Hey Poker Fans!

Welcome to Tour Terms, where we break down key terms that poker pros use to talk strategy and give you helpful tips to use in your next poker tournament. Today's Tour Term is ...

Check-Raise: verb
check·raise \ ˈchek ˈrāz \

1) The act of checking and then raising an opponent's bet during the same betting round.

Example of Check-Raise in a Sentence
Gags30 checks from the Big Blind and LuckyChewy bets 2,000 into a 10,000 chip pot. Gags30 Check-Raises to 6,000 and LuckyChewy folds.

How Do You Add Check-Raising To Your Game?

A Check-Raise is one of the most powerful moves in poker, however if you don’t know what to look for you could be setting yourself up to lose a big pot. Watch this Strategy Episode with Nick Binger as he outlines the process Pros use to pick the perfect spots to check-raise from the WPT Montreal Final Table!

✏️ Tips for Timing Your Check-Raises:

• Focus on wider range opponents who c-bet frequently
• Look to apply pressure to shorter stacked opponents you have outchipped
• Small bet sizing by an opponent often provides great risk/reward for your check-raise
• Flops with 1 broadway card, 2 low cards, and a flush draw are ideal spots
• Avoid check-raising when stacks are deep (100BB or more)
  

Protect Your Continuation Bets!

A winning first-in strategy requires careful hand selection, consistent raise sizing to avoid betting tells, and a solid default for continuation betting so you can keep the pressure on sticky opponents and take down your fair share of uncontested pots.

What happens when your opponent is tricky and is prepared to battle back vs your c-bet strategy?

Check out this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger on how adding the check-raise to your postflop plan can yield big dividends vs tough opponents.

The Theory Behind the Move

Identifying the best spots for check-raising may not always be obvious, unless you’ve got the skills of a poker legend!

In this Strategy Episode LearnWPT Instructor Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger provides an in-depth look at the key factors you should be looking for when deciding to check-raise in cash games and tournaments.

What Happens When They Call?

Check-raising is a powerful poker move that puts the pressure on your opponents and mitigates the power of position. A well timed check-raise will often lead to an agonizing fold from your opponent as you pad your chip stack.

However, you’ll often encounter sticky players who won’t give up that easily and knowing how to navigate these big pots from out of position can be a challenge.

Fortunately, WPT Commentator and online poker master Tony Dunst did the heavy lifting by breaking down these 4 spots where his check-raise was called using PioSolver. Check out this Strategy Episode to help you play better postflop in check-raised pots.

Check-Raised with Top Pair, How Do You Play It

You are in a Tournament with blinds at 800/1600 and a 1600 big blind ante. The action folds to a Middle Position player who limps. You raise from the Cutoff to 6000 with A♠Q♦, the SB calls as does the MP2 player. The flop is A♣T♦6♥. Your opponents check, you bet 7800, the Small Blind check-raises to 20600, and MP2 folds.

Action is on you, what do you do here?

🖥️ A Check-Raise Bluff In Action!

In this hand from the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic we see one of the all-time greats, Justin Bonomo, execute an expert check-raise bluff and force a fold near the final table bubble.

Check out Nick Binger’s analysis from this legendary hand as captured by the WPT Live Updates team.

Not sure how to optimize your check-raising? Why not ASK A PRO for insight into this critical skill and get expert feedback!

Find out what it's like to have a professional poker coach help you improve your game by trying out your 1st month of Membership for just $5 and gain access to the LearnWPT Ask a Pro feature.

Want More Tour Terms From LearnWPT?

LearnWPT Members have instant access to a comprehensive poker training database. Search for any poker term and get the correct definition plus complete results for all related video, written, and playable poker education content on LearnWPT.com.

With a massive library including 500+ on-demand video Strategy Episodes (from top Pros including Tony Dunst, Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, and Michael “Gags30” Gagliano!), dozens of downloadable charts and tools, direct access to the LearnWPT Pros, and the state of the art WPT GTO Trainer, you’re certain to find the answers to your most pressing poker questions.

Improve your No-Limit Texas Hold'em game by joining LearnWPT for just $5 your first month. After your first month choose the LearnWPT Membership Tier that best fits your budget, schedule, and stage in your development as a player (upgrade or cancel at any time).

During your next tournament or session give these check-raising techniques a try and you'll become tougher to play against and keep your opponents on their heels more often.

Good Luck and Good Playing,
- Team LearnWPT

Have Questions? Email our Support Team at [email protected] or click the red Contact Us button and we'll be happy to help.

Hey Poker Fans!

Welcome to Tour Terms, where we break down key terms that poker pros use to talk strategy and give you helpful tips to use in your next poker tournament. Today's Tour Term is ...

Big Blind Defense: noun
big blind de·fense \ ˈbig ˈblīnd di-ˈfen(t)s \

1) A strategy for continuing against an open raise preflop when in the Big Blind, usually by calling.

Example of Big Blind Defense in a sentence
Tony raises to 500 from the Cutoff seat and action folds to LuckyChewy who defends his Big Blind and calls and we’re off to a flop.

Defend Yourself!

Learn the basics of Big Blind Defense calling and get downloadable charts you can use during your next poker tournament.

Watch and learn as LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger breaks this must have strategy and upgrade your Big Blind play right now:

🛡️ Tips for Defending Your Big Blind Like A Pro:

• Avoid calling with offsuit hands, suited hands and speculative hands are best
• This strategy only applies when you are up against 1 opponent and in the Big Blind
• Make sure you only defend by calling with specific hands. Don’t remove 3-Betting from your game plan!
• Defend with tighter calling range against larger open raise sizes
• Default to checking the flop after you call the raise, no matter what cards you hold

Tony Defends on the Ultimate Stage

Big Blind Defense plays a crucial role in the outcome of almost every Final Table from your local daily poker tournament to a World Poker Tour Main Event.

In this Strategy Episode from WPT Commentator and LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst we get a behind the scenes look into how these strategies are used when the World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions title and the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup is at stake!

And Off To The Flop We Go...

Think you have what it takes to defend your Big Blind and outwit a world-class poker 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 you make. Good luck...

Not sure how to optimize your BIG BLIND DEFENSE? Why not ASK A PRO for insight into this critical skill and get expert feedback!

Find out what it's like to have a professional poker coach help you improve your game by trying out your 1st month of Membership for just $5 and gain access to the LearnWPT Ask a Pro feature.

Want More Tour Terms From LearnWPT?

LearnWPT Members have instant access to a comprehensive poker training database. Search for any poker term and get the correct definition plus complete results for all related video, written, and playable poker education content on LearnWPT.com.

With a massive library including 500+ on-demand video Strategy Episodes (from top Pros including Tony Dunst, Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, and Michael “Gags30” Gagliano!), dozens of downloadable charts and tools, direct access to the LearnWPT Pros, and the state of the art WPT GTO Trainer, you’re certain to find the answers to your most pressing poker questions.

Improve your No-Limit Texas Hold'em game by joining LearnWPT for just $5 your first month. After your first month choose the LearnWPT Membership Tier that best fits your budget, schedule, and stage in your development as a player (upgrade or cancel at any time).

During your next tournament or session give these big blind defense techniques a try and you'll become tougher to play against and keep your opponents on their heels more often.

Good Luck and Good Playing,
- Team LearnWPT

Have Questions? Email our Support Team at [email protected] or click the red Contact Us button and we'll be happy to help.

All of the big prizes and money in a poker tournament are at the Final Table. Whether it is your local daily or a World Poker Tour Main Event, understanding the unique strategy adjustments for Final Table play is vital to finishing strong.

Often players are unprepared for the pressure that comes with playing in front of an audience, when their goal is in reach, or having potentially life-changing money at stake. When facing the pressure of big pay jumps and the studio lights seem a little too bright, it’s important to stay focused and make objective decisions.

To show you how the Pros think while on the big stage we are giving you EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to a Member-only video for a limited time!

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the TV cameras and show off your poker skills, watch and take notes as LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst goes through his thought process and decision-making from his World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions final table appearance.

BONUS: Join for just $5 your first month and gain access to our library of over 500 videos including parts 1, 3, and 4 of Tony's final table review. Click the above button to get started!

Tony's Final Table Tips ✏️

Here are a few tips to help sharpen up your game for showtime!

• Be aware of stack sizes and pay jumps at all times, even the slightest changes in stack sizes can shift strategy dramatically
• 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
• As a medium stack vs larger stacks be cautious with any bets and raises and try to take marginal hands to showdown passively
• 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 poker players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up
  

📓 LearnWPT Tour Term: ICM

You've probably heard the term ICM. But what exactly does it mean?

Independent Chip Model: noun
\in-də-ˈpen-dənt ˈchip ˈmä-dᵊl\

1) A mathematical model for calculating the real money value of chips in a poker tournament at a given stage. ICM is used most often at final tables during deal making to calculate a fair distribution of the remaining prize pool in relation to the number of poker chips each player holds. Abbreviated as ICM.

Example of ICM in a Sentence
Johan and LuckyChewy decided to make a deal based on ICM and then played heads-up for the trophy.

Want More Tour Terms?

LearnWPT Members have instant access to a comprehensive poker training database. Search for any poker term and get the correct definition plus complete results for all related video, written, and playable poker education content on LearnWPT.com.

On Tour With Tony Dunst!

This video is part of the LearnWPT Exclusive On Tour with Tony Dunst Strategy Episode series. Join Tony for a behind the scenes look into the most thought provoking hands he plays from real WPT events and teaches poker strategies and concepts you can use in your game.

Creating and structuring a study routine is an important part of your growth in poker. Check out some tips from Tony to avoid burnout and stay sharp on the felt.

Click to learn more about Tony's extensive poker accomplishments and more importantly, how he can help improve your poker game.

Ready for more? Join LearnWPT for just $5 your first month of Membership and get full access to more poker content from Tony Dunst and Team LearnWPT.

We'll see you online,
-LearnWPT

DECISION POINT: You are playing a milestone satellite to the $40 Million guaranteed WPT World Championship Main Event at Wynn Las Vegas with blinds at 50/100 and a 100 big blind ante. You are in the Small Blind with Q♠Q♥ and 4,600 chips (46BBs). An Early Position player limps, a visibly frustrated player in the MP2 seat makes it 300, the Button flat calls, and action is on you.

What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are in the second level of a milestone satellite into the $40M guaranteed WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. The blinds are 50/100 with a 100 big blind ante and we have 4,600 chips in the Small Blind with Q♠Q♥.

MP2 has been active and recently frustrated by some tough spots, even tossing his cards aggressively toward the dealer in one instance. The UTG player limps and everyone folds to MP2 who makes it 300. The Hijack and Cutoff fold, the Button flat calls, and action is on us.

Queens are well ahead of MP2’s and Button’s ranges which makes folding out of the question. Calling is likely profitable but we’d be most likely to take a flop 4-ways, which can be quite problematic for a hand that is likely to make one-pair in a multiway pot. So in this instance if we are favoring a raise, what is the best size to use in this spot given our positional disadvantage?

The standard raise in this situation is 3x the initial raise plus any call amounts. In this scenario that works out to 900 + 300 + 100 or 1300 chips. Given our positional disadvantage, using a slightly larger raise size in the 1400-1500 chip range would be standard. The issue with adjusting to larger sizing to accommodate for the positional disadvantage is that we have committed one third of our stack.

That could remove any illusion of fold equity our opponents have and inadvertently force them to play better versus our hand by not bluffing against us. If we bet a little smaller, for example a sizing of around 1150, we create the illusion of fold equity if MP2 or the other 2 opponents want to shove. The smaller sizing also creates a really good price for a squeeze with some of our bluffs here to ensure balanced range with other hands in this same spot.

If the table was quite soft there is also merit to just moving all-in preflop. This would not be the default play, but if you’re at a soft table where chips are coming easy, moving all-in can sometimes induce some light calls from smaller pairs hoping to be racing against AK. The shoving line, while also a little lower variance, is at the expense of some EV as opponent calling ranges vs the large shove size will be more narrow.

Reraising small to 1,150 is the best play.

LearnWPT Instructor Michael "Gags30" Gagliano took to the online felt this weekend to win in second career WSOP Bracelet!

Gags captured his 2nd gold bracelet and the $62,755 1st place prize after outlasting the 344-entry field in the $1,000 No-Limit World Series of Poker Turbo Deepstack Online Event #18.

In just under 6 hours of online play Gags started heads up play with an almost 2:1 chip lead and quickly got it all-in with QJs. The flop showed a Q and the rest is history.

Gags adds this win to his long list of live and online career accomplishments including:

➧ WSOP Bracelet Winner
➧ More than $6 Million combined live and online cashes
➧ BGM Poker Ambassador
➧ 10+ Years as Professional Player and Respected Coach

Michael's prowess on the live and online felt and his ability to breakdown concepts and strategies for Students makes him a huge asset for LearnWPT Members.

A fierce advocate for the player, we are proud to have Gags represent Team LearnWPT

Congrats Gags! 🎉
- Team LearnWPT

Let's celebrate your success at the table - share with us on social social or email our support team at [email protected]. We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

LearnWPT Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger battled some of the most dominating players in the game today to win his 1st PokerGO Major title!

Chewy took home the title, trophy, and the $465,750 1st place prize in the $25K buy-in No-Limit Hold'em Poker Masters Event #7.

Coming into the final table second in chips, Chewy maintained his aggression, composure, and focus to emerge as the victor.

This is Chewy's first PokerGO title and second high roller victory in 2022 pushing his career earnings over $13 Million.

With a few more events on the schedule, Chewy is also in the hunt for the Poker Masters purple jacket.

Chewy adds this PokerGo win to his incredible list of career accomplishments including:

➧ WPT Alpha 8 Champion
➧ WSOP Bracelet Winner
➧ High Roller Tournament winner
➧ Over $13 Million in Tournament Cashes
➧ Ranked #32 US All Time Money List

Chewy's positive mentality and mindset focused on lifelong learning and respect for the game make him a powerful asset for LearnWPT Members and Students.

We are proud to have him represent Team LearnWPT.

Congrats Chewy! 🎉
- Team LearnWPT

Let's celebrate your success at the table - share with us on social social or email our support team at [email protected]. We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

LearnWPT Instructor Brian "Alty" Altman battled some of the best poker players in the game to win his maiden World Series of Poker Bracelet this past weekend (and on his first day in Vegas!).

Brian took home the gold bracelet and $110K after outlasting 1,641 players in the $400 No-Limit Hold'em Ultra Deepstack Online Event #3. He came into the final table with an impressive 35 percent of the chips in play and was able to maintain his aggression and focus and eventually come out the victor.

Brian can now add WSOP bracelet winner to his very long list of accolades including:

➧ 3x World Poker Tour Champion
➧ 3x WSOP Circuit Ring winner
➧ High Roller Tournament winner
➧ World Poker Tour Player of the Year
➧ $6.5 Million in Tournament Cashes
➧ Ranked #7 worldwide by Global Poker Index

Brian's mindset focused on self-improvement, lifelong learning, and respect for the game make him a powerful asset for LearnWPT Members and Students.

We are proud to have him as part of Team LearnWPT.

Congrats Alty! 🎉
- Team LearnWPT

Let Brian help get you on the path to becoming a Champion with a LearnWPT Membership. Click here to learn more

If you are having success at the tables follow and share it with us on social or email our support team at [email protected]. We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

To say Team LearnWPT's On Tour stop at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, FL this past week was successful would be a HUGE understatement!

First we were grateful to meet, teach, and collaborate with students during the LearnWPT Live at Hard Rock Tournament Workshop.

Then, two of Team LearnWPT's Instructors took down BOTH of the High Roller Events for a combined $1.3 Million in winnings 🏆🙌.

What a week! Take a look at how Brian & Chewy crushed the felt ...

High Roller Win# 1

LearnWPT Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger outlasted an elite field of Top Pros to win the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock $50K buy-in Super High Roller and took home an impressive $638K 1st prize in the No-Limit Poker Showdown Event #31.

After a memorable four hour heads-up battle LuckyChewy cracked pocket jacks with seven-six offsuit to defeat former GPI World #1 Alex Foxen for the title, the trophy, and $638,223.

This was the third largest Super High Roller in Seminole Hard Rock history, generating a prizepool worth more than $1.8 million.

LuckyChewy's experience, positive mentality, and success make him a powerful resource and asset for LearnWPT Members and Students.

Want to train and learn from the best? Join LuckyChewy at one of the upcoming LearnWPT Live Interactive Tournament Strategy Workshops in Choctaw-Durant and The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas PLUS get the chance to win a seat into a WPT Main Event!

High Roller Win# 2

LearnWPT Instructor Brian "Alty" Altman outlasted some of the best in the game to win the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock $25,500 buy-in High Roller and took home an impressive $692K 1st prize in the No-Limit Poker Showdown Event #44.

Brian came into the final table as the chip lead and was able to maintain his aggression and focus to defeat Jerry Wong and former GPI World #1 Chance Kornuth for the title, the trophy, and $692,661.

This was the second largest Super High Roller in Seminole Hard Rock history, generating a prizepool worth more than $3.2 million — more than triple the guarantee.

Brian's mindset focused on self-improvement, lifelong learning, and respect of the game make him a powerful asset for LearnWPT Members and Students.

Learn The Championship Mindset! Train with Brian at the May 9-11, 2022 LearnWPT Live at Choctaw-Durant Tournament Strategy Workshop with Interactive Lab Session PLUS you'll also have the chance to win a seat into a $3,800 WPT Main Event!

Congrats to Chewy & Alty!
-Team LearnWPT

P.S. If you are having success at the tables follow and share it with us on social or email our support team at [email protected]. We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Have a question about LearnWPT? Contact the Support Team at [email protected] and we will be happy to help.

Making a commitment to study poker seems silly to some people.

In fact, I am sure you’ve often heard it from friends, co-workers, and family members: “Poker is gambling and at the end of the day, you need to be lucky to win at gambling”.

The next time you hear this all too familiar refrain, show them to this tweet from LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst...

However, shaping yourself into an elite and skilled poker player requires you to be open to learning, to be eager to improve, and to be dedicated to staying on the top of your game.

Tony Dunst, LearnWPT Instructor, WPT commentator, WPT Champion, 2x WSOP Bracelet Winner, and WSOP Circuit Ring winner, with more than $4 Million in live poker tournament winnings, is here to provide you with exclusive access to winning cash game and poker tournament strategies, detailed poker hand analysis and how to think through every street, GTO play, adjusting for known opponent tendencies, and what it takes to play On Tour.

There's no denying Tony’s resume as a world-class player, and he’s dedicated to improvement through his own study and collaboration with close friend and fellow LearnWPT Instructor Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger.

So, you should take this world-class player’s example and start your study plan today with a $5 first month membership to LearnWPT.com.

In his video Strategy Episodes, Tony focuses on:

➧ Key aspects of playing better poker including betting decisions under ICM pressure

➧ Advanced strategies that professional poker players use to adjust when big money is on the line

➧ Maintaining focus to be ready to play your A-game in crucial times

➧ How to target common leaks in your opponents

➧ Key study techniques Pros use to keep at the top of the game

➧ Optimal strategies for playing postflop after 3-betting preflop

➧ Answering questions from LearnWPT members

Get unfettered access to hear Tony review hands and outline his approach to staying mentally and physically fit for poker, reveal his top 10 player notes he takes during sessions, compare the mindset of a professional poker player vs a recreational player and provide key adjustments for transitioning from making deep runs to winning tournaments.

To give you some extra motivation and show you how dedication to study helped Tony have one of his best years ever as a Pro, you'll get exclusive access to Tony’s Strategy Episodes (48 videos!) as part of your $5 First Month Membership to LearnWPT.com.

Join today and get started on proving all the doubters wrong and get on a path to constant improvement (like Tony did!).

As part of your $5 First month membership, you’ll get access to a Strategy Episode where Tony discusses 4 recent hands he played from a $1000 buy-in online final table.

Watch this Episode To Learn Critical Strategies For:
➧ 3-betting with pocket jacks when ICM Is in play
➧ Continuation bet sizing to target specific stacks
➧ Knowing when to get away from your hand vs a turn lead
➧ How to react when your opponent leads on the river

In another episode, Tony focuses on physical fitness and how it can affect your poker performance, providing you with tips on how to use a healthy lifestyle to increase performance and stamina.

Being attentive to the energy consumed vs. energy expended, employing daily caloric calculators, and learning how to play your best depending on your diet are just some of the things that Tony touches upon in this episode. As physical fitness is essential for prolonged focus during sessions full of long hours, it is important to use increased focus to your advantage and to stay present and avoid auto piloting. You should also choose a key phrase to help you stay mindful and reset your state after losing a big pot, and use mental fitness to equip you with better mistake recognition strategies.

Follow Tony’s example and start your study plan today with a $5 first Month Membership to LearnWPT.com. You'll get exclusive access to Tony’s library of Strategy Episodes (48 videos) as part of your $5 First Month Membership to LearnWPT.com.

It'll be the best $5 investment you can make to get on the road to poker success!

Study hard and play well,
-LearnWPT

Poker legend and LearnWPT Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger used his steady and mindful poker approach to become a $100,000 buy-in WPT Alpha 8 Champion, WSOP Bracelet winner, and secure more than $11 Million in live poker tournament earnings.

He doesn't compare himself or his progress to anyone else's, but rather works on strengthening his own poker skills. Due to his dedication to learning and improvement LuckyChewy has been an innovative catalyst for new poker strategies throughout his entire career. By adopting a meditative attitude he is able to execute optimal strategies under tremendous pressure, providing a key balance for his analytical and collaborative approach to learning and playing poker.

LuckyChewy's opponent in this hand was another legend, Daniel Negreanu, one of the most influential and successful poker players worldwide as well as a favorite of poker fans with his distinctive and fun personality. Having played poker since he was a teenager, testing his skills and moving up in levels while plugging leaks and studying the game, he eventually became the youngest player to win a WSOP Bracelet at 23 years old, eventually winning 6 WSOP Bracelets. Daniel is no stranger to success on the World Poker Tour® as a 2 time WPT champion and WPT Season III Player of the Year, which helped him amass over $45 Million in tournament earnings.

As the subject of a LearnWPT Strategy Episode, LuckyChewy reviewed a hand he played against Daniel Negreanu in the $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl and explored some strategic ideas as a result of how this hand played out. LuckyChewy describes exactly what he was thinking after flopping a huge hand with millions of dollars at stake.

This video is part of our High Stakes with LuckyChewy Strategy Episode series where Chewy takes a deep dive into his most interesting and useful hands from real WPT and WSOP Final tables and teaches strategies and concepts you can use in your game.

In this ultra-high stakes tournament, LuckyChewy opened 2.5x the big blind, effectively risking what's in the pot with the blinds and antes. Daniel elected to 3-bet to 27,000, or 9 big blinds total. LuckyChewy had a fairly straightforward call with pocket fours and flopped a bottom set with a backdoor flush draw on the A♣9♣4♥ flop. With the in-position player having the range advantage, LuckyChewy checks and Daniel bets around one-quarter of the pot.

LuckyChewy decided to raise slightly more than 3 times his bet, knowing that Daniel is not likely to reraise him with anything because he already had the range advantage. With this stack depth, it's not recommended to play aggressively against LuckyChewy’s range, as he's quite polarized. There's not any reason for Daniel to raise, because if he has a strong value hand he prefers the opponent to keep bluffing or betting his weaker value hands. Daniel does call and the turn is a texture-changing card, the 2♣.

Based on the solver study, LuckyChewy initially thought this was a card that would encourage Daniel to slow down on, use smaller bet sizes to not bloat the pot. The solver actually recommends a larger bet of around 2/3 of the pot as you should push an equity advantage on a card that's better for you than it is for your opponent. However, if you bet a larger size, you would get way more folds than the solver prefers and your opponent is expected to fold hands as strong as AK.

The deeper you get into the game tree, the more assumptions you have to make about how your opponent would respond in order to determine the appropriate action based on the recommended strategy. The key in understanding the equilibrium approach to poker is to employ proven strategies, based on the program algorithm, to minimize the chance to lose.

LuckyChewy elected to use the smaller bet sizing and Daniel continued with a call. On the 8♠ river card Daniel shoved all-in. A shove from a hand such as A4s would be very perplexing and you're not likely to benefit from shoving with a hand like this as part of a balanced poker strategy. However this is one of those nuanced scenarios where the raise is mandatory, so you can reach equilibrium as the in-position player.

These are interesting conceptual ideas that do exist in a theoretical sense and familiarizing yourself with why these abstractions may occur through solver study is fascinating. If your opponent got here with pocket eights they would likely shove all-in. There may be some bluffing with pocket tens and jacks, so you would assume it would be more advantageous to bluff with stronger club blockers.

The simulation LuckyChewy used to analyze this hand would argue against that, as it's shoving all its flushes as the in-position player. Hands such as pocket tens and pocket kings where one of the cards is a club, as well as hands with AK with the K♣ or AQ with the Q♣, are considered bluff shoves from Daniel because it doesn't seem likely that LuckyChewy is bluffing. Considering the odds he was getting and the strength of his hand, LuckyChewy made the decision to call it off. Much to his dismay, Daniel did have K♣J♣ for the nut flush.

Although it was a painful hand to lose, LuckyChewy says through analyzing this hand with a solver post-game he realized how much better that turn was for him than it was for Daniel, regardless of the fact that they had a relatively equal distribution of suited hands that could make a club flush.

We hope that observing LuckyChewy's poker insights, strategies and concepts will be beneficial to you and boost your own game!

Click here to learn more about LuckyChewy, his accomplishments, and more importantly... how he can help improve your game.

Ready for more? Join LearnWPT for just $5 your first month of Membership and get full access to LuckyChewy content.

We'll see you online,
-LearnWPT