What’s not to love about suited gappers? You can hit flushes, weird two-pairs, trips, and super disguised straights! A suited gapper is a starting hand with two non-consecutive cards of the same suit that can flop a straight (such as T♠ 8♠, 9♥ 6♥ and J♣ 7♣). In this article, you will learn how to […]
How to Play 4-Straight & 4-Flush Boards Like a Pro (3 Key Tips for Each)
4-straight and 4-flush boards are among the trickiest boards to play. You will find yourself playing these boards in a variety of situations, from single raised pots to 4-bet pots and everything in between. Since the topic is so broad, I will be sharing with you 3 general tips for each one that will guide […]
What is the Poker Game Tree & Why Does It Matter?
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 […]
[QUIZ] Do You Know When to Hold’em/Fold’em at Micro Stakes?
The dreaded micro stakes are where most poker dreams are born, but it can be surprisingly tricky to move past them. Beating the micro stakes is simple, but not easy. It’s simple because you are playing against less technically endowed players. It’s not easy because you are regularly forced to fight against your own biases […]
[QUIZ] Do You Have the Skills to Smash Live $2/$5 Games?
There’s some serious money to be made in live poker, especially as players rush back to card rooms after a year of mandatory off-time. The following 10 hand scenarios will test how prepared you are to profit from the live poker gold rush of 2021 and beyond. Each question covers typical spots that you may […]
3 Micro Stakes Players Pick Up Premium Hands in 3-Bet Pots (Analysis)
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 […]
How to Play Pocket Kings Like a Pro in Cash Games (Even When an Ace Flops)
Let’s talk about Pocket Kings. Playing the cowboys is relatively easy most of the time, but every once in a while a dreaded Ace rolls off on the flop, which reminds me of this meme: In this article, we will help you increase your win-rate with Pocket Kings by covering: How to play Kings in […]
This High Stakes Pro Played $0.50/$1.00 — Here Are 5 Tips from His Session
David “MissOracle” Yan has won a fat chunk of change in poker. Today, we are here to help you replicate some of his success by bringing you five quick tips from the man himself. These were taken from a Play & Explain series in which he demonstrated his skill in a 100NL ($0.50/$1) 6-max Zoom […]
Polarized Ranges vs Linear (Merged) Ranges Explained
If you’ve been around poker for a little while, you have probably heard the terms “polarized” and “linear” when referring to ranges. These are key concepts to know for those who want to crush poker. In this article, you will learn the answers to the following questions: What is a “Range”? What is a Polarized […]
[QUIZ] Can You Ace These 10 Fundamental Preflop Decisions?
Ready to put your preflop fundamentals to the test? This quiz was made with relatively new poker players in mind, but anyone could benefit from a refresher on basic preflop decisions. For each of these questions, imagine that you just sat at a new cash game table with a 100 big blind stack and no […]
Bizarre Multiway Pot Between 3 High Stakes Regs ($28,350 Pot Analysis)
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 […]
High Stakes Reg Pulls the Trigger on 443 Big Blind Bluff (DEX88 vs uwintakeit Analysis)
Have you been following our four-part article series that analyzes some of the craziest nosebleed stakes from early 2021? (If you haven’t, check out parts one and two.) This is part three, in which we will take a look at some super deep stack play that resulted in an enormous 890 big blind pot! Let’s […]
3 River Bluffing Tips That Will Help You Smash Cash Games
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 […]
How to Play Flopped Two Pair in Cash Games
Finally! You’ve flopped that two pair you’ve been waiting for. You’re already smiling inside, thinking how you’re gonna scoop this pot. But what should you do to win the biggest possible pot? That’s what I’m going to cover in this article because, as you’ll see, it’s not always best to play two pair fast. Not […]
How Would You Play This 6♦ 5♦? (Pro Analysis)
Have you ever asked yourself something like… Would a top-level pro have played this hand the same way I just did? If you’re like most poker players, you probably have. Whenever an Upswing Lab member finds themself in a pickle, our Upswing Poker Engage Facebook group is there with like-minded players to help them find […]
Why Was This Pot So Small? (Limitless vs Stefan11222 Analysis)
2021 has had some intense high stakes action. This is the second installment of an article series covering the craziest hands since the year began (see part 1 here). Today we’re going to look at another nosebleed hand that took place at the “modest” stake of $50/$100. It’s from a heads-up battle between two high-stakes […]
