How to Analyze Your Poker Hands Effectively in 5 Minutes

analyze poker hands

(If Google sent you here to find out what beats what in poker, check out our guide to poker hands.) The difference between a strong player and a weak player is what they do after a poker session. Weak players play poker hands and forget about them. They put themselves in tough spots and fail…

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[QUIZ] Are Your Check-Raising Skills Razor Sharp?

check-raise strategy quiz

Do you have sweet check-raising skills? Do your opponents shake with fear before firing a c-bet? Let’s find out! For each question, assume you have no solid reads on your opponent. And make sure you share your score at the end! […]

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Playing Blind vs Blind — 5 Tips to Help You Stack More Chips

blind vs blind poker strategy

Sub-optimal blind versus blind play is a common leak among amateurs and professionals alike. Players often neglect this part of their game because blind versus blind situations seem infrequent. But they probably happen a more often than you think. In this article, we’ll discuss 5 tips for improving your blind versus blind strategy. We’ll look…

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When Should You Continue Barreling on a Brick Turn Card?

If you’ve ever been confused on the turn after c-bet-bluffing on the flop, then this article is for you. Knowing whether or not to fire that second barrel will have a huge impact on your overall results. Today I’m going to help you understand when to continue barreling and when it’s best to surrender the…

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Rounders Analyzed: 3 Hands Played By Mike McDermott & Teddy KGB

rounders poker strategy analysis

What’s your favorite poker movie? And why is it Rounders? Today we’re going to analyze 3 hands played in this iconic movie. If you haven’t seen Rounders, don’t worry: you’ll still learn from the strategy talk. That said, you should stop reading if you want to avoid spoilers! The 3 hands we’ll discuss are played…

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How Equity Denial Influences (Almost) Every Decision & Your Results

equity denial

Equity denial underlies almost all of your decisions at the poker table, even if you don’t realize it. When understood and considered correctly, it can increase your edge in every spot and thus improve your win-rate. In this article, I will explain exactly what equity denial is and how it ought to shape your strategy.…

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3 Heads-Up Rules Drawn from a $20,000 Buy-In Match

heads up poker rules

Let’s talk heads-up poker! Today we’ll dive into a $100/$200 cash game match between Doug Polk and Ben ‘Sauce123’ Sulsky – world-class heads-up players who have faced off many times.  Doug recorded the match and analyzed notable hands in an 11-part video series for his advanced heads-up training course. I’ve watched the first few parts of the…

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3 Aggressive Tactics Winning Regulars Already Use

aggressive poker tactics

Hoping to gain insight into where good aggressive players take advantage of their opponents, I recently watched Fried “mynameiskarl” Meulders play $5/$10 Zoom in the Upswing Lab. Fried is an absolute cash game beast who crushes Zoom on PokerStars–some of the toughest poker games in the world. Here’s his results from a 100k hand sample…

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7 Tips You Can Learn from 1 High Stakes Online Poker Hand

high stakes online poker hand analysis

Have you ever wondered what the end bosses of poker are doing that makes them so much better than everyone else? If you’re like me, then you most certainly have. Lucky for us the end bosses at Upswing listen to what the people want, and have dedicated an entire Upswing Lab module to breaking down hands…

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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

3-bet pot strategy quiz

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. […]

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

final table poker strategy

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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