Every skilled poker player has the c-bet (short for “continuation bet”) in their arsenal. C-betting capitalizes on two crucial facts: The preflop aggressor usually has the strongest range of any player in the […]
Should You Ever Donk-Bet On The Flop?
What is Donk Betting? A Donk-Bet is a somewhat unorthodox bet made by an out of position player who was not the aggressor in the previous street. Donk-betting used to be one of the greatest sins a poker player could commit. Back in the hay day of Limit Hold’em, as No-Limit was gaining popularity, most […]
3 Situations to Value Your Overcard Hands in Texas Hold’em
You look down at your cards. You see a nice high card hand, like KQ, QJ or even AK. Your raise picks up a caller or two. Then, you completely whiff on the flop, which is pretty sad. But wait, it might not be over yet! As you will see in this article, there are […]
10 Things You MUST Know Playing In A Poker Home Game
Throughout the years I’ve played in some serious high-stakes home games in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. And I have certainly seen my share of crazy antics, angle shooters, and hidden opportunities for profits. Based on those experiences, here are my top 10 things you need to know before playing in live home games. What […]
Leveling: How Overthinking Costs You Money at the Poker Table
What is Leveling in Poker? Also known as Multiple Level Thinking, Leveling is the concept of evaluating a poker situation beyond what cards you hold in your own hand. In 1999 (and then later in 2006) David Sklansky in his celebrated book The Theory of Poker introduced the world to the various levels of thinking […]
[QUIZ] Do You Know Which Hands to Bluff With?
Knowing when to bluff is one of the most important aspects of poker, which is why we’re making another quiz to test your skills. In this quiz, your technical understanding of bluffing on every street will be challenged, from preflop through the river. Keep in mind that multiple answers might be good bluffing hands, but […]
Which Draws Should You Semi-Bluff With?
Bluffing is an indispensable part of the game—as Doug likes to say, “Bluffing is life in poker.” In this article, we’ll discuss how to go about choosing hands to semi-bluff, and we’ll break down the process that every elite player uses to fine-tune this aspect of their game. What is a Semi-Bluff? Semi-bluffing means betting […]
When Should You Slow-Play a Strong Hand?
It’s generally not a good idea to slow-play strong hands — you’ll usually win more money by fast-playing — but there is a time and a place for every move in poker. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify spots in which a tricky slow-play is more profitable than playing straightforward, and spots where […]
Checking Flop With Top Pair: When Should You Do It?
If you continuation bet every time you hit top pair on the flop, you make yourself easy to play against. Every top player knows that there are certain situations in which you must check top pair (at least some of the time) in order to protect your checking range. Examples of such situations are examined […]
How to Play Poker in a Casino (Beginner’s Guide & 5 Pro Tips)
You can find many different ways to play poker without ever stepping into a casino. That first trip to a casino poker room can be an intimidating venture, however, no matter how much time you’ve put into online poker or home games. Casino poker rooms operate with their own sets of standards, and the specifics […]
What is a Block Bet & When Should You Do It?
Block betting is a poker tactic that has been around for a while. For many years, players debated its effectiveness using their own intuition. However, now that solvers exist, we have definitive proof that block bets are the correct play in some situations. This article covers what a block bet is and when should you […]
Hellmuth Crushes Negreanu’s Soul with 8♣ 3♣ (Analysis by Polk & Negreanu)
Sometimes you see a hand that makes you think: “what the hell am I looking at right now?” This hand between Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth is a perfect example. Half of the analysis in this article is directly from Daniel, as he explained his thought process on a recent episode of the Doug Polk […]
The Filthiest Hand from the $10,000,000 Wynn Millions (Analysis)
Imagine this… You are playing one of the first $10,000 buy-in tournaments post-lockdown, and it’s the biggest tournament of the summer. You build up a huge stack on day 1 — one of, if not the biggest in the field — only to run the best possible full house into a top pro’s quads on […]
When Should You C-Bet with Middle or Bottom Pair in Cash Games?
Many aspects of poker strategy have fluctuated overtime… …including whether or not you should c-bet with middle or bottom pair on the flop. With the help of solvers, we now have a much clearer view of when it’s a good idea to do so. In this article, I am going to explain why you would […]
What is Fold Equity and Why Does it Matter?
If you’ve played poker for a while, you’ve probably heard the term fold equity. In this article, I am going to explain what fold equity is and why it’s important to understand if you want to maximize your winnings at the tables. What is Fold Equity? Fold equity is the probability that a player will […]
What is Two Pair & How Should You Play Two Pair?
Two pair is usually quite a strong hand in a game of poker. To make two pair, you must have two distinct pairs in the same five-card hand. Here is an example of two pair: The hand above is two pair, tens and threes. Other examples of two pair include A♠ A♦ 8♣ 8♦ 2♣ […]
