The WPT Main Tour kicks into high gear as players head back to the incredible Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK for the televised $3,800 World Poker Tour® Choctaw Championship Event featuring 50K in starting chips plus a massive $2 Million Guaranteed prize pool.

The 2022 WPT Choctaw Championship Event drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $2.7 Million. After a long final table battle, world-class poker player Chance Kornuth captured the $486,600 first prize.

This is your chance to join what is sure to be a massive field of poker fans and pros chasing the Mike Sexton Champions Cup! If you are looking to join the action and want to parlay a small buy-in into a life changing score, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the Championship Event satellites starting as low as $130!

Team LearnWPT is here to give the tools and strategy you need to win your seat to the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship. Check out the strategies in this blog (and on site on May 4th!) and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ FREE Satellite Intro Workshop
➧ Satellite Basics
➧ Satellite End Game
➧ Keys to Satellite Play
➧ Test Your News Skills!
➧ Train With Champions

Get In on the Action ...

The 2023 Choctaw Casino & Resort Durant festival kicked off on April 19th with the $300 Monster Stack $500K GTD opener. There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Main Event, so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to join the fun!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
End: Monday, May 8, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

The Televised Championship event begins Friday, May 5th with two starting flights and unlimited reentry through the start of level 9 - Click for the tournament structure.

📅 WPT Main Event Schedule:
Day 1A: Friday, May 5, 2023 starting at 11 am CDT
Day 1B: Saturday, May 6, 2023 starting at 11 am CDT
Day 2: Sunday, May 7, 2023 starting at 11am CDT
Day 3: Monday, May 8, 2023 starting at 11am CDT*
*The final table of 6 will be played and filmed for television by the World Poker Tour at the HyperX Las Vegas at Luxor on May 26, 2023.

Starting May 25th Get 3 Days of WPT Final Table Live Streams!
➧ WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table Live Stream - May 25th at 4:30 PM PT
➧ WPT Choctaw Final Table - Live Stream May 26th at 4:30 PM PT
➧ WPT Gardens Poker Championship Final Table - Live Stream May 27th at 4:30 PM PT
All live stream final tables are on a 30-minute delay

View ⚡ Live Streams on WPT Twitch, WPT YouTube or WPT.com

FREE Intro to Satellite Strategy - LIVE With Team LearnWPT - May 4th!

Satellite poker tournaments are a great way to parlay 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. Strategies for Satellites can be very different from a normal Tournament, and you’ll need to make some adjustments that may seem strange compared to standard tournament strategy.

To help get you ready for the Choctaw Championship Event we're inviting you to join Team LearnWPT Member Adrian Naggy for a FREE 30 minute introduction to Satellite Strategy Workshop LIVE at 8 am and 3 pm CDT prior to the start of the Mega Satellites.

You’ll get specific examples of how to change up your play to take advantage of the unique factors in a satellite, including how to adjust for each stage of the tournament, surviving as the shortstack, monitoring stacks and other tables, and navigating the bubble.

The Workshop is free to all and will be held in the Oak Room (in the Conference area next to the Tournament registration).

P.S. After the Workshop jump into the $500 Mega Satellite at 11 am and 4pm or the $250 Super Satellite at 9 pm to win a seat into the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship Event.

Can't make the FREE Introduction to Satellite Workshop? Use the poker strategies below to sharpen your focus and who knows, maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday.

Should You Play a 🛰️ Satellite Differently?

YES YOU SHOULD!

Approaching satellite play with the same strategy used in a regular poker tournament 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 Instructor Nick Binger as he discusses the key adjustments you need to make when playing Satellite Poker Tournaments.

Need Help Closing The Deal?

In this Strategy Episode watch and learn as Nick Binger reviews several key hands from a Satellite to highlight the unique adjustments during the endgame.

The 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 the probability of winning a seat goes up, your ranges in all spots tighten up
• There are times in a satellite poker tournament when players should never continue against an all-in
• Satellites are the only form of poker where it can be correct to fold pocket Aces 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

Time To Test Your Skills!

You are 4-handed at a winner-take-all Satellite Tournament with blinds at 100/200. The player in the Cutoff folds and you raise to $600 with Q♦J♣. The Small Blind reraises to $1,110 and you call. Your opponent checks the A♠A♣J♦ flop and action is on you.

What do you do here?

Are You GTO Ready?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the Final Table of a Satellite to the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship event. How do you protect your 30 Big Blind stack against an open from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play and lock up your seat?

Play a free Final Table Sample pack from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand how decisions change at the final table.

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

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.

Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Are you playing? If you see Team LearnWPT stop and say Hi 👋!

Check the LearnWPT calendar to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel the globe to play WPT Events.

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Choctaw Championship Event or side events on the Festival schedule!

Follow and tag us on social media to share your pic with members of Team LearnWPT, show off your chip stack, or celebrate a deep run.

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

Train With LearnWPT Champions for Just $5

In 2022 alone LearnWPT Instructors won a 2 WSOP Bracelets and WSOP Circuit Ring, a 25K buy-in WPT High Roller, a 25K PokerGo Masters title, a 50K buy-in WPT High Roller, and a combined $5.2 Million in tournament winnings plus made appearances at several high profile final tables.

In 2023 we’ve already got 1 WSOP Circuit Main Event win and a 5th Place Finish in the EPT London Main Event to add to the totals!

Ready to train and learn from these Pros? Join them NOW!

Whether you are brand new to poker training or you’re an experienced student this is your chance to learn from world-class professional poker players in a friendly community using state of the art tools.

Gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring Downloadable Tools, 500+ Strategy Videos (and more) for just $5 your first month of Membership!

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

We are changing the way LearnWPT Members learn, study, and analyze their stats... all from YOUR Personalized Training Dashboard!

Your LearnWPT Dashboard is designed to put you on a specific learning path tailored to your current poker knowledge, track your recent poker training activity for quick reference, and display your complete statistical history as a Member. Everything you need to review for efficient poker study is in 1 spot.

LearnWPT Poker Learning Paths

Not sure where to start your training? Take the Learning Path Quiz, pick the answer that most closely describes your current poker knowledge, and the results will reveal which Path is right for you.

The LearnWPT Poker Training Curriculum gives players of all skill levels content tailored to their areas of need and is divided into four Learning Paths (Quick Start for beginners, Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced). Each Learning Path is created as a cohesive system that builds on the lessons of  the previous, allowing poker players of all skill levels to grow and learn strategy at their own pace.

Quick Start For Beginners

Totally new to No-Limit Hold’em? We’ll give you a quick primer on poker including everything you need to jump into the action and start having fun.

What you’ll learn:

➧ How the Game Works
➧ Simple Rules
➧ Hand Rankings (what beats what?)
➧ When and How Much to Bet

Foundation Learning Path

The Foundation Curriculum provides the rock solid base for winning play and introduces critical concepts essential to advancing your poker strategy. New LearnWPT.com Members should start on the path to improvement by first viewing the Foundation Episodes.

What you'll learn:

➧ How to Think in Terms of Hand Ranges
➧ Betting Strategy Including Proper Sizing
➧ When and Why You Should Bluff
➧ Using Aggression to Win Uncontested Pots

Intermediate Learning Path

The Intermediate Curriculum utilizes the framework for making situational adjustments and responding to better opponents effectively, giving you the tools for consistent results. Expand on the framework you built in the Foundation path and start elevating your game to become a more dynamic and feared opponent.

What you'll learn:

➧ How to Exploit Specific Opponents
➧ Combinatorics and Equity Calculation
➧ Advanced Defense and C-Betting Strategies
➧ Game Theory Optimal Strategy

Advanced Learning Path

The Advanced Curriculum gives you direct access to the decision making and poker training habits that power the highest earning and most consistent players in the game. The concepts and processes shared here can turn you into a world-class poker player capable of holding your own against top Pros.

What you’ll learn:

➧ Using Game Theory Optimal Strategy
➧ Adjusting Ranges for ICM Considerations
➧ Randomizing and Range Balancing
➧ Championship Mental Game Strategy

It’s never been easier to work on the critical mistakes in your game and get feedback from winning professionals and world class poker players, all on your own time.

Build this simple process into your poker study routine and before you know it, you’ll be leveling up!

View Your Strategy Episodes

After taking the poker Learning Path Quiz we'll present you with Strategy Episodes based on your specific curriculum. For each Learning Path, Episodes are presented in a videostream in the Now Playing window and the videos are delivered in chronological order for each Path.

Each day when you resume training, the Dashboard will automatically serve the next unwatched Episode in your chosen Learning Path. Once you’ve finished watching all of the Episodes in a Learning Path you'll automatically advance to the next path.

IMPORTANT: If you did not take the Learning Path Quiz you'll default to the Foundation Learning Path.

To make sure you’ve got plenty of variety in your training sessions, the Featured Video and Newly Released sections will keep you engaged and motivated to continue improving.

Tip: Click the ⭐ icon to save an Episode to your Favorites library to rewatch later and view in your My Stats section.

To view the full listing of 500+ videos from the Dashboard at any time just click the Strategy Episodes Library link or EPISODES in the top navigation bar or via the mobile menu.

From the complete library of Episodes you can use the Refine Filters to take a deeper dive into a specific subject and streamline content quickly by learning path, instructor, video type and more.

What LearnWPT Is Up To

From the LearnWPT Dashboard find out what's happening in the WPT universe including upcoming poker tournaments and more!

We'll keep Members notified on next On Tour spots, upcoming Live Workshop, what's popular with Members, when our Pros and Students achieve success, strategy tips, and brand-new features.

What You've Been Up To

From the LearnWPT Dashboard Members get a complete snapshot of what they've recently watched, favorite episodes, discussions between their peers and Team LearnWPT in the Forums, and recent WPT GTO Trainer training sessions - all in 1 spot!

In the MY STATS section Members get a complete history of their training and milestones reached with their LearnWPT Membership. This section includes the number of Episodes watched in their Learning Path & overall, total GTO Trainer hands played, best EV score, and more.

Set Goals and Track Your Progress - all in one location!

So How Do You Get Started On YOUR Path?

Follow these five easy steps and get on the path to playing better poker fast from any device at any time with the convenience of a LearnWPT Membership!

1. Join LearnWPT.com ($5 your 1st month - upgrade anytime)
2. Take the Quiz and start on your Learning Path
3. Watch your selected Next Strategy Episode on the Dashboard
4. Drill and Play 25 hands a day on the WPT GTO Trainer
5. Ask questions and share hands in the Ask a Pro Forums

Already a Member? Login and you'll be directed to Your Dashboard.

Not a Member? Get get started today by clicking the button below ⤵

If you have any questions or need assistance please contact the Support Team and we will be happy to help.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

The World Poker Tour is heading back to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL for the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event. Join the massive field of poker players sure to flock to Florida to test their skills and be crowned the next WPT Champion!

The festival features an epic schedule of satellites, huge guaranteed events, and is highlighted by the massive $3 Million Guaranteed prize pool Championship event. There is no doubt this event will attract a record-shattering number of poker players and generate life-changing first place prize money.

Want the Cup? Get Aggression!

A common trait shared by almost every player whose name is etched on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup, is a willingness to stay aggressive and put their opponents to tough decisions. They are masters of knowing when to shift gears and exploit weaknesses and they don't need to have good cards to push the action.

Team LearnWPT is here to show you specific poker plays that will add aggression to your game and build a fierce presence at the table. The strategies we're sharing here will help you identify more spots to make aggressive moves that won't break your game, have you pulling the trigger more often in close spots, and put you on the path toward the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship!

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ Meet Up with Brad & Andrew
➧ Maintaining Aggression
➧ Fold Less, Float More
➧ Bluffing with LuckyChewy
➧ Get Ready for Final Table
➧ Train With Champions

Get In on the Action ...

The 2023 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown festival kicks off on April 13th with the $400 Deepstack $500K GTD opener. There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Main Event, so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to join the fun!

📅 Poker Showdown Festival Dates:
Start: Thursday, April 13, 2023
End: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule
Follow the live updates for action from all the events

The headlining WPT Poker Showdown Championship event begins Friday, April 28th with two starting flights and unlimited reentry through the start of level 9) - Click for the tournament structure.

📅 WPT Main Event Schedule:
Day 1A: Friday, April 28, 2023 starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 1B: Saturday, April 29, 2023 starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 2: Sunday, April 30, 2023 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 3: Monday, May 1, 2023 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 4: Tuesday, May 2, 2023 starting at 12 p.m. ET*
*The final table of 6 will be played and filmed for television by the World Poker Tour at the HyperX Las Vegas at Luxor on May 25, 2023.

Starting May 25th Get 3 Days of WPT Final Table Live Streams!
➧ WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table Live Stream - May 25th at 4:30 PM PT
➧ WPT Choctaw Final Table - Live Stream May 26th at 4:30 PM PT
➧ WPT Gardens Poker Championship Final Table - Live Stream May 27th at 4:30 PM PT
All live stream final tables are on a 30-minute delay

View ⚡ Live Streams on WPT Twitch, WPT YouTube or WPT.com

Meet Up With Brad and Andrew!

Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen bring the fun and excitement of the Meet Up Game (MUG) to the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa - and you're invited!

Beginning at 12 PM Eastern Time the pioneers of poker Vlogging and creators of the MUG will kick off the $2/$5 cash game action in the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker Room.

If you’ve been following the action from the MUG’s on social media and you’ve been feeling the FOMO, this is your chance to jump into the fun! Join us for a unique poker experience with the WPT Family, and you might even show up in Brad or Andrew’s next VLOG 🎥

AJo at the $10K WPT Final Table - Your Move?

Maintaining aggression in the face of big pay jumps under the bright lights of the World Poker Tour Final table can be a daunting task. Every decision is magnified and one wrong move could end your dream run.

In this Strategy Episode LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger breaks down a pivotal hand from the $10K WPT Seminole Hard Rock finale. Learn how calculated aggression can frustrate a skilled opponent and create fold equity in a tough ICM spot vs the chip leader.

Fold Less, Float More!

Tired of playing vs THAT player who always seems to be dragging pots with preflop raises and constant continuation bets? Take away their equity advantage and turn aggression on its heels with the Float.

Tune in to this Strategy Episode as Nick Binger gives you step by step guidelines to identify the best situations to float vs a frequent c-bettor. Utilize the power of position to turn aggression around on your opponents and add floating to your game plan.

Bluffing With LuckyChewy

To build a big stack in a WPT event and be in contention for the title, you will almost certainly need to pull off a few bluffs along the way. You simply won't get enough good cards to keep up the pace, and when you do flop a big hand it won't always hold up.

In this Strategy Episode LearnWPT Instructor and poker legend Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger walks through his thought process when overbet bluffing the river in a $1,600 live tournament.

Be Ready for the Final Table

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the cameras and show off your skills, we’ve got some important strategies to share to help you get ready. Final Table Strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay-jumps and the prestige that only comes with winning a World Poker Tour title.

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

Can You Stay Aggressive at The Final Table?

You are at the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table. You min-raise 2BBs on the Button with a 30BB stack and the Big Blind with 50BBs calls. Click below to play a free Final Table sample pack of this spot from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand how decisions change at the final table.

See how close you get to 0 EV Loss and high percentage plays. After playing, get YOUR score and read the strategy and theory behind the correct plays from the LearnWPT Pros.

Tips To 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 players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up

Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Are you playing? If you see Team LearnWPT stop and say Hi 👋!

Check the LearnWPT calendar to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel the globe to play WPT Events.

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Poker Showdown Championship Event or side events on the Festival schedule!

Follow and tag us on social media to share your pic with members of Team LearnWPT, show off your chip stack, or celebrate a deep run.

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

Train With LearnWPT Champions for Just $5

In 2022 alone LearnWPT Instructors won a 2 WSOP Bracelets and WSOP Circuit Ring, a 25K buy-in WPT High Roller, a 25K PokerGo Masters title, a 50K buy-in WPT High Roller, and a combined $5.2 Million in tournament winnings plus made appearances at several high profile final tables.

In 2023 we’ve already got 1 WSOP Circuit Main Event win and a 5th Place Finish in the EPT London Main Event to add to the totals!

Ready to train and learn from these Pros? Join them NOW!

Whether you are brand new to poker training or you’re an experienced student this is your chance to learn from world-class professional poker players in a friendly community using state of the art tools.

Gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring Downloadable Tools, 500+ Strategy Videos (and more) for just $5 your first month of Membership!

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

DECISION POINT: You are in a large field online tournament with blinds at 100/200 and a 25 ante. An Early Position player limps, it folds around to the Cutoff who raises to 600, and the Button calls. Action is on you in the Small Blind with A♥K♥.

What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are in a large field online tournament with blinds of 100/200 and a 25 ante and are dealt AhKh in the Small Blind. The Under the Gun player open limps for 200 and everyone folds to the Cutoff who raises to 600. The Button calls 600 and action is on us.

Our hand is likely way ahead of our opponents’ ranges here. The UTG limp is potentially a wide range and the Cutoff could easily be trying to isolate and get heads up in position with a wide range of their own. By limping behind the Button is encouraging more calls so it’s unlikely, but not impossible, that they have a premium hand and therefore have a capped range. The main question here isn’t if we raise, but what amount should we raise to.

Default in this spot would be three times the raise amount plus the call amount, or 2,400 chips. The issue is that two of the players involved have 5,000-6,000 chips.

It’s important to be aware of when you are reaching the pot commitment threshold, a point at which you have enough chips in the pot that you are committed to continuing with your hand no matter what. For most players this threshold range is 25-40% of your remaining stack, with ⅓ stack as a standard amount.

With just under 9,000 chips to start the hand we are dangerously close to that amount and a raise amount of 2,400 chips would be in excess of the commitment threshold for two of our opponents remaining in the hand.

The amount already in the middle is also over 1,900 chips, an approximately 20% increase to our stack. Taking the pot down right here, right now without a showdown is a very good outcome.

Even if we don’t manage to take down an uncontested pot with our shove, getting heads up against a single opponent with lots of dead money in the pot and a top 5 starting hand is still a great result.

Moving all-in is the best play.

The WPT Main Tour is Rolling Into Thunder Valley!

This year, the beautiful Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California will kick off the 2023 Main Tour Season, as WPT Rolling Thunder returns featuring a huge slate of exciting tournaments leading up to the highly anticipated $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event.

The festival features an epic schedule of satellites, huge guaranteed events, and closing with the player favorite Bounty Confidential.

The Thunder Valley festival headliner is the $3,500 buy-in WPT Main Event that features 50K in starting chips and is sure to deliver an unparalleled player experience. The friendly and skilled staff at the 😎 TV Poker Room are no strangers to hosting prestigious events with the World Poker Tour.

Whether enjoying the fabulous amenities or relaxing in the spacious and modern rooms, players On Tour rave about Thunder Valley as a can’t miss stop and Team LearnWPT will be there in the action.

LearnWPT Prepares You To Bring the Thunder

Get ready for your shot at a WPT Title with FREE expert poker strategy from the Championship roster of Team LearnWPT!

⛈️ Main Event Seat Giveaway
⛈️ Get In on the Action
⛈️ Satellite Strategy
⛈️ Bounty Tournament Strategy
⛈️ Get Ready for Final Table
⛈️ The Most Important Tip
⛈️ Train With Champions

Prepare to bring the Thunder and dominate the felt!

🥇 Main Event Seat Winner!

ClubWPT and LearnWPT recently teamed up to give players a chance to win a seat to the WPT® Rolling Thunder Main Event.

The exciting bounty tournament was live streamed by WPT anchor and LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst and LearnWPT Team Member Adrian Naggy.

With a lead, raise, and reraise all-in on the J♥Q♣2♦ flop, the 1,729 player tournament came to an exciting conclusion and the winner crowned. Watch the winning hand...

ClubWPT Stream Team Member Ray (aka kingofmordor) secured the victory after over 5 hours of play when his top pair with J♦6♣ held over joemessina's K♣9♦ straight draw and now he is on his way to Thunder Valley! Click here to watch the full stream.

Along with the seat, Ray also received private coaching from Team LearnWPT to get ready for Rolling Thunder. He’ll be welcomed by Tony and Adrian who will be onsite for the Main Event to cheer Ray on.

Check the WPT live updates to follow the action and cheer on Ray!

Get In on the Rolling ⛈️ Action ...

The 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Festival kicked off on March 22nd with the $300 Anniversary Opener. There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Main Event, so you don’t have to stretch your bankroll to join the fun!

📅 Rolling Thunder Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, March 22, 2023
End: Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

Highlights of the festival include the DEEPSTACK THUNDER VALLEY $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool tournament starting on March 23rd and the $500 buy-in ACTION8 $100K guaranteed prize pool tournament starting March 27th.

The action packed series is capped off with the popular (and secure 😎) $1,100 BOUNTY CONFIDENTIAL on April 2nd.

The headlining WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event begins Saturday, April 1st and features unlimited reentry through level 11 (the first two levels of Day 2) - Click for more information.

📅 WPT Main Event Schedule:
Day 1: Saturday, April 1, 2023 starting at 12 p.m. PT
Day 2: Sunday, April 2, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT
Day 3: Monday, April 3, 2023 starting at 12 p.m. PT
Day 4: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 starting at 12 p.m. PT - Final table will be live streamed with 30-min delay

Final table streaming on:
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/worldpokertour
📺 Twitch: https://twitch.tv/worldpokertour

The $3,500 event gives players 50K in starting chips and the player's favorite WPT structure giving you plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

Satellite Your Way Into the Main - Free Tips!

Satellite poker tournaments 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. Strategies for Satellites can be very different from a normal Tournament. LearnWPT is here to help increase your edge with key adjustments for satellite play.

Should You Play a 🛰️ Satellite Differently?

Yes! Approaching satellite play with the same strategy used in a regular poker tournament 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 Instructor Nick Binger as he discusses the key strategic adjustments you need to make when playing Satellite Poker Tournaments.

Check Out These 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 the probability of winning a win a seat goes up, your ranges in all spots tighten up
• There are times in a satellite poker tournament when players should never continue against an all-in
• Satellites are the only form of poker where it can be correct to fold pocket Aces 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

Use these strategies to sharpen your focus and maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday.

3 Tips for Bounty Poker Tournament Play

Bounty Poker Tournaments are a fun way to add variety to your poker tournament schedule. The real money bounty awarded for knocking out each player creates extra action plus it gives entrants a chance to win cash in most cases without needing to finish inside the bubble.

The hottest innovation in bounty poker that is causing great excitement amount players is the Lottery Style Bounty Tournament.

In this type of event (more commonly known as a Mystery Bounty or Bounty Confidential) players who make Day 2 and eliminate a player draw an envelope with the bounty amount hidden inside. Bounty amounts range from slightly less than a buy-in, all the way to 50 times the buy-in based on the total number of tournament entries.

To maximize your chances at grabbing a massive bounty there are specific strategy reminders you should keep top of mind during your next Lottery Style bounty event. Check out LearnWPT Instructor and Poker Legend Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger’s 3 key lessons for Lottery Style Bounty Tournaments below:

➧ Lesson #1: Making Day 2 in a Lottery Style Bounty Tournament is very important, but getting there with a big stack is critical to maximizing return on investment. Take thinner edges on Day 1 and focus on spots to accumulate chips before you reach the money so that you can have a better shot at accumulating bounties once you are in the money.

➧ Lesson #2: Bounties usually make up roughly one third of the prize pool. They are of most value when the average bounty amount in dollars is larger than the minimum cash and quite a bit larger than any pay jumps. Keeping track of which larger bounties have been won already is essential to making the highest expected value decisions in these types of events.

➧ Lesson #3: As the average bounty value decreases and you get deeper in the tournament where the prize money and associated pay jumps in the actual prize pool are larger than the average bounty amount, winning a bounty should be much less of an important factor in your decision making. Where previously you might have made a thin call to potentially win a huge bounty, you should instead evaluate this spot in terms of your overall tournament.

For more information and strategy on the different types of Bounty Poker Tournaments visit www.learnwpt.com/bounty

Ready for the Final Table? Test Your Skills!

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the cameras and show off your skills, we’ve got some important strategies to share to help you get ready. Final Table Strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay-jumps and the prestige that only comes with winning a World Poker Tour title.

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

Can You Stay Aggressive at a Final Table?

You are at the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Final Table. You min-raise 2BBs on the Button with a 30BB stack and the Big Blind with 50BBs calls. Click below to play a free Final Table sample pack of this spot from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand how decisions change at the final table.

See how close you get to 0 EV Loss and high percentage plays. After playing, get YOUR score and read the strategy and theory behind the correct plays from the LearnWPT Pros.

Tips To 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 players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up

Have FUN and Good Luck at Thunder Valley

Are you playing the Rolling Thunder Festival? Team LearnWPT will be on site and in the action. Stop and say Hi 👋 to Tony and Adrian!

Check the LearnWPT calendar to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel the globe to play WPT Events.

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event or side events on the Festival schedule!

Follow and tag us on social media to share your pic with members of Team LearnWPT, show off your chip stack, or celebrate a deep run.

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

Train With LearnWPT Champions for Just $5

In 2022 alone LearnWPT Instructors won a 2 WSOP Bracelets and WSOP Circuit Ring, a 25K buy-in WPT High Roller, a 25K PokerGo Masters title, a 50K buy-in WPT High Roller, and a combined $5.2 Million in tournament winnings plus made appearances at several high profile final tables.

In 2023 we’ve already got 1 WSOP Circuit Main Event win and a 5th Place Finish in the EPT London Main Event to add to the totals!

Ready to train and learn from these Pros? Join them NOW!

Whether you are brand new to poker training or you’re an experienced student this is your chance to learn from world-class professional poker players in a friendly community using state of the art tools.

Gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring Downloadable Tools, 500+ Strategy Videos (and more) for just $5 your first month of Membership!

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

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.

ClubWPT™ and LearnWPT™ are teaming up to give you the chance to win a $5,000 Package* to the 2023 WPT® Rolling Thunder Main Event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA!

Join us on Saturday, February 25th at 8PM EST for the LearnWPT On Tour Open exclusively on ClubWPT.com and take the first step to putting your name on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup.

New to ClubWPT? No worries, we got you covered! Join now and play FREE for 1 month (including this event!) when you sign up with bonus code LEARN23.*

Not only will the winner of this special tournament receive a $3,500 buy-in to the April 1-4, 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event plus $1,500 for travel and accommodations, they will also get an exclusive experience with Team LearnWPT including a private coaching session before the start of the tournament!

This is your chance to join Team LearnWPT On Tour and enjoy all the fun and exciting action synonymous with the World Poker Tour®.

Special Bounties on Team LearnWPT

Along the way to the final table of the LearnWPT On Tour Open on ClubWPT.com you’ll have to overcome tough opponents, and maybe even knock out a WPT Champion!

WPT Commentator and LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst will be in action as the 🎯 Featured Bounty (screen name TonyDunstWPT). If you’re the player who outwits Tony and takes all his chips, you’ll win Platinum Yearly Access to LearnWPT.com featuring the WPT GTO Trainer (a $996 value).

Additional Bounties on Team LearnWPT Members include:

🎯 Eric Lynch (screen name RizenLearnWPT)
💰 1 Yearly Gold Membership to LearnWPT.com ($588 Value)

🎯Adrian Naggy (screen name ANaggy)
💰 1 Yearly Silver Membership to LearnWPT.com ($288 Value)

🎯Kelly Parker (screen name feelinchippy)
💰 1 Yearly Silver Membership to LearnWPT.com ($288 Value)

Wait! There's more …

Featured Bounty Tony Dunst will be streaming his entire tournament play live on twitch.tv/clubwpttv!

Tune it at 8:00 PM EST to sweat the action and hang out with an online poker legend. Jump in the chat to cheer on Tony and get valuable strategy tips for battling large field tournaments.

Team LearnWPT will also be streaming coverage of the tournament live, starting from the final few tables on twitch.tv/learnwpt until we crown a champion! Adrian Naggy will anchor the coverage and welcome the LearnWPT Instructors to break down the exciting finale (follow us on Twitch to get alerts when we are live).

• Tony Dunst Streaming at 8PM ET on twitch.tv/clubwpttv
• Adrian Naggy Streaming at 9PM ET on twitch.tv/learnwpt

Eligibility to participate for cash and prizes on ClubWPT is based on the State or Territory in which you reside. Please see the Rules, Eligibility, and Terms & Conditions below to verify your eligibility.

LearnWPT On Tour Open - All of the Action:

February 25, 2023 | 8PM EST on ClubWPT.com
Lobby Name: LearnWPT $5K VIP Pkg Qualifier & Bounty
Eligibility: ClubWPT VIP and Diamond Members
Streaming on: twitch.tv/clubwpttv | twitch.tv/learnwpt

• The Prizes!
• How To Play in The LearnWPT On Tour Open
• LIVE Stream the Action
• LearnWPT Bounty Strategy Tips
• Get Ready to Play Your Best
• Rules, Eligibility, and Terms & Conditions

Tournament times are Eastern Standard Time

What Are the LearnWPT On Tour Open on ClubWPT Prizes?

🏆 Grand Prize (1 Winner):

➧ $5,000 Main Event Seat Package to the 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA including:

• One (1) entry to the 2023 $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event
• $1,500 cash travel & hotel stipend (self-arranged flight, room & board, and incidentals)

➧ Featured interview with Team LearnWPT including coverage in World Poker Tour Live Tournament Updates
➧ VIP Access to activities including the Player's Party
➧ LearnWPT SWAG
➧ Meet and Great and pre-tournament strategy session with Team LearnWPT at Thunder Valley Casino Resort

Prize is non-transferable and can only be redeemed at the April 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Main Event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort

🎯 Bounty Prizes (4 Winners):

➧ Bounty Prizes are awarded to the player that knocks out a Member of Team LearnWPT during the LearnWPT On Tour Open
➧ Only one (1) Bounty Prize shall be awarded for each Bounty
➧ Your Bounty Targets are:

• Tony Dunst (screen name TonyDunstWPT): 💰 1 Yearly Platinum LearnWPT Membership ($996 Value)
• Eric Lynch (screen name RizenLearnWPT): 💰 1 Yearly Gold LearnWPT Membership ($588 Value)
• Adrian Naggy (screen name ANaggy): 💰 1 Yearly Silver Membership to LearnWPT ($288 Value)
• Kelly Parker (screen name feelinchippy): 💰 1 Yearly Silver Membership to LearnWPT ($288 Value)

How Do I Play in the LearnWPT On Tour Open?

To participate in the LearnWPT On Tour Tournament on ClubWPT and be eligible to win prizes (including the $5,000 Main Event Seat prize package to the April 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder at Thunder Valley Casino Resort) you must be a ClubWPT VIP or Diamond Member.

New to ClubWPT? No worries, we got you covered! Join now and play FREE for 1 month, plus play for a chance to win a share of $100K in cash and prizes every single month on The Official Website Of The WPT® when you sign up with bonus code LEARN23.*

➧ Head over to ClubWPT.com
➧ Login to your ClubWPT account (please note login to ClubWPT is separate from your login credentials for your LearnWPT Membership)
➧ Find the LearnWPT On Tour Open in the VIP TOURNEYS lobby
➧ Click Register to join the tournament (registration starts 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start time)
➧ When the tournament starts your table will pop up!

If the tournament does not open automatically at the start time click the MY TOURNAMENTS button. Select the LearnWPT tournament listed as LearnWPT $5K VIP Pkg Qualifier & Bounty and click the “Take Seat” button at the top of the screen.

3 Tips for Bounty Poker Tournament Play

Bounty Poker Tournaments are a fun way to add variety to your poker tournament schedule. The real money bounty awarded for knocking out each player creates extra action plus it gives every poker player a chance to win some cash in most cases without needing to finish inside the bubble. And no one does Bounty Tournaments quite like the Thunder Valley Poker Room!

The most recent innovation in tournament bounty poker that has caused great excitement among poker players is the Lottery Style Bounty Tournament.

In this type of event (more commonly known as a Mystery Bounty or Bounty Confidential) players who make Day 2 and eliminate a player draw an envelope with the bounty amount hidden inside. Bounty amounts range from slightly less than a buy-in, all the way to 50 times the buy-in based on the total number of tournament entries.

To maximize your chances at grabbing a massive bounty there are specific strategy reminders you should be conscious of during your next Lottery Style bounty event. Check out LearnWPT Instructor and Poker Legend Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger’s 3 key lessons for Lottery Style Bounty Tournaments below:

➧ Lesson #1: Making Day 2 in a Lottery Style Bounty Tournament is very important, but getting there with a big stack is critical to maximizing return on investment. Take thinner edges on Day 1 and focus on spots to accumulate chips before you reach the money so that you can have a better shot at accumulating bounties once you are in the money.

➧ Lesson #2: Bounties usually make up roughly one third of the prize pool. They are of most value when the average bounty amount in dollars is larger than the minimum cash and quite a bit larger than any pay jumps. Keeping track of which larger bounties have been won already is essential to making the highest expected value decisions in these types of events.

➧ Lesson #3: As the average bounty value decreases and you get deeper in the tournament where the prize money and associated pay jumps in the actual prize pool are larger than the average bounty amount, winning a bounty should be much less of an important factor in your decision making. Where previously you might have made a thin call to potentially win a huge bounty, you should instead evaluate this spot in terms of your overall tournament.

For more information and strategy on the different types of Bounty Poker Tournaments visit www.learnwpt.com/bounty

Get Ready To Play Your Best!

Before the next LearnWPT On Tour Tournament Series event on ClubWPT make sure you brush up on trouble spots in your game with all of the awesome features on LearnWPT.

• Use Search to quickly find resources to help your game
• Watch Strategy Episodes and learn valuable concepts with real world examples
• Download range charts & betting guides from our Tools Section
• Share your hands and get expert feedback from Team LearnWPT with Ask A Pro
• Practice vs the perfect opponent with the WPT GTO Trainer
• Talk poker with fellow Members in the LearnWPT Community

Not a LearnWPT Member?

The best way to prepare for success at the table and on ClubWPT.com is a Membership to LearnWPT. Whether you are brand new to poker training or you’re an experienced student this is your chance to learn from world-class professional poker players in a friendly community using state of the art tools.

Join LearnWPT.com for just $5 for your first month or upgrade to any of our LearnWPT Membership Tiers listed here

After joining you'll gain access to LearnWPT Training with WPT GTO Trainer packs, Downloadable Tools, 500+ Strategy Videos (and more)

We'll See You On Tour at Thunder Valley!

HAVE FUN and don’t forget to share your success via email to [email protected] or follow us and share on social.

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Join us for the LearnWPT On Tour Open on ClubWPT!

Good luck and good playing,
- Team LearnWPT

*LearnWPT On Tour Open on ClubWPT Rules, Eligibility, and Terms & Conditions:

Prize Eligibility:

Eligibility to participate for cash and prizes on ClubWPT.com is based on the State or Territory in which you reside. Local laws determine the guidelines for the sweepstakes eligibility. If your territory does not allow for sweepstakes games, then it is deemed ineligible and you cannot participate in sweepstakes poker tournaments.

Click here for Official Rules for eligible States or Territories: https://www.clubwpt.com/prize-eligibility/

Alabama, Florida and Michigan ClubWPT™ sweepstakes eligibility period runs from January 1, 2023 through February 28, 2023. ClubWPT may extend sweepstakes eligibility to Alabama, Florida and Michigan again in the future at its discretion. See Official Rules for Alabama, Florida and Michigan residents at ClubWPT's Terms of Service.

Terms & Conditions:

• Must be an active subscriber of ClubWPT VIP or Diamond in order to be eligible for prize at time of award.
• Prizes listed are available only through participation in the LearnWPT On Tour Open on ClubWPT on February 25, 2023.
• Conditions apply. See LearnWPT Terms of Service for details. LearnWPT is not a gambling or gaming site.
• ClubWPT VIP or Diamond Members must be from prize eligible locations to participate. To see the full list of prize eligible locations - visit https://www.clubwpt.com/prize-eligibility/
• Players must be 18 years or older to attend and play online games. Void where prohibited by law. To see the full list of prize eligible locations - visit https://www.clubwpt.com/prize-eligibility/
• Players must be 21 years of age to be eligible for the grand prize.
• Virtual coaching sessions will be recorded and winners hereby acknowledge and agree to the footage release terms per the Terms of Service and constitutes permission for LearnWPT and its agencies to use your name, voice, and/or likeness for purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity.
• LearnWPT is not responsible for access or technical issues during the tournament. Contact ClubWPT for technical support during game play.

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

New Year’s Day is a time to make resolutions. Is this the year you move improving at poker to the top of your list for the next 12 months? The team of poker champions and expert teachers at LearnWPT are here to help you achieve these goals.

It's time to turn the page and look ahead. The new year is full of possibilities.

Whether you are a pro or just started your poker journey, progress comes from setting both short-term and long-term goals that are necessary for success.

The journey to becoming a better poker player doesn't have an end, but there are critical milestones in continuously developing your skills. You need knowledge of how poker is played and what make someone a skilled player. You need the guidance of poker professionals who know how to take strategy knowledge and apply it to real-world poker situations.

How can you learn to play better poker in the new year?

The following list of Poker Resolutions will help jumpstart your poker game and teach you to think like a poker pro. Here are New Year’s Resolutions to play better poker from LearnWPT:

The Basics: Always Start With The 5 Keys 🔑

These 5 Key Factors are important for you to think about EVERY time you play a hand and they will guide your decisions on later streets:

1. Always be aware of your and your opponent's Position
2. Know the Stack Depth and Effective Stack in terms of big blinds
3. Assign Preflop Ranges (not a specific hand) based on each player’s position and how they entered the pot
4. Note the Number of Opponents seeing the flop
5. Understand the Board Texture and how it affects your next move

Changing your results in poker starts with thinking about hands with the same process used by professional poker players. Start with this process to immediately upgrade your poker play, and become tougher to play against. These foundational poker strategies will help any player get better at poker fast, whether you are experienced or brand new to poker.

Get a jumpstart on your New Year’s Poker Resolutions and watch these Free Strategy Episodes from LearnWPT! Watch and add the 5 Keys to your game plan now.

Now that you've got access to the process poker pros use to make tough decisions and bluff their opponents out of big pots, it’s time to add another resolution to the list - upgrading your Mental Game!

Set Goals and Measure Your Progress

Poker strategy knowledge is just one part of many that make up a poker champion. Stressful situations at the poker table affect every player differently, and in order to avoid going on tilt and making a big mistake you need to work on your mental game.

Setting poker goals allows you to accurately measure your learning process and have proper expectations for your performance. Poker goals create a framework for how you schedule your study and play and give you motivation to focus while at the table.

Think about and set Poker Goals by:

a) Reflecting on past goals and results

Tracking your play and being honest with yourself about your performance is fundamental to success. Poker players must understand their current skill level so they know when to move up to a higher-stakes game.

b) Setting process and results-oriented goals

If you want to be successful at poker, it's important that your mindset is in the right place. Many people make unrealistic goals that lack structure and are non-specific. Instead, try making more concrete, measurable, realistic resolutions that highlight your progress.

Having big goals is a key to staying motivated for many poker players, however developing sub-goals that will allow you to feel and measure progress is essential to being a winner in the long term.

c) Understanding "why" poker is important

What is it about poker that excites and motivates you? What do you like most about it and why do you want to perform as well as possible?

Poker is a challenging strategy game that brings players together from all over the world to sit at the same table and compete. Some play for the prestige of winning a World Poker Tour® Championship, while others want to have more fun in their local home game while getting the best of their friends.

No matter why you play No-Limit Texas Hold’em, understanding your motivation will help you have more fun wherever you play.

If you are loving these Poker Resolutions and want to make them part of your game, then a Membership with LearnWPT is the easiest and fastest way to start learning poker strategy from poker champions who are also expert teachers.

Even if you are just starting to learn poker as a new player, LearnWPT has an easy-to-use membership system with tools and coaching for players like you who are looking to learn skills directly from poker professionals.

Poker is a competitive game where strategy is constantly evolving and there is always something new to learn. Embracing a cycle of constant improvement means you can beat your competition in the long run. No matter where you are right now in your poker game, there are additional skills and concepts that you can learn and improve. We’ve got you covered at LearnWPT with more than 500 video poker strategy tutorials available.

Keeping track of your results, making notes, and creating your own system of self-analysis can be one of the best things you can do for yourself as a player. If you haven't tracked your results before or you are a beginner, this New Year’s Poker Resolution Starter Guide might be the most important one.

Setup a Feedback Loop

Evaluate play to improve faster by:

a) Creating a journal to keep track of hands

b) Writing down key details for troublesome hands

c) Setting up a feedback loop using the Hand Input Tool to record, save, and share hands that you have played so they can be analyzed by the LearnWPT Pros

Every player needs their own feedback system. Developing a process for your own hand analysis can help you uncover leaks and fix mistakes in your game. Making mistakes is part of poker. Eliminating those mistakes with a trusted community of players who will respond to your questions and offer advice is vital to growth and success in the game of poker.

Paying attention to specific details of each hand (See the 5 Keys) and capturing them for study and analysis later will have very powerful implications for your game. Record these details in shorthand on your smartphone or even bring a small notepad to the table so you can review them when you are not in the heat of battle.

Allow sufficient time to pass between play and study, as you want to remove any emotion from the situation when you analyze poker hands. This process will help you stay more objective in your analysis, especially if you exclude the results of the hand so that you and your trusted community of experts (like the Pros at Team LearnWPT) are not biased by the ultimate outcome. Focus on the decisions that lead up to the outcome instead of whether you won or lost any one specific hand in order to dramatically improve your play at the poker table.

Will these poker resolutions help you? Want to upgrade your poker game?

Training online with Strategy Episodes, the Ask A Pro Forum, and the WPT GTO Trainer are excellent ways to start improving your game today. That’s not the only way LearnWPT can help your poker game.

If you want to jumpstart your play and become a force at the poker table, the LearnWPT Strategy Workshops are an amazing opportunity to train in person with legends of poker and receive hands-on training from poker champions. Live Training Workshops are the fastest, most comprehensive, and most fun way to radically change the way you play poker. You can even win a seat to live tournaments like the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.

Online poker is a great way to play the game wherever you are. You can test the skills you gain from training on LearnWPT and play for real prizes on sites like ClubWPT. Playing online allows for flexibility in scheduling and offers a wide range of events to accommodate many players. When playing online be certain to eliminate distractions such as watching TV or engaging in social media while playing. Your focus should be on the challenge of the game, your opponents, and making the best decision in the moment. When playing and practicing poker, being present in the moment is crucial to your success in learning new concepts and making winning plays.

Now that you’ve read our Poker Resolutions Guide, what are your Poker Resolutions?

Post your answers in the comments below. Writing down your goals is a powerful way to focus your intention, and sharing them with your poker friends can help keep you motivated. You may even inspire and help others to play better poker.

It's been an excellent year for LearnWPT and the game of poker. Are you ready to see what the new one has in store?

Here's to making winning decisions in 2023!

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