among those finishing in the money, taking the total prize money awarded to $45,389,319. POWERFEST runs all this week and you can bet your bottom dollar that Ben “CowEyed” Tollerene will be at […]

The post $60 million POWERFEST Day 15: Ben Tollerene Wins a Championship Event appeared first on Online poker news and updates | partypoker blog.

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POWERFEST Week 3 Guarantees $27M Across 247 Events

There’s $27m in prize money still to be fought for as partypoker gets set to host the third and final week of its latest POWERFEST tournament series. That figure is almost half the amount guaranteed across the entire three-week schedule. 247 tournaments make up week 3 including Event #122 – $3M Gtd Super High Roller, […]

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$60 million POWERFEST Day 10: Sweden’s Niklas Astedt Triumphs in Championship Event

Another $60 million POWERFEST Championship Event has crowned its champion after Swedish superstar Niklas “Drulitooo” Astedt topped a field of 194 players to get his hands on a massive $203,900 cash haul. A total of $3,182,034 was paid on on Day 10 as the POWERFEST approaches the halfway stage. Let’s feast our eyes on the […]

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How to Thin Value Bet Like a Veteran Pro (3 Tips for Thin Value Betting in Poker)

Value betting is how you’ll make most of your money at the tables. This is especially true against recreational players, who tend to be on the over-calling side of the spectrum. Today I am going to share 3 tips for thin value bets that will help you squeeze every last drop of cash from your opponents. […]

The post How to Thin Value Bet Like a Veteran Pro (3 Tips for Thin Value Betting in Poker) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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$60 million POWERFEST Day 4: Big scores for Ilijix133 and skippyskip5

Day 4 of the three-week long $60 million POWERFEST is in the bag with another 29 champions crowned and a cool $1,902,947 paid out, taking the total prize money awarded to $12,770,954. The biggest scores of the day came in the $300K Gtd 6-Max, which ended in a heads-up chop. How much did that heads-up […]

The post $60 million POWERFEST Day 4: Big scores for Ilijix133 and skippyskip5 appeared first on Online poker news and updates | partypoker blog.

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5 Tips for Staying Focused at the Poker Table

Being able to focus for extended periods of time is one of the most important skills a poker player can have. Better focus during sessions will increase your win-rate substantially, and it separates okay-to-good poker players from the great players. Giving the game your undivided attention might even be more important than figuring out your […]

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How to Crush Nits (10 Tactics to Maximize Profit Against Tight Players)

A “nit” is a player with a noticeably weak playing style, and they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. With so many nits out there, learning how to exploit them is very important for your long term win-rate. And beyond that, it’s actually pretty darn fun to exploit these players. Today we’ll discuss how to […]

The post How to Crush Nits (10 Tactics to Maximize Profit Against Tight Players) appeared first on Upswing Poker.

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10 Quick Poker Tips That Will Help Your Game In 5 Minutes

If you’re looking for easy to remember and quick poker tips that will help you win, you’re in luck! Today we’ve compiled 10 tactics and strategies that will make you a more confident and profitable poker player. Now, this list won’t teach you how to win every time – not even the greatest poker players […]

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France Lead the Click Card Championships, But They Can Still Be Caught

The Click Card Championships have been running since June 14th and continue to do so until July 15 when the 2018 FIFA World Cup concludes. partypoker players have been busy grinding away in cash games, tournaments, sit & go jackpot games in addition to playing casino games and placing sports bets to earn points for […]

The post France Lead the Click Card Championships, But They Can Still Be Caught appeared first on Online poker news and updates | partypoker blog.

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Which Draws Should You Semi-Bluff With?

Bluffing is an indispensable part of the game—as Doug likes to say, “Bluffing is life in poker.” In this article, we’ll discuss how to go about choosing hands to semi-bluff, and we’ll break down the process that every elite player uses to fine-tune this aspect of their game. What makes a good semi-bluffing hand? There […]

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3 Hand Histories That Highlight a Sneakily Crucial Poker Concept

With so much post-flop play, it might seem like cash games are more difficult than tournaments. The best tournament players, however, are adept at playing every street across a range of different stack depths.  In this article, we’re going to discuss stack-to-pot ratio (SPR) and how it affects post-flop play. We’ll be looking at three […]

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3 Can’t-Miss Lessons from a $12,895 Tournament Score

‘A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.’ It takes a certain kind of wisdom to gain and maintain success at the poker table. Since poker isn’t a solved game, there’s always room to improve. The most successful players understand and respect this fact, but to […]

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If You Get 8/10 On This 3-Bet Pot Quiz, You’re a Shark

How competent are you at playing 3-bet pots as the defender? Take your time and think carefully, because these 10 questions are tough. For each question, assume that you have no information about your opponent. And be sure to share your results at the end. Best of luck!  Note: Everything on upswingpoker.com is 25% off […]

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Final Table Poker Strategy: The #1 Biggest Mistake to Avoid

With steep pay jumps and top-heavy payout structures, the final table of any poker tournament is where big money is earned or burned. In this article, we’ll look closely at the biggest mistake made at final tables: overly tight/passive play. Along the way, we’ll have real-world examples to discuss from live tournaments, along with key […]

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Monster Series Day 5: $100K Gtd at 19:00 CET remains huge value

Day 5 of the $2.7 million Monster Series saw another 15 champions crowned and another $275,756 in prize money paid out despite the tournaments’ buy-ins ranging between $0.44 and a still affordable $33. All of the Monster Series tournaments are excellent value thanks to their low buy-ins and big guarantees. One event in particular, however, […]

The post Monster Series Day 5: $100K Gtd at 19:00 CET remains huge value appeared first on Online poker news and updates | partypoker blog.

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