Who’s ready for a deep run in December? Team LearnWPT is here to help with a FREE strategy series focused on preflop, postflop, and defense strategy to get you and your game ready to dominate the WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas. Today we are focusing on getting you in the game and finishing strong with ICM, Bubble, and Satellite Strategy.

The 2024 Festival offers a unique opportunity for poker players who normally wouldn’t dream of spending $10K on a poker buy-in. Whether it's online at ClubWPT.com, or by taking advantage of the Wynn Las Vegas live satellite tournaments guaranteeing 250 WPT World Championship seats as well as Golden Passports to the ClubWPT Gold $5M Invitational Freeroll, there are countless satellites where you can turn a small buy-in into a life changing score.

If you do secure a seat and make a deep run, you’ll need to be ready for some tough decisions that could mean the difference between making your buy-in back and tripling your bankroll. Adjusting your strategy for situations near the tournament money bubble, when facing big pay jumps, and approaching the final table, will play a huge part in how many zeros are at the end of your payslip.

Let's get started...

ICM, Bubble, & Satellite Warm-Up Webinar

Tournaments have specific inflection points where the threat of elimination plays a large role in shaping decisions. Bubble, ICM, and Satellite Strategy are critical areas of study to make big scores and win seats to high buy-in events for small investments.

In this Warm-Up Session LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy focus on the factors you need to consider when facing a tough decision on the Bubble, as well as specific differences between satellites and traditional multi-table tournaments. We’ll discuss how ICM (Independent Chip Model) influences hand ranges and betting, plus outline specific strategy for Milestone Satellites.

🛰️ Satellite Into a WPT Championship Event!

Satellite 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, and you’ll need to make some adjustments that may seem strange compared to standard tournaments to help increase your edge in a satellite.

Use these strategies to sharpen your focus and 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.

Tips for Milestone Satellite Play

In a Milestone Satellite a player must accumulate a specific chip stack amount designated by the poker room ("The Milestone") to be awarded the tournament prize. The Milestone amount required to win the seat for each tournament is usually noted in the rules and structure sheet (under Milestone Rules).

As in a traditional satellite format, players may also win a seat by surviving until the number of seats available in the prize pool equals the number of players remaining, however achieving a verified Milestone stack at any point in the Tournament automatically guarantees that player a seat to the target event.

Example: You are playing a $1,100 buy-in Milestone Satellite to the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship with a starting chip stack of 20,000 and the "Milestone" is 220,000 chips. Once a player's chip stack reaches 220,000 chips they are instantly awarded a seat into the event and their chips removed from play.

The satellite will conclude when the number of players remaining is equal to the number of $10,400 prizes generated based on the Tournament Prize formula, less the amount of players who have previously won by reaching The Milestone.

• Milestone Satellites prioritize a more risky playing style than traditional satellites, similar to bounty tournaments
• Specific opponent tendencies play a big factor in your approach and dictate whether going for the Milestone is a priority
• Larger raise sizes may have increased fold equity against opponents close to the Milestone (within 5-10BBs) due to poor risk/reward
• Don’t lose sight of the Milestone in later stages when effective stacks are shallow - a few preflop steals could be enough to secure your seat
• The endgame of a Milestone satellite can be chaotic - stay focused on the best strategy for your stack size and specific table conditions
• Remember that you don’t always have to get to the Milestone to win a seat, you can still use traditional satellite strategy and have a good chance

Take these strategies to the Wynn Las Vegas poker room and play a $400 Double Play Milestone Satellite to secure your seat into the $1,100 WPT Prime or Ladies Championship, a Milestone Satellite to $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship, or other Wynn Festival events.

During the 2023 Festival Milestone Satellites sent nearly 500 winners to the WPT World Championship field last year. LearnWPT wants to help you win YOUR seat!

➧ Click here for the current schedule of satellites and tournaments

Follow the Wynn Poker Room on social for updates to the satellite schedule and more. X @WynnPoker | Instagram @wynnpoker

Have Satellite Strategy questions? Members can talk directly and get answers from the LearnWPT Pros in our Ask a Pro Discord!

Understanding Bubble Play

Many poker players go into “lockdown” mode when approaching the bubble, hoping to avoid facing tough decisions until they are for sure guaranteed at least the minimum cash. While it’s always great to lock up some profit, most often they are missing huge opportunities to gain chips and set themselves up for a deep run.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode as Instructor Nick Binger introduces Bubble Play and how to use aggression on the bubble in a tournament to help improve your chances of accumulating chips and maximize your ROI (return on investment).

ICM Pressure on Preflop Ranges

Strategy adjustments for various tournament stages must consider the impact of ICM and the specific factors in play at your table. When there are different stack sizes and a huge gap in pay between 1st and 9th place, making the most profitable decisions can seem daunting.

When you are the chip leader at a final table it’s also crucial to understand how dramatic ICM will affect your opponent’s strategy, and when you can use ruthless aggression to punish your foes on the way to victory. In both cases, the key to making better decisions with ICM in play starts with adjusting first-in hand ranges.

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick breaks down ranges and adjustments across stack sizes and describes how you should be approaching these spots at your next final table.

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month for more Strategy Episodes and downloadable tools.

If you are a member of the LearnWPT Family in Las Vegas for the WPT World Championship Festival we want to cheer you on! Let us know what you are playing or share your success at the table and tag us on social media or email [email protected].

X @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Good luck and good playing,
Team 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.

Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started and you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, 550+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools, Ask a Pro Discord, (and more).

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

Who’s ready for a deep run in December? Team LearnWPT is here to help with a FREE strategy series focused on getting you and your game ready to dominate the 2024 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

To make the most of these gigantic fields and massive prize pools, it's important to have a solid preflop, postflop, and defense game-plan. In this blog we are focusing on Intuition and Exploitative Strategy (stay tuned for ICM, Satellite, and Mental Game Strategy!).

A common trait shared by most successful tournament players is the ability to identify when an opponent is making an obvious mistake and knowing how to shift gears and use Exploits to maximize their edge. Whether it’s odd bet-sizing, frequent over-calling, or taking too many hands to showdown, you must identify and capitalize on these mistakes if you want to stay ahead of the field. Our next Warm-Up Session is all about using your strategic knowledge to punish bad plays and cultivate your feel for the game. Let's Get Started...

Intuition & Exploitative Play Warm-Up Webinar

There’s no doubt that consistently training your game online at LearnWPT.com will put you in a good position to play your best. However, in real-world games there are a wide variety of opponents and unique spots that will force you to make decisions in situations that might not have come up during your preparation.

In this session from our WPT World Championship Warm-Up series LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano will break down the tendencies you should be on the lookout for and the exploitative adjustments that are likely to net you more chips, or help avoid disaster and conserve your stack. We’ll also talk about how being prepared and staying present at the table can increase your intuition and elevate your play.

Have Strategy Questions? LearnWPT Members can talk directly to the LearnWPT Pros in our Ask a Pro Discord!

Live Reads and Tells With Tony Dunst...

Unlike Hollywood movies, you probably won’t play against an opponent who broadcasts their hand strength by how they eat a cookie. You’ll need to pay much closer attention to specific actions including bet-sizing, timing, and whether they are more interested in the game on TV than your 3-bet range from the Cutoff.

Maximizing your edge in tournament poker comes from focusing on subtle changes in process and glaring strategic errors that can tip your opponent’s holdings. Developing a profile based on these tendencies will allow you to use exploitative adjustments more effectively and can play a big factor in making close decisions against specific opponents much easier.

LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst describes the Top 8 Tells he’s observed in live poker and gives you tips on making Table Reads that will add profit to your bottom line.

Unconscious Competence with Jared

How can you develop Intuition by training poker skills? As you study and practice poker using a structured system over time your skills become practically automatic. When you continue to build a game plan with consistent effort your play becomes much less burdened with simple decisions. Your energy and focus can be trained on observing opponents and looking for exploits.

Watch this Strategy Episode as LearnWPT Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler breaks down why training new skills to the point of Unconscious Competence is your goal and outlines the process you should follow to measure growth in your poker game.

Exploitative Play With LuckyChewy

Exploiting your opponents at the poker table requires focus and keen situational awareness, as well as having a game plan for how to make the most profit from their mistakes. You need a solid understanding of why these errors make your opponent vulnerable and how to attack their weakness, or you’ll likely experience inconsistent results when trying to exploit opponents.

In this Strategy Episode LearnWPT Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger analyzes common spots to illustrate how exploitative adjustments based on specific opponent tendencies can yield much greater value with premium hands.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Strategy Episode and attend our next LIVE Study Session.

Extracting Maximum Value With Gags

Your opponents may change several times in any given poker tournament, so developing a specific player profile can be difficult, if not impossible. Bet-Sizing errors are often the best indicator of an opponent who is deviating from sound strategy and are most likely to make big mistakes postflop. Exerting your skill edge in these spots means staying alert and avoiding autopilot, especially when you flop a huge hand.

Watch this Strategy Episode as Michael "Gags30" Gagliano explains how maximizing your opportunities against opponents when you have a defined read is vital to growing your stack during a multi-day tournament Championship event.

The difference between a small profit and a life changing score could lie in your ability to capitalize on obvious strategic errors. Watch as Gags breaks down hands where he uses exploitative lines to extract maximum value and demonstrates how to weigh the potential risk/reward of bet sizing to determine the best approach.

Improve Your Game With Team 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.

Become a LearnWPT Member today (for just $5 your 1st month) and join our monthly LIVE Study Sessions, gain access to over 550 Strategy Episodes, drill hands with the WPT GTO Trainer, and more!

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

Who’s ready for a deep run in December? Team LearnWPT is here to help with a FREE strategy series focused on getting you and your game ready to dominate the 2024 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

To make the most of these gigantic fields and massive prize pools, it's important to have a solid preflop, postflop, and defense game-plan. In this blog we are focusing on Postflop Strategy (stay tuned for Exploitative Play, ICM Strategy, Mental Game and more!)

In any given hand of tournament poker the community cards (flop, turn, and river) can change equities dramatically and quickly force difficult decisions for your entire chip stack. Accurate assessment of ranges for each opponent based on position and how they enter the pot preflop play a vital role in your approach to postflop play. Recognizing the different types of board textures and analyzing how each changes the likely actions of your opponent is crucial for maximizing value on your big hands and avoiding costly mistakes deep in tournaments.

Let's Get Started on Improving Your Postflop Play...

Postflop Strategy Warm-Up Webinar

If you’re planning to make a deep run in the $5M GTD WPT Prime Championship or WPT World Championship (or both!), making sure your postflop strategy is strong and adaptable is crucial. There will be many deep-stacked spots postflop where you'll be facing tough decisions and potentially have your tournament life in the balance.

In this 90 minute session from our WPT World Championship Warm-Up series LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano are all about getting you geared up to attack flops with properly sized c-bets, identify spots to float aggressive opponents, and give you the tools to make huge laydowns and big hero calls when the pressure is on. Gags and Rizen also discuss how to approach tough opponents and break down exploitative adjustments to max value when you have the skill edge.

Have Postflop Strategy questions? LearnWPT Members can talk directly to the LearnWPT Pros in our Ask a Pro Discord!

C-Betting Vs Tough Opponents

Whether in a cash game or tournament, continuation betting is a key part of postflop strategy. A strong default c-betting strategy will put most players on the defensive and result in winning many uncontested pots.

However, as you face more skilled opponents additional factors must be considered to ensure your c-bets are profitable. When facing tougher opponents, you’ll need to upgrade your approach and adjust how frequently you fire again on the flop after raising first-in.

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick Binger explains how equity advantage, nut advantage, and your perceived range help you decide when to c-bet against tough opponents. Plus, Nick outlines the common spots vs tough opponents that are the most challenging.

Playing Draws Effectively

Deeper effective stacks and championship blind levels means that you will be playing speculative cards at a higher frequency and flopping your share of draws. With skilled opponents and a reentry available, the frequency with which your opponents are likely to be taking chances with this category of hands also greatly increases.

Having a default process for determining pot odds and hand equity in real-time eliminates the anxiety around poker math. Add these simple rules for calculating outs and equity and quickly determine the pot odds you need to be profitable with a draw in any situation.

Watch this Strategy Episode as LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger gives you the key factors to consider when playing draws including playing from both in position and out of position pots.

Applying Pressure With Draws

Since you’ll be raising first-in with speculative combos at a higher frequency when deepstacked, it stands to reason that you’ll also be playing draws as the aggressor far more often.

While the math behind making your draws may be the same on the surface, there are several additional layers that dictate your strategy when leading the betting after flopping a draw.

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick takes a deeper dive into the strategy behind playing draws aggressively including how a paired board can actually increase our hand's equity.

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month for more Strategy Episodes and downloadable tools.

🧮️ Time for a Math Lesson

Understanding Odds and Outs is a vital component to playing draws effectively. Here are some quick shortcuts to use on the felt when calculating Odds and Outs to simplify playing draws.

Outs - Rule of 2 and Rule of 4:

Rule of 2: Percentage of Hitting on the Next Card = Number of Outs * 2
➧ Example: 8 Outs * 2 = 16% Chance

Rule of 4: (Calling an all-in with 2 or more cards to come only) Percentage of Hitting Next Card on Turn/River = Number of Outs * 4
➧ Example: 12 Outs * 4 = 48% Chance

When you have more than 8 Outs: Subtract number of outs over 8 from your Chance of Hitting
➧ Example: 12 Outs * 4 = 48% Chance of Hitting
➧ Example: 12 Outs - 8 = Adjustment of 4
➧ Example: 48% - 4 = 44% Chance of Hitting

Pot Odds -  Rules of Thumb:

➧ When facing a pot sized bet the pot odds are always 2:1
➧ When facing a half pot sized bet the pot odds are always 3:1
➧ You can always round numbers to simplify
➧ Compare Pot Odds vs Hand Odds. If Pot Odds are more favorable it is a profitable situation.

For more on poker Outs, Pot Odds, and Implied Odds check out...

• Episode 37 Outs \ au̇tz \ noun: Any card that needs to come on the flop, turn, or river in order to improve your hand
• Episode 39 Pot Odds \ pät ˈädz \ noun: A ratio comparing the size of the pot to the size of the bet
• Episode 41 Implied Odds \ im-plī ˈädz \ noun: A ratio showing the relationship between the expected size of a pot and size of a bet

Equity Advantage & Nut Advantage

What is Equity in Poker? Equity is defined as the share of the pot that is yours based on the odds that you will win the pot at that point in play. Equity can and often does change from street to street.

A solid understanding of equity helps you identify spots where you are ahead or behind enabling you to make the best betting decisions.

In this Strategy Episode Nick Binger introduces the concepts of Equity and Advantage and Nut Advantage. Tune in as Nick describes these concepts in detail and reveals how key tenants of the LearnWPT game-plan naturally account for them.

Quick Tips For Equity Vs Nut Advantage:

• Equity Advantage: When a given hand range has more equity vs an opponent hand range. The preflop aggressor will have the Equity Advantage in most cases
• Nut Advantage: When a hand range has more combinations of cards that make the best possible hand on a given board vs an opponent's hand range.

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro Discord and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team 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.

Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started and you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, 550+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools, Ask a Pro Discord, (and more).

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

Who’s ready for a deep run in December? Team LearnWPT is here to help with a FREE strategy series focused on getting you and your game ready to dominate the 2024 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

To make the most of these gigantic fields and massive prize pools, it's important to have a solid preflop, postflop, and defense game-plan. In this blog we are focusing on Defense Strategy (stay tuned for Postflop, Exploitative Play, ICM Strategy, Mental Game and more!)

You will face raises with a high frequency throughout the course of a tournament and fortifying your defense strategy must be a big part of preparation. Focusing on the specific ranges that perform best in these spots and practicing the typical postflop situations that result from Defense scenarios is essential to growing and protecting your chip stack. Let's Get Started Improving Your Defense Game...

Defense Strategy Warm-Up Webinar

Aggressive opponents and escalating blinds combine to create a paralyzing force during a major poker tournament, especially given the increased odds with a Big Blind Ante in play.

Poker tournaments with excellent structures like the 2024 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas are full of aggressive opponents who attack blinds and pressure opponents to build their stacks. If you aren’t prepared for this level of aggression or lack confidence when facing a raise from the Blinds or on the Button, the likely result is indecision and bleeding chips.

In this session from our WPT World Championship Warm-Up series LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano take a deep dive into the specific strategies you can use when facing aggression in common Defense situations at the poker table. We'll also examine the factors that you need to consider when deciding to defend in position vs out of position.

Ready to watch the rest of this series? Members can rewatch the Study Sessions anytime on the Webinars Dashboard.

Turn and River Play With Tony Dunst

With more opportunities to Defend your Big Blind, you’ll definitely be in some interesting postflop situations facing a wider range of hands. In many of these spots you’re likely to face a continuation bet, so understanding which board textures are favorable for floating and when bluffing may be an option is valuable. Navigating these spots from out of position without the equity advantage translates to more difficult decisions on every street. To gain a true understanding of how tough these spots can be it’s essential to analyze postflop Big Blind Defense situations away from the table.

Join LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst as he explores 3 hands from recent sessions to break down optimal play on the turn and river when defending from the Big Blind. Watch this Strategy Episode as Tony uses PioSolver to demonstrate how ranges interact in this spot and what factors you should be accounting for.

🔘 Button Up Your Defense

The Button is the most powerful position at the table and it should be a priority to play as many hands as possible when you are in that seat. By entering the hand on the Button, you secure ultimate position postflop and can deploy a wide array of bluffs and creative plays on many board textures. While position plays a major factor in your ability to win, playing just any 2 cards is not viable and there still needs to be a structured response strategy to maximize value.

In this Strategy Episode Nick Binger analyzes the hand ranges you should be using to Defend your Button in Tournaments. Watch as Nick details key range adjustments for each positional group and gives you shortcuts for adjusting to different player types in real-time.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes, download the charts, and attend our next live webinar.

🛡️ Defend Your Big Blind

The Big Blind Ante creates more attractive risk/reward and increases in the frequency you should defend against a single open raiser. Increased pot odds preflop allows for Defending with shallower stacks more often, and the specific portions of your range that perform best across each stack size is constructed differently.

Upgrading your Big Blind Defense Strategy to focus on these specific stack size inflection points will reduce the stress around these decisions in real-time.

Watch this Strategy Episode from Nick Binger for an in-depth look at Big Blind Defense in tournaments with stacks ranging from 15BBs to 40BBs. Tune in as Nick describes the strategy for each stack size based on open-raises from late, middle, and early position.

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

Defending Your Small Blind...

Improving your play from the Small Blind can have a dramatic impact on your tournament game and help avoid leaking chips due to critical mistakes. Spend time studying your Defense Strategy from the Small Blind and improve your play from the toughest seat at the table.

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick introduces a tool for your tournament game-plan, Small Blind Defense. Nick also provides detailed hand ranges and discusses your approach to defending the Small Blind in Tournaments.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes, download the charts, and attend our next live webinar.

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots in the LearnWPT Ask a Pro Discord we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

Who’s ready for a deep run in December? Team LearnWPT is here to help with a FREE strategy series focused on getting you and your game ready to dominate the 2024 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

To make the most of these gigantic fields and massive prize pools, it's important to have a solid preflop, postflop, and defense game-plan. In this blog we are focusing on Preflop Strategy (stay tuned for Defense, Postflop, Exploitative Play, ICM Strategy, and more!)

There are only a few things you can actually control at the table during a hand of poker. By far, the most important is your ability to choose the right cards to play before the flop. Knowing which hands to raise first-in with and how to adjust based on position and stack depth is the bedrock of winning tournament poker. Responding to aggression with the correct strategy is vital to accumulating a big stack and crucial to avoiding costly mistakes that can derail your Championship run. Let's Get Started With Preflop ...

Preflop Strategy Warm-Up Webinar

Knowing how and when to make moves Preflop is one of the keys to getting a hold of chips in a poker tournament. Since simply deciding to bet, raise, or call based on “feel” is not a proven way to be a long-term winner, it’s essential to base your move-making on a solid theoretical base.

In the first session from our WPT World Championship Warm-Up series LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano focus on the one decision you must make in every hand you play - what to do when action folds to you preflop. They’ll also break down how to apply pressure with 3-Betting and give you tools to gain a skill edge on your opponents.

Have Preflop Strategy questions? LearnWPT Members can talk directly to the LearnWPT Pros in our Ask a Pro Discord!

Know The Basics: Start With The 5 Keys 🔑

Solid preflop play isn’t just about selecting the best hand combinations. Understanding the “why” behind choosing specific hands to play from each position and how these choices affect our decisions on later streets is essential to building a winning game plan. These 5 Key Factors are important 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 just 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

Get these 5 Key Basics down pat by watching these four LearnWPT Strategy Episodes:

The 5 Keys Of Poker Tournament Strategy Quick Tips:

To build mental muscle memory for these concepts in real-time, focus on the 5 Key Factors even when you are NOT in the hand. Notice hands that were shown down, you’ll find an interesting trend...

• The more players that see the flop, the stronger the average hand will be at showdown
• The more coordinated a board is, the more likely it is someone has a strong draw or made hand
• Multiway and Coordinated? You’ll likely see the strongest possible hands in a player’s range at showdown

🛑 Know Your First-In Hand Ranges

During the course of a poker tournament you are likely to face dozens of stressful decisions. Your ability to stay present in the moment and focus on the 5 Key Factors will likely decide whether you make a deep run or bust out on Day 1. Luckily there are some things you can start doing now to take away distractions and help make high quality strategic decisions under pressure.

Spend just a few minutes each day reviewing the Game Theory Optimal (GTO) Preflop Hand Ranges. Over time you will gain a solid grasp of each positional range and your preflop decisions will feel less stressful. You’ll free up mental energy to work on other areas of your game and be able to maintain sharp focus when facing tough spots postflop.

Watch this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger as he gives you a detailed breakdown of which hands you should play from each seat position when raising first-in to the pot.

If you are a tournament player and haven't added these first-in hand ranges to your game plan you are missing opportunities to grow your chip stack and gain a balanced preflop attack. Understanding what hands to act with preflop from Early, Middle, or Late Position is crucial to your success!

Here are a few points from this Episode to remember...

Think in Hand Ranges:

• A range includes all hands a player may have in a given situation
• Avoid trying to put your opponent on a specific hand
• Position, action, and stack depth help determine ranges
• Analyzing hand ranges is best done away from the table

➧ Download a copy of the GTO First-In Hand Ranges

Use these rock solid Game Theory Optimal hand ranges and you'll be well on your way to an award winning performance at the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas!

These charts will tell you what hands to play when you are the first person to put money into the pot at the poker table. They'll keep you on very solid, profitable ground.

Quick Tips For Using the First-In Hand Range Charts:

• Use the Position Graphic to determine your position at the table and reference the appropriate range chart for your seat - Helpful Tip: Always count backwards from the Button to determine your position
• You should raise with all hands highlighted in PINK. Do not call the minimum bet amount - RAISE!
• Your raise sizing should be between 2.3 and 3 times the big blind amount depending on stack depth.
• Stay consistent with your raise sizing. If you raise a larger amount with a specific hand and smaller amounts with others, you will be easier to read at the table (IE don't raise to 600 with AA, but 400 with 99)

You'll develop Muscle Memory for preflop play by simply reviewing the charts and putting them into practice at the table!

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month for more Strategy Episodes and downloadable tools.

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro Discord and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

Improve Your Game With Team 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.

Become a LearnWPT Member today (for just $5 your 1st month) and join our monthly LIVE Study Sessions, gain access to over 550 Strategy Episodes, drill hands with the WPT GTO Trainer, and more!

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 currently eight-handed in the middle stages of a major weekend online tournament with blinds at 500/1,000 and a 1,000 big blind ante. Most of the stacks at the table have around 50BBs and 75% of the field is still in play. The UTG player raises to 2,000 and it folds to you in the Small Blind with Q♥Q♦. You reraise to 9,000, the Big Blind folds, and the original raiser calls. The flop comes 6♦4♣3♠ and action is on you.

What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are in the early to middle stages of a major weekend online tournament. Most of the stacks at the table, including us, have around 50 big blinds. Around 75% of the field is still playing. The blinds are 500/1,000 with a 1,000 big blind ante. We are dealt QhQd in the Small Blind with eight players at the table. The UTG player opens to 2,000 and the action folds around to us.

While this raise came from an opponent seated Under the Gun, this opening range should still be as wide as 18-20% of overall hands when using a small opening raise size and with a big blind ante in play. Our specific hand pocket queens is well ahead of that range. Due to being out of position we are heavily incentivized to push our equity edge preflop by reraising rather than taking a passive line and playing out of position postflop with relatively deep stacks. We choose to reraise to 9,000 chips, the Big Blind folds, and the original UTG raiser calls.

The flop is 6d4c3s and with a stack to pot ratio (SPR) of around 2, our pocket queens are very strong and we are near the top of our range, so folding should not be a consideration at any point in the hand. Given that is the case our main concern here is finding the best way to get money into the pot against their range. When the UTG player just calls our preflop raise, their range is usually condensed to pairs as well as some suited aces and suited broadway hands. Although AK might just call sometimes preflop, many players would just move all-in preflop with that hand so we can discount it from our range assessment. This means that when we’re ahead our opponent is likely drawing to somewhere between 2-3 outs, the exception being the times they specifically have combinations of A5s and 55.

The big temptation that many players have here is that they want to bet big and just get the hand over with.

If we really think about UTG’s range our hand isn’t that vulnerable when we’re ahead on this flop. You’re not likely to make big hands at a high frequency in any given tournament, so it’s vital that we’re able to maximize our value when spots like this do occur. If we bet big here our opponent may continue with some of their overpairs, however most of their defending range will be composed of hands that are drawing super thin on this flop such as JTs/ATs.

Consulting the output from a GTO solver for this spot, we see that the preferred line actually checks with our hand at a high frequency here to induce a stab from the portion of UTG’s range that just contains overcards. In addition to checking the solver recommends sometimes betting with a mix of sizing between 25-50% pot. Using a sizing any larger than half pot will likely force our opponent to play closer to “perfect”, by folding all their hands that have little equity against us and only continuing with their strongest holdings.

In real-world games our decision in this spot will be influenced by any tendencies we’ve observed from our opponents.

If we have observed that the UTG player might aggressively take a stab at the pot if we check, this is a great place to play our hand a bit deceptive and check the flop. Against more passive opponents it’s crucial to start betting now and to choose a small sizing that will allow UTG to continue with hands we are dominating.

Both checking and betting small are the best plays.

If you’re a fan of nonstop poker action in an award winning hotel casino where you can split time between fine dining, line dancing, and some time at the pool, then you need to get to Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK right now. Join Team LearnWPT as we head back On Tour 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 2023 WPT Choctaw Championship Event drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $2.1 Million. After a long final table battle, world-class player Jared Jaffe captured the $400,740 first prize and his 2nd WPT Main Tour Title

This year the Choctaw Festival returns featuring a huge slate of new exciting tournaments, epic schedule of satellites, and huge guarantees leading up to the highly anticipated WPT Main Tour Championship Event.

Do you have dreams of making the televised final table and sharing the stage with Vince, Lynn, and Tony but don’t quite have the bankroll? Good news - there are plenty of chances to parlay a small buy-in into a life changing score, and you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the Championship Event satellites starting as low as $130!

Get Championship Ready With LearnWPT

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 2nd!) and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ Win a FREE $500 Satellite Seat
➧ Satellite Keys and Basics
➧ Test Your Satellite Skills
➧ Understanding ICM at the Final Table
➧ Play Solved GTO Final Table Hands
➧ Launch Your Poker Game This Summer!

Get an edge on your competition with poker strategies from proven winners and prepare to dominate the felt!

#TheCupAwaits 🏆

Get In on the Action ...

The 2024 Choctaw Casino & Resort Durant festival kicked off on April 17th with the $300 Monster Stack $50K GTD opener and features some can't miss events including the $100K GTD $130 buy-in “Gargantuan“ on the 18th and the $400 buy-in $200K GTD “Choctaw Classic” event on the 25th.

In addition to the satellites to the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship even starting as low as $130, you can also potentially parlay a low buy-in of $250 into a $14,100 WPT package satellite that awards winners a seat to the $10,400 WPT World Championship in Vegas this December. There are also lower buy-in events scheduled nightly so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to get to experience the fun and excitement of playing in a World Poker Tour event!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
End: Monday, May 6, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

Day 2 of the Televised Championship Event begins Friday, May 3rd with two starting flights and allows for unlimited re-entry until the start of level 9 on Day 1A and Day 1B - Click here for the structure.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1A: Friday, May 3, 2024 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 1B: Saturday, May 4, 2024 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 2: Sunday, May 5, 2024 starting at 11am CDT
➧ Day 3: Monday, May 6, 2024 starting at 11am CDT
➧ Final Table: Thursday, May 30, 2024*

The $3,800 Championship event offers 50K in starting chips and the player's favorite WPT structure providing plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

Win a FREE $500 Satellite Seat and Train With Team LearnWPT - May 2nd!

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 WPT Choctaw Championship Event we're inviting you to join Team LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy for a FREE 30 minute introduction to Satellite Strategy Workshop LIVE at 12PM CDT on May 2nd prior to the start of the Championship Event 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 Willow Room (located in the Conference Area next to The Grand Theater) on May 2nd at 12PM CDT - look for the LearnWPT banners!

Immediately following the FREE strategy session, we’ll go down to the tournament floor in the Grand Arena and play in an exclusive freeroll satellite for attendees with 1st prize awarding a $500 seat to the 4PM Mega Satellite to the WPT Choctaw Championship!*

➧ Save your seat by registering below or clicking here

*Entry limited to attendees of the Free LearnWPT Satellite Strategy Workshop on May 2, 2024 at 12PM CDT. Attendees must register prior to the start of Satellite. First Prize in the LearnWPT Freeroll Satellite awards one (1) seat to the $500 Mega Satellite to the WPT Choctaw Championship Event on May 2, 2024 at 4PM CDT. First Prize is only valid for the $500 Mega Satellite to the WPT Choctaw Championship Event on May 2, 2024 at 4PM CDT. First Prize non-transferable and not redeemable for cash value.

P.S. After the Workshop jump into the $500 Mega Satellite at 4 pm or the $250 Super Satellites at 6 pm and 9pm to win your 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 LearnWPT Strategy Episode get invaluable perspective from a Pro as Nick Binger reviews several key hands from a Satellite to highlight the unique adjustments during the endgame.

These strategy concepts could help you avoid busting on the bubble and secure your seat to the WPT Choctaw Championship!

The Keys 🗝️ to Satellite Play

• Everyone gets paid the same prize
• Make sure you know the rules of the Satellite you are playing and how to secure your seat
• Satellites can be played a number of ways, from traditional freezeout, to milestone, to shootout format
• 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

Test Your Satellite Skills!

You are playing a Mega Satellite to the $2 Million guaranteed WPT Choctaw Championship 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?

Click here to get detailed analysis of this hand from Team LearnWPT and learn more strategy behind the correct plays.

Final Table ICM Pressure on Preflop Ranges

Strategy adjustments for various tournament stages must consider the impact of ICM (Independent Chip Model) and the specific factors in play at your table. When there are different stack sizes and a huge gap in pay between 1st and 9th place, making the most profitable decisions can seem daunting.

When you are the chip leader at a Final Table it’s also crucial to understand how dramatic ICM will affect your opponent’s strategy, and when you can use ruthless aggression to punish your foes on the way to victory. In both cases, the key to making better decisions with ICM in play starts with adjusting first-in hand ranges.

Watch this LearnWPT.com Strategy Episode as Nick breaks down ranges and adjustments across stack sizes and describes how you should be approaching these spots at your next Final Table.

Playing Medium Pairs at A Final Table

Medium strength pocket pairs are a common source of frustration at the poker table for many players. Often with this hand category we are faced with difficult decisions to continue on many board textures, and can be challenged to make the right play when facing aggressive action.

At a Final Table when pay jumps are a big factor, it’s even more crucial to understand the correct strategy with medium pairs in order to avoid massive ICM blunders.

Here’s a breakdown from LearnWPT Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen featuring pocket 8s at a Final Table to illustrate just how much ICM should affect your decisions in these spots.

Are You GTO Final Table Ready?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the Final Table of the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship event. How do you play your 30 Big Blind stack against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play and the Mike Sexton Champions Cup on the line?

Play FREE solved hands from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand how preflop ranges affect your decisions at the Final Table.

Here are some tips when practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer:

• Your goal is to select the action for each individual hand that is as close to 0.00 EV as possible
• EV Loss of 0.00 is the same action a GTO Player would take
• 0.00 EV Loss means you broke even against a GTO Player
• EV Loss Color Coding Hint:
  • Green = Near GTO Play
  • Orange = Take Caution
  • Red = Probable Leak in Your Game

Members can practice more hands from this scenario anytime by playing the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer Final Table pack!

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.

At the Final Table Remember To...

• Play 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

Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Will we see you on the felt during the WPT Choctaw Festival? 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.

X @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing and we can’t wait to share your success at the poker table!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe for more FREE poker content.

LearnWPT Launch Digital Strategy Workshop!

Join Team LearnWPT for the upcoming LearnWPT Launch Digital Tournament Strategy Workshop to get your game ready for the Summer Tournament Series - all from the comfort of home!

LearnWPT Launch is an interactive Workshop that consists of 4 Digital Training Sessions conducted over a span of 2 Weeks (starting May 14th). Each Session is highly structured and designed to deliver the maximum impact to your game over 8 Immersive Hours of Instruction with Team LearnWPT.

PLUS attendees have a seat in a private Tournament hosted on ClubWPT.com* to win a $2,500 WPT Prime Championship Passport!

LearnWPT Launch is your chance to train directly with Tony Dunst, Eric "Rizen" Lynch, Michael "Gags30" Gagliano, and Johan Schultz-Pedersen on your time and from the comfort of your home.

With a combined resume including a WPT Championship, 5 World Series of Poker Bracelets, 3 WSOP Circuit rings, best selling author, over 3 decades of coaching experience, plus countless other high profile final tables and huge scores, Team LearnWPT has the tools and knowledge to make this your best summer on the felt yet.

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

It’s time to head back to everyone’s favorite East Coast poker destination - the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL for the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event. Players from all over the planet are heading to sunny South Florida for a chance to make the TV Final Table and be crowned the next WPT Champion!

The Festival is known for constant poker action with some of the largest tournament fields on tour and features an epic schedule of satellites, huge guaranteed events, and is highlighted by the massive $3 Million Guaranteed prize pool Championship event. The action at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood never disappoints and it’s a certainty that this event will once again break records and generate life-changing first place prize money.

The 2023 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $7.3 Million!

After a long Final Table battle, 2023 WPT Player of the Year Bin Weng captured the $1,128,250 first prize and had his name engraved onto the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup alongside a prestigious list of World Poker Tour Champions.

Want the Cup? Get Aggression!

What single trait is shared by almost every player whose name is etched on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup? If you guessed that they are willing to stay aggressive and put their opponents to tough decisions, you’d be right. These masters of the game know 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 plays that will add aggression to your game and build a fierce presence at the table. Watch these free videos from proven crushers and you’ll learn to identify more spots to make aggressive moves that won't break your game. Get the insight on how these pros pull the trigger more often in close spots, and get on the path toward the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship!

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ Meet Up with Brad & Vince
➧ Maintaining Aggression
➧ Fold Less, Float More
➧ Bluffing with LuckyChewy
➧ Get Ready for Final Table
➧ Our Most Important Tip

Get In on the Action ...

The 2024 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Festival kicks off on April 3rd with the $400 Deepstack $1,000,000 guaranteed opener. There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Championship Event, so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to join the fun!

📅 Poker Showdown Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, April 3, 2024
End: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
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 19th with two starting flights and unlimited reentry through the start of level 9) - Click for the tournament structure.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
Day 1A: Friday, April 19, 2024 starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 1B: Saturday, April 20, 2024 starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 2: Sunday, April 21, 2024 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 3: Monday, April 22, 2024 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 4: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 5: The Final Table of 6 will be played and filmed for television at the HyperX Las Vegas at Luxor on Wednesday, May 29th

Starting May 29th Get 2 Days of WPT Final Table Live Streams!
➧ WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Final Table Live Stream - Wednesday, May 29th at 4:30 PM PT
➧ WPT Choctaw Championship Final Table Live Stream - Thursday, May 30th 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 Vince!

Who’s ready for some bomb pots or a round of the Stand Up Game?

Brad Owen and Vince Van Patten bring the fun and excitement of the Meet Up Game (MUG) to South Florida to open the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship - and you're invited!

On April 18th beginning at 11 AM EDT the innovator of poker Meet Up Games and the legendary WPT Television host 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'd 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 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 huge stacks and be in contention for a WPT 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 with the rising blinds and antes, 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 essential strategy adjustments 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.

Most poker players aren’t prepared for the sudden increase in intensity caused by 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.

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

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to get more Final Table strategy.

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.

Here are some tips when practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer:

• Your goal is to select the action for each individual hand that is as close to 0.00 EV as possible
• EV Loss of 0.00 is the same action a GTO Player would take
• 0.00 EV Loss means you broke even against a GTO Player
• EV Loss Color Coding Hint:
  • Green = Near GTO Play
  • Orange = Take Caution
  • Red = Probable Leak in Your Game

Members can practice more hands from this scenario and get expert feedback from the LearnWPT Pros on their play with the 30BB Button Open Vs 50BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more hands using the WPT GTO Trainer.

Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Will we see you on the felt during the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Festival? 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.

Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt | X @LearnWPT

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing and we can’t wait to share your success at the poker table!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe for more FREE poker content.

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

Team LearnWPT is back On Tour and ready to roll as we return to the incredible Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA (right outside of Sacramento) for the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship!

The excitement is building for a repeat of the 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship which drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $1.8 Million. After a hard fought final table battle, featuring our own Tony Dunst, Scott Eskenazi captured the $361,600 first prize and added his name to the Mike Sexton Champions Cup.

Join Team LearnWPT for a festival full of exciting flops, turns, and rivers as grinders and shot takers descend on Thunder Valley to find out who will be crowned the next WPT Champion.

The friendly and skilled staff at the TV Poker Room are no strangers to hosting some of the most fun tournaments on the World Poker Tour. This year the Rolling Thunder Festival returns featuring a huge slate of new exciting tournaments, epic schedule of satellites, and huge guarantees leading up to the highly anticipated WPT Main Tour Championship Event.

LearnWPT Prepares You To Bring the Thunder!

Team LearnWPT is here to give the tools and strategy you need to win your seat to the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship. Check out the strategies in this blog (and onsite on March 22nd!) and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

🌩️ Get In on the Action
🌩️ FREE Satellite Intro Workshop
🌩️ Satellite Basics
🌩️ Keys to Satellite Play
🌩️ Get Inspired for Your WPT Final Table Moment
🌩️ Final Table Tips With Tony
🌩️ Tips To Sharpen Up Your Game for Showtime

Get an edge on your competition with poker strategies from proven winners and prepare to bring the Thunder and dominate the felt!

#TheCupAwaits 🏆

Get In on the Action ...

The 2024 Rolling Thunder Festival kicked off on March 7th with the $300 Opening Night $50K GTD tournament and includes some can't miss events including a $1M GTD Deepstack Thunder Valley on the 14th and the inaugural $570 “Savage Average” event on the 17th

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 $165 plus a $700 Festival package satellite that awards winners buy-ins worth $5,100 including a seat to the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Thursday, March 7, 2024
End: Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Click here for the full Festival schedule

Day 1 of the Championship Event is Saturday, March 23rd and allows for unlimited re-entry until the start of level 11 on Day 2 (March 24th), when registration ends - Click for the tournament structure.

The $3,500 Championship Event features the player favorite WPT tournament structure giving you plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1: Saturday, March 23, 2024 starting at 11 am PT
➧ Day 2: Sunday, March 24, 2024 starting at 11 am PT
➧ Day 3: Monday, March 25, 2024 starting at 11am PT
➧ Final Table: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 starting at 11am PT*
*Final table will be live streamed with 30-min delay

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

FREE Intro to Satellite Strategy - LIVE With Team LearnWPT March 22nd!

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 Rolling Thunder Championship Event we're inviting you to join Team LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy for a FREE 30 minute introduction to Satellite Strategy Workshop LIVE at 10 AM PDT on March 22nd prior to the start of the Championship Event 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 poker room tournament area (near the large screen) on March 22nd at 10 AM PDT - look for the LearnWPT banners!

P.S. After the Workshop jump into the $550 Shootout Satellites at 1pm and 6pm or the $100 Step Satellite at 3 pm to win a seat into the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder 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 LearnWPT Strategy Episode watch and learn as Nick Binger reviews several key hands from a Satellite to highlight the unique adjustments during the endgame.

These strategy concepts could help you avoid busting on the bubble and secure your seat to the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship!

The Keys 🗝️ to Satellite Play

• Everyone gets paid the same prize
• Make sure you know the rules of the Satellite you are playing and how to secure your seat
• Satellites can be played a number of ways, from traditional freezeout, to milestone, to shootout format
• 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

Quiz Time! Test Your Satellite Skills

You are 4-handed at a winner-take-all Satellite Tournament for a seat to the WPT Rolling Thunder $3,500 Championship 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.

Action is on you, what do you do here?

Get Inspired for Your WPT Final Table Moment!

WPT Tournament Director Matt Savage and WPT Champion Tyler Patterson called the Final table action of the 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship Event as LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst went for his 2nd WPT Title!

Watch a WPT Championship in Action…

Are YOU Final Table Ready?

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.

Watch this breakdown of a high stakes final table from LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst to see how this dynamic plays out in real-time.

Can You Stay Aggressive at the Final Table?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship Final Table with big money and a WPT title on the line. How do you play your 30 big blind stack from the Button against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play?

Play hands from a WPT GTO Trainer Final Table Pack to see firsthand how preflop ranges affect your decisions at the final table.

Here are some tips when practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer:

• Your goal is to select the action for each individual hand that is as close to 0.00 EV as possible
• EV Loss of 0.00 is the same action a GTO Player would take
• 0.00 EV Loss means you broke even against a GTO Player
• EV Loss Color Coding Hint:
  • Green = Near GTO Play
  • Orange = Take Caution
  • Red = Probable Leak in Your Game

Members can practice more hands from this scenario and get expert feedback from the LearnWPT Pros on their play with the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

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

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to get more Final Table strategy.

Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Will we see you on the felt during the WPT Rolling Thunder Festival? 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 Rolling Thunder 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.

Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt | X @LearnWPT |

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing and we can’t wait to share your success at the poker table!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe for more FREE poker content.

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

Team LearnWPT is back On Tour and returning to our home on the east coast at the incredible Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL for the WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship featuring a massive $3 Million Guaranteed prize pool.

The excitement is building as the WPT hopes for a repeat of the 2022 series where the Main Event prize pool soared to almost $5 Million and Andrew Wilson claimed $785,500 and the WPT Title!

Join your poker family for a bountiful feast of flops, turns, and rivers as grinders and shot takers descend on Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood to find out who will be crowned the next WPT Champion!

WPT Main Tour stops at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood are legendary for smashing guarantees and awarding massive 1st place prizes and this year’s Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open should be no exception.

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 ready to jump in 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 $150!

Championship Strategy From Team LearnWPT

Team LearnWPT is no stranger to success at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, with 2 of Brian Altman’s WPT Titles coming at the venue.

We are here to serve up a healthy portion of poker tournament tactics and tools to keep you focused and playing your best poker during the $3,500 WPT Championship Event. Check out the strategies in this blog and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

🎸 Get In on the Action
🎸 Blind Battle With Brian Altman
🎸 Tony Dunst on Broadway
🎸 Get Final Table Inspired
🎸 Train With Champions LIVE
🎸 Show Us Your Stack

Get an edge on your competition with expert poker strategies from proven winners who know how to succeed when the pressure is on!

#TheCupAwaits 🏆

Get In on the Action …

The 2023 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Festival kicked off on November 15h with the $400 Deep Stack $2,000,000 Guaranteed opener.

There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Championship Event, so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to join the fun including a $200 buy-in event on Thanksgiving Day with a $3,500 seat to the WPT Championship Event added to 1st place!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
End: Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

Day 1A of the $3 Million Guaranteed WPT Championship Event starts on Friday November 24th and offers 2 full starting days plus re-entry format, Day 1B on November 25th - click for more information.

The $3,500 event features a super deep championship structure giving you plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

🗓️ WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1A Friday, November 24th starting at 11AM ET
➧ Day 1B Saturday, November 25th starting at 11AM ET
➧ Day 2 Sunday, November 26th starting at 12PM ET
➧ Day 3 Monday, November 27th starting at 12PM ET
➧ Day 4 Tuesday, November 28th starting at 12PM ET
➧ Final Table Wednesday, November 29th starting at 2PM ET
Final table will be live streamed with 30-min delay

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

Jump into the action and compete for your share of this massive $3,000,000 Guaranteed prize pool.

Tips From Tony & Adrian

LearnWPT’s Tony Dunst and Adrian Naggy are huge fans of the poker action at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood and are excited to head back to this amazing venue.

Check out this chat from last year's festival to hear about Tony’s run in the Championship event and get some tips on structuring your study routine to avoid burnout and stay sharp for the $3M Guaranteed WPT Rock N’ Roll Poker Open.

P.S. if you see the guys on site be sure to say hi!

Battling From the Blinds With Brian Altman

Practicing from the Blinds will have a dramatic impact on your tournament results, particularly in higher buy-in tournaments with tougher competition. Facing aggressive late position opponents with marginal hands, especially hands containing an ace with a weak kicker, often result in making huge mistakes.

3x World Poker Tour Champion and WPT Player of the Year Brian Altman is no stranger to tough battles playing from the blinds against the world’s best poker players.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode as Brian details his strategy from this spot from a $5,300 event at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood to demonstrate championship play from the Big Blind facing an aggressive and tricky player on the Button.

Tony Dunst on Broadway

Broadway hands (any 2 card combo that can make an A-K-Q-J-T straight) are often preferred combos for taking aggressive actions like raising first-in to the pot and 3-betting. While sometimes the approach to play these hands can seem straightforward, there are often very close decisions with hands even as strong as top pair particularly when stacks are shallow.

LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst played 3 key hands during a WPT Main Event at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, and he took some time to break down the unique lessons from each spot.

Check out this Strategy Episode to learn the importance of position and SPR (Stack to Pot Ratio) when it comes to playing broadway hands as both the initial raiser and when defending the blinds. Tony shows you how the strategy shifts based on the situation and how a WPT Champion breaks down these spots to improve their play.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to gain access to LearnWPT Training featuring 500+ Strategy Videos (and more!)

Get Final Table Inspired

LearnWPT Member Adrian Naggy and WPT Champions Club Member, Matthew Waxman called the Final table action of the 2022 Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open Championship Event as LearnWPT Instructor Brian Altman chased history & went for his 4th WPT Title!

Watch a WPT Championship in Action…

Are YOU Final Table Ready?

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?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the $3M Guaranteed WPT Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Championship Final Table with big money and a title on the line.

How do you play your 30 big blind stack from the Button against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play?

Play hands from a WPT GTO Trainer Final Table Pack to see firsthand how preflop ranges affect your decisions at the final table.

Here are some tips when practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer:

• Your goal is to select the action for each individual hand that is as close to 0.00 EV as possible
• EV Loss of 0.00 is the same action a GTO Player would take
• 0.00 EV Loss means you broke even against a GTO Player
• EV Loss Color Coding Hint:
  • Green = Near GTO Play
  • Orange = Take Caution
  • Red = Probable Leak in Your Game

Members can practice more hands from this scenario by playing the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

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

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.

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 on the felt and in the action during the WPT Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Championship Event or any 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

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe for more FREE poker content.

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