[QUIZ] When Should You Probe Bet Versus A Check Back?

vs missed c-bet quiz

To probe or not to probe — that is the question. The following 10 hand questions take place on the turn after the preflop aggressor checked back on the flop. This is a super common spot that you need to understand if you want to succeed in poker. […]

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How to Win More Chips with Your Bluff-to-Value Ratios

bluff to value ratio

Have you ever heard of bluff-to-value ratio? When understood correctly, this concept will help you make more profitable plays both as the aggressor and versus aggression. In this article, you’ll learn: What is bluff-to-value ratio? The purpose of bluff-to-value ratio and how to use it Specific ratios you should aim for on the flop, turn, and…

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5 Quick Guidelines for Playing Versus C-Bets on the Flop

versus flop c-bet

Poker is a bit like American football. It’s important to have a solid offense (playing as the aggressor), but if your defense (playing vs. the aggressor) sucks, you’re going to have a tough time winning. Perhaps the most crucial defensive situation in poker is playing vs. a flop c-bet after defending your big blind. This…

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Avoid These 3 Mistakes to Keep Your Poker Journey on Track

doug polk as a train

If you want to be a successful poker player in 2019, you need to prioritize your fundamentals. (That’s what I explained in part 1 of this article series. If you missed it, you may want to check it out before reading on — click here to read part 1 now.)  In this article, we will…

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Stop Bleeding Money in 3-Bet Pots (Playing Vs Missed Turn C-Bet)

3-bet pot vs missed turn c-bet

The fastest way to improve at poker is to study the most consequential and frequent spots, such as 3-bet pots. In this article, you will find some tips and tricks for 3-bet pots that will help you win more consistently. More specifically, we are going to analyze 3 hands which have the following in common:…

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3 Theoretically Winning Calls That Lose in Practice

I love GTO except in these spots for exploits text over poker player wearing black hat

Should you favor a theoretically sound strategy or play exploitative poker? This question has been a hot debate in the poker world for the past several years. Some are fierce supporters of theory (sometimes to their stack’s detriment), while others insist that theoretically sound poker has no value and should be disregarded (an absurd proposition).…

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How a Strategy Mastermind Adjusts in Smaller Games (3 Hands)

bovada zone hands

Adjusting your strategy to exploit weak players is one of the most valuable skills you can have as a poker player. Today we’ll take an in-depth look at 3 hands played by strategy mastermind Ryan Fee during a 50NL session he recorded for Upswing Lab members.  While analyzing each hand, we’ll focus on Fee’s read-based…

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[QUIZ] Can You Beat $0.10/$0.25 on PokerStars?

micro stakes 25nl on pokerstars

Poker games are getting tougher to beat by the day, especially on the world’s most competitive poker site. Even at the once-super-soft micro stakes tables, you will run into many players who are serious about the game.Can you beat $0.10/$0.25 on PokerStars […]

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How Should You React to Check-Raises on the Flop?

versus check-raise

It sucks to get check-raised, especially when you’re not totally sure how to react. It’s easy if your opponent is a tight player who rarely bluffs, against whom you should fold all but your strongest hands. But what to do when a tough player — someone capable of bluffing — check-raises you?  After reading this…

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The Ultimate Guide to 6-Handed Poker | 6-Max Cash Game Strategy

6-max poker strategy

6-max (or 6-handed) poker games are by far the most popular online cash game format. They’re so popular, in fact, that they’ve almost completely replaced full-ring (or 9-handed) games on most online poker sites. If you want to become a successful online cash game player, having a strong 6-max game is mandatory. If you’re a…

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How Doug Polk Reacts to Flop Raises (3 Example Hands)

vs flop raise

You’re about to get a look at three hands played by Doug Polk at $2/$5 on WSOP.com. The focus of each hand is on how to properly play against flop raises, which can be pretty tricky. Doug recorded this session for members of the Upswing Lab to watch and learn from. Get in the Lab…

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