Michael's incredible WSOP Main Event run has come to an end in 4th place, earning $2,750,000. He was eliminated when his K♠Q♠ ran into Lucas Jumalon's K♦J♥ in a heads-up pot. Jumalon hit his 3-outer to take the lead when the J♦ fell on the turn, and a blank on the river ended Gags' epic run.

Gags' reaction afterward said it all:

"It's unbelievable. I couldn't have asked for more. The support from my friends, my family, people online, people playing, the rest of the fans. It was just unbelievable. I don't think I would have changed any decision at this final table. I was happy with how I played."

Michael Gagliano, known as Gags throughout the poker community, has showcased his unique strategic ability by teaching our Fearless River members how to think through hands since joining in 2021. This summer, he showed the world how he navigates some of the most pressure-packed spots on poker's biggest stage.

Michael was one of the final 9 players to make the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event, poker's biggest and most prestigious tournament, capping off an unforgettable summer.

Out of a field of 9,208 entrants, the 4th largest Main Event ever held, Gags outlasted all but three players. We couldn't be prouder, and we wanted to celebrate it with everyone who's learned from him.

The Road to the Final Table

Michael is already a 4x WSOP bracelet winner, and he's no stranger to the Main Event either. He's cashed it twice before: in 2016 he finished 842nd out of 6,737 entrants, and in 2025 he made an even deeper run, finishing 148th out of 9,735. This year, he made it all the way to the final table. Gags stayed patient and mixed in expertly timed aggression through eight grueling, 12-hour days, and it paid off. Here's what that run looked like:

Along the way, he ended Hossein Ensan's historic bid for a second Main Event title, sending the 2019 champion to the rail in 13th place. Talking to PokerNews after bagging up for the final table, Michael put the grind in perspective:

"I've been saying for many days that it feels like Groundhog Day. Like, the more people that bust, it just feels like the number just doesn't go down... I feel like it's finally done."

This is the kind of sentiment that's earned Gags a reputation as one of the game's most genuine advocates: fully focused on winning, but just as invested in the players around him and the growth of the game.

Gags' Championship Resume

• 4x WSOP Gold Bracelet winner:
  2016 WSOP Event #25: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em (Live)
  2022 WSOP Online Event #18: $1,000 NLHE Turbo Deepstack
  2023 WSOP Online Event #8: $500 NLHE 6-Max
  2025 WSOP Online Fall Event #27: $250 NLH Mystery Bounty
• WSOP Circuit Ring winner
• BetMGM Poker Ambassador
• Over $8 million in combined live & online tournament earnings
• Coaching since 2010, including a student who went on to win the WSOP Main Event

The Final Table Lineup

Entering the Final Table (Aug 3): Although Lucas Jumalon's lead is dramatic, with 35% of chips in play and more than double 2nd place, Gags' unmatched experience performing on the big stage is certain to keep him in contention for the title until the final hand is dealt.

Gags played one of the most impressive pots of the night against the massive chip leader Lucas Jumalon. After defending his big blind and correctly calling bets for large chunks of his stack on both the flop and turn, Gags was rewarded by winning a huge pot with only ace-high when Jumalon chose not to fire a third barrel on the river.

After Day 1: 7 Remain (Aug 4)

Gags entered Day 2 in 5th chip position with 42,000,000 (17 BBs). Play continues Wednesday, August 5th, as Lucas Jumalon and Lauri Saaskilahti battle heads-up for the title.

The Final Hand:

Gags' run ended in Hand #150 of the final table. He shoved for 9,500,000 from the Button with K♠Q♠, and after Greg Mueller folded pocket 4s, chip leader Lucas Jumalon called all-in with K♦J♥. The flop (K♥8♥5♣) had Gags in front, but the J♦ turn gave Jumalon two pair, and the 7♠ river sealed it. Gags was eliminated in 4th place for $2,750,000, the best finish of his 17 Main Event appearances.

Speaking afterward, he reflected on the run:

"It's taken me a while to get there in poker. When I'm at the table, I'm just trying to make the best decision in that moment, in that spot, with the hands I've been dealt and the action that's happening. When I focus on that, I have my best results."

Congratulations, Gags!

Giving Back, Even Mid-Grind

While preparing for his own grueling summer at the tables, Gags still found time to build something for the rest of the community: a free Summer Poker Calendar app for iOS and Android, featuring structures and info for every tournament running in Vegas this series.

Gags said the calendar will be back and fully operational for next summer. Players can download the calendar app on iOS or Android and see the new schedules as they are released.

Michael at Fearless River

Gags joined Fearless River in July 2021 and has been showcasing his ability to help others play better poker ever since. If you've spent time joining our Study Sessions or watching videos in the Episodes library, there's a good chance you've learned from him already:

• 19 Strategy Episodes
• 9 Live webinars and study sessions
• More than 17 hours of strategy content
• The Turn & River Play session in our Launch Tournament course

See Gags in action: watch this Fearless River strategy episode as he reviews key decisions on the way to winning his 3rd WSOP Bracelet.

He's known for detailed hand analysis and for genuinely caring how a student's thinking develops, not just what they do in one hand. On his own coaching page, Gags puts it this way: "learning poker is a lot like learning an instrument. Foundations first, tactics second."

Michael's run this summer is the kind of story that reminds us why we love this game. We watched every hand, and we're grateful we got to cheer him on the whole way. Thanks for the run, Gags.

Players who arrive at the WSOP with a structured system are the ones who make deep runs. For a limited time, we're offering 50% off our most powerful tournament training products, each designed to jumpstart the critical aspects of your poker game before you sit down at the table.

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➧ Deal #1: Launch Tournament Poker Course

The Launch course is a structured 4-session No-Limit Hold'em system built by WSOP Bracelet winners and WPT Champions. It covers every stage of a tournament, early play, dealing with aggression, turn and river decisions, and ICM bubble strategy with 30+ strategy videos, GTO trainer scenarios, and downloadable range charts.

You'll have lifetime access to the full recording, all downloads, and the private Discord. No membership required.

The Launch Course costs less than a single $1,500 WSOP event entry and the edge it builds lasts a lifetime.

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Your strategy is only as good as your ability to execute it under pressure. Tilt, burnout, and mental fog cost players more pots than most realize and they're all fixable with the right preparation.

Jared Tendler is a pioneer in how your mental game impacts performance at the table. He has worked with over 600 poker players, including bracelet winners and touring pros. This is his complete tournament mental game system, built into 8 structured modules you can work through in as little as 3 days, or spread across 2 weeks if you have the time.

❝ Working through the course has made me feel more prepared to play this WSOP than I have felt in the last 10 years. ❞
— Matt Affleck, 13-year poker pro, $4M+ in live earnings

❝ This course provides the perfect structure for anyone to prepare for a big series. ❞
— Diego Ventura, WSOP Bracelet winner, $8.25M+ in earnings

➧ Deal #3: Exploit the Field Live Workshop

The May 23rd Exploit the Field Live Workshop is complete. Stay tuned for future workshops and availability of the recording.

On Saturday, May 23rd, Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy are hosting a 1-day live virtual workshop on how to exploit the mistakes made most often by your opponents in real time. You'll get a complete framework for spotting population leaks, constructing ranges on the fly, hand reading under pressure with direct access to your instructors, and live Q&A throughout the entire session.

What you'll learn on May 23:

➥ Population Leaks: Spot the frequency errors your opponents are constantly repeating and confidently unleash an exploit the moment you see them.

➥ Real-Time Range Construction: Charts are a starting point, not the answer. You'll learn a repeatable process for adjusting ranges on the fly based on the specific opponent, at any table, in any situation.

➥ Hand Reading: A step-by-step system for narrowing opponent ranges street by street and using those reads to make high-confidence decisions under pressure.

Can't attend live? No problem. You'll have lifetime access to the full recording, all downloads, and the private Discord.

The WSOP Doesn't Wait. Neither Should You.

These prices won't last. If you've been on the fence about any of these training courses, now is the time.

➥ Fearless River Launch Tournament Course: $648.50 (reg. $1,297) · Use Code WSOP50 During Checkout to Save 50%

➥ Mental Game Tune Up For Tournament Poker: $324.50 (reg. $649) · Use Code WSOP50 During Checkout to Save 50%

➥ Exploit the Field Live Workshop: This Event is Complete

Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Good luck and good playing,
-Team Fearless River

*This offer cannot be combined with other discounts.

Whether you're already in Vegas or counting down the weeks, part of you is thinking the same thing:

Will 2026 be my breakout year at the WSOP?

The answer depends a lot on your preparation, and there are specific protocols you should follow based on exactly how far away you are from starting your 1st event. While the exact process will vary somewhat based on each player, there are some proven techniques the pros use to make sure they hit the felt ready to dominate.

Click below for FREE tips and strategies that will have you ready to crush from hand 1 in Vegas, no matter how much time you have to prepare, direct from Team Fearless River ...

• Tony Dunst: WPT Champion and 3x WSOP Bracelet Winner
• Michael "Gags30" Gagliano: 3x WSOP Bracelet Winner
• Eric “Rizen” Lynch: 5x WSOP Final Tablist & Acclaimed Author
• Johan Schultz-Pedersen: WSOP Bracelet Winner

We asked Team Fearless River to give us their best advice on how to prepare your poker game for the WSOP based on exactly how much time you have before your first event. We put one question to each of them, and built a free prep guide around their answers:

❝ What advice would you give players when preparing for the WSOP based on the time before the start of their first event? ❞

We've assembled their answers along with strategy videos and tips that will get your poker game ready to execute and stay in flow no matter how much prep time you have before your first World Series of Poker tournament.

➥ Prep Time = 60-Day Prep Guide
➥ Prep Time = 30-Day Prep Guide
➥ Prep Time = 7-Day Prep Guide
➥ Prep Time = 1-Day Prep Guide

Have WSOP strategy questions? Fearless River.com members can talk directly and get answers from the Pros in our Ask a Pro Discord.

Just $5 your 1st month! No contracts, cancel anytime.

New to structured study? Start with our free poker training to lock in the 5 Keys framework before you build your plan.

➧ WSOP Helpful Links and Info:

➥ 2026 World Series of Poker Full Series Information
➥ WSOP Tournament Schedule
➥ Follow @KevMath and @WSOP on X for Daily Information
➥ PokerNews WSOP Hub
➥ Michael Gagliano's Summer Poker Calendar to build and save your own schedule. Get more info from Gags on the app.

How to Register in Person or Online

All players must provide valid photo identification and a Caesars Rewards Loyalty card to register and a WSOP+ app account.

➥ WSOP Registration Information
➥ Download the WSOP+ App to pre-register for events and skip cage lines, make payments and get all the information about the Series.

📍 Getting Around the WSOP

Kevin Mathers is one of the most trusted resources in the poker world for WSOP information. He posted a detailed floor plan breakdown covering tournament start locations, daily deepstack and satellite venues, registration, payouts, safe deposit boxes, and other key services across Horseshoe and Paris (also available on the WSOP+ app). ➥ View on X

Watching from Home? Follow the Action Live

New this year, the WSOP will be host a free livestream each day on their YouTube channel for fans around the world.

➧ Staying in Flow With Team Fearless River

Playing this summer? Tag us on social with your results and we'll highlight your achievements. We want to cheer you on!

Let us know what you are playing or share your success. Tag or email ua with your photos and updates from the felt.

X @_FearlessRiver | Facebook @fearlessriver | IG @fearlessriver

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

DECISION POINT: You're in a daily tournament that you frequently play at a local casino. There are 16 players remaining with 10 getting paid. In this tournament, it's common for players to do an even chop between the final 6 or 7 players. Blinds are 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 big blind ante. You are second in chips with 126,000, with most other stacks around 60,000. The UTG player moves all-in for 23,000 and action folds to you in the Hijack seat with K♣Q♣. What's your move?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing in a daily tournament at our local casino. There are 16 players left and 10 places get paid. We play in this tournament regularly. It's very common for an even chop to happen with 6-7 players left, where the remaining players evenly split the remaining prize money without regard for the chip stacks in play. We are currently second in chips with 126,000 and blinds are 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 big blind ante. There are a few short stacks at the other table, but most players have around 60,000 chips, or 30 big blinds.

We are dealt K♣Q♣ in the Hijack seat and the Under the Gun player moves all-in for their remaining 23,000 chips. Action folds to us, and we have a decision to make. Under normal circumstances with a standard payout structure that is top-heavy, KQs would be right on the cusp of being able to call an all-in from a UTG player at an 8-handed table.

This situation, however, presents several unique variables. Given this tournament normally chops 6-7 ways evenly, the payout structure is very flat and rewards staying in the tournament far more than accumulating chips. If the UTG player is adjusting appropriately, they should be shoving much narrower than they would in a more typical tournament situation with 11.5 big blinds. Additionally, being second in chips means that we will likely get the maximum payout in a chop scenario simply by staying alive in the tournament. There is very little benefit to taking on risk to attempt to grow our stack beyond what is likely to make it into the final 6 or 7 players.

With these ICM factors at play, we should be continuing with a very narrow range, particularly with so many players behind us still to act. Chopping is very common in a lot of daily tournaments, particularly in a live casino environment. Making the correct strategic adjustments deep in a tournament when an even chop is likely is key to maximizing your value in these spots.

Folding is the best play.

DECISION POINT: You’re in a regional tournament series with deep stacks that attract both pros and recreational players. The blinds are 300/600 with a 600 big blind ante. UTG+1, who is a known and well-studied player capable of making aggressive plays, opens to 1,500. You reraise to 4,500 in MP2 with A♦A♥. Action folds back around to the UTG+1 player, and they call. The flop comes K♦3♦2♦. Your opponent checks, you bet 2,500, and they raise to 5,700. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing a regional series event with deep stacks that tend to attract a variety of both pros and recreational players from around the area. The blinds are 300/600 with a 600 big blind ante. The UTG+1 player is a known player with over $500k live earnings who is well studied and capable of making aggressive plays.

We are dealt A♦A♥ in MP2 and following a 1,500 chip open from UTG+1 and a fold by MP1, we make a standard reraise to 4,500 chips. Everyone else folds back to the UTG+1 player who just calls. The flop is K♦3♦2♦ and the UTG+1 player checks.

As the preflop aggressor we retain a significant range advantage, meaning we can often bet these monotone boards with 100% frequency. Our opponent in UTG+1 also has a lot of hands that completely miss these types of boards that will fold to any size bet. Given these factors, choosing a small c-bet size will allow for a great price on our bluffs while still being able to get value out of bigger hands and draws on future streets by sizing up. We bet 2,500 chips into a pot of slightly over 10,000, and our opponent makes a very small check-raise to 5,700.

With an overpair and the A♦ in our hand, folding isn’t a consideration. At this point, we have to decide if it is better to just call or if raising is preferred. This specific check-raise size isn’t something we would normally expect to see, in theory. Since this appears to be a deviation, we need to think about what type of hands this specific opponent might check-raise this size with and put them on a range.

It’s unlikely UTG+1 expects much fold equity when we’re getting 6:1 pot odds on our call. What is more likely is that they have a range consisting of some made hands of varying strengths, or semi-bluffs that prefer to wait until the turn (often for a “safe” card) to start bloating the pot more aggressively. This range includes hands like Kx with a diamond, as well as hands including AK, 33, 22, and some made flushes. If we didn’t hold the A♦, that range might include some combos with just the Ace of diamonds, as well as suited Ax of diamonds for some nut flushes, but since we do they can be excluded.

If we consider how the hands in UTG+1’s check-raising range might react if we were to reraise, most of the hands that we dominate are likely fold and only the hands ahead of our Aces currently such as made flushes and sets are likely to continue. This is a classic “way ahead, way behind” scenario where it benefits us to keep our opponent’s range wide so that hands like Kx can continue to shovel money into the pot on future streets drawing extremely thin.

Even when our opponent does have a hand like a set or flush we are getting a very compelling price to draw to the nut flush and potential one of the two remaining Aces for top set.

Calling is the best play.

DECISION POINT: In a daily deep stack tournament with blinds at 250/500 and a 500 big blind ante, you’ve observed the table as being mostly passive with a lot of checking, calling, and very little 3-betting preflop. First to act in the UTG seat, you open to 1,200 with K♥J♥ and action folds to the Big Blind who calls. Your opponent checks the Q♠T♠9♠ flop, you c-bet 800, and they call. The turn is 4♥ and the Big Blind checks. Action is on you, what do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing a daily deep stacked tournament. The blinds are 250/500 with a 500 big blind ante. Most of the table has been fairly passive with a lot of checking and calling, as well as very little 3-betting preflop. We have 25,000 chips and the rest of the table has between 15,000-30,000 chips.

We are dealt K♥J♥ Under the Gun. While opening a tight range in early position is preferrable, KJs is easily strong enough to open, particularly at a passive table where we are unlikely to get 3-bet frequently. We open to 1,200 chips and everyone folds to the Big Blind who just calls.

The flop is Q♠T♠9♠ and we have flopped a straight on a monotone board. Our opponent in the Big Blind checks and action is on us. Monotone boards are very unique in No-Limit Hold’em. As the preflop aggressor in a heads up pot we often retain a significant range advantage, which means we should be continuation betting frequently. In fact, in many situations it will be strategically correct to continuation bet on monotone boards with 100% of our range.

The Big Blind’s defending range has a lot of hands that have completely missed with no pair and no draw that will automatically fold to any size bet. We need to choose a size that gives a good price on our bluffs while still allowing flexibility to size up on various turns and rivers against the part of our opponent’s range that has connected in some way, both for value and as a bluff.

We bet 800 chips (around 25% of the pot) and the Big Blind calls. The turn is the 4♥ and our opponent checks to us. Given our small flop bet size, the Big Blind will still have a fairly wide range on the turn including a lot of one pair hands as well as some Jx and combos containing a single spade. The Big Blind would have also preferred to check-raise some of the more vulnerable made hands on the flop such as small flushes.

These combined factors make this an excellent opportunity for us to fire a second barrel on the turn and extract value, as well as apply pressure against most of the Big Blind’s range. Many players are tempted to either check behind or bet small in this spot, fearing that they may be up against a flush. Since many of our opponent’s bigger hands would have raised the flop, it is quite likely (although never certain) we have the best hand, and we should bet bigger for value.

Betting 2/3 to 3/4 of the pot (3,000-3,500 chips) is the best play.

DECISION POINT: You’re playing in a live $1/$2 cash game. The table includes mostly loose/passive recreational players with many hands going to showdown, a lot of calling, and very little aggressive action. The UTG player limps, you raise to $10 from MP with K♣Q♠, the Big Blind calls, and the limper folds. The flop comes A♣T♣9♣. The Big Blind bets $14 and action is on you. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We’re playing a loose/passive live $1/$2 cash game. The table is full of recreational players with many hands going to showdown and lots of calling with very little aggressive action. We are dealt K♣Q♠ in MP1. The UTG player limps and the next player folds with action on us.

As a basic default rule against limpers, we will raise with any of the hands that we cannot call with according to the calling criteria that are included in the first-in raising range for the seat position of the limper.

The first step is to determine whether we can call profitably per the calling criteria, and in this case KQo is not a true speculative hand and does not play well multiway. Looking at the first-in range from the initial limper in UTG we see that KQo is included, so isolating the limper is our preferred default play. We make it $10, everyone folds to the Big Blind who calls, and the initial limper UTG folds.

The flop is A♣T♣9♣ and the Big Blind leads for $14 into the $23 pot. In a typical game where there are some amount of skilled opponents, when the Big Blind calls preflop in this situation they likely have a very condensed and capped range. In a loose/passive game filled with recreational players, the Big Blind’s range a bit wider than it should including many of the sort of hands players want to “see a flop” with such as offsuit broadway cards, suited connectors, and pocket pairs.

When a player leads into the preflop raiser (often called “donk” betting) on flops that favor the preflop raiser, it’s often either an attempt to “see where they are at”, or because they are worried about not getting action on a big hand when they check. On a board like this monotone flop with an Ace and broadway draw which many recreational players find quite “scary”, this donk lead is typically because the Big Blind is worried we won’t bet and another club or straightening card will fall on the turn.

Holding the Kc and an inside straight draw, we still have a lot of equity in this pot, but it is unlikely we have the best hand at the moment. If the board texture was scattered or all low cards and more likely that our opponent was lead/donk betting a medium strength hand to “see where they were at”, there would be a lot of merit to making a semi-bluff raise.

On this particular board, many of the hands the Big Blind is leading with are actually happy to see a raise. Hands such as Ax/T9s combos or even small flushes prefer to get chips in on the flop before a scary card comes on the turn or river. Our hand has significant equity with the Kc and inside straight draw, and we have a lot of potential opportunities to float and take the pot away on the turn if another scary card hits. Given these factors, calling makes a lot more sense than semi-bluffing on this coordinated monotone flop.

Calling is the best play. 

P.S. Check out our December live study session where we focused on Dealing with Limpers. Watch a preview →

🎬 That's a Wrap!

As the excitement fades from another thrilling World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, we want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to every student who helped make this summer season of poker exciting. We are proud of your progress and are grateful to have you in the Fearless River Family.

This summer Fearless River students collectively cashed in 40+ events during the WSOP, reached 3 final tables, and earned more than $200,000! Whether you achieved the goal of participating in your first WSOP event or secured your first cash prize, we've enjoyed hearing about everyone's successes on the felt this summer. Congrats 👏👏

In the past 3 years during the summer in Vegas, Fearless River Students (like Sean, T.J., Tamar, and Sue!) have achieved:

➧ WSOP Gold Bracelets: 3
➧ Around Town Win: 1
➧ WSOP Final Tables: 6
➧ Around Town Final Tables: 9
➧ Cashed For: $1,798,247

Let's start getting ready for 2026!

During the 2025 World Series of Poker, thousands of poker players descended on the Las Vegas Strip for 7 weeks of summer tournament action looking to win a prestigious WSOP Bracelet (and some cash!), including Fearless River Instructors and Students.

How did we do in 2025? Read about successes ...

🎉 WSOP Week 7 Successes
🎉 WSOP Week 6 Successes
🎉 WSOP Week 5 Successes
🎉 WSOP Week 4 Successes
🎉 WSOP Week 3 Successes
🎉 WSOP Week 2 Successes
🎉 WSOP Week 1 Successes
👏 Success Around Town
📌️️ FREE Tips From Team Fearless River
👀 Our Ones To Look Out For
📚 Not a Member? Learn More

Not a Member? Join Now (just $5 your first month) and start getting ahead of the competition to get your poker game championship ready.

WSOP Week 7 Achievements

➧ Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #90 $777 Lucky 7's Championship

• Placed: 488th out of 8,012
• Won: $2,078
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Miguel Vazquez cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #90 $777 Lucky 7's Championship

• Placed: 966th out of 8,012
• Won: $1,546
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bob Buckenmayer cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #94 $10,000 6-Handed Championship

• Placed: 51st out of 546
• Won: $21,194
• Tournament Results

💥 This is Bob's 6th cash of the Series!

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #94 $10,000 6-Handed Championship

• Placed: 69th out of 546
• Won: $20,184
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Miguel Vazquez cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #95 $800 Deepstack Championship

• Placed: 303rd out of 2,851
• Won: $1,649
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #99 $5,000 8-Handed Championship

• Placed: 9th out of 735
• Won: $46,747
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #28 $400 Online Mystery Bounty 6-Max Championship

• Placed: 85th
• Won: $1,190
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #28 $400 Online Mystery Bounty 6-Max Championship

• Placed: 175th
• Won: $967
• Tournament Results

WSOP Week 6 Achievements

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #81 $10,000 Main Event World Championship

• Placed: 148th out of 9,735
• Won: $70,000
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bob Buckenmayer cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #81 $10,000 Main Event World Championship

• Placed: 521st out of 9,735
• Won: $32,500
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #89 $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship

• Placed: 223rd out of 1,168
• Won: $8,357
• Tournament Results

🥉 Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen took 3rd in the 2025 WSOP Event #20 $555 Online PLO Mystery Bounty

• Placed: 3rd
• Won: $40,792
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #21 $600 Online Deepstack Championship

• Placed: 126th
• Won: $1,200
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #22 $1,000 Online Mystery Bounty Championship

• Placed: 250th
• Won: $1,104
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #24 $1,000 Online 6-Max Championship

• Placed: 27th
• Won: $3,710
• Tournament Results

🥉 Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst took 3rd in the 2025 WSOP Circuit Super Series #6 Online $1,000 High Roller

• Placed: 3rd
• Won: $33,083
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #24 $1,000 Online 6-Max Championship

• Placed: 51st
• Won: $2,473
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #24 $1,000 Online 6-Max Championship

• Placed: 94th
• Won: $1,814
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #26 $5,300 Online High Roller Championship

• Placed: 32nd
• Won: $8,813
• Tournament Results

WSOP Week 5 Achievements

➧ Fearless River Student Tamar Abraham cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #70 $1,000 Ladies Championship

• Placed: 20th out of 1,368
• Won: $6,431
• Tournament Results

👑 Tammy won this event in 2023!

➧ Fearless River Student Sue Faber cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #70 $1,000 Ladies Championship

• Placed: 45th out of 1,368
• Won: $3,889
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bob Buckenmayer cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #75 $1,000 Mini Main Event Championship

• Placed: 182nd out of 10,794
• Won: $6,170
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Scott Roberts cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #75 $1,000 Mini Main Event Championship

• Placed: 1,233rd out of 10,794
• Won: $2,001
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Cathy Schenone cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #78 $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship

• Placed: 376th out of 5,667
• Won: $1,538
• Tournament Results

🌡️ Cathy cashed twice during the series!

➧ Fearless River Student Lisa Roberts cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #80 $800 Summer Celebration Championship

• Placed: 960th out of 7,078
• Won: $1,647
• Tournament Results

🔥 Lisa cashed 4 times during the summer!

➧ Fearless River Student Scott Roberts cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #80 $800 Summer Celebration Championship

• Placed: 1,000th out of 7,078
• Won: $1,647
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #17 $500 Online Deepstack Championship

• Placed: 238th
• Won: $1,351
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #18 $2,500 Online NLH Championship

• Placed: 34th
• Won: $6,839
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #19 $777 Online Lucky 7s Championship

• Placed: 97th
• Won: $2,037
• Tournament Results

WSOP Week 4 Achievements

🥉 Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell took 3rd in the 2025 WSOP Event #62 $5,000 6-Handed Championship

• Placed: 3rd out of 1,168
• Won: $398,409
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Gerald Paquette cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #64 $1,000 Super Seniors Championship

• Placed: 74th out of 3,338
• Won: $4,728
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bob Buckenmayer cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #64 $1,000 Super Seniors Championship

• Placed: 378th out of 3,338
• Won: $2,002
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Cathy Schenone cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #65 $1,000 Tag Team Championship

• Placed: 81st out of 1,373
• Won: $1,243
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Lisa Roberts cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #67 $300 Gladiators of Poker Championship

• Placed: 494th out of 24,629
• Won: $1,620
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Scott Roberts cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #67 $300 Gladiators of Poker Championship

• Placed: 3,136th out of 24,629
• Won: $600
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #12 $600 Online Monsterstack Championship

• Placed: 64th
• Won: $2,015
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #12 $600 Online Monsterstack Championship

• Placed: 120th
• Won: $1,631
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #12 $600 Online Monsterstack Championship

• Placed: 125th
• Won: $1,439
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #13 $500 Online Mystery Bounty Championship

• Placed: 553rd
• Won: $662
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #13 $500 Online Mystery Bounty Championship

• Placed: 557th
• Won: $662
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #14 $888 Online Crazy 8s Championship

• Placed: 144th
• Won: $1,153
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #15 $400 Online Ultra Deepstack Championship

• Placed: 318th
• Won: $859
• Tournament Results

WSOP Week 3 Achievements

➧ Fearless River Student Mike Wells cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #45 $500 Salute to Warriors Championship

• Placed: 580th out of 3,937
• Won: $1,000
• Tournament Results

🌡️ Mike also cashed in a $250 WSOP Daily Deepstack event

➧ Fearless River Student John Goodell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #48 $1,000 Seniors Championship

• Placed: 188th out of 7,575
• Won: $4,738
• Tournament Results

🔥 John cashed 5 times during the summer!

➧ Fearless River Student Bob Buckenmayer cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #48 $1,000 Seniors Championship

• Placed: 321st out of 7,575
• Won: $3,678
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Lisa Roberts cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #48 $1,000 Seniors Championship

• Placed: 355th out of 7,575
• Won: $3,280
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bryant Morrison cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #48 $1,000 Seniors Championship

• Placed: 426th out of 7,575
• Won: $2,950
• Tournament Results

🌡️ Bryant also took 2nd at the Aria - He's heating up!

➧ Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #49 $3,000 6-Handed Championship

• Placed: 44th out of 1,421
• Won: $12,161
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bob Buckenmayer cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #53 $1,500 Millionaire Maker Championship

• Placed: 1,112th out of 11,996
• Won: $3,160
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Jed Dyrek cashed in two WSOP Daily Deepstack $250 Tournaments!

• WSOP Deepstack Event #271
  • Placed: 41st out of 1,388 and won $1,103
• WSOP Seniors Deepstack Event #278
  • Placed: 194th out of 1,354 and won $500

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #10 $1,000 Online 6-Max Championship

• Placed: 67th
• Won: $2,491
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #11 $3,200 Online High Roller Championship

• Placed: 49th
• Won: $5,328
• Tournament Results

WSOP Week 2 Achievements

🥈 Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger took 2nd place in the 2025 WSOP Event #32 $50,000 High Roller Championship

• Placed: 2nd out of 171
• Won: $1,312,610
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student T.J. Murphy cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #19 $500 COLOSSUS Championship

• Placed: 870th out of 16,301
• Won: $1,320
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Paul Rezentes cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #19 $500 COLOSSUS Championship

• Placed: 1,145th out of 16,301
• Won: $1,230
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Sean Jazayeri cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #19 $500 COLOSSUS Championship

• Placed: 1,630th out of 16,301
• Won: $1,320
• Tournament Results

➧ Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #22 $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed Championship

• Placed: 49th out of 336
• Won: $50,299
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #29 $2,500 Championship

• Placed: 154th out of 1,493
• Won: $5,020
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #31 $800 Deepstack Championship

• Placed: 223rd out of 4,481
• Won: $2,508
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Jon Towers cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #37 $1,500 MONSTER STACK Championship

• Placed: 708th out of 9,920
• Won: $3,645
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Tamar Abraham cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #37 $1,500 MONSTER STACK Championship

• Placed: 807th out of 9,920
• Won: $3,385
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #37 $1,500 MONSTER STACK Championship

• Placed: 344th out of 9,920
• Won: $6,707
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #37 $1,500 MONSTER STACK Championship

• Placed: 1,151st out of 9,920
• Won: $3,018
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #6 $333 Online Triple Treys Championship

• Placed: 15th
• Won: $3,431
• Tournament Results

WSOP Week 1 Achievements

➧ Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed Championship

• Placed: 53rd out of 693
• Won: $12,089
• Tournament Results

➧ Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger cashed in WSOP Event #11 $10,000 Mystery Bounty 8-Handed Championship

• Placed: 88th out of 616
• Won: $13,592
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Niall Farrell cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #13 $1,500 6-Handed Championship

• Placed: 53rd out of 2,354
• Won: $3,344
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #1 $400 Online Kick Off Championship

• Placed: 57th
• Won: $1,588
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #1 $400 Online Kick Off Championship

• Placed: 120th
• Won: $1,191
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the 2025 WSOP Event #2 $555 Online Mystery Bounty Championship

• Placed: 216th
• Won: $931
• Tournament Results

Team Fearless River Success Around Town

🏆 Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman WON the 1st ever ClubWPT Gold WPT Championship

• Placed: 1st out of 700
• Won: $332,397
• Tournament Results

🐐 Brian is now tied for the most ever WPT titles

➧ Fearless River Student John Goodell cashed in the Event #75 $1,100 Venetian DeepStack Seniors Event

• Placed: 115th out of 1,061
• Won: $2,326
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Bryant Morrison cashed in the $1,100 Aria Poker Classic Event

• Placed: 42nd out of 398
• Won: $1,959
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman cashed in the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Championship

• Placed: 130th out of 1,153
• Won: $9,200
• Tournament Results

🥈 Fearless River Student Bryant Morrison took 2nd place in the $1,600 Aria Poker Classic Event

• Placed: 2nd out of 297
• Won: $45,127
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman final tabled the $3,000 Wynn Summer Classic 8-Max Tournament

• Placed: 7th out of 256
• Won: $25,896
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Joe Bergh cashed in a $1,100 Wynn Summer Classic Tournament

• Placed: 13th out of 1,579
• Won: $12,772
• Tournament Results

💰 Joe cashed for almost $20K in wk1 - He's just getting started!

➧ Fearless River Student Joe Bergh cashed in the $1,600 Wynn Summer Classic Seniors Tournament

• Placed: 21st out of 961
• Won: $6,463
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student John Goodell cashed in the $300 South Point Summer Kickoff Tournament

• Placed: 76th out of 1,057
• Won: $930
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student John Goodell cashed in the Event #29 $400 Golden Nugget Seniors Tournament

• Placed: 19th out of 210
• Won: $852
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Sandy Tabin cashed in the Event #51 $1,600 Venetian DeepStack Seniors Event

• Placed: 92nd out of 1,295
• Won: $4,062
• Tournament Results

🌡️ This is Sandy's 2nd cash of the summer - He's just heating up!

➧ Fearless River Student Lisa Roberts cashed in the Event #51 $1,600 Venetian DeepStack Seniors Event

• Placed: 98th out of 1,295
• Won: $4,062
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Sandy Tabin cashed in a $1,100 Wynn Summer Classic Tournament

• Placed: 11th out of 263
• Won: $4,690
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student John Goodell cashed in a $120 South Point Summer Dailies Tournament

• Placed: 20th out of 226
• Won: $347
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Student Tamar Abraham cashed in two South Point Summer Dailies Tournaments

• Placed 8th out of 87 and won $275
• Placed 3rd out of 88 and won $750

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the $3,500 Wynn Summer Classic Tournament

• Placed: 80th out of 2,091
• Won: $11,864
• Tournament Results

➧ Instructor Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger final tabled the $25,800 Wynn Summer Classic 8-Max Tournament

• Placed: 6th out of 56
• Won: $87,500
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Michael Gagliano cashed in the $3,500 Aria Poker Classic BetMGM Championship

• Placed: 126th out of 1,853
• Won: $8,361
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the $2,200 Wynn Summer Classic Tournament

• Placed: 114th out of 2,006
• Won: $6,017
• Tournament Results

➧ Fearless River Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen cashed in the Event #72 $1,100 Venetian Ultimate Stack Event

• Placed: 88th out of 752
• Won: $2,461
• Tournament Results

Get and Stay in the Zone All Summer

❝Will 2025 be my breakout year at the WSOP?❞.

The answer to that question depends a lot on your preparation, and there are specific protocols you should follow based on exactly how far away you are from starting your 1st event. While the exact process will vary somewhat based on each player, there are some tried-and-true techniques pros use to make sure they hit the felt ready to dominate.

Click below for FREE tips and strategies that will have you ready to crush from hand 1 in Vegas, no matter how much time you have to prepare, direct from Team Fearless River ...

• Tony Dunst: WPT Champion and 3x WSOP Bracelet Winner
• Michael "Gags30" Gagliano: 3x WSOP Bracelet Winner
• Eric “Rizen” Lynch: 5x WSOP Final Tables & acclaimed author
• Johan Schultz-Pedersen: WSOP Bracelet Winner

We asked Tony, Gags, Rizen, and Johan:

Get their answers below based on how much prep time you have before your 1st tournament, and get your poker game ready to execute and stay in flow all summer long! =

➥ Prep Time = 60 Days Click Here
➥ Prep Time = 30 Days Click Here
➥ Prep Time = 7 Days Click Here
➥ Prep Time = 1 Day Click Here

Have WSOP strategy questions? Members can talk directly and get answers from Team Fearless River Pros in our Discord.

Ones To Look Out For...

We'll be keeping a close eye on Fearless River Students and tracking their performance during the Summer Season. Here are players who've already conquered gold that we’ll be keeping tabs on in Vegas!

➧ Fearless River Student Tamar "Tammy" Abraham

In the 2023 WSOP Ladies Championship, Tammy took home her first WSOP Bracelet and banked an impressive $192,167 for the win. Surrounded by supporters and fellow members of the Women's Poker Association (WPA), Tammy secured her place in the record books as the victor of the largest Ladies Event field in poker history.

➧ Fearless River Student T.J. Murphy

T.J. took home his first WSOP Bracelet, outlasted a huge field of 4,732 runners in the 2024 $800 Deepstack Championship, and banked an impressive $368,977 for the win. He continued his run with a 2nd place finish at the MSPT Grand Falls Main Event for $76K. He'll be back in Vegas to defend his title!

➧ Fearless River Student Sean Jazayeri

Sean won his first WSOP Gold Bracelet in the 2024 Super Seniors Championship, defeating a field of 3,362 runners and taking home $368,025. This was Sean's third cash in the 2024 series, which was also his largest-ever WSOP win and the 2nd biggest of his poker career!

➧ Fearless River Student Sue Faber

Sue won her first WSOP Bracelet in the 2019 Salute to Warriors Championship, defeating the field of 1,723 runners, earning $121,161 in the process, and was the only woman to win an open NL event during the series. In 2024, Sue won 2 WSOP Circuit Cherokee Events (in 1 week!) to add 2 Circuit Rings to her collection.

📰 Read the PokerNews article about Sue!

Are You Playing The WSOP This Summer?

Are you on the tournament grind this summer in Vegas and have some results to share? Whether you’re shooting for gold at the WSOP, cashing in your first event, or making a deep run at one of the many other events happening in Las Vegas this summer—if you are a member of the Fearless River Family, we want to hear from YOU!

Share your success at the table and tag us on social media or email [email protected], and we will highlight your achievement.

No win or cash is too small; we want to know about them all!

X @_FearlessRiver | FB @fearlessriver | IG @fearlessriver

Good luck and good playing,
Team Fearless River

Train With Poker Champions for Just $5

Learn from expert Instructors who know what it takes to win in Vegas (14 WSOP Bracelets and counting).

Fearless River Poker Training, has assembled a world-class team of seasoned poker players who have won 6 WPT Championship Titles, 14 WSOP Bracelets, 9 WSOP Circuit Rings, and 9 $25K+ buy-in High Rollers; have a combined $65 million in tournament winnings; have authored 5 acclaimed poker books; and have over 5 decades of poker coaching experience.

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.

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All for just $5 your first month of membership.

Are YOU ready to become our next Success? LET'S GET STARTED!

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

Today more than ever before, drama and conflict gets more attention than quiet consistency and determination. If you pay attention to social media and what is pushed the most, you know this is the case. Instead of being focused on substance and specificity, it's become a contest to see who can yell the loudest and the longest.

Poker Is... not immune to the pressures of sensationalism in media and marketing and lately seems to be getting attention for all the wrong reasons. Whether it's multi-accounting online, cheating in live stream games, or new apps that may help players solve for the best move in real time, Poker certainly has had its share of bad press. Some find that drama entertaining and are drawn to poker, albeit for the wrong reasons.

It's just not the reality of what Poker Is.

Look closer. Wade through the initial barrage of the latest "news" and the trash talk that seems to permeate coverage of the game.

What do you find?

The next time you sit down at your home game, local casino, or WPT event, take a good look at the fellow competitors at the table and you will certainly notice something different. Players there to have fun and compete - they are construction workers, school teachers, entrepreneurs, business professionals, parents, and retirees.

People just like you.

There's no team to be on or beef to carry. Just 52 cards, 5 community cards, and the best hand at showdown.

The real truth is, Poker is... a strategic game with rules and sportsmanship. A game that is here for everyone, regardless of where you're from, what you look like, your experience, or your skill. On any given day, anyone can win.

Don't get distracted by all of the noise designed to make you think what Poker Is... to them. Choose a poker community that is dedicated to helping EVERYONE learn to play, have fun, and be a part of it on their own terms.

For just $5 your first month of Fearless River Membership join a group of experienced poker educators and players who are WPT Champions and WSOP Bracelet winners ready and willing to help you learn and grow at your pace.

Get expert step-by-step instruction based specifically on your current experience and knowledge level. Train with state of the art tools and track learning progress on your personalized dashboard.

Your journey in Poker Is shaped by your choices.

Will you spend time focused on the latest challenges or dramas? Or will you choose to focus on what matters most for your game?

Poker Is... Community
Poker Is... Comradery
Poker Is... Fun
Poker Is... Competition
Poker Is... Love of the Game
Poker Is... Fearless River

Choose to join the Fearless River community for just $5 your first month of Membership to see what we believe Poker Is.

We'll see you online,
-Team Fearless River

If you have any questions regarding Fearless River please contact our Support Team at [email protected] and we'll be happy to assist you.

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.

Your friends at Fearless River Poker Training are here with expert tips to help you adjust poker strategy for each of the 3 types of bounty poker tournaments:

1. Traditional Bounty Tournaments
2. PKO Tournaments
3. Lottery Style Bounty Tournaments

Traditional Bounty Poker Tournaments

Take a deep dive into the traditional bounty poker tournament format and learn how professional poker players adjust their play to account for the bounties when making decisions at the table.

Binger’s Bounty Equity Shortcut for Calling All-Ins:

• Convert the bounty to tournament chips based on percentage of buy-in
  • $1,000 buy-in tournament, $250 of each buy-in is the bounty (bounty is 25% of buy-in)
  • 10,000 in starting chips x 25% = 2500 in tournament chips
  • Therefore 1 bounty = 2500 in tournament chips
• Add the value of the bounty in terms of chips to the total pot
  • Ex: Pot size 17,500 + 2,500 = 20,000 bounty adjusted pot size
• Calculate your equity based on the bounty adjusted pot size
• Your calling range will naturally be wider based on the increased pot size

Progressive Knockout (PKO) Tournaments

Progressive Knockouts, or PKO’s have become very popular in online poker because of the escalating values for each player’s bounty as they eliminate others from the tournament. While this style of tournament is not common in live poker, it’s incredibly popular online and you need to be aware of the strategic adjustments involved.

The buy-in structure for a Progressive Knockout splits the buy-in in half and assigns half to the prize pool and half to the player’s individual bounty. As the tournament progresses you knock players out, half of their bounty is yours to keep, while the other half is added to your bounty.

Remembers these tips when playing in a PKO Tournament:

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

Make sure you download your free PKO Equity Reduction Quick Refeference Guide after you watch the Strategy Episode!

The PKO Equity Reduction Reference Guide is an easy and quick way to determine your equity in PKO Tournaments

Lottery Style Bounty Poker Tournaments

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.

Bounty Confidential Tournament at Thunder Valley Casino Resort

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 Fearless River Instructor and Poker Legend Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger’s key lessons for Lottery Style Bounty Tournaments below:

3 Lessons from LuckyChewy on Lottery Style Bounty Tournaments:

➧ 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.

Good Luck and Good Playing!

We hope you enjoyed these free educational strategies for playing better in the 3 main types of Bounty Poker Tournaments from Team Fearless River. Be sure to follow us or subscribe below for more FREE poker content.

Please share your success and let us know how these strategies changed your game. We love to hear from Fearless River Students!

X @_FearlessRiver | Facebook @fearlessriver | IG @fearlessriver

We'll see you on the felt,
-Team Fearless River

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