The Mental Game is a crucial piece that is most often overlooked in poker training. Many players refuse to address nagging issues that prevent their growth in the game including fear, anger, and frustration. Building endurance through proper exercise, rest, and nutrition goes a long way to supporting your Mental Game and is key to excelling during a long poker tournament series.

Over the next 2 months Team LearnWPT is hosting Poker Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each poker Study Session we'll provide Members with a curated curriculum that focuses on specific concepts and habits essential for tournament success and our 1st Study Session is focused on Mental Game and Endurance!

➊ First, watch the selected Episodes, play the suggested WPT GTO Trainer packs, and write down any questions you have.
➋ Then join Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler LIVE on Tuesday, September 26th at 7PM ET / 4PM PT to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Let's Get Started...

Study Session 1: 🧠Mental Game & Endurance

In this Session we'll kickstart your poker study and give you valuable strategies for managing routines, building confidence, and dealing with adversity.

We’ll also talk about preparing for long tournament days and using physical fitness, rest, and proper nutrition to build endurance and optimize your play.

Send us your questions to [email protected] about training the mental game or getting into “poker shape” and we’ll answer them during the Live Webinar.

Improve Your Worst Poker Decisions

Playing your A-Game is the goal for most poker players, but what happens when you are not in peak state and playing your worst?

In this LearnWPT Strategy Episode Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler breaks down why it's crucial to focus on the times when you make your biggest mistakes.

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month of Membership to watch the full Episode and attend the LIVE Session.

Tackle Your Fear of Failure in Poker

You've made the final table and are ready to go for the win, and then the thought crosses your mind:

"I've been playing great poker for 2 straight days, I am so close to the win, but what happens if I lose?"

Suddenly each decision is harder, and your brain is flooded with emotion and information. Has this ever happened to you?

Watch this Episode as Jared tackles this issue head-on and provides a detailed approach for confronting your fear of failure in poker.

Have questions about Mental Game Strategy? Send them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the Live Webinar.

Mental and Physical Fitness in Poker

LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst breaks down his approach to staying mentally and physically fit for poker.

Tune in to LearnWPT Strategy Episode as Tony details his regimen and gives valuable tips for maintaining focus and being ready to play your A game when it matters the most.

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month of Membership to watch the full Episode and attend the LIVE Session.

Tournament Prep With Tony, Chewy, and Johan

Huge Tournament Series like the WPT World Championships at Wynn Las Vegas bring excitement and tons of opportunity. To make the most of these gigantic fields and massive prize pools, it's important to plan ahead for the unique challenges that you may encounter.

In this LearnWPT Strategy Episode hear firsthand from Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger, Tony Dunst, and Johan Schultz-Pedersen about how they prepare for peak performance during a long poker tournament series.

Tune in and get valuable strategies for preparing your mind and body to execute under pressure and maintain energy from the first hand to the final showdown, plus great insights on profiling new opponents and exploiting opponents.

Time To Practice!

Imagine you are in the $5 Million Guaranteed prize pool WPT® Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. Action folds to you on the Button with a 50 big blind stack. You open raise 2.3BBs first-in facing a call from the Big Blind.

Practice and drill hands in this common tournament spot with the Button Open Vs Big Blind Call 8-Handed WPT GTO Trainer pack and see firsthand how decisions change at the final table.

Practice, practice, practice. This is how the best players in the world continue to improve. Make it a goal to play at least 25 hands per day (takes about 10 minutes) and use these features to help implement what you are learning.

See how close you get to 0 EV Loss and high percentage plays!

Save the Date: Live Session September 26th

Join Jared Tendler for a LIVE Study Session on Tuesday, September 26th at 7PM ET | 4PM PT

Make sure you watch the selected Strategy Episodes, play and practice the suggested WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have. Join Jared on September 26th to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Send us your questions to [email protected] about training the mental game or getting into “poker shape” and we’ll answer them during the Live Webinar.

Thanks to everyone who joined the Live Study Session!

Did you miss it? No worries! Members can rewatch the Study Sessions anytime on the Webinars Dashboard.

Tune Up Your Mental Game and Save!

Analysis of Mental Game strategy is as important as any poker technique you can master which is why top poker players trust Jared Tendler to help maintain focus & bring their A-game to the table.

Jared's Mental Game Tune Up for Tournament Poker course is a step-by-step guide to prepare your mental game for sustained success and get you ready for the WPT® World Championships or a series at your local card room.

BONUS: We are giving Study Session participants the chance to SAVE $150 on Jared's course (use promo code JARED150 at checkout) for a limited time, through November 1, 2023

In this section from his course Mental Game Tune Up for Tournament Poker Jared tells you why it’s critical to have a process for preparing to play your A-game aside from studying strategy.

This step-by-step guide to preparing your mental game for sustained success during a tournament series includes:

➧ 8 specific training modules with 34 video lessons
➧ Downloadable worksheets to personalize your training
➧ A private community forum
➧ Review quizzes to reinforce your learning!

Purchase this course today for just $499 (normally $649) and get lifetime access to the course videos, downloadable worksheets, quizzes, and interactive forums.

Use promo code JARED150 at checkout to receive the discount!

Find out why the world’s best poker players trust Jared to help them maintain focus and bring their A-Game to the table more consistently. Unlock a hidden edge in your poker game, and start working towards unshakable confidence at the table today.

Review Previous Poker Study Sessions Here!

A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions.

You can rewatch any of the sessions right now by clicking the links below or on the Webinars Dashboard.

☑ Study Session 1: Mental Game and Endurance
☑ Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy
☑ Study Session 3: Defense Strategy
☑ Study Session 4: Postflop Considerations
☑ Study Session 5: ICM, Bubble, and Satellite Strategy
☑ Study Session 6: Exploits and Intuition

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro 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.

You must be a LearnWPT Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship Study Sessions and becoming a member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring 500+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools (and more).

You'll also get alerts and links to the Study Session curriculum and Webinar dates.

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

The first half of the WPT Main Tour season reaches its exciting conclusion as the best poker players on the planet head back to the incredible Gardens Casino in Hawaiian Gardens, CA right outside of Los Angeles for the televised $5,250 World Poker Tour® Gardens Poker Championship.

The 2020 WPT Gardens Championship Event featured a who’s who of tournament poker stars and elite cash game pros, all vying for their place in poker history. The prize pool swelled to just shy of $2.5 Million with Markus Gonsalves capturing the $554,495 first prize.

If you’ve always dreamed of seeing your name in lights and having your name etched on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup, this May is the time to find your way to L.A.! There are plenty of ways to win your way into the $5,250 Championship Event through one of the many satellites running throughout the festival, starting at just $150.

Team LearnWPT is here to give the tools and insights you need to make a deep run in the $5,250 WPT Gardens Poker Championship. Check out the strategies in this blog and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ Meet Up with Brad & Andrew
➧ Upgrade Your First-In Strategy
➧ Prepare Your A-game
➧ Table Reads with Tony Dunst
➧ Test Your News Skills!
➧ Train With Champions

Lights, 🎥 Camera, … All-in!

The Gardens Poker Championship festival kicked off on May 15th with the $600 Mixed H.E.R.O.S Tournament. 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: Monday, May 15, 2023
End: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

The Televised Championship event begins Sunday, May 21st with two starting flights and unlimited reentry through the start of level 9 - Click for the tournament structure.

📅 WPT Main Event Schedule:
Day 1A: Sunday, May 20, 2023 starting at 11am PT
Day 1B: Monday, May 21, 2023 starting at 11am PT
Day 2: Tuesday, May 22, 2023 starting at 12pm PT
Day 3: Wednesday, May 23, 2023 starting at 12pm PT
Day 4: Thursday May 24, 2023 starting at 12pm PT*
*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 27, 2023

Starting Thursday, 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

🎭 Take the Stage With Brad and Andrew

The Scene: Gardens Casino in Los Angeles
The Cast: Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen
The Star: YOU!

Your chance to be a part of the fun and nonstop action is here as the World Poker Tour brings the famous Meet Up Game (MUG) to the Gardens Casino - and you're invited. Beginning at 11AM Pacific Time the pioneers of poker Vlogging and creators of the MUG will kick off the $5/$5 cash game action in the Gardens Casino Poker Room.

The Los Angeles poker scene is synonymous with wild cash game action so be ready to play your share of Bomb Pots and practice your Stand Up Game Strategy.

Join us for a unique poker experience with the WPT Family, and you might even show up in Brad or Andrew’s next VLOG.

It All Starts with A Good Script 📖

Championship poker strategy and award winning movies have one key thing in common - without a solid fundamental backbone (or script) the results often are lackluster and can lead to disappointment. In poker, solid GTO based first-in hand ranges serve as the script for your entire poker story.

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.

Don't forget your copy of the Advanced 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 in your next WPT Event!

Need Help Getting Into Character?

Actors use proven techniques to get into character, often spending several months studying subtle mannerisms and perfecting accents.

If you expect to show up on the big stage at the WPT Gardens Championship final table and receive a standing ovation, you need to prepare with the same effort and intensity.

In this section from his course Mental Game Tune Up for Tournament Poker LearnWPT Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler tells you why it’s critical to have a process for preparing to play your A-game aside from studying strategy.

“Table Reads” With Tony Dunst

In Hollywood the "Table Read" is a key for developing chemistry between co-stars and sets a tone for collaboration during production. In poker, a table read is critical for the opposite reason - to create uncertainty and exploit your opponents.

In this Strategy Episode 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.

Time To Test Your Skills!

You are dealt J♦J♣ in the Big Blind at the final table of the WPT Gardens Poker Championship with blinds at 5,000/10,000 and only 3 players remain. The Button folds, the Small Blind raises to 33,750 and you reraise to 100,000.

The Small Blind goes all-in and action is back on you.

What do you do here?

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.

Are you on the way to L.A.? If you are planning to be in the action during the WPT Gardens poker festival we want to hear from you!

Share your success, show off your pictures of Brand and Andrew from the MUG, or just let us know you were there to be a part of the World Poker Tour. Follow and tag us on social media - we can’t wait to hear all about it!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

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.

The World Poker Tour® celebrates 20 years by returning to the site of the first ever WPT Event back in 2002 (won by Danish superstar and WPT Legend Gus Hansen). The Five Diamond World Poker Classic Festival returns to the iconic Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas this October. This event has a rich history of bringing together the best players in the world and consistently generates massive prize pools with life-changing money awaiting the eventual champion.

The festival kicks off Friday October 7th with the $560 buy-in 100K guaranteed opening event and is headlined by the $10,400 buy-in $5M guaranteed championship event from October 19th-23rd.

Season XIX saw Taylor Black take home the lion's share of the $6.9 Million prize pool by outlasting an impressive field of 716 players. Taylor hoisted the Mike Sexton Champions Cup and took home the $1,2941,430 first prize.

Prepare For The WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic with Team LearnWPT

Think you have what it takes to outwit and outplay world-class pros to have YOUR name immortalized in WPT history?

Team LearnWPT is here to give you Championship strategies and show you how Professional Players make decisions when the pressure is on!

💎 Get In on the Action
💎 Meet Up Cash Game
💎 Five Diamond Throwback with Tony & Chewy
💎 Championship Strategy
💎 Five Diamond Throwback with Chewy & Vanessa
💎 Final Table Tips
💎 Improve Your Game for $5

Get In on the Action ...

The world-famous Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is welcoming players back to their luxurious resort and storied poker room with a full festival of poker action.

The festival includes plenty of opportunities to satellite into the Main Event plus guaranteed prize pool tournaments for as low as $560 starting on October 7th - follow @BellagioPoker on Twitter for daily satellite updates!

📅 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic Festival dates:
Start: Friday, October 7, 2022
End: Sunday, October 23, 2022
Click here for the full WPT festival schedule

The crown jewel 💎 of this exciting poker festival is the iconic $5,000,000 Guaranteed prize pool WPT® Five Diamond World Poker Classic Main Event starting on October 19th with a re-entry format.

📅 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic Main Event dates:
Day 1: Wednesday, October 19th at 12PM PT
Day 2: Thursday, October 20th at 12PM PT
Day 3: Friday, October 21th at 12PM PT
Day 4: Saturday, October 22th at 12PM PT
Final Table: Sunday, October 23th at 12PM PT

WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage and the Bellagio Poker Room staff collaborated to bring a super deep championship structure for this $10,400 event that offers plenty of chances to build a stack and make a deep run.

You’ll also be playing for what is sure to be a seven-figure first place prize, as the entire poker world convenes at Bellagio for the beginning of a record-breaking season of poker.

Vegas MUG With Brad and Andrew!

On Tuesday, October 18th World Poker Tour Ambassadors Brad Own and Andrew Neeme bring the fun and excitement of the Meet Up Game (MUG) to their home turf at the Bellagio - and you're invited!

Beginning at 10 AM Pacific Time the pioneers of poker Vlogging and creators of the MUG will kick off the $2/$5 cash game action in the world-famous Bellagio Poker Room.

The WPT Family will be out in full force so be ready for a fun day of cash game poker and laughs. Join us for a unique poker experience, and maybe even some camera time in Andrew or Brad’s next vlog 🎥.

WPT Five Diamond Throwback - Tony Gives LuckyChewy The Raw Deal

The WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic has a rich history of incredible poker action and has spawned many poker legends.

Check out this throwback segment from a classic World Poker Tour® episode as Tony Dunst gives a little "Raw Deal" analysis of fellow LearnWPT Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger's play against Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari during the final table of the Season XI WPT Five Diamond Main Event.

How Does a Pro Handle The Pressure?

Watch this Strategy Episode as WPT Commentator and LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst gives a behind the scenes look at the 2019 WPT Bellagio Five Diamond $10K Main Event using actual hands he played to show you the moves he makes with big money at stake.

Bluffing Strategy With The 3X Champ

To win a WPT Title you’ll need to make your fair share of hands but also be willing to put it on the line and fire a bluff when necessary.

In this Strategy Episode 3x World Poker Tour Champion and WPT Player of the Year Brian Altman gives you the thought process behind his aggressive bluffing strategy.

WPT Five Diamond Throwback - Vanessa Vs LuckyChewy In a Flip

The final 3 players in the WPT 5 Diamond World Poker Classic are typically pretty tough. In the Season 10 edition of this event that saying definitely held true, with poker legends and LearnWPT Instructors Vanessa Selbst and LuckyChewy being 2 of the 3 remaining.

In this throwback hand we see the two members of Team LearnWPT clash in a classic coin flip spot with massive ICM implications in play.

Final Table Tips From Champions

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 how your decision making is affected with potentially life-changing money at stake.

While it's difficult to recreate the pressure of performing with the eyes of the world on you, you can start practicing now to succeed at the final table when it matters most.

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 stack you should 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

Train With LearnWPT Champions for Just $5

During the first 10 months of 2022 LearnWPT Instructors have won 2 WSOP Bracelet and WSOP Circuit Ring, a 25K buy-in WPT High Roller, a 50K buy-in WPT High Roller, a PokerGO Poker Masters trophy, combined $3.6 Million in tournament winnings, and made appearances at several high profile final tables.

Ready to train and learn from these Pros? Start right 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 and get access to LearnWPT Training with WPT GTO Trainer packs, Downloadable Tools, 500+ Strategy Videos (and more) for just $5 your first month of Membership!

Join Team LearnWPT On Tour in Vegas

Are you playing the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic? Stop and say Hi 👋 to Team LearnWPT!

We will be on site and in the action! Be sure to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel to play WPT Events.

Follow the Main Event action on WPT.com or on Twitter at @WPTlive.

Good Luck and Have FUN!

If you make a deep run or take down a title we want to hear about it!

Email the Support Team at [email protected] or hit us up on social media to share your success during any of the events on the Bellagio Festival schedule and the WPT Five Diamond Main Event.

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe below 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.

Win Big by The Bay? Play for Your Share of $1 Million Guaranteed at WPT Seminole Hard Rock Tampa

What do amazing poker action, fantastic food, and incredible views have in common? They all can be found in one location this September as The World Poker Tour® returns to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, FL for an action packed poker festival.

The excitement is building as the WPT hopes for a repeat of the 2021 series where the Main Event prize pool soared to over $3.7 Million, breaking multiple Seminole Hard Rock Tampa records.

LearnWPT Instructor Brian Altman was the eventual champion, securing his 3rd WPT Main Tour title! With his impressive victory Brian joined legends Gus Hansen, Eric Afriat, Chino Rheem, Anthony Zinno, Carlos Mortensen, and Darren Elias as the only players to ever win 3 or more WPT titles.

The Season XX WPT Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Main Event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is a $3,500 buy-in tournament with a $1 Million guaranteed prize pool. This event features 2 starting days and a multi reentry format giving players plenty of chances to run deep and hopefully etch their name on the WPT Mike Sexton Champions Cup (plus take home the massive first prize).

Don’t forget to check out the amazing schedule of satellites to the championship event, starting with buy-ins as low as $400 and multiple opportunities to qualify each day.

Join LearnWPT On Tour at WPT Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa, FL and experience the luxurious accommodations and unmatched poker action for yourself.

Team LearnWPT is ready to jumpstart your game to get you focused and ready for success. Get championship ready with expert strategy and tips directly from our world-class Instructors.

#TheCupAwaits 🏆

Championship Strategy from Team LearnWPT

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

Team LearnWPT is here with free expert poker strategy and tips to get your game in shape and get you ready to go deep and score big!

🎸 Get In on the Action
🎸 Meet Up Cash Game
🎸 Defending With Brian
🎸 Play AK Like LuckyChewy
🎸 Improve Your Game for $5
🎸 On Tour with LearnWPT
🎸 The Most Important Tip

Get In on the Action ...

Seminole Hard Rock Tampa is the place to be for poker action with a wide variety of buy-ins running August 25 through Sept 7th.

Whether you are a high roller or weekend warrior, this schedule is packed with tournaments including tons of satellites for players who are trying to score big for a small investment.

📅 WPT Festival Dates:
Start: Thursday, August 25, 2022
End: Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Click here for the full WPT festival schedule

📅 Championship Main Event Schedule:
Features two (2) starting flights
Day 1A: Friday, September 2, 2022 starting at 11a.m. ET
Day 1B: Saturday, September 3, 2022 starting at 11a.m. ET (Registration and unlimited re-entry available until the start of level 9)
Day 2: Sunday, September 4, 2022 starting at 12p.m. ET
Day 3: Monday, September 5, 2022 starting at 12p.m. ET
Day 4: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 starting at 12p.m. ET
Day 5: Wednesday, September 7, 2022 starting at 12p.m. ET

The $3,500 event features a super deep championship structure so you have plenty of chances to showcase your skills.

Jump into the action and compete for your share of this massive $1M Guaranteed prize pool.

Meet Up With Brad and Andrew!

On Thursday September 1st World Poker Tour Ambassadors Brad Own and Andrew Neeme bring the fun and excitement of the Meet Up Game (MUG) to the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa - and you're invited!

Beginning at 5 PM Eastern Time the pioneers of poker Vlogging and creators of the MUG will kick off the $3/$5 cash game action in the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Poker Room.

Members of Team LearnWPT and the WPT Family will be onsite and ready for a fun night of cash game poker and laughs. Join us for a unique poker experience, and maybe even some camera time in Brad’s next vlog 🎥.

Special Bonus: All WPT MUG players are invited to join us for complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres starting at 9pm.

3-Bet Defense With The 3x Champ

3x World Poker Tour Champion and WPT Player of the Year Brian Altman has spent over a decade refining his skills and training for championship moments. His attacking style and ability to make quick decisions under pressure are key factors to closing out tournaments.

At the core of Brian’s exceptional decision making is his ability to observe opponent tendencies and adjust his play to exploit them and maximize value. Staying present in the moment and identifying these slight deviations in your opponent’s playing style are essential to conquering high stakes tournaments.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode as Brian breaks down a 3-bet pot with Ace Queen suited from the $3,500 WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open where opponent info plays a big part.

Brian’s Tips for Defending 3-Bet Pots:

➧ Opponent Tendencies: Is this 3-betting range likely to be wide or narrow? How skilled are they postflop?
➧ Stack Depth: At medium stack depths (around 50-60BBs) it is sometimes better to trap than 4-bet shove
➧ Staying Balanced: Flat with some premium hands (suited combos are often best to defend by calling) in order to balance vs bluffs

Play Ace King Like a Legend

The thrill of looking down at your hole cards to see Ace King is often quickly followed by anxiety.

What raise size should you use preflop? Should you continuation bet if there is no Ace or King on the flop? How much should you bet?

Some players get so frustrated they may resort to only push/fold with AK, even with huge stacks. We’ve all got our horror stories with Ace King, however if you are focusing on the right factors your decisions with Big Slick can be much simpler.

Tune in to this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor and poker phenom Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger for a strategic breakdown of how to approach different flops with Ace King offsuit after you are the preflop raiser.

The next time you're faced with a tough flop decision, use the info from this Episode and you’ll have much less stress with AK.

Train With LearnWPT Champions for Just $5

During the first 6 months of 2022 LearnWPT Instructors have won a WSOP Bracelet and WSOP Circuit Ring, a 25K buy-in WPT High Roller, a 50K buy-in WPT High Roller, a combined $2.5 Million in tournament winnings, and made appearances at several high profile final tables.

Ready to train and learn from these Pros? Of course you are!

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

Join Team LearnWPT On Tour in Tampa

Are you playing the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Main Event? Stop and say Hi 👋 to Brian and the LearnWPT Team!

We will be on site and in the action! Be sure to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel to play WPT Events.

Follow the Main Event action on WPT.com or on Twitter at @WPTlive.

Good Luck and Have FUN!

If you are playing the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Main Event or any of the events on the Festival schedule and want to celebrate a victory or deep run share it with us on social or email the Support Team at [email protected].

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe below 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.

Vegas Baby! It’s Time for the $4 Million Guaranteed WPT Venetian Las Vegas Main Event

Team LearnWPT has been busy soaking up the desert sun (while crushing the live and virtual felt) and we’re ready for the marquee poker event of the summer, the $4 Million Guaranteed WPT Main Event at The Venetian Las Vegas. Your chance to compete for a coveted World Poker Tour® title and have your name immortalized on the Mike Sexton Champion’s Cup is just around the corner.

The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is the place to be this July 12-14 for the $5,000 buy-in main event that will undoubtedly smash records and generate a life-changing first place poker prize. Last year accomplished pro Chad Eveslage outlasted a huge field of 1,199 entries to claim $910,370 and earn the title of World Poker Tour Champion.

It’s time to head to fabulous Las Vegas (if you aren’t already here) and join us for the poker tournament experience of the summer. Join Team LearnWPT on the felt at the fabulous Venetian Resort Las Vegas and compete for your share of $4 Million dollars!

So now that you know, it’s time to get in the zone and prepare for your big moment on The Strip. And we’re here to help you get ready with some key No-Limit Hold'em strategies from the greatest poker minds on the planet to keep your game sharp.

The Cup Awaits - Prepare to Play Your Best with Team LearnWPT!

Get in The Zone with Team LearnWPT 🏆

Get your poker game ready for the big stage with Championship advice from world-class Pros who have succeeded in the biggest stages in poker!

Team LearnWPT is here with free expert poker strategy and tips to help get your game in shape and get you ready to go deep and score big!

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ Cheer On Susan!
➧ River Tips From Tony
➧ Playing Aces With LuckyChewy
➧ Train and Save [Limited Time]
➧ On Tour with LearnWPT
➧ The Most Important Tip

Get In on the Action ...

The Las Vegas Strip is exploding with poker action and at the center of it all is the incredible tournament series at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas DeepStack Extravaganza running through July 31st.

With a wide variety of tournament offerings and buy-ins for all budgets, including tons of satellites, this series is a can’t miss for fans and serious poker players alike.

📅 WPT Festival Dates:
Start: Thursday, July 7, 2022
End: Sunday, July 17, 2022
Click here for the full WPT festival schedule

📅 Main Event Schedule:
Features three (3) starting flights
Day 1A: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 starting at 11:10 a.m. PT
Day 1B: Wednesday, July 13, 2022 starting at 11:10 a.m. PT
Day 1C: Thursday, July 14, 2022 starting at 11:10 a.m. PT (Registration will remain open until the start of Level 9)
Day 2: Friday, July 15, 2022 starting at 11 a.m. PT
Day 3: Saturday, July 16, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT
Day 4: Sunday, July 17, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT

The super deep poker championship structure for the Main Event offers plenty of chances to outwit and outplay your opponents. Get ready to battle with the best in the game and play for your share of the massive $4M Guaranteed prize pool.

LET'S GO SUSAN!

Join us in cheering on LearnWPT Student Susan during the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Main Event.

Susan was the winner of the recent Freeroll Satellite to the WPT Main Event held following the LearnWPT Live at Venetian Tournament Strategy Workshop in May.

After learning expert strategy from Tony Dunst and Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger, Susan put what she learned into use and won her seat into the $4M Gtd WPT Venetian Las Vegas Main Event!

Here’s a recap of that exciting Workshop including Susan’s reaction just after her big win!

Susan has been busy studying using the LearnWPT Membership Features and we know she'll do great. Team LearnWPT will be on site to help cheer her on 👏.

Check the WPT Live Updates to follow Susan along on her journey.

#THECUPAWAITS

Are You Calling Too Often on The River?

Running deep in a poker tournament with big money on the line requires many tough decisions, especially on the river when the pot is likely the largest. If you aren’t paying attention to how your opponent’s range can change throughout the hand, you’ll likely be in some super tough spots.

Facing tough river decisions is more common in poker tournaments with deep structures and against more skilled players. In many cases, your tournament will come down to how effective your observation skills are and how you use an opponent’s actions to narrow their range.

Watch this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst as he walks through hands played during a Tournament Series at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas to review some river leaks.

Here are 3 Key Takeaways to help you play better on the river:

• Avoid leading rivers when you have an opponent's range dominated - checking is likely to induce bluffing
• Just because you are at the top of your range, it doesn’t mean your opponent has to be bluffing when they raise on the river
• River raises in multiway pots almost always indicate the nuts - most players do not risk their stack on zero equity bluffs multiway

Can You Fold Pocket Aces Here?

To win poker tournaments you have to make your fair share of big hands and have the skill to get your opponent to put the money in when you have the best of it. However, it's not only about the hands you win... it is often about the times when you choose to throw your two cards into the muck.

Do you have what it takes to fold the best starting hand in poker, deep in the later stages of a high stakes poker tournament?

Sure it sounds crazy to even consider, however if you don’t have the mindset and clarity to recognize even when the best hand in poker is beat and get away with minimal damage to your stack, you won’t be getting heads up for the title often.

So how do you know when to let go of pocket rockets and preserve your stack for a better spot?

Watch and learn as poker legend Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger walks you through a key spot late in a $10K buy-in where he had the skill to fold pocket aces on the flop. and breaks down the key factors to his decision.

Train With LearnWPT Champions and Save 50%

During the first 6 months of 2022 LearnWPT Instructors have won a WSOP Bracelet and WSOP Circuit Ring, a 25K buy-in WPT High Roller, a 50K buy-in WPT High Roller, a combined $2.5 Million in tournament winnings plus made appearances at several high profile final tables.

What if you could get access for a FULL YEAR of training with these Champions, but only pay for half?

Would you take the opportunity to train and learn from these Pros?

Of course you would! And now is your chance to get on the path to becoming a Champion and save 50% off our Premium LearnWPT.com Membership Tiers giving you a whole year of interactive poker training services to practice and learn at a deep discount.

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 and get access to LearnWPT Training with over 100 WPT GTO Trainer packs, 500+ Strategy Videos (and more) for half the normal price!

Click here to learn more and to purchase your LearnWPT Membership at the 50% off discounted rate. Sale ends July 15th - don't miss your opportunity to lock in 1 year of LearnWPT for the price of 5 months.

*Sale ends 7/15/2022. See Terms for details.

Join Team LearnWPT On Tour at The Venetian

Are you playing the WPT Venetian Las Vegas Main Event? Stop and say Hi 👋 to the LearnWPT Team!

LuckyChewy, Brian Altman, Tony Dunst, Michael "Gags" Gagliano and Adrian Naggy will be on site and in the action! Be sure to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel to play WPT Events.

Follow the Main Event action on WPT.com or on Twitter at @WPTlive.

Good Luck and Have FUN!

If you are playing in the WPT Venetian Las Vegas Main Event or Festival and want to celebrate a victory or deep run share it with us on social or email the Support Team at [email protected]. We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe below 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.

The WPT's 20th Season Is Headed Back to Choctaw!

Our next stop is at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK this May for the $3,800 World Poker Tour® Choctaw Main Event which features 50K in starting chips plus a massive $2 Million Guaranteed prize pool. The 2021 WPT Choctaw Champion Dapo Ajai took home 560K!

Join the massive field of professional and recreational players who will travel to Choctaw to test their skills and compete for the title of the next WPT Champion - including Team LearnWPT.

The final table of this exciting event will be played at the HyperX Esports Arena on May 26th in Vegas and filmed for television. Ready to see your name in lights and compete for a WPT Title on the big stage?

LearnWPT is here with some expert strategy to help get you there!

LearnWPT Prepares You for the Main Event 🏆

Think you have what it takes to navigate a tough tournament field and have your name etched on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup?

LearnWPT is here with some free expert strategy and tips to help get your game in shape and get you ready to crush the competition at WPT Choctaw Main Event.

➧ Get In on the Action
➧ Train LIVE with LuckyChewy & Brian Altman
➧ Final Table Strategy
➧ Test Your Final Table Skills
➧ On Tour with LearnWPT
➧ One Last Thing

Get In on the Action ...

The Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK is welcoming players back to their amazing resort and tournament venue with a full festival of poker action starting on April 28th. This exciting festival features several high guaranteed prize pools ranging from 50K to 300K and a ton of satellites into the Main Event!

This action packed series is capped off with Day 1A of the $2Million Guaranteed WPT Main Tour Event on May 13. Re-entry Format - Day 1B on May 14th - Click for more information.

📅 Main Event Schedule:

Day 1A: Friday, May 13, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. CT
Day 1B: Saturday, May 14, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. CT (Registration will remain open until the start of Level 9)
Day 2: Sunday, May 15, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. CT
Day 3: Monday, May 16, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. CT
Final Table: Filmed for TV and will take place on May 26, 2022 at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas

The super deep championship structure for this $3,800 event offers plenty of chances to outwit and outplay your opponents. Get ready to battle with the best and play for your share of the massive $2M Guaranteed prize pool.

Train With LuckyChewy & Brian Altman Before the Main Event 🐐

Before the Main Event kicks off LearnWPT will be hosting a 2-Day Live Tournament Strategy Workshop May 9th-11th at Choctaw Casino & Resort with Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger and Brian Altman. The chance to TRAIN LIVE with two of the most successful players in poker is here and you won’t want to miss it!

During this 2-Day Interactive Workshop you’ll be given access to proven techniques to help get you ready to take down the Mike Sexton Champions Cup 🏆.

Once you've learned the right moves, attendees will immediately put their skills into action at the WPT Main Event Freeroll Satellite and play against each other in an exclusive freeroll with a seat into the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Main Event Seat* as first prize.

This Satellite Tournament is exclusive to LearnWPT Live at Choctaw ticket holders giving you a 1 in 20 shot of winning and playing in a World Poker Tour® Main Event!

P.S. An exclusive Welcome Reception for Students on Monday, May 9th will kickoff the event! Meet your Instructors and fellow Students in a relaxed environment. We look forward to seeing you LIVE!

Can't make Choctaw? Join us at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas!

What Are the Keys to Final Table Play?

Will you be one of the final 6 players competing for the WPT Choctaw Main Event title at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas on May 26th? To make sure you are prepared to shine for the TV 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.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst for key insights on how the Pros perform on the big stage at the HyperX Esports Arena!

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 players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up

Your Practice Partner? - The Best Poker Player in the World

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

Get ready to make a deep run in the WPT Choctaw Main Event by playing these 5 hands from the WPT GTO Trainer. Practice this spot where you are in the steal position as the chip leader vs a tough Big Blind and prepare for your time to shine LIVE on stream.

Your goal is to get as close to ZERO EV loss with each decision.

As you play, remember these tips:

• The Big Blind will likely call with a fairly wide range in this spot given direct pot odds
• The Big Blind will flat call with some big hands preflop due to ICM pressure, even as strong as pocket Kings
• You will be c-betting almost 100% when checked to using a smaller sizing
• Th BB will lead the flop with a portion of their range to counter your small c-bet strategy - be prepared to continue vs most leads
• Be cautious building big pots with some stronger hands as the BB’s range narrows significantly on later streets

P.S. After playing the hands get YOUR SCORE and learn the "why" behind the correct plays.

Join Team LearnWPT On Tour at Choctaw

Are you playing the WPT Choctaw Main Event? Stop and say Hi 👋 to the LearnWPT Team!

LuckyChewy, Brian Altman, Tony Dunst, and Adrian Naggy will be on site and in the action! Be sure to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel to play WPT Events.

Follow the Main Event action on WPT.com or on Twitter at @WPTlive.

Good Luck and Have FUN!

If you are playing in the WPT Choctaw Main Event or Festival and want to celebrate a victory or deep run with your poker family, email the LearnWPT Team to keep us updated. Also make sure to follow and tag us on Twitter @learnwpt, Facebook, or Instagram to share your success.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe below 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.

The World Poker Tour's 20th Season Keeps Rolling!

Our next stop is Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA this April featuring an epic schedule of satellites, huge guaranteed events, and closing with the player favorite Bounty Confidential.

The Thunder Valley festival headliner is the $1,500 buy-in WPTDeepStacks Main Event that features 30K in starting chips plus a massive $1 Million Guaranteed prize pool 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 and you can be assured that the WPTDeepStacks Main Event will be no exception.

Whether it's enjoying the fabulous amenities or relaxing in the spacious and modern rooms, players On Tour rave about this event as a can’t miss stop. Let’s not forget about the main reason to travel to Thunder Valley this April - to score a share of the $1 Million Guaranteed prize pool and experience the first class poker room and staff, and Team LearnWPT will be there in the action.

Let's get you ready to dominate the felt ...

LearnWPT Prepares You for Thunder Valley and the WPTDeepStacks Main Event!

Team LearnWPT is here with some free expert strategy and tips to help get your game in shape and get you ready to have fun and crush the competition at WPTDeepStacks Thunder Valley Main Event 🏆.

😎 Get In on the Action
😎 Satellite Strategy
😎 Bounty Tournament Strategy
😎 On Tour with LearnWPT
😎 The Most Important Tip

Get In on the Action ...

The Thunder Valley Resort Casino in Lincoln, CA is welcoming players back to their amazing resort and tournament venue with a full festival of poker action starting on April 9th.

Kicking off the festival on the 19th is the $200 Season Opener and a ton of satellites into the Main Event!

Highlights of the festival include the 5-day, $460 buy-in Monolith multi-flight $250K Guaranteed prize pool Tournament starting on April 21st. The action packed series is capped off with the popular (and secure) $1,100 Bounty Confidential event on May 1st.

Day 1A of the headlining $1Million Guaranteed WPTDeepStacks Main Event begins April 28th. Re-entry Format - Day 1B on April 29th - Click for more information.

📅 WPTDeepStacks Main Event Schedule:

Day 1A: Thursday, April 28, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT
Day 1B: Friday, April 29, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT
Day 1C: Saturday, April 30, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT (Registration will remain open until the start of Level 10)
Day 2 Final: Sunday, May 1, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. PT

The championship structure offers plenty of chances to outwit and outplay your opponents. Get ready to battle with the best and play for your share of the life changing $1M Guaranteed prize pool.

FREE 🛰️ Satellite Intro LIVE With LearnWPT at Thunder Valley - April 27th!

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.

To help get you ready for the WPTDeepStacks Main Event we're inviting you to join LearnWPT on April 27th for a FREE 1 hour introduction to Satellite Strategy Workshop LIVE in the Thunder Valley Poker Room at noon to kick off Satellite Day!

P.S. After the Workshop jump into the $85 Step Satellite at 1 p.m. to win a seat into the $340 WPTDS Main Event Satellite at 5 p.m. PT

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

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

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.

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

Join Team LearnWPT On Tour at Thunder Valley

Are you playing the WPTDeepStacks Main Events or Festival Tournaments? Stop and say Hi 👋 to the LearnWPT Team!

LuckyChewy and Adrian Naggy will be on site and in the action for the WPTDeepStacks Main Event!

Follow the Main Event action on WPT.com or on Twitter at @WPTlive.

Good Luck and Have FUN!

If you are playing in the WPTDeepStacks Main Event and want to celebrate a victory or deep run with your poker family, email the LearnWPT Team to keep us updated. Also make sure to follow and tag us on Twitter @learnwpt, Facebook, or Instagram to share your success.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

We hope you enjoyed these free strategies and tips from Team LearnWPT! Subscribe below 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.

✔ Do you know what poker math is and when it should be used at the poker table?

✔ Is it really that important to understand for poker players?

✔ ​​Do you know when a situation becomes profitable based on Pot Odds?

💡Let us show you how poker math works and how you can use it to improve your poker decisions and get confidence for your next poker session.

Many people hate math, but there's no escaping its importance at the poker table.

The truth is that you don't need to be an expert at poker math to beat the games, however, using poker math is definitely something that differentiates the best poker players from the average ones.

So, if you want to upgrade your poker strategy and improve your win rate, make sure your poker math knowledge is up to par!

💡Math is a tool we use to calculate Pot Odds and determine our chances of winning during the decision-making process.

Many people play poker and there are many different strategies for winning. However, players need to remember no matter what strategy you use or how good your luck might be, poker is a game of probabilities.

💡There are a specific number of cards in the deck and a certain probability that outcomes will occur.

When we use poker math, we use it to make the right decision and calculate if the odds are in our favor. This means that poker math can be helpful when determining when our hand is a winning one.

Poker math tells us whether it's worth putting money into the pot to chase after a particular card and how likely you are to hit it.

To understand how poker math actually works you need to become familiar with 2 key elements - Outs and Pot Odds. These two elements are crucial for the decision-making process.

So let's get started!

Outs

💡Outs are cards that need to come on the flop, turn, or river that are likely to improve your hand.

When evaluating a poker hand the first step is to consider how many outs we have and how likely it is that an out will be dealt in the specific scenario.

To understand the basic concept of Outs, you can check LearnWPT Episode 37, which explains how to do basic Outs calculations in shortcuts.

If you haven't already reviewed the Episodes on Outs and Pot Odds, you definitely should check those before diving into the world of poker math.

Pot Odds

💡The Pot Odds are the odds a player gets to continue in hand, or more specifically a ratio comparing the size of the pot to the size of the bet.

To determine pot odds, determine how much is in the pot and then compare that amount to how much it costs to call the bet. Note that any opponent's current bet is considered part of the pot.

Your poker decisions should be fundamentally based on pot odds. The key to profitable poker is understanding pot odds and basic math so that when it comes time for decisions, you will be able to consistently make profitable ones!

Understanding the odds is also key to playing draws effectively. After some practice, basic odds calculations won't take you a lot of time at the table and will help improve your poker strategy by using simple math.

Your goal for learning about odds is to gain a repeatable skill to help evaluate decisions based on facts and data.

💡Think of pot odds in terms of a risk/reward ratio.

Pot Odds are the ratio how much is in the pot to win versus how much we risk to win it. Or more simply how much is in the pot already to how much we have to call to continue in hand.

The Rule of 2

The best way to learn is from an example:

The Rule of 2 is a shortcut to calculating your percentage chance of hitting one of your outs on the next card to come. To use the Rule of 2, multiply the number of outs x 2 and the result gives you the percentage chance of hitting one of your outs on the next card.

In this example, we have 9♣️8♣️. The board is 3♥4♣️Q♣️ so we have a flush draw and we are heads up on the flop. Our single opponent bets $1000 into $1000 pot. Remember that when talking about pot odds, we have to include any bet from our opponent that is already in the pot. So in this situation, there is $1000 in the pot plus our opponent's $1000 bet meaning the total amount that we could potentially win by continuing is now $2000.

The next step is to compare the total amount we could potentially win to the amount it costs us to call. In this case, it costs us $1000 to continue and there is $2000 in the pot. So our pot odds are 2:1. There are two units to win, and it costs us one unit to call.

As a rule of thumb, you can know that any time you are facing a pot-sized bet you're getting 2 to 1 pot odds.

What about The Rule of 4?

The Rule of 4 is applied in mostly the same fashion as the rule of 2 except that it can only be used on the flop when one player is all-in and you are facing the decision to call.

As an example, let's say you have 9♣️8♣️. The board is 3♥4♣️Q♣️ so we have a flush draw and your opponent goes all-in.

In this case, you would determine how many outs you have to make your flush, then multiply by 4 to determine the percentage chance of hitting your flush. There are 13 total cards of each individual suit and we can see 4 of them currently (2 in our hand and 2 on the board), so we can subtract 4 from 13 and get a result of 9 outs.

Then using the rule of 4 we multiply 4 x 9 for a result of 36, so we have a 36 percent chance of hitting our flush draw on the next 2 cards to come. It is important to only use the Rule of 4 for situations where you are in the flop facing an all-in and guaranteed to see the next 2 cards if you call.

To determine whether calling all-in on the flop is profitable or not, you need to figure out your chance of winning by using the Rule of 4.

Here are some tips for practicing:

When practicing your poker strategy, start paying attention to pot odds and how to apply the Rule of 2 or The Rule of 4 to determine your percentage chance of winning.

✔ If you're all-in on the flop and your pot odds are greater than your chance of making your hand, continuing in the hand is profitable.

✔ If your pot odds are worse than your hand odds, then it's not profitable to continue.

✔ If pot odds and the chance of hitting are precisely the same, it's a break-even decision.

Watch LearnWPT Strategy Episodes on this subject to get comfortable with poker math and keep in mind the fundamentals of pot odds at all times.

Check out Episode number 41 and Episode number 39 for more about this topic and others we are discussing in this article.

Implied Odds

Now that you have the basics on determining pot Odds and Outs, we can introduce another key concept of poker math, Implied Odds.

Implied Odds are an important factor when determining profitable preflop calling, including only calling with speculative type hands for less than 5% of the effective stack in a multi-way pot.

We are investing a small amount now with the expectation of being able to win a larger amount later. And that's at the heart of implied odds.

💡Implied odds are basically when we're not getting the correct direct pot odds to call the current bet, however, if we call now we anticipate winning more chips on future streets.

We are hoping to make up for the fact that we're not getting the right direct odds right now in exchange for the possibility of winning more chips think we can win more in the future.

When it comes to using implied odds for decisions on the flop and turn, it's crucial to understand when you are getting them. A few factors can help you determine whether or not you are getting implied odds in a specific situation:

💡Look at chip stacks. You need to ensure that there are additional chips to win on a future street to make up the difference. If your opponents are all-in or nearly all-in, then you may not be able to win enough chips to make up for calling without proper odds on previous streets. As a general rule of thumb, the deeper chip stacks are, the easier it is to win additional chips on a future street and more likely you have implied odds.

💡Look at the position. Because you are last to act, you are going to be winning more on average from in position than out of position. Of course, like in every rule, there are a few exceptions but it's rare to have an advantage from out of position. Once you have a position, it's easier to extract more chips from your opponent on future streets. That means that your implied odds go up when you're in position and go down when you're at a position.

💡Look at the number of opponents. The more opponents that you have in hand, the more likely you are to get paid off. When you have just one opponent, they often just fold if you take aggressive action. So if you hit you're draw on a future street against one opponent, many times they'll just check and fold. In the case of multiple opponents, you're much more likely to get paid off as the likelihood that one of your opponents will have a hand that they will continue with increases. The more opponents you have to postflop, the better your implied odds are with your draw.

💡Estimate your opponent's range of hands. Ask yourself how likely your opponent is to have a good hand or a premium hand. For example, if an opponent had raised in an early position at the table, then you're more likely to extract chips from that opponent post-flop after you hit your draw. That is because their range is comprised more of premium hands and they are much more likely to have a hand to pay you off with. When an opponent raises from an early position or otherwise indicates they have a narrow range of hands or premium hand, then your implied odds go up. It will be much easier on average to win chips from an early position opponent when you hit your draw.

💡Look at how disguised your draws are. It is well known that some draws are more evident than others. The most obvious draws tend to be flush draws, and you can spot flush draws on the flop fairly easily. More disguised would be the straight draws. Your implied odds tend to go up as you get more disguised with your draws. While straight draws have one fewer out than flush draws (eight vs nine outs), they actually have better implied odds because the straight draw is often more hidden.

Now that you’ve learned how to determine the 2 most critical components of poker math (Outs and Pot Odds) it is time to practice!

Stay focused on practicing counting your outs, looking at your pot odds, calculating your hand odds, and analyzing whether you have implied odds. Review episodes multiple times and remember, practice makes it perfect!

Our goal with LearnWPT is to empower players to ask questions, help them stay focused on the key factors that affect play, and provide answers from winning professionals through a solid game plan.

We’ve helped players from around the world from all experience and skill levels, and we can help you fix leaks fast and learn new strategies that can help you have more fun playing poker.

Watch LIVE with WPT Commentator & Champion, High-Stakes Pro Tony Dunst! 📺

LearnWPT, the Official Poker Education Platform of the World Poker Tour®, proudly presents Play Better Poker with Instructors Katie Stone and Tony Dunst starting at 12:00 PM PT on March 14th LIVE from the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas!

If your goal is to kickstart your poker game, then look no further. You'll have unparalleled access to hear directly from top players and get valuable strategies to improve your game plan!

Catch all of the action and be sure to RSVP for this amazing live show ↘️

Listen as the most successful poker players in the game share their secrets about how to Play Better Poker! 🎙️

Watch this fast-paced online talk show including in-depth interviews with the top poker players in the WPT Universe, and discover how they learn and improve at poker through study tips and unique techniques featuring exclusive LearnWPT training tools and content.

Do you have 30 minutes to start Playing Better Poker? 🂡

With 15 years of experience as a professional poker player, LearnWPT Instructor Katie Stone is your personal guide for building a poker study routine and improving your game. You will not only be able to ask specific questions about your game and how to improve but also to get expert insight from some of the greatest in the game on how they consistently improve at poker, all while having fun!

Joining Katie LIVE from HyperX Arena in Las Vegas on the next Play Better Poker is Champion of the Season XII Caribbean Main Event, WPT Commentator, and member of Team LearnWPT - Tony Dunst!

Sharpen your pencil ✏️ because it's time to take notes and ask questions to get answers from Katie and Tony - email your questions to [email protected].

Tune In to Hear Katie & Tony Talk About:

🡆 The importance of committing to a study routine for improvement.

🡆 Why building a poker network is vital to success at the highest levels.

🡆 Balancing the demands of travel and work while staying on top of your game.

We know how difficult it can be to learn poker on your own, so we’re inviting you to study with Team LearnWPT!

Play Better Poker is designed to provide a place for poker players of all skill and experience levels to learn together! We'll teach you easy-to-use strategies to study and improve at Texas Hold’em, while also giving you unprecedented access to the mindset and approach to learning used by pro poker players. But don't worry - LearnWPT is a safe place to start your journey as a poker player, and we know that everyone learns at their own pace.

Submit questions before each show by emailing [email protected] and get the answer live. For more information and updates for the next show make sure you bookmark learnwpt.com/playbetterpoker and check back often.

Meet Your Host Katie Stone

Katie Stone began her gaming career as a child in chess, and later on while in college she pioneered chess camps for kids across the country. She is a professional poker player and a staunch advocate with a focus on growing the game of poker. Katie is also a major proponent of using the decision-making skills and lessons learned in poker as a means to better navigate challenges and improve performance at work and in daily life. Throughout her 15 years long career as a poker professional, Katie has been constantly searching for new methods to master her poker skills and help other players Play Better Poker.

As an Instructor for Team LearnWPT Katie delivers expert strategy and a unique perspective on learning poker to the LearnWPT Membership. Her accolades in poker include being a 2x WSOP Circuit Ring Winner and $1.2 million combined live and online tournament earnings. In addition to her role as a LearnWPT Instructor, Katie is also a Content Producer and Commentator for LearnWPT.

Her front-row seat to the explosion of online poker and the evolution of poker study makes Katie a uniquely qualified resource for cash game and tournament strategies, detailed hand analysis, online vs live strategies, decision making in real-time at the table, adjusting for known opponent tendencies, using your feedback loop for improvement, as well as learning what it takes to succeed as a pro.

Have an Inside Look at Katie’s Quest to Play Better Poker:

Meet Katie’s Guest LearnWPT Instructor, WPT Commentator & Champion- Tony Dunst!

Tony Dunst is one of the original online poker professionals who helped usher in the poker boom and who cultivated his experience and natural talent into an eloquently presented yet appropriately witty style that has captivated poker fans for over a decade.

A high-stakes pro and one of the most unique personalities in the poker industry, Tony joined the World Poker Tour as host of the WPT Raw Deal segment and spent seven seasons analyzing some of the most pivotal hands from WPT events.

Through these segments, the poker world was introduced to a whole new method of hand analysis as used by professional players, in an entertaining and engaging manner.

When Mike Sexton announced his retirement from the WPT commentary booth, it was only natural for Tony to be promoted into the role starting with Season XVI.

Tony's rise as a force on the live poker scene coincided with his breakout performances each week on new episodes of the World Poker Tour, and his success was launched on a familiar felt.

Tony was able to etch his name on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup in Season XII, winning WPT Caribbean. Not long after in 2016 Tony added another marquee title to his poker resume when he won a WSOP gold bracelet. Tony won his second WSOP bracelet in 2020 and his first WSOP Circuit Ring in 2021 adding to his long list of accomplishments.

In addition to being widely recognized for his prowess as an expert poker player and commentator, he has written articles on dozens of topics both within and outside of poker. With his candor and over-sized personality, Tony quickly developed a loyal following of fans, who are often rewarded with his well-informed and lightening-quick takes via his social media platforms and during WPT broadcasts.https://learnwpt.com/learn/episodes/?page=1&video=tony-dunst-notes-and-tendencies

As a member of Team LearnWPT, Tony continues to share his proven poker tips and tricks through Strategy Episodes, Webinars, and interactive Live Workshops.

Check Out The Top 10 Online Poker Tells From Tony Dunst:

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Join Katie and Tony for an enlightening discussion about the importance of committing to a study routine, find out why building a poker network is vital to success, and discover how these pros balance the demands of travel and work while staying on top of your game.

Play Better Poker is the perfect opportunity for you to get started on your poker learning journey in a fun and engaging way. Join us for a fascinating conversation with one of the most unique personalities in the poker industry and the WPT Universe, Tony Dunst. Watch for valuable strategies that will help improve your play and help you have more fun at the table!

There is no time like the present to start making changes in your poker game. You'll learn strategies from a legendary player and pick up tips that will help you improve quickly!

Whether you’re a new, returning, or already well-seasoned player – Play Better Poker is here to help and get you started learning valuable poker tips in a fast and fun 30 minute LIVE poker strategy show. Join us!

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

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, LearnWPT is here to help increase your edge with key adjustments for satellite play.

Use the strategies below to sharpen your focus and who knows, maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday.

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 strategic 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 a WPT 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

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

The Cutoff (who is the short stack at the table) moves all-in for 28,400. Action folds around to you in the Big Blind with A♥K♦ and 28,000 behind. Action is on you, what do you do here?

It’s YOUR Turn to Play!

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players in a Satellite. How do you play your 30 Big Blind stack against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play and lock up your seat?

Click below to play a free Final Table sample pack 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 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.

How's your game going? Please share your success and let us know how these strategies changed your game! 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