Intermediate Poker Strategy Articles
Popular Intermediate Articles
5 Situations Where C-Betting Will Burn You
C-betting is a fundamental part of playing good, solid, winning poker. There are many situations where c-betting frequently is the…
Top Pair, Bad Kicker? Here’s the Right Way to Play It
This article shares strategic advice from Uri Peleg on how to play top pairs with a weak kicker. The insights…
Where does the EV come from in poker?
Continuing on the idea from the article I wrote recently (Should You Play Like a Nit Preflop?), in this article,…
All Intermediate Poker Articles
Play More Hands, Win More Pots: 5 Tips for PLO MTT Success
Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) tournaments are a completely different animal from No-Limit Hold’em. If you try to carry over your standard…
Push Fold Charts for Poker Tournaments, Plus More Advanced Strategies
Note: Updated February 2026. For the original article and charts scroll to the bottom. In the mid-2010s, the emergence of…
How to Play the Turn After Range Checking the Flop (Part 1)
Some time ago, I wrote about a few spots where checking your entire range on the flop is the right…
3-Bet Preflop Strategy with Updated Range Charts
3-betting preflop is a fundamental strategy for winning at poker. Getting it right is also easier than ever, thanks to…
PR0DIGY vs Riggedeck: A $35,000 Hand Breakdown from the Cash Game World Championship
As we steam ahead with the 2025 Cash Game World Championship (CGWC), I am going to break down a hand…
We’re Cutting Prices for Cyber Monday (25% Off Everything)
The 2025 Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sale is over. We’ll see you 2026 with more sales and more killer…
Unleash Your Potential with Lucid Poker
This will change your poker game for the better. Lucid Poker Version 3.0 launches on November 10, offering a faster,…
Deep vs Shallow Study: The Key to Rapid Poker Improvement
Uri Peleg is arguably the best poker coach in the world. He just released a game-changing course called Upswing Lab…
(Sneak Peek) Lab 2.0 is Your Path to Poker Mastery
Ready to destroy weaker recreational players and come out on top against your fellow regulars? Upswing Lab 2.0 will teach…
LLinusLLove vs. AbsoluteTopUp: A Masterclass in Flush Draw Dynamics
I’ve got a hand straight from the Cash Game World Championship hosted by CoinPoker. This one features Linus “LLinusLL0ve” Loeliger…
Top Pair, Bad Kicker? Here’s the Right Way to Play It
This article shares strategic advice from Uri Peleg on how to play top pairs with a weak kicker. The insights…
Where does the EV come from in poker?
Continuing on the idea from the article I wrote recently (Should You Play Like a Nit Preflop?), in this article,…
3 Preflop Exploits That Work in Live Championship Events
The biggest live tournament of the year is underway. Whether you’re in the mix or just railing the action, there’s…
Should You Play Like a Nit Preflop?
A player recently asked: “If only a minority of preflop hands make the majority of the money, why should I…
How Elite Poker Pros Play Pocket Kings Postflop
Everyone gets a nice hit of dopamine and adrenaline when they’re dealt pocket Kings. Your unconscious mind expects a big…
5 Tips for Improving Your Skills with PokerTracker
In this article, I’m going to share five ways you can use PokerTracker to improve your game. I’ve been a…
Limps in Poker: The Ultimate Guide to Crushing Open Limpers
Think of limpers as your most valuable customers. Every time you see someone limp into the pot, you’re being handed…
5 Preflop Tips to Help You Crush on ClubWPT Gold
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new poker site available to most residents of the USA. It’s called ClubWPT…
3 Tips to Make Your Opponents Regret Raising Your Big Blind
Playing well out of the Big Blind (BB) is essential. The pots you play after defending your BB might be…
3 Money-Making Exploits That Work in 99% of Poker Games
Whether to attempt to play a game theory optimal (GTO) strategy has been a hot topic in the poker world…
3 Pro Tips for Playing Overpairs (via Lucid Poker)
Are you maximizing your winnings with overpairs? Playing them correctly can mean the difference between extracting max expected value (EV)…
5 Tips For Check-Raising The Flop (via Lucid Poker)
Check-raising is an essential skill to master. In this article, I’ll share 5 key tips for check-raising on the flop…
How to Exploit Maniac Poker Players
Note: The new Lucid Poker channel will be posting helpful videos like this regularly. Click here to subscribe! Once again,…
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…
Quads vs Full House in High Stakes Poker Game
Even the best poker players in the world deal with brutal bad beats. This hand features two powerhouse players going…
How To Play Underpairs in Cash Games
It sucks when your pocket pair misses the flop, especially when you’re looking at three overcards. But you shouldn’t always…
Top Poker Pro Borrows Common Low Stakes Tactic ($99,136 Pot)
Let’s visit the top of the poker food chain! The following hand took place in an online nosebleed $500/$1,000 ($200…
Nightmare for Pocket Aces! Huge Hands Collide in Massive Pot
Sometimes losing a massive pot is avoidable; sometimes it isn’t. Let’s take a look at a huge pot from a…
When Should You Set Mine with a Pocket Pair? These 5 Tips Will Clear Things Up.
You call a raise with pocket sevens and stare anxiously as the dealer reveals the flop… Queen… Jack… SEVEN! As…
What Is Showdown Value & Why Does It Matter?
Understanding showdown value is one key to becoming a winning poker player. It is a fundamental concept that shapes postflop…
Firing a Triple Barrel Bluff with 6♣️ 5♣️ on K-7-4 (Analysis)
All of the world’s top poker players have something in common: they play extremely aggressively. Playing aggressively allows you to put tremendous pressure on your opponents, which oftentimes forces them to […]
How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Raiser)
As I said in part 1 and part 2 of the series, blind vs blind battles are happening way more often than they used to. This means there is more money to be won in these increasingly common spots. The focus of this article is playing […]
How to React to a Check-Raise on the Turn: Theory vs Practice
If facing a turn check-raise has ever made you hate life, this is the article for you. We are about…
Bluff-Raising the River with $38,381 on the Line (Analysis)
You’re about to improve your final table skills with Nick Petrangelo’s third and final free strategy video before the release of his new course High Stakes MTT Sessions. Nick starts the video with a short walkthrough of the course, then moves on to a […]
Super High Rollers BATTLE on the Money Bubble (Analysis)
As promised, Nick Petrangelo is back to help you improve your tournament skills. The focus of this hand review video is blind versus blind strategy, but some money bubble-related concepts come up as well. Enjoy! Ready for video #3 covering a big final […]
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! […]
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: Riess started the hand as by far the shortest […]
When to Avoid a Solver’s “GTO” Plays
I was just listening to a podcast with Doug Polk and Andres “Educa-p0ker” Artinano. This quote from Andres stood out…
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…
How to Win More Chips When Out of Position in 3-Bet Pots
Like I said in part 1 of this series, a quick way to increase your win-rate is to improve your…
When Should You Bet on the Flop After 3-Betting?
A quick way to increase your win-rate is to improve your c-betting strategy in 3-bet pots. This article series will…
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…
[QUIZ] Which Upswing Poker Training Course is Made for You?
Have you considered upgrading your skills with an Upswing Poker training course? Read on! Take this quick quiz to find out which course is best for your poker playing needs, or keep scrolling for a breakdown of each course. […]
3 Spots You Should Actually Consider Minimum Defense Frequency (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,…
Pros and Cons of 66% & 100% Pot-Sized C-Bets (The Ultimate Guide, Part 2)
Ready to bolster your flop c-betting skills? Today you’re going to learn the advantages and disadvantages of two common flop…
What Flop C-Bet Size Should You Use in Cash Games? (The Ultimate Guide, Part 1)
Here’s a situation you’ve probably faced many times. You are playing a $0.50/$1.00 cash game. The action folds to you…
Stop Letting Your Poker Ego Cost You Money & Happiness
What’s going on, Upswing fam? Today we’re mixing things up with a guest post that aims to help you with…
10 Must-See Strategy Chats from the Upswing Community
Join the Upswing Community YOUR NEW POKER STRATEGY GROUP Connect with thousands of players, share hands, get coached, and level…
5 Can’t-Miss Insights from an Online Cash Game Juggernaut
We Lab members are truly fortunate. We get to watch a top online cash game player, Fried “mynameiskarl” Meulders, play…
3 Strategic Mistakes to Avoid in Tournaments with Nick Petrangelo
Meet the latest elite player to join the Upswing team: Nick Petrangelo. Nick is a tournament crusher who you’ve probably…
Stop Tanking: 5 Reasons Why Playing Faster Will Make You Richer & Happier
Trends in live poker seem to come and go overnight. One that hasn’t gone away yet, unfortunately, is slow play…
How to Make Profitable Decisions Against Any Bet Size (Minimum Defense Frequency vs Pot Odds)
Faced with a bet, you can react in one of three ways: call, fold, or raise. It’s usually pretty apparent…
Can You 10/10 OtB_RedBaron’s Strategy? — Advanced Poker Quiz
‘Otb_Redbaron’ is considered one of, if not the best 6-max player right now, and Upswing’s own Andres Artinano (‘Educa-p0ker’) has been battling him for years. In fact, Andres built his strategy by studying the Baron’s strategy, and he […]
How to Analyze Your Poker Hands Effectively in 5 Minutes
(If Google sent you here to find out what beats what in poker, check out our guide to poker hands.)…
How to Beat the Guy Who Is Always Betting — Countering an Aggressive Poker Strategy
Geez, this guy just won’t stop betting. I just need to be patient, wait for a strong hand, and then…
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…
Stop Fearing Triple Barrels with this Professional Approach
Let’s be honest: we all sigh when an opponent fires that dreadful triple barrel, putting us to the test both…
How to Check-Raise on the River Like a Pro
It’s difficult to play out-of-position as the preflop caller. In this scenario our opponent, the preflop raiser, has both a…
4 GTO Myths That Way Too Many Poker Players Believe
GTO? More like GT-NO! Today we’ll be debunking 4 big myths about game theory optimal poker strategy, or “GTO,” as…
3 Can’t-Miss Insights from a Cash Game Millionaire
One of the best players to ever grace the 6-max cash game format, Andres “Educa-p0ker” Artinano, is here to drop…
Poker Training Course: Upswing Lab 2.0
Enjoying the free strategy articles, but want to take your game to the next level? Upswing has a poker training path for you in the new Lab 2.0 to move from intermediate to advanced as you work beyond the Launch Pad and into the Mastery Path. Lessons are from some of the world's best coaches including Uri Peleg, Gary Blackwood, and Qing Yang. Lab 2.0 gives you a clear path to sharper and more profitable play.
Enjoying the free strategy articles, but want to take your game to the next level? Upswing has a poker training path for you in the new Lab 2.0 to move from intermediate to advanced as you work beyond the Launch Pad and into the Mastery Path. Lessons are from some of the world's best coaches including Uri Peleg, Gary Blackwood, and Qing Yang. Lab 2.0 gives you a clear path to sharper and more profitable play.