What is Unblocking in Poker & Why Does it Matter?

what are unblockers in poker

I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of blockers, which have been all the rage in poker for a few years now… …but have you heard about unblocking? Unblocking is a relatively fresh poker concept that greatly impacts how you should build your strategy in certain situations. This will be the focus of today’s article. Specifically, here…

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How to Play King-Ten Suited in Cash Games

king-ten suited

King-Ten suited (KTs) is one of my favorite hands to play. It’s just so damn good-looking. It’s a strong hand because it has great playability and solid blocker effects. However, you often need to be careful with King-Ten suited in case you’re up against a hand that dominates you (like KJ or AT). To help…

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Garrett Flops the Nuts and Plays a $180,000 Pot (Analysis)

garrett vs gal 180k pot

Garrett Adelstein is known as one of the best live poker players in the world. If you watch live streams, there’s a good chance you’ve seen him in action. Today, we are going to analyze a hand from the Hustler Casino live stream that features Garrett facing off against Gal Yifrach in a humongous pot…

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How to Play Middling Offsuit Aces in Cash Games

middling offsuit aces

Middling offsuit Aces include A6o, A7o, A8o, and A9o. Playing these hands correctly can be tough, even for experienced players. They aren’t super strong hands, but they’re still worth playing in some situations. If you’re always folding middling offsuit Aces, you’re leaving money on the table. However, it’s arguably an even bigger mistake to play…

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The 5 Best Poker Strategy Articles of 2021

best articles of 2021

If you want to crush your poker games in 2022, read on. These 5 must-read articles published on the poker strategy blog will prepare you to dominate the tables in 2022 and beyond. I included something for everyone, regardless of your skill level (#5 is introductory, #2-4 are intermediate, and #1 is relatively advanced). (I…

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The 5 Best Poker Hand Reviews of 2021

poker chip starting stack top angle photo

If you like expert poker hand analysis, you’ve come to the right place. The Upswing Poker team is constantly on the lookout for interesting hands to review. When we stumble upon a great one, we analyze and publish it on the poker strategy blog. This is a list of the 5 most notable/interesting/thought-provoking hands reviewed…

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How to Play King-Jack Offsuit in Cash Games (Preflop & Postflop)

king jack offsuit in cash games

King-Jack offsuit (KJo) is one of those hands that looks super strong to newer players. That’s why Daniel Negreanu calls it “the rookie hand” —  it’s easy to overplay KJo and many players make mistakes with it. But after reading this article, you will be better prepared to win more (or lose less) money when…

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DoorDash Founder Fires $20k Overbet Bluff with Queen-High (Analysis)

doordash founder bluff

For decades, wealthy people have loved to dabble in high-stakes poker games. One such billionaire poker enthusiast is Stanley Tang, the founder of the delivery app DoorDash, who is worth an estimated $2.2 billion dollars. He recently played a session on Hustler Casino Live, where he attempted a bold $20,350 bluff. It might be easier…

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Magic Antonio Tries to Bluff Aces with 9-5 Offsuit (Analysis)

magic antonio bluff

Live games can get crazy at times, especially in high stakes games that are streamed for thousands of viewers. Some players love to make ambitious (and sometimes reckless) plays when there is an audience to entertain. This recent hand between Antonio Esfandiari and Jeremy Levin from Hustler Casino Live is a great example. “Magic Antonio”…

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How to Play Pocket Eights in Cash Games (Preflop & Postflop)

pocket eights

Let’s talk about the snowmen! Playing pocket eights can be tricky. The middling pair is a strong hand that’s very frequently worth playing preflop, but most of the time the flop will have at least one overcard. This makes them difficult to play, so I wrote this article to make it a little easier for…

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[QUIZ] Would You Win the WSOP Main Event?

2021 wsop main event quiz

Every poker player has dreamed of playing at the final table of the $10,000 World Series of Poker Main Event. This quiz will give you that chance, putting you in the shoes of 2021 WSOP Main Event Champion Koray Aldemir. Your goal is to pick the move that he chose. And because Aldemir is a…

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What are Reverse Implied Odds & Why Do They Matter?

reverse implied odds

You’re probably familiar with implied odds, but what about reverse implied odds? If you are not familiar with implied odds, I recommend checking out How to Use Implied Odds Like a Veteran Pro before reading on. Reverse implied odds can be a tricky concept to wrap your head around, but today’s article will make it…

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How to Play Open-Ended Straight Draws in Cash Games

how to play open-ended straight draws

I get a rush of positive energy whenever I flop an open-ended straight draw. It’s just so amazing to hit one of those 8 sneaky outs and win a huge pot. I’d be willing to bet that most of you feel similarly. But playing straight draws correctly isn’t necessarily easy. This article will help you…

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