What is the Poker Game Tree & Why Does It Matter?

poker game tree

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…

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[QUIZ] Do You Know When to Hold’em/Fold’em at Micro Stakes?

micro stakes holdem foldem quiz

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…

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Going for Value in Two High Stakes Tournament Hands (Analysis)

high stakes MTT hands

To help you improve your strategy in tournaments, today we’re taking a look at two key tournament hands played by high stakes regular Moritz ‘MuckCallOk’ Dietrich. (We call him Mo.) These two hands are straight from Mo’s last video series in the Upswing Lab training course, which is a 5-part review of hands from some…

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4 Tournament Mindset Tips for Poker Success (ft. ALLinPAV)

allinpav mental game tips

Upswing Poker coach Hristivoje “ALLinPav” Pavlovic has proven that the poker dream is still alive. About five years ago he was grinding micro stakes with a small bankroll. Fast forward to today, and he’s a mid/high stakes tournament pro that is one of the most popular Twitch poker streamers. There’s no doubt about it: rising…

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[QUIZ] Do You Have the Skills to Smash Live $2/$5 Games?

live 2/5 poker quiz

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…

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3 Micro Stakes Players Pick Up Premium Hands in 3-Bet Pots (Analysis)

micro stakes premiums

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…

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Pocket Kings Strategy, Even When an Ace Flops

pocket kings

Let’s talk about how to play Pocket Kings. Pocket Kings are a premium hand, and your goal is to build the pot preflop while re-evaluating after the flop. With KK preflop, you should: Raise first-in every time Always 3-bet vs a raise Mostly 4-bet vs a 3-bet 5-bet all-in in most situations They key to…

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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…

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[QUIZ] Can You Ace These 10 Fundamental Preflop Decisions?

preflop fundamentals quiz

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…

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Bizarre Multiway Pot Between 3 High Stakes Regs ($28,350 Pot Analysis)

zas vs luckycps vs stefan11222

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…

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3 River Bluffing Tips That Will Help You Smash Cash Games

river bluff tips

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…

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How Would You Play This 6♦ 5♦? (Pro Analysis)

65s how would you play it

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…

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