The Truth About ICM (According to Nick Petrangelo)

icm with nick petrangelo

High stakes tournament crusher Nick Petrangelo views the Independent Chip Model (ICM) differently than most tournament players. Nick shares his views in his ICM Unmasked course. Here’s a quote from the introduction video: I think that people have gotten really carried away with the concept of ICM and it being very rigid…but I think there…

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How to Win Your Blind vs Blind Battles (as the Preflop Caller)

blind vs blind wsop joke

Does it feel like you’ve been getting into more blind versus blind battles recently? If so, you are correct. Blind versus blind battles have become more frequent and important in the past few years due to a change in the meta-game. Players used to open significantly more often from the cutoff and on the button,…

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Big Blind Defense Strategy 101: Tournaments vs Cash Games

big blind defense strategy cash vs tournaments

Did you know that it is basically impossible to win money from the big blind in the long run? The big blind has to pay a full blind without looking at their cards (a massive disadvantage) and will be out of position against most opponents postflop. It’s an unforgiving position with many opportunities for mistakes.…

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How to Win on Low Flops When You’re Out of Position

low flops out of position

If you’ve ever looked down at a low flop and been unsure how to proceed, this is the article for you. Today we’re going to focus on how to play on low boards out of position after raising before the flop. This can be an intimidating spot because the stack-to-pot ratio is high (making it…

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[QUIZ] Can You Face Down a Double Barrel on the Turn?

Do you know when to fold, call, and raise against a double barrel on the turn? Let’s find out!Answer the following 10 questions in which you are the big blind versus a player who raised on the button, bet on the flop, and bet again on the turn, then […]

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Should You Stop Cold-Calling in Cash Games?

cold-calling cash games

Some poker players think you should only 3-bet or fold and never cold-call versus a single preflop raise. Other poker players think cold-calling is worth including your strategy. Who’s right? Today we’re going to go over cold-calling in cash games. We’ll start with the pros and cons so you can understand the basics of the…

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Why Are Most Poker Players Wimpy Bluffers?

wimpy bluffers

(Photo: PartyPoker) In part 1 of this article series, I told you about the Honesty Principle. The Honesty Principle: As a whole, the poker community bluffs much less than it should. In part 2, you read about the poker artificial intelligence Libratus and its uncanny ability to bluff at balanced frequencies. It should be fairly…

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[QUIZ] Do You Actually Know When to Delay C-Bet?

delay c-betting quiz

Ready to quiz your delayed c-betting skills? (Delayed c-betting is when you bet on the turn after checking back on the flop as the preflop aggressor. You can read up on this tactic before taking the quiz here.) Good luck, and don’t forget to share your score […]

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When a Poker A.I. Went Crazy with Five-Three Suited (Analysis)

poker artificial intelligence ai

In part 1 of this article series, we talked about the fact that the vast majority of poker players do not bluff often enough. As a result, their betting actions generally represent “honesty” (value hands) rather than “dishonesty” (bluffs). This led me to introduce what I call the Honesty Principle. The Honesty Principle: As a…

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When to Avoid a Solver’s “GTO” Plays

when to avoid theory

I was just listening to a podcast with Doug Polk and Andres “Educa-p0ker” Artinano. This quote from Andres stood out (paraphrased): Solvers are very good for studying the preflop and flop strategy, but not so useful for studying the turn and the river. Andres is basically saying that it’s less important to play theoretically sound…

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Why Do Random & Silly Bluffs Work?

why do pure bluffs work

Have you ever wondered why pure bluffs work when they do? By pure, I mean situations where the player who is betting has absolutely nothing (not even a draw) while the player who ends up folding has something decent, say at least a pair. Let’s consider the following situation in a live $5/$10 cash game…

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3 Hands That Will Help You Bluff-Catch with More Success

bluff-catching strategy

Is there a more satisfying feeling in poker than calling a bluff? I really don’t think there is. I’m sure you want to experience feeling as much as possible, so you’re about to see 3 hand breakdowns that will help you sniff out more bluffs and fold at the right time. Each hand will include…

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3 Tips for Winning with Gutshot Straight Draws

gutshot straight draw strategy tips

If you’ve ever been unsure of what to do with a gutshot straight draw, you’ve found the right article. Today you’ll learn 3 tips that will help you decide when to bet and when to check so you can start earning more money when you hold this type of draw. But first… What is a…

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