A common question we get from LearnWPT students is:

"How should I play the early stages of a poker tournament when stacks are deep?"

During the first few levels of a tournament when stacks are still deep, do you sit back and only play premium hands, or should you be mixing it up by playing more hands to try and build a big stack?

Not Sure How to Play Deepstacked?

We got you covered! The team of world class poker professionals at LearnWPT - The Official Poker Training Platform of The World Poker Tour® - are here with expert strategies to immediately upgrade your deepstack poker tournament play.

LearnWPT Instructors Katie Stone and Tony Dunst took a break from the action at the$2,500 WPTDeepStacks Championship at Thunder Valley Casino Resort to talk about some common mistakes they see players make when playing in deepstacked poker tournaments.

5 Key Poker Strategy Tips To Play Better in Deepstacked Poker Tournaments:

The early stages of a championship poker tournament with super deep structures like you find on the World Poker Tour require a specific strategy shift. It’s not uncommon for the average stack to equal 100 times the current big blind level or more during the first few hours in the tournament. Players typically start with 30,000 chips with blinds at 100/100 and 1 hour long levels and you need to change your strategy for these situations.

Anytime you find yourself in a deepstack poker tournament situation remember these 5 Strategies for Deepstacked Play:

➧ Strategy Tip #1 - Adjust your First-In Ranges
➧ Strategy Tip #2 - Be Cautious with 1-Pair Hands
➧ Strategy Tip #3 - Don’t Call too Loose Preflop
➧ Strategy Tip #4 - Attack Limpers
➧ Strategy Tip #5 - Use Board Texture as Your Guide

Now... let's dive deeper into, well, deepstack poker and review some in-depth poker strategy to help you incorporate LearnWPT’s 5 Strategies for Deepstacked Play:

So, What Exactly is Deepstack Poker?

Deepstack: adjective
deep·stack \ ˈdēp ˈstak \

1) For a poker situation to be considered deepstacked from a strategic perspective the standard opening raise size has to be 4% or less than the effective stack for the table, typically when the effective stack is 100BB or more. Think of the effective stack in terms of the smallest stack between players in a poker hand, or the most you can win or lose in a specific hand of poker given stack sizes.

For example, if the effective stack for a hand at your table is 10,000 chips with blinds at 100-100 and the standard raise for the table preflop is 300 chips, the game is considered deepstacked.

If for some reason the average raise size before the flop at your specific table was 1,000 chips with the same 10,000 chip effective stacks and 100-100 blinds, then the game would be considered shallow.

Need a Refresher or Effective Stack Basics?:

A deepstacked championship structure allows you to exercise far greater patience, however you can also make critical mistakes early in the tournament. Your approach to deepstack poker tournament play should be to maximize chances of making a deep run with prudent aggression, while protecting against losing big chunks of your stack in spots that are avoidable.

🏋️ Understanding Relative Hand Strength

Watch this Strategy Episode from Nick Binger to learn key strategic factors for determining how your poker hand strength can change during the course of a given poker hand based on an opponent's actions and likely range of hands.

Understanding how your hand strength shifts during a hand is an essential component of winning deepstacked poker play.

Factors that Affect Relative Hand Strength:

• Number of Opponents - The more players you face in a hand = the strong average hand at showdown. Assume 2-pair or better when getting action in multiway pots
• Board Texture - Coordinated boards such as T♠8♠7♥ connect with your opponents in deepstacked multiway pots far more often than dry or scattered flops such as K♦2♠2♣. Two-pair combinations are also far more likely on coordinated boards
• Stack Depth - You need a big hand to continue with when the money starts going in on multiple streets and stacks are deep. When you do flop a big hand avoid slowplaying unless you are heads up vs a single opponent on a dry board

Deepstack Advice from An All-Time Great 🐐

Who better to learn the nuances of deepstacked poker tournament play than the incomparable Vanessa Selbst?

In this Strategy Episode Vanessa outlines critical strategic adjustments to ensure a balanced approach to maximizing EV in multiway pots on coordinated flops that you can apply to your next tournament or cash game session.

Vanessa’s Advice for Multiway Pots:

• Study the WPT GTO Trainer so you know the default strategy
• Identify opponents who deviate from GTO to exploit
• Reduce c-betting frequency and focus on range advantage
• Add speculative hands to preflop first-in range to stop from being exploited
• Bet value hands only on coordinated boards - especially against sticky opponents

Are All 1-Pair Hands Created Equal?

In this Strategy Episode Nick Binger breaks down 3 fundamentals for deepstack poker tournament play including:

1. How to label players in the Blinds
2. Raising multiple limpers to take the initiative
3. How to rank 1-Pair hands by class to eliminate the need for guesswork at the table

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies for deepstack play in tournaments from Team LearnWPT. Be sure to follow us or subscribe below for more FREE poker content.

We Want To Hear From You!

Please share your success and let us know how these strategies changed your game. Follow us Twitter @learnwpt, Facebook, and Instagram or send us an email to [email protected] and you may be featured in upcoming LearnWPT content!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

Have Questions about LearnWPT? Send an email to our Support Team at [email protected] or click the red CONTACT US button and they will be happy to help.

DECISION POINT: In a tough Tournament where blinds are 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante it folds to the Cutoff who opens to 500. The Button and Small Blind fold and you call from the Big Blind with 3♣5♣. You check the J♥K♦4♣ flop and your opponent continuation bets 400.

Action is back on you, what do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing in a multi table tournament with blinds at 100/200 and a 200 big blind ante. The effective stacks are 10,000 chips to start and there are several tough opponents at the table. We are dealt 5c3c in the Big Blind and everyone folds to the Cutoff who opens to 500 chips. Both the Button and the Small Blind fold.

We don’t have a super strong hand here holding 53s preflop, however there are 1,000 chips in the pot and it costs only 300 more for us to call. We’re getting better than 3:1 immediate pot odds against a player with a very wide opening hand range. While we can fold many of the worst hands in our range here including offsuit combos like T2o, 53s is definitely good enough to continue considering the price. We make the call and it’s off to the flop.

The flop is JhKd4c. In this spot with relatively deep stacks in relation to the pot and both players hand ranges being wide, the Cutoff has a significant advantage by being the in position player. As is preferred when defending your blind by calling, we should be checking them with our entire hand range.

We check and the Cutoff bets 400 chips. A continuation bet sizing of approximately 1/3rd pot size is common in this scenario and the Cutoff will likely be using this size with a big part of their range. A good approach to countering this strategy of frequent c-betting with a likely wider range is to both do some check-calling to keep their range wide and get to controlled showdowns, and mix in some check-raises.

Our check-raising range should be a mix of some strong hands and some bluffing hands that have backdoor equity to account for the times when we are called. We do have good backdoor equity with 53s holding both a backdoor flush and backdoor straight draw. This board is reasonably coordinated and connects with much of our calling range as well. Taking these factors into consideration, we have a prime opportunity to check-raise and reverse the pressure back onto our opponent.

If we had opponent specific information that the Cutoff in this hand was opening with a much narrower than optimal range preflop, or they c-bet a lower than optimal frequency on the flop our approach would be different. We could make an exploitative fold either preflop or to their standard c-bet sizing on this board texture.

However, against good players who will be opening and continuation betting here appropriately, we must mix in some check-raise bluffs to balance and combat their strategy and this is a perfect opportunity.

Raising is the best play.

Partypoker US ambassador and the four-time WPT champion Darren “End Boss” Elias collaborated closely with BetMGM to launch The End Boss Poker Series Main Event on the partypoker US Network in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey this November.

This exciting poker tournament series will take place during the holiday week from November 23rd through 28th with guaranteed prize pools totaling more than $750,000 across all three states.

For more information about the End Boss Poker Series tournament schedules click below:

• Pennsylvania ($100K GTD): https://poker.pa.betmgm.com
• Michigan ($100K GTD): https://poker.mi.betmgm.com
• New Jersey ($150K GTD): https://poker.nj.betmgm.com

With all poker players in mind from beginners to professionals, poker legend Darren Elias developed a special tournament series to ensure that anyone could step up to try and become crowned the poker “End Boss” of their respective state.

Not only will the winners of the Main Event in each state receive their share of the huge prize pools and become an “End Bosses” of their state, they will also earn a FREE entry into the New Year Knockout Event!*

So many fantastic reasons to be thankful for poker this holiday season!

And as an added bonus…if you are lucky enough to eliminate The End Boss Darren Elias from the $150K GTD Main Event Tournament on November 28 in New Jersey, you will receive a FREE 3-day/2-night stay at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. 🎸*

Time to get prepared for your chance to win all the amazing prizes!

Train → Play → Think Like a Pro!

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the Final Table of The End Boss Main Event. How do you protect your 30 Big Blind stack against Darren Elias who is the chip leader with two short stacks in play?

Click below to play a free Final Table Sample pack from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand if you have what it takes to be The End Boss!

As you train remember to:

• Play in a way to avoid busting out to the chip leader
• You will check and call more often than bet or raise
• You still need some bluffs in your range to prevent the chip leader from exploiting you
• Almost never lead out from the Big Blind after calling preflop
• Don’t be afraid to fold marginal hands against big bets that could set up an all-in situation on a future street
• When facing an aggressive chip leader, you should often trap by check-calling with your big made hands

At The End Boss Final Table Darren Elias minraises from the Button as the chip leader with a 70BB stack and you call from the Big Blind with 30BBs.

Do your best to choose the ideal action at every point. Your goal is to keep "EV Loss" in the green and close to 0.

Check out this throwback to how “The End Boss” legend started, from the Season XIII WPT Borgata Poker Open $3,500 Championship

In Season XIII, Darren Elias won the fourth-largest WPT field in history to date at that time, beating a field of 1,226 entries to win $843,744 in first-place prize money with a prize pool of $3,924,426. Elias defeated Kane Kalas on the final hand of play, etching his name on the Mike Sexton Champion’s Cup for the first time. 🏆 Check out his winner’s interview below and witness the moment The End Boss was officially announced to the poker world. 👇

In a pivotal hand from this tough final table, Elias and Kalas both chased a flush draw. On the river, the two got it all-in on a 2♥️ K♥️ 5♣️ 8♥️10♣️ board, Kalas held 10♥️ 4♥️ but Elias played the hand masterfully and secured a big double up with Q♥️ 6♥️ and pave the way for victory. The massive cooler action at the final table in Season XIII is featured in the video below. 👇

Working Together For The Player

partypoker US Network and LearnWPT have joined forces to bring you FREE poker strategy and opportunities for training experiences!

For The Player is designed for all skill levels. Our goal is to help you learn poker strategy and have more fun playing the game you love.

Subscribe below to receive FREE poker strategy content, weekly quizzes, downloadable tools, and more.

Click here to learn more about "For The Player" →

Good luck and good playing!
-LearnWPT

*Players may participate in the End Boss Poker Series through either BetMGMPoker.com, or NJ.PartyPoker.com, and must physically be in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Michigan to register and play. Customers must be 21 years of age or older to play. See official rules for complete details. LearnWPT is not a gambling or real money gaming company and is not responsible for fulfillment of prizes or tournament prize pools.

New Jersey players, click on the button to register now!

Poker Oklahoma just got a little more exciting!

The newest addition to the WPTDeepStacks™ event schedule is coming to one of the favorite venues on the World Poker Tour schedule at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Oklahoma from October 27, 2021 – November 8, 2021.

The inaugural WPTDeepStacks event at Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant features a $1,100 buy-in Main Event scheduled to run November 5th through November 8th.

“Poker players have always turned out in force for our WPT Main Tour stops in Choctaw,” said Cathy Zhao, Senior Director, Global Tour Management. “We’re excited to bring the WPTDeepStacks brand to the property and give poker players of all bankroll sizes the opportunity to experience the property and a first-class tournament product.”

Take your shot at the WPTDeepStacks Main Event and experience these other exciting perks!

• All players who finish in the money will receive WPTDeepStacks Player of the Year leaderboard points
• The player who finishes the season atop the leaderboard receives a $10,000 WPT Passport for any WPT live event
• Champion receives a custom trophy from the World Poker Tour
• The WPTDeepStacks Choctaw Main Event Champion also receives a $3,000 package for the season-ending WPTDeepStacks Championship
  

LearnWPT Instructors Tony Dunst and Katie Stone recently played the $3,700 buy-in WPT Main Tour Choctaw Event in Durant, OK and took a break from the action at the tables to reveal some of their strategy and review key hands played during their Day 1.

Playing a World Poker Tour Event is exciting! If you haven't tried your hand at a WPT Main Tour Event or a WPTDeepStacks Main Event, don’t worry we’ve got an exclusive first hand look at why these events are so special.

LearnWPT Instructor Katie Stone has been hard at work hitting tour stops and searching for her first WPT title, and she brought LearnWPT Members behind the scenes of her recent trip to Choctaw.

In this Strategy Episode Katie gives you a peek into the life of a tournament grinder, what it's like to play a big WPT event, and breaks her key hands from a weekend at WPT Choctaw.

LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst wrote a blog about his time at Choctaw playing the $3,700 Main Event and reflected on the event including some of the action from his table. Follow along as Tony tells you his thoughts in real-time and see how a WPT Champion plays their cards in a World Poker Tour Main Event.

Discover more about Tony Dunst and Katie Stone and how they can help improve your poker game. And make sure and be sure to say hello to them (or any of the LearnWPT Pros) at the next WPT Event!

If you are playing the $1,100 WPTDeepStacks Main Event at Choctaw we want to hear from YOU! Tell us how you played and tag us on twitter @wpt, @wptdeepstacks and @learnwpt to share your success!

Good luck and good playing,
-LearnWPT

Your friends at partypoker US Network are back with another exciting poker tournament series in Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania this October.

We know this time of year is usually full of ghosts, goblins and candy and we assure you that there are no tricks involved - just exciting poker tournaments with big guaranteed prize pools.

The action starts in New Jersey on October 17th featuring a week long online poker tournament festival with a $535 buy-in $50,000 Guaranteed Progressive Knockout Main Event on Sunday October 24th at 5pm Eastern. Not familiar with PKO poker strategy? We’ve got you covered with a quick strategy primer that will haunt your opponents so be sure to check it out below.

Michigan and Pennsylvania join the party with their very own Online Series schedules starting on Sunday October 24th and ending on Sunday, October 31st with a $1060 buy-in $50,000 Guaranteed 8-Max Main Event. Make sure you check out our tips for playing on the big stage below so you don’t get bewitched by bad play.

So no matter where you choose to play this October, treat yourself to a sweet schedule featuring $50,000 Guaranteed Main Events and enjoy the exciting online poker tournament series from partypoker US network. Who knows, maybe you’ll be one of the 3 Musketeers who emerge victorious as an Online Series Main Event Champion (okay, we know that one was a stretch, please don’t Boooo us 👻).

For more information about the October Online Series poker tournament schedules click below:

• New Jersey players click here
• Michigan players click here
• Pennsylvania players click here

As a treat to you, For The Player is here with expert tournament strategy and helpful tips to help you have more fun and carve up the competition this October.

What Is A PKO Tournament?

• PKO (Progressive Knockout) tournaments are fun, unique events where a dynamic bounty is placed on each player
• As you knock out other players, typically you are paid 50% of their bounty and the other 50% is added to your total bounty
• Unlike regular knockout tournaments the value of the bounties can grow
• If you are the victor in a PKO Tourney you win in multiple ways:
  • Win the amount in the general prize pool for 1st place
  • Win the bounties you earned over the course of the event
  • Keep the full amount of the bounty that is on your head
    

Do I Need a Separate Strategy for PKOs?

Yes! The strategy for playing PKOs is very different from regular bounty tournament strategy.

Click below to view an in-depth Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger to learn valuable math shortcuts and strategy tips to improve your play in PKO events.

Remembers these tips when playing in a PKO Tournament:

• Because bounty values change based on each player's number of knockouts, some players are worth much more than others to knock out
• Players are incentivized to widen their ranges and go after opponents when they have a high bounty value
• Starting PKO Tournaments on time and avoiding late registration is critical to maximize your chances of winning the most bounties
• It's often profitable to call with any 2 cards in PKO Tournaments when your opponent's bounty value is high
• This style of tournament has become extremely popular over the last year because it encourages so much action!
• Download the PKO Equity Reduction Reference Guide for an easy and quick way to determine your equity in PKO Tournaments

Online Tournament Play with Vanessa Selbst

LearnWPT Instructor and all time poker great Vanessa Selbst is here to break down key lessons from the $535 Online Series PKO Main Event in New Jersey.

If the idea of getting aggressive at the poker table gives you nightmares, this is your chance to learn how to keep opponents on their heels and win more pots.

Study Like the Pros with LuckyChewy and Katie Stone

LearnWPT Instructor and partypoker US Network Team Pro Katie Stone is no stranger to the high pressure and big money decisions that come with making big buy-in final tables.

In this Strategy Episode, Katie joins LearnWPT Instructor Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger to show you how professional poker players rely on each other for advice as they break down hands from Katie’s 2nd place in the $1060 Online Series Main Event.

Train → Play → Think Like a Pro!

Click below to play a free Sample pack from the WPT GTO Trainer to brush up on your play from out of position with a 30BB stack vs a tough opponent.

Keep these tips in mind when playing the hands:

• The Cutoff’s calling range will be more narrow given stack sizes
• Against weaker opponents you can c-bet at a high frequency with smaller bet sizing
• You will c-bet less often on coordinated boards vs tough players
• Use a larger c-bet sizing on scattered or dry boards
• Balance your flop checking range to include some big hands
• Don’t go on autopilot and bet simply because you were the initial raiser, focus on board texture
• Although the Cutoff’s range is capped to not include big hands like AA/KK, they will have an equity advantage on most flops

Do your best to choose the ideal action at every point. Your goal is to keep "EV Loss" in the green and close to 0.

P.S. After you’ve finished playing the hands click the LEARN NOW button for simple strategy on how to play this scenario profitably.

Working Together For The Player

partypoker US Network and LearnWPT have joined forces to bring you FREE poker strategy and opportunities for training experiences!

For The Player is designed for all skill levels. Our goal is to help you learn poker strategy and have more fun playing the game you love.

Subscribe below to receive FREE poker strategy content, weekly quizzes, downloadable tools, and more.

Click here to learn more about "For The Player" →

Good luck and good playing!
-LearnWPT

*Players may participate in the Online Series through either BorgataPoker.com, BetMGMPoker.com or NJ.PartyPoker.com, and must physically be in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Michigan to register and play in the series. Customers must be 21 years of age or older to play. See official rules for complete details.

Have Questions about LearnWPT? Send an email to our Support Team at [email protected] or click the red CONTACT US button and they will be happy to help!

Watch as LearnWPT Instructor and partypoker US Network Team Pro Katie Stone and World Poker Tour Executive Tour Director Matt Savage sit down to talk about their upcoming Day 1 starts of the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open $1Million GTD Main Event, being back at the Borgata in New Jersey, online poker, record breaking satellites, and more!

The Main Event is an unlimited re-entry tournament through the first 14 levels with Day 1 ending after level 16. The action begins today, September 19th at 5 pm ET.

Players in New Jersey can register by clicking the links below:
➥ Visit BetMGM NJ
➥ Visit Borgata Poker NJ
➥ Visit partypoker NJ

Orson “Borgatcha” Young gets his name etched on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup and wins the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open powered by partypoker US Network Main Event for $195,748 🏆🎉

CONGRATULATIONS to the Final Table 👏

1. 🏆 Orson Young (Borgatcha) - $195,748
2. justliberto - $135,930
3. Dan Buzgon (leinad) - $102,933
4. FitzroidPoo - $76,830
5. betbetbet - $61,070
6. CNC_LY - $47,280
7. Ryan Hohner (TheSims) - $34,475
8. DoURespectWood - $24,625

Watch the full Final Table replay of the WPT Online Borgata Open Main Event powered by partypoker US Network here ▶️ https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1155517702

Scroll below for key tips to from the LearnWPT Pros for succeeding in satellite tournaments and Final Table strategy...

The WPT Online Borgata Poker Open powered by partypoker US Network happens exclusively in New Jersey this September 19th. Don’t miss your chance to compete on the virtual felt in the second-ever WPT US Online Main Tour Event and etch your name on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup!

This $3500 event offers unlimited reentry, registration through level 14, and boasts a super deep structure so you’ll have plenty of chances to outwit and outplay your opponents. All players in the event are eligible for valuable WPT Player of The Year Points and will be battling for the lion’s share of the massive $1M Guaranteed prize pool.

In case the championship structure, $1M Guaranteed prize pool, and chance to have your name cemented in history as only the second-ever WPT US Online Main Tour event champion isn’t enough, you’ll also get a chance to showcase your poker skills live on stream!

Check out this action from the live stream of the first WPT US Online Main Tour Event....

The final table will be live streamed on Tuesday, September 21st starting at 8 p.m. Eastern with expert commentary from WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage and Team LearnWPT on twitch.tv/worldpokertour and the BetMGM YouTube channel.

P.S. Click the Follow button to receive alerts when the action is online.

Watch the full Final Table replay of the WPT Online Borgata Open Main Event powered by partypoker US Network here ▶️ https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1155517702

Simply make sure you are physically located in the state of New Jersey on Sunday, September 19th and have your favorite internet connected device ready.

Choose any one of the three state of the art poker platforms on partypoker US Network (see below for links), download and set up your account to get started. In a few simple steps you’ll be ready to play the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open!

➥ Visit BetMGM NJ

➥ Visit Borgata Poker NJ

➥ Visit partypoker NJ

Will you join Soheb Porbandarwala as the only other US Online Main Tour Event winner in WPT History?

partypoker US Network is making it easier than ever to satellite your way into the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open.

Daily qualifiers begin Sunday August 29th, and with buy-ins starting at just $5 you can parlay a small investment into a history-making haul in the $3,500 Main Event.

Click to view the detailed Satellite* and Festival Schedule: WPT Online Borgata Poker Open - Schedule for August-September 2021

To get you started on the path to winning your seat to the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open, here are some key tips to from the LearnWPT Pros for succeeding in satellite tournaments ...

Satellites are a great way to play a larger buy-in event at a lower price. So you don’t need to have big bucks to be in contention for a game-changing score. For The Player is here to help increase your edge with key adjustments for satellite play.

Use the strategies below to sharpen your focus and who knows, maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday (and a coveted spot on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup).

Should I Play a 🛰️ Satellite Differently?

Yes you should! Approaching Satellite play with the same strategy used in regular tournament play will often result in you busting when you would otherwise have a seat to the target tournament locked up.

Watch this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Lead Instructor Nick Binger as he discusses the key strategic adjustments you need to make when playing Satellite Tournaments.

What Are Keys 🗝️ to Satellite Play?

• Everyone gets paid the same prize
• No incentive to build a large stack once you are likely to win a seat
• As probability to win a seat goes up, your ranges in all spots tighten up
• There are times in satellites when players should never continue against an all-in
• Satellites are the only form of poker where it can be correct to fold AA preflop
• Pay very close attention to stack sizes and level changes
• Often in the satellite endgame 10BBs may be a big stack that is guaranteed to win a seat

Need Help Closing The Deal?

Watch and learn as Nick reviews several key hands from a Satellite to highlight the unique strategic adjustments during the endgame.

Get your mental game in shape with LearnWPT Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler as he provides you with a game-plan for handling the pressure and prepares you for success in the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open .

In a Satellite with 11 Players Left, How Do You Play It?

In a satellite where blinds are 900/1,800 with a 1,800 big blind ante there are 11 players remaining with 6 players winning a $7,200 main event seat. Places 7-10 get $1050 in cash and 11th gets $100.

You are currently in 6th chip position with 11 players remaining. The Cutoff (who is the short stack at the table) moves all-in for 28,400. Action folds around to you in the Big Blind with A♥K♦ and 28,000 behind. What do you do here?

Now that you’ve got an upgrade on satellite play to help secure your seat to the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open, it’s time to start sharpening up your game for showtime!

The WPT Online Borgata Poker Open powered by partypoker US Network features a cards up live streamed final table with WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage and Team LearnWPT live on twitch.tv/worldpokertour and the BetMGM youtube channel.

With big money on the line and the chance to go down in poker history as the second-ever WPT Online Main Tour Event winner, this event is a can’t miss for Players on partypoker US Network in New Jersey.

We’re here to set you up for success and ready to make your “one time” count with these final table strategies!

What Are Keys to Final Table Play?

• Be aware of stack sizes and pay jumps
• When short stacks exist, there is extra pressure on the bigger stacks to avoid busting out
• The chip leaders can use this extra pressure to win many pots while the short stack is in play
• Preflop ranges shift quite a bit at final tables due to this effect with big stacks playing much wider ranges and medium stacks much narrower ranges
• Do not be afraid to ramp up your aggression against players that are playing tightly in the hopes of laddering up

Should I Play a Final Table Differently?

Final Table Strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay jumps on the line.

Often players are unprepared for the pressure that comes with playing in front of an audience or for big money and don’t always perform as they should.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst for key insights on how the Pros perform on the big stage.

How Does a Pro Handle The Spotlight?

Team LearnWPT is no stranger to the bright lights and big money pressure of live stream online final tables.

Check out this Strategy Episode from partypoker US Network Team Pro and LearnWPT Instructor Mike “Gags30” Gagliano as he breaks down key hands from his recent deep run in the Online Borgata Poker Open, including a gutsy river bluff attempt with absolute air.

One of the best ways to improve your game is to share strategies and lessons learned from experience with fellow players.

In this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT we join partypoker US Network Team Pro and LearnWPT Instructor Katie Stone as she breaks down hands from her recent live stream final table appearance in the partypoker US Network Online Series $1060 Main Event.

Tune in as Katie joins fellow LearnWPT Instructor Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger as they team up to talk strategy and share valuable insight.

Think You Have What It Takes?

Think you have what it takes to take down the championship and outwit a world-class Pro? It’s time to challenge the world’s perfect opponent - The WPT GTO Trainer!

Play these 5 hands to test your skills and learn the exact move to make. Remember, the goal is to get as close to ZERO EV loss with each decision. Good luck...

As you train remember:

• Opponents will be opening with a narrower range, especially from out of position
• Medium stacks (around 30BB) can be pressured with a wider raising ranges preflop, especially with many short stacks at the table
• Your check-calling range should include mostly hands you would want to take to showdown such as strong 1-pair hands
• If an Opponent bets out again on the turn beware, often this turn barreling range will be very narrow due to pay jump implications
• Your check-raising range should be polarized and include hands like second pair, big draws, some very strong hands, and complete air
• If you check the flop and the Opponent checks back, don’t be afraid to attack the turn with larger sizing with made hands and some draws

Do your best to choose the ideal action at every point. Your goal is to keep "EV Loss" in the green and close to 0.

P.S. After playing the five hands click the button to learn the "why" behind the correct plays.

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies to prepare for the WPT Online Borgata Poker Open powered by partypoker US Network in New Jersey this September 19th.

Be sure to let us know if you turn $5 into a game changing payday and don’t be afraid to share your success on twitter @partypokerUS, @learnwpt, @wpt and use the hashtag #WPTONLINE.

We’ll see you on the stream, live from New Jersey on partypoker US Network!

The partypoker US Network and LearnWPT have joined forces to bring you FOR THE PLAYER to provide FREE poker content and easy to implement strategies and shortcuts to help YOU have fun learning and start playing better poker.

Click here to learn more about For The Player.

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Good luck and good playing!
-LearnWPT

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If you are looking for an easy way to learn poker strategy you need poker training tools and software that help players improve their game no matter their experience or skill level.

Choosing which poker tool to train with can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you are new to using advanced poker training tools to help improve your play.

In this article, we’ll tell you about the advanced poker training strategy software used by the Pros and why the WPT GTO Trainer is your go-to poker training tool for 2022.

Do You Need the WPT GTO Trainer to Win at Poker in 2022?

If you are curious about learning GTO poker strategy then you are in the right place! LearnWPT, the Official Poker Education Platform of the World Poker Tour® helps players of all skill levels learn GTO strategy poker players use to dominate no-limit hold’em games.

The short answer is YES - If you want to improve at poker and be successful in today’s no-limit hold’em games, you’re going to need to at least have a framework to understand Game Theory Optimal Strategy. Before you go out and spend your bankroll on a complex program to solve for GTO poker strategy (the pro version of these tools can often cost as much as $1,000) and start setting up your simulations, we’re here to help you make the best choice for your poker education.

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The top poker players in the world spend countless hours running complex Game Theory Optimal Simulations on computer applications commonly referred to as poker solvers and practicing by playing GTO Trainers. Players use these simulations to find leaks in their tournament or cash game play and develop new betting lines built around GTO strategy. Setting up these poker solvers takes a tremendous understanding of GTO poker strategy and aren’t user-friendly if you are a poker novice. Plus, you’ll need a computer that can handle running several complex GTO strategy calculations simultaneously.

Hint: Your goal is to get as close to Zero EV Loss (bright green) as you can with each decision.

Bonus: After playing the 5 hands click the red WATCH NOW button to view a Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger has he gives a detailed breakdown of each decision point of the same hands you just played!

Of course, you’ll need to be an expert poker player with proven knowledge of GTO poker strategy including likely hand ranges and response frequencies for both you and your opponent in order to get meaningful results from a GTO solver. And you’ll also have to consider how many possible bet sizings are logical for each given situation based on whether it’s a cash game or tournament poker situation, the starting positions for each player, and preflop actions for each player in the hand. Did we mention things unique to GTO strategy poker solvers like node-locking?

Wait, don’t go yet! We know this sounds like a lot but there is no need to be discouraged. We’re going to show you how to learn GTO strategy and plug your leaks without having to be an expert poker player or technical genius.

LearnWPT is here to get you up to speed with Game Theory Optimal poker strategy no matter what your experience level is playing no-limit hold’em poker. Read on for a quick primer on poker GTO Strategy and how you can use the WPT GTO Trainer as a user-friendly training tool to start improving your game without the hassle or stress of setting up a poker solver.

What is Game Theory Optimal Poker Strategy?

Game Theory Optimal (GTO) Poker is a poker strategy that a perfect opponent can only break even against, even if they have complete knowledge of the identical strategy. Two opponents using GTO poker strategy playing each other will break even in the long run, by definition. Any unilateral change to the strategy by one of the players will result in that player losing Expected Value (EV).

This state of equilibrium between two players using GTO poker strategy is referred to as the “Nash Equilibrium” in game theory. This theory was created by famous mathematician and subject of the Academy Award-winning movie A Beautiful Mind, John Nash.

The top 10 all-time leading money winner’s list in poker is dominated by players who use Game Theory Optimal strategy including Justin Bonomo and Dan Smith. Recently the demand for more user-friendly methods to learn poker GTO strategy from players of all skill levels has dramatically increased due to the dominance of players using this strategy.

Check out this video from LearnWPT Instructor, WSOP Bracelet Winner, WPT Alpha 8 Champion, and one of the best poker players on the planet Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger as he breaks down the concept of GTO Strategy.

What is A GTO Poker Trainer? What is A GTO Strategy Solution?

In the context of GTO strategy poker, a solver is computer software that is designed to output Game Theory Optimal strategy for a poker situation given a specific set of game factors.

Typically, the person using the solver user enters starting hand ranges for both players, possible bet and raise sizes, stack sizes, and a variety of other settings that may impact the likely responses of each opponent in the simulation.

The solver will then adjust the strategies of both players to reduce each player’s exploitability, meaning how often that player will make a mistake in the context of the overall poker GTO strategy game tree. This process is repeated until the exploitability is sufficiently close to 0, at which point Nash Equilibrium would be reached. The resulting GTO poker strategy is called a “solution”.

How Does a GTO Trainer Help You Learn GTO Poker Strategy Easier?

The young guns that won all the money during the poker boom spurred by Chris Moneymaker in the early 2000’s knew the secret to learning poker strategy is to practice. They played millions of hands of online poker and shared strategy with peers. They were learning by trial and error in real time with a lot of money on the line. They tracked and analyzed millions of hands looking for trends and developing new poker strategies.

If you want the same success as the GTO Strategy experts and learn Game Theory Optimal strategy fast you’re going to need a poker training partner. One that knows poker GTO strategy for both tournament and cash games and tests you with difficult spots. A poker training partner that will drill you with endless flops, turns and rivers, then tell you what the correct GTO poker strategy is for every single decision you make, in real-time.

The poker minds at LearnWPT and the World Poker Tour ® have created the perfect tool for the job.

The WPT GTO Trainer, exclusive to members of LearnWPT.com, is the only GTO poker training platform that provides you with the guided training, support, and direct access to world-class Pros. The WPT GTO Trainer will help you rapidly close the skill gap and learn poker GTO strategy with a cutting-edge and user-friendly design, no matter your skill or experience level.

Practice hundreds of spots with GTO poker strategy training packs available for tournaments, cash games, small stakes, heads up, final table ICM strategy, and more. Get instant feedback on the Ideal Action for GTO strategy during each hand you play and rapidly plug your leaks. Share hands after your session for direct feedback from Team LearnWPT with the exclusive Ask a Pro Feature.

We know you don’t have the ability to go back in time and put in the practice so we created a way to save you time in the future through efficient, guided practice in real-time.

Should You Trust the GTO Poker Strategy Used in The WPT GTO Trainer?

Since launching in 2016, LearnWPT, the Official Poker Education Platform of the World Poker Tour® has set the standard for online and in-person poker instruction tailored to players of all skill levels. Nick Binger, 2-time WSOP Bracelet winner, and creator of the LearnWPT curriculum, is a pioneer in presenting complex poker GTO strategy in a simplified user-friendly format.

Nick collaborates closely with the world-class instructors from Team LearnWPT, including WSOP Bracelet winner and WPT Alpha 8 Champion Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, to build the GTO poker strategy solutions that power the revolutionary WPT GTO Trainer. These GTO strategy poker solutions are used to power playable poker hands and allow users to quickly plug leaks in real-time based on the most common trouble spots.

LearnWPT showcases the cutting-edge technology and easy-to-use interface of this game-changing poker GTO strategy training tool with the WPT GTO Trainer Hands of The Week. Through these free playable GTO strategy solutions, LearnWPT educates experienced players and novices alike on the essential strategies and theory behind GTO strategy in a fun and familiar format.

The WPT GTO Trainer Hands of the Week also feature an in-depth summary of the strategy used for each correct decision based on the GTO poker strategy and some key tips for similar hands in the future.

The expert GTO poker strategy behind the WPT GTO Trainer has been used by LearnWPT Instructors including 2 time WSOP Bracelet Winner, WPT Champion, WPT Commentator, and LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst to crush tournaments and dominate cash games.

Whether you are trying to implement GTO poker strategy in your live poker game, or you are looking to use the benefits of the GTO strategy when you play online poker, you can use the WPT GTO Trainer to train and learn in real-time.

Not sure learning GTO Strategy is right for you? Read on to find out why The WPT GTO Trainer is the perfect training tool to help you learn poker GTO strategy.

LearnWPT Instructors Tony Dunst and Katie Stone took a break from the action at the tables to reveal some of their strategy and break down a couple of hands they played during Day 1 at the recent $3,700 buy-in WPT Choctaw Main Event in Durant, OK.

Playing a World Poker Tour Main Event is exciting, especially when you are striving to get your name on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup (and let's not forget about that $560K 1st prize)!

Not only are these events extremely exciting but they are also full of great opportunities to learn, which is why Katie is bringing LearnWPT Members behind the scenes of her time at Choctaw in two upcoming LearnWPT Strategy Episodes.

Katie will give you a peek into the life of a tournament grinder, what it's like to play a big WPT event, and breakdown some hands played.

Also, Tony recently wrote a blog about his time at Choctaw and reflected on the event and some of his table action. Follow along as Tony tells you his thoughts in real-time and see how a professional player approaches a World Poker Tour Main Event.

Learn more about LearnWPT Instructors Tony Dunst and Katie Stone and how they can help improve your poker game. And make sure and be sure to say hello to them (or any of the LearnWPT Pros) at the next WPT Event!

Good luck and good playing,
-LearnWPT

P.S. View some exciting final table action and find out who won the World Poker Tour Choctaw Main Event tournament, also adding their name to the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup, by clicking here.

• The WPT GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks
• On-demand access to our full library of in-depth Strategy Episodes (450+ and counting)
• All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro Feature
• A Community Forum to discuss all things poker with fellow LearnWPT Members
• Expert analysis from LearnWPT Pros using The Hand Input Tool
• Downloadable Tools can use at and away from the tables
• And much more

To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button get started improving your game!

Have Questions about LearnWPT? Email us at [email protected].

Katie has garnered the respect of fellow grinders on the live and online circuits, both for her tremendous skill and desire to be the best, and for her tireless advocacy in growing the game of poker to a wider audience.

A professional poker player for over 15 years, Katie utilized her extensive background and success in chess to build her career both online and live. Her trophy case includes 2 WSOP Circuit rings and over $1 million dollars in online cashes.

Katie is a champion for women in poker helping to elevate the participation and enjoyment for women in the game. She is a staple on the live poker circuit and a Team Pro for one of the leading online poker sites in the United States, partypoker US Network.

Some of Katie's Accomplishments:

• 2x World Series of Poker Circuit Ring Winner
• More than $1.2 Million Combined Live and Online Tournament Earnings
• Content Producer, Presenter, Author, and Player Advocate

We are excited to bring Katie's experience and championship mindset to our Students through upcoming Strategy Episodes.

Watch a sneak peek at Katie discussing her partypoker US Network Online Series Main Event Final Table play with LuckyChewy from our new "The Feedback Loop" sessions:

Katie is a true grinder and student of the game. Her desire to be one of the best players in the world coupled with unique insights into the life of a Professional player make her a huge asset for LearnWPT Members.

Help us welcome Katie to the team!
-LearnWPT

If you've had the pleasure of hearing his commentary during WPT Final Tables, watching his popular live streams on Twitch, or witnessed his skills firsthand at the tables, you know that Michael is one of the most respected poker minds in the game today.

Michael has been a consistent force in both cash games and tournaments during his 15 year career, with several high profile tournament titles. In 2016 Michael won his first WSOP Bracelet in a $2500 buy-in event, defeating a huge field of 1045 players for the $448K first place prize.

As a staple in the East Coast scene and an active ambassador for Borgata Poker and partypoker US Network, Gags30 (as he is known online) has helped to welcome a whole new generation of poker fans to the virtual felt.

Some of Michael's Accomplishments:

• World Series of Poker Bracelet Winner
• Multiple Top 3 Finishes in High Profile Tournaments Including WSOP Bracelet Events and Borgata Poker Opens
• Over $6 Million Combined Live and Online Tournament Earnings
• Nearly a Decade as a Professional Poker Coach

We are excited to bring Michael's winning style and championship mindset to LearnWPT Members through upcoming Strategy Episodes. Check out this sneak peek at what Members of LearnWPT can expect from Michael.

As a sought after coach for almost a decade who has helped more than 50 students from all over the world improve their game and win multiple championships including the WSOP Main Event, Michael is an enormous asset for LearnWPT Members.

Help us welcome Gags30 to the team!
-LearnWPT

• The WPT GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks
• On-demand access to over 450 in-depth Strategy Episodes
• All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro Feature
• Expert analysis from LearnWPT Pros using The Hand Input Tool
• Community Forums to discuss all things poker with fellow LearnWPT Members
• Downloadable Tools you can use at and away from the tables

To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button at the top of your screen or the button below and start improving your game!

Have Questions about LearnWPT? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help!