Poker Strategy
Pro Poker Player Moves Down in Stakes (to Help You Move Up)
If you play relatively low stakes (online or live), read on. One of our coaches, Gary “GazzyB123” Blackwood, recently dropped down to 10NL ($0.05/$0.10) at the request of Upswing Lab members who play those games. (Note: If you’re a Lab member, you can watch the full 10NL session here. Not a Lab member? Click here…
Read MoreWhat is Double Barreling in Poker? 3 Tips for Profitable Double Barrels In Cash Games
What is a double barrel in poker? A double barrel is a bet on the turn made by the same player who bet on the flop. For example, suppose I bet on the flop, you call, and I follow through with another bet (a double barrel) on the turn. Why is double barreling important? A…
Read MoreTwo God-Tier Poker Players Clash in $225,800 Pot (Analysis)
Life-changing money has been changing hands in some of the biggest online cash games in recent memory. In this hand, we have online cash game crusher Linus Loeliger facing off against tournament wizard Michael Addamo, who has over $19,000,000 in winnings. The blinds are $500/$1,000 with a $200 ante. Without any further ado, let’s dive…
Read MoreHow to Play Suited Queens (Q9-Q2) in Cash Games
The medium and low Queen-high suited hands are quite versatile, and they’re worth playing occasionally. If you play these hands too often, you’ll find yourself spewing money. If you never play them, on the other hand, you’re leaving money on the table. In this article, I am going to share: How to Play Suited Queens…
Read MoreTim Jenkins Joins the Upswing Poker Coaching Team
The latest addition to the Upswing Poker roster of coaches began his poker journey playing heads-up for match sticks in a New Zealand tramping hut. Then a teenager on a hiking trip, Tim Jenkins didn’t fare well in his first poker game. The match sparked a new interest in poker for the New Zealand native,…
Read MoreDoug Polk Does The Thing He Said To Never Do (Analysis)
Doug once said “don’t fold sets” in No Limit Hold’em… …but apparently he was being hyperbolic because that’s exactly what he did in the hand you’re about to see. The video above features Upswing coach Nick Petrangelo breaking down Doug Polk’s heroic lay down, and offers some tips on how to know when to fold…
Read MoreHow to Play Queen-Ten Suited in Cash Games
Queen-Ten suited is one of those strong and silent types of poker hands. It’s not a premium Rolls Royce like Pocket Aces. Instead, it’s more of a Volvo: fast, reliable, and safe. Nothing wrong with that in my book! In this article, you will learn the following: How to Play Queen-Ten Suited Preflop 3 Tips…
Read MoreDid Doug Polk Screw Up? Elite Poker Pro Nick Petrangelo Breaks It Down
If you want to win as much as possible in live cash games, read on. Nick Petrangelo is an elite poker pro known for his $24 million in tournament earnings. He’s also a cash game crusher who started playing $1/$2 (at Turning Stone Casino) and worked his way to beating the highest stakes tables in…
Read MoreTop Poker Pros Battle for Half a Million Dollar Pot (Analysis)
The boys are back at it again. Today’s hand is a nasty one between two online juggernauts, Linus Loeliger (LLinusLove) and Wiktor Malinowski (Limitless), battling it out at astronomical stakes. The blinds are $500/$1,000/$2,000 in an online 6-max game in which both players are sitting with more than $200,000 stacks. There is also an $800…
Read MoreAndrew Neeme Battles Doug Polk in $11,700 Pot (Analysis)
Let’s examine a nasty hand between Upswing Poker founder Doug Polk and professional poker player/vlogger Andrew Neeme. The two friends clash with big hands in a massive pot while playing in a cash game at The Lodge Card Club in Austin, Texas. Let’s dive into this doozy. Preflop Action The blinds are $5/$10/$20 with a…
Read More2 Winning Ways to Adjust Your Preflop Strategy in Low Stakes Live Poker
If you’re an online player diving into the world of live poker, one of the first things you notice is that the rake is absurdly high compared to what you’re used to. This is especially true at the lowest-stakes games ($1/$2 through $2/$5). As you climb the stakes, rake becomes less of a factor. But…
Read MoreHow to Play Pocket Sevens in Cash Games
Let’s talk about the hockey sticks! Pocket Sevens is one of those “good, but not easy to play” hands. Middling pairs are strong hands that are very frequently worth playing preflop, but most flops will have at least one overcard. Misplaying the Sevens regularly will make them feel less like hockey sticks and more like…
Read MoreHow to Spot Preflop Sizing Tells in Live Cash Games
If you pay enough attention at a low stakes live poker table, you may notice that some (or all) of your opponents have preflop sizing tells. You just have to know what to look for… These sizing tells, found particularly at live $1/$2 through $2/$5, will be the focus of today’s article. Let’s dive in.…
Read MoreWhy You Should NOT Chop When Deep In A Tournament
If you have ever made a deep run in a tournament, you may have been asked “Do you want to chop?” It’s no wonder why. Especially in bigger tournaments, the pay jumps at final tables can be steep. You are playing for massive stakes with no idea what the future holds. But while making a…
Read MoreThe (Stupid-Simple) Golden Rule for Low Stakes Cash
You probably know that live poker games are far softer than online games. If you want to maximize your win-rate in live cash games, you have to get good at identifying and attacking the leaks that are commonly exhibited by live players. Like in online games, an in-depth understanding of game theory is an asset,…
Read MoreShould He Try To Bluff The Recreational Player? (Analysis)
I’ve analyzed a lot of high stakes tournament hands here on the Upswing Poker blog, so I figured some readers might appreciate a dip into a low stakes hand. After all, tournaments in the $10-50 buy-in range online and the $100-500 buy-in range live are what the majority of poker players prefer to play. That’s…
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