1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Each of us is part of a particular community, and the importance of belonging to a community of people who share your interests can’t be measured. Every person longs for belonging. We all want to feel that we belong and have a sense of identity with our community, whether it be large or small.

A community can mean so many things depending on how each individual experiences it. People often feel a sense of togetherness and belonging when they are around peers who share similar interests. This feeling often leads to a deeper connection between community members and greater enjoyment of their common interests - in this case, the love of poker!

The best players in the game today share ideas and collaborate with their peers within a trusted poker community to improve their play and elevate their game.

A poker community is a group of people who have come together to have fun learning and improving while supporting each other along the way. The common love of poker and the shared desire to help each other find a way for all members to grow their game in a safe and friendly place is the foundation of a community like ours.

The ability to have a community dedicated to poker where you can share experiences, mistakes, practice with each other and share advice, is just as valuable for the new poker player as it is for the aspiring professionals who are passionate about their game and want to improve it.sharing storie

We know that one of the most challenging aspects of improving your poker game is the feeling of being alone on your journey and not having a team (or, better yet, a community) to support your poker goals.

That's why we created the Fearless River Community!

The desire for community is universal, and many find their place in groups that share a common passion or idea. There is something extraordinary about being a part of a group of people who share something they feel passionately about.

So, are you playing poker and wondering how being part of a poker community can help you grow and become a better player?

Or, you are already aware of all the benefits but you are not sure how to join and become part of this massive poker family?

No matter where you are in your poker journey, answers to any poker questions you might have can be found on The Fearless River Community Forums. Our community members ask questions daily and get advice, feedback, and real strategy help they can put into action.

We wanted all Fearless River Members to have the same positive feedback loop and community with the top pros in the game to help them improve and upgrade their play. The Fearless River Community we created is a safe place, full of passionate poker players who desire to learn, achieve, and have fun achieving their goals.

The Fearless River Community forum provides an open platform for poker enthusiasts to engage in deep discussions about all things related to the game. Whether you're looking for help with your strategy or want someone else's take on how they won a hand, there are plenty of poker players just like you waiting here who will be happy (and more than willing) to share their thoughts!

How can YOU benefit from being part of a Community of YOUR peers and Instructors?

For many aspiring players, the path to becoming better at poker begins with understanding just exactly what they can improve. When you are starting on the path to learning poker you will have many questions and most likely you won’t know a person with suitable knowledge to discuss these with you.

Well… do you have questions about your poker game like these:

• What exactly does the term “straddle” mean and is it profitable in your live $1-2 game?
• After I raised preflop from the SB I wasn’t sure if the best play here was to continue or just check. See my attached HIT hand. Thanks for any input and thoughts…
• After downloading the first-in hand range charts, does anyone have tips for memorizing the ranges. Does anyone bring them to the tables with them as a guide?
• After watching Episode #316 today I have a couple questions related to the second hand played where Nick had JJ…
• Traveling to Vegas … best place for cash live poker 1/2 or 1/3?

These are just some of the questions Members are asking and getting answers to in The Fearless River Community Forums.

The Fearless River Community forums provide a space for members to get feedback, advice, and in-depth strategy help for any poker topics you want to explore. Participate in these discussions and learn new ideas and help your fellow members learn more about poker while growing your own game.

Do you love to talk about all things poker? The Fearless River community is here for you.

Join in discussions on Cash and Tournament concepts or anything related to this game we love so much in the General Discussion forum.

The Community is a safe place for students of the game to join fellow Fearless River Members (and our Pros!) to create that loop and:

• Discuss concepts or issues they are encountering on the path to being a better player. Have you ever tried to learn something but found it difficult? You might be surprised at how many people have had similar experiences.
• Receive feedback from peers on how they played a hand. Feedback from peers will help you improve your decision-making when playing hands, and it's important to observe the play and analysis to unlock new perspectives in your game plan.
• Find answers about strategy and concepts they are unsure of. Fearless River Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger visit the community to answer questions and join Member discussions!
• Expand their poker feedback loop to develop a continuous process for improvement. The community can help players identify what needs to be improved in their own game and provide valuable feedback and advice on how to make meaningful changes and master their game.
• Talk all things poker related!

The Fearless River Community is a great place for professionals to expand their poker feedback loop and develop continuous process improvement through discussion. Post and discuss ideas with other members, or share some of yours! We're excited to hear from you!

Want to learn more about this powerful tool?

Click the button below to watch a special video from Nick Binger as he walks you through this exciting Fearless River Member Feature.

.............................................................................................................................

P.S. You can submit questions anytime directly to the Fearless River Instructors Eric “Rizen” Lynch, Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, Brian Altman, Michael "Gags30" Gagliano, and Tony Dunst in the Community anytime!

Have Questions about Fearless River? Contact our support team at [email protected] and we will be happy to help!

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

Team Fearless River 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River!

Get in The Zone with Team Fearless River 🏆

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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River
➧ 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River Membership Features and we know she'll do great. Team Fearless River 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River Champions and Save 50%

During the first 6 months of 2022 Fearless River 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 Fearless River.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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River Membership at the 50% off discounted rate. Sale ends July 15th - don't miss your opportunity to lock in 1 year of Fearless River for the price of 5 months.

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

Join Team Fearless River On Tour at The Venetian

Are you playing the WPT Venetian Las Vegas Main Event? Stop and say Hi 👋 to the Fearless River 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River Students are doing!

Twitter @Fearless River | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

Good luck and good playing,
-Team Fearless River

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

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

Heading to a tournament series and looking to brush up your skills?

Check out this FREE collection of No-Limit Texas Hold'em poker tournament strategy tips and tools from Team Fearless River featuring Brian Altman, Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger, Nick Binger, Vanessa Selbst and Tony Dunst plus renowned Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler.

Team Fearless River is here to help keep you focused and make sure you are ready to make your big score 🏆

Get Mentally Prepared for Poker Tournaments

Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler has been on the rail helping WSOP winners succeed for over a decade. Watch this Fearless River Strategy Episode from Jared as he provides a game plan for getting your tactical and mental game strategy ready for success and helps you prepare for a demanding poker schedule.

Poker Tournament Preparation Quick Tips:

• Keep it simple! Don't start introducing new concepts: focus on known issues in your game
• Develop a poker routine based on good sessions
• Go through a pregame warm-up before each session
• Take "no poker" breaks to reset and reserve energy
• Manage your excitement

5 Poker Tournament Strategy Keys 🔑

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

1. Always be aware of position
2. Know the stack depth and effective stack in terms of big blinds
3. Assign preflop ranges (not a specific hand) based on each player’s position and how they entered the pot
4. Note the number of opponents seeing the flop
5. Understand the board texture and how it affects your next move
   

Want to go deeper on the Key Factors? Our free 5 Keys video series breaks down each one, step by step.

The 5 Keys of Poker Tournament Strategy Quick Tips:

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

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

How the Pros Maintain Championship Focus

Team Fearless River is no stranger to the bright lights of the final table and big money pressure. Get insight from the best in the game.

In this Strategy Episode, Fearless River Instructor and poker legend LuckyChewy gives you insights to recognize misapplied poker concepts and how they can cause leaks in your tournament game.

Countering Common Misapplied Poker Concepts:

• Calling a c-bet is not mandatory after defending preflop
• Avoid going on autopilot on the river after calling flop and turn
• Raising ace-high on dry, scattered flops is not always preferred

Watch and listen as 4x WPT Champion and Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman gives you his expert approach to identifying targets to bluff and the specific strategy to help maximize your success rate.

What You Can Do to Find More Bluffs:

• Pay very close attention to opponent betting tendencies and shown cards
• Seize the initiative in the hand through betting and leading flops
• A balanced bluffing range is crucial to maximizing your success
  

Watch this Strategy Episode from Fearless River Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst for key insights on how world-class players think through hands street by street.

Making Moves Quick Tips:

• Making moves is necessary to becoming a winning player
• Moves work best against fewer opponents. Rarely bluff in multiway pots
• You must become comfortable with situational poker

Check out this Strategy Episode from Fearless River Instructor Vanessa Selbst as she answers student-submitted questions regarding c-betting in multiway pots and key factors for becoming a dominating professional player.

Overcoming Your Fears Quick Tips:

• Aggression wins in No-Limit Hold'em poker
• Practice making moves. Fear prevents us from accumulating lots of chips and becoming a chip leader
• Enjoy playing the game, and you'll have a better chance of success and reaching your goals
  

Have What It Takes to Win a Tournament?

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 Fearless GTO Trainer.

Play these 5 hands to test your skills and learn the exact move to make. After playing, watch the Strategy Episode for a detailed breakdown of each decision point as Fearless River Instructor Nick Binger analyzes the same hands you just played.

Do your best to choose the ideal action at every point. Your goal is to keep "EV Loss" in the green and close to 0.

P.S. After playing the hands, click the WATCH NOW button to follow along as Nick plays the same hands and learn the "why" behind the correct plays.

Tell Us How You Are Doing

We LOVE hearing about the success our students are having.

During the 2024 WSOP, we got to sweat 13 final tables, see two Fearless River students take down their 1st Gold Bracelet, and watch Instructors add hardware to their already accomplished trophy chest. We also took home nearly $2.1 million in earnings.

In another dominating WSOP performance, we got to celebrate long-time student Tammy winning her first Bracelet in 2023!

If you are having success at the tables, follow and share it with us on social or email our support team at [email protected].

X @_FearlessRiver | Meta @fearlessriver | IG @fearlessriver

Good Luck and Good Playing

If you see Team Fearless River in the field be sure to stop and say hi 👋

P.S. Played a hand you were unsure of? Fearless River members send them in using the Ask a Pro Discord channel for analysis.

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 Fearless River.

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?

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

Fearless River 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?

Fearless River 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 Fearless River
➧ 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River Strategy Episode from Fearless River 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 Fearless River On Tour at Choctaw

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

LuckyChewy, Brian Altman, Tony Dunst, and Adrian Naggy will be on site and in the action! Be sure to follow Team Fearless River 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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River

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

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

DECISION POINT: You are in a multi-table tournament where blinds are 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 big blind ante. There are 13 players left and 9 places paid. The action folds to you in the Cutoff with A♠A♣ and your raise to 15,000, the Button folds and both the Big Blind and Small Blind call. Your opponents check the Q♦J♥T♣ flop and action is on you. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are in the mid to late stages of a multi-table tournament. There are 13 players left and 9 places are paid with a fairly standard, top heavy payout structure. The blinds are 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 big blind ante. We are dealt A♠A♣ in the Cutoff six-handed and preflop the action folds to us.

At this particular table, smaller raises are frequently being called in multiple spots. Even though making it 12,000 is normally a fairly standard raise in this spot, we decide to raise to 15,000 in the moment and get called by both the Small Blind and Big Blind.

The flop is Q♦J♥T♣ and both players check. This is a very coordinated board that often connects with the Blinds’ calling ranges. The issue we are facing is that we only have 95,000 chips and the Small Blind only 41,000 chips and there is 51,000 in the pot.

With a stack to pot ratio (SPR) of less than 2, an overpair to the board, and a potential draw to a straight we have a situation where we really aren’t deep enough to ever fold here. However, our hand is also quite vulnerable to many of the types of hands the Blinds would call with and in some cases we are even behind on this flop.

If we were much deeper stacked there could be a case for playing this hand a little more cautiously, but at this stack depth we really have to go with our hand and we can still extract a lot of value from KQ/KJ/KT/T9s/Q9s/J9s type hands.

The Blinds are also quite likely to have reraised preflop with AK/QQ/JJ/TT so most of the hands where we are really crushed shouldn’t be in their range, aside from 98s and if they call really loose perhaps some K9s. When we are behind it’s often against two-pair hands where we will have 9 outs on the flop and often when we miss the turn we pick up 3 additional outs to improve to higher two-pair.

Normally we would continuation bet a little on the higher side here to protect our hand but with the Small Blind’s shorter stack we can bet 20,500. If the Small Blind were to shove it technically reopens the betting which would allow us to shove over the top should the Big Blind decide to call.

This sizing adjustment may seem minor, however it avoids the awkward situation of us betting 30,000 and the Small Blind shoving that can entice the Big Blind to call. In that case we would have no option other than to call and then face the additional potential complication of an eight, nine, or some other action killing card coming off on the turn that will make our decision even more difficult.

Bet sizing must be a critical area of focus in order to improve your game, and in this spot the precision of your bet sizing will make a huge difference.

Betting half the Small Blind’s stack is the best play.

To maximize fold equity and utilize a powerful move to adjust for shallow-stacked situations, you need to add check-raising to your overall game plan in otherwise standard continuation betting spots.

➧ What Is a C-Bet? A continuation bet is a bet on the flop by the player who raised preflop.
➧ What Is a Check-Raise? Checking to your opponent, then raising after they bet.

In this 2-minute preview of a Fearless River Strategy Episode, instructor Nick Binger shares guidelines for when to check-raise instead of continuation betting.

Why C-Betting Every Flop Can Leave You Vulnerable

When you’re the preflop aggressor and you frequently follow up with a c-bet, it can be a very strong strategy, as you can directly counteract attempts by opponents to exploit you on the flop. However, c-betting can leave you very vulnerable when you are betting out on the flop after being the preflop aggressor with your entire range or with a high frequency.

This strategy may give opponents behind you an opportunity to easily raise you, put you all-in, or simply raise a significant portion of your stack so that you end up being unable to continue against that aggression. So if you are c-betting with a very high frequency in spots where you can’t continue because of stack sizes, your opponent can effectively get the last bet in and raise you, so you’re unable to create any further fold equity in the hand.

In order to prevent this from happening, you can adjust your overall c-betting strategy based on stack size, and you can introduce the check-raise as part of your game plan, which can often reclaim fold equity that wouldn’t exist on the c-bet. In order not to get exploited, you should utilize this strategy with an overall balanced range.

Example Hand: 9♦8♦ in the Cutoff

Consider this example that illustrates why check-raising can be a better play than simply c-betting:

The blinds are 500/1,000 with a 100 ante at a 9-handed table. It folds around to you in the cutoff, and you have 9♦8♦ and 21,500 chips in your stack. You open to 2,500 chips, or 2.5 big blinds. The button calls, both blinds fold, and the flop comes 10♣7♥3♠ rainbow, no diamond.

You have an open-ended straight draw. There’s 7,400 in the pot, and you have 19,000 behind. Your stack size might leave you vulnerable. If you bet 3,000 and your opponent puts you all-in for 19,000, there’s going to be nearly 30,000 chips in the pot, and it would cost you 16,000 to call. Your draw has about 32% equity against this all-in.

However, you need more equity than that in order to call. The real danger in this spot is that even when you flop a hand with a lot of equity, you can’t continue. With this c-bet leaving you incredibly vulnerable, if you use a 100% c-betting strategy with this stack size, you’re going to be very exploitable.

The Check-Raise Alternative

Instead of c-betting, if you check, your opponent can check behind, or even more commonly, they would take a stab at this pot. In that case, if the button bets out, you can see that you have a very natural stack size to check-raise all-in.

You are now leveraging your stack size to create fold equity on this check-raise, and you get the last bet in on this flop, giving your opponent ample opportunity to fold a good portion of their range. If they don’t fold, you still have 8 outs to improve to a straight.

So when you’re holding a draw on the flop and c-betting leaves you very vulnerable because of the stack size, you can opt to check-raise instead. When stacks start to get smaller in tournaments, having a very high c-betting frequency can often be a counterproductive strategy, especially against opponents who are aggressive, floating you or raising your c-bets frequently.

Against opponents who are very passive, you should c-bet these spots if they’re playing fit-or-fold, calling preflop, or not putting pressure on you postflop. However, if you are playing against opponents who are raising your c-bets or floating you, introducing the check-raise into your arsenal will counter their strategy.

How Opponents Counter Your C-Bets

C-betting is one of the most common problem areas for both amateurs and pros. You will spend most of your time figuring out when you should c-bet or employ tricks such as check-raising. There are a variety of ways that opponents might try to counter your c-bets.

They can call your c-bet on the flop with the intention of taking the pot away from you on the turn, which is called floating. To counter floating, you can respond by betting again on the turn with an appropriate frequency.

Opponents can also try to counter your c-bets by raising them in position or check-raising when they’re out of position, so you should expand the range of hands that you’re willing to take to a showdown against them. You can adjust by calling their raise on the flop, or by calling with top pair hands instead of folding them on the flop. That will punish those raises, and you can continue to expand your range.

In addition, opponents might try to counter your c-bets by leading into you, so you should float them, call them on the flop in order to take the pot away from them on the turn, or raise against this lead.

Put these adjustments to work in your own game, and you’ll get more value from your hands as the first-in raiser.

Good luck and good playing,
Team Fearless River

The World Poker Tour's 20th Season Is in Full Swing!

Our next stop is Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, FL this April for the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship. Join this massive field of professional and recreational players sure to flock to Florida to test their skills and compete for the title of the next WPT Champion - including Team Fearless River.

The huge $3 Million Guaranteed prize pool is destined to attract a record-shattering number of players and a life-changing first prize (ICU Nurse Brek Schutten claimed $1.2 million and a WPT Title in May).

Fearless River Prepares You for the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown!

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

Fearless River 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 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown 🏆.

🎸 Get In on the Action
🎸 Satellite Your Way In
🎸 Play Better Poker with Fearless River
🎸 Train with LuckyChewy
🎸 On Tour with Fearless River
🎸 Deepstack Strategy
🎸 The Most Important Tip

Get In on the Action ...

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL is welcoming players back to their amazing resort and tournament venue with a full festival of poker action starting on March 24th. Kicking off the festival on the 24th is a $400 multi-flight $500K Guaranteed deepstack tournament and a ton of satellites into the Main Event!

This action packed series is capped off with Day 1A of the $3Million Guaranteed WPT Main Tour Event on April 8th. Re-entry Format - Day 1B on April 9th - Click for more information.

📅 Main Event Schedule:

Day 1A: Friday, April 8, 2022 starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 1B: Saturday, April 9, 2022 starting at 11 a.m. ET (Registration will remain open until the start of Level 9)
Day 2: Sunday, April 10, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 3: Monday, April 11, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 4: Tuesday, April 12, 2022 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Final Table: Filmed for TV and will take place on May 25, 2022 at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas

The super deep championship structure for this $3,500 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 $3M Guaranteed prize pool.

🛰️ Satellite Tips to Help Win Your Way Into the Main Event

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. The Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Festival has plenty of chances for you to win your way in the WPT Championship. See the full Festival Schedule here.

Fearless River Instructors Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger and Katie Stone have a few key tips to help increase your edge.

Keys 🗝️ to Satellite Play

• Everyone gets paid the same prize
• No incentive to build a large stack once you are likely to win a seat
• As the probability of winning a win a seat goes up, your ranges in all spots tighten up
• There are times in a satellite poker tournament when players should never continue against an all-in
• Satellites are the only form of poker where it can be correct to fold pocket Aces preflop
• Pay very close attention to stack sizes and level changes!
• Often in the satellite endgame 10BBs may be a big stack that is guaranteed to win a seat

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

📽️ Play Better Poker With Fearless River Live Stream at Seminole Hard Rock

Before the WPT Main Event, Fearless River Instructor and Host Katie Stone will be talking poker strategy with special guest 2010-2019 World Poker Tour® Player of the Decade, winner of 4 WPT Main Tour Titles (the most in WPT history), and BetMGM Brand Ambassador Darren Elias, LIVE from Seminole Hard Rock on twitch.tv/learnwpt!

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the recent Play Better Poker with Fearless River stream with Tony Dunst from the HyperX Arena ...

Watch Katie & Tony's full conversation and previous Play Better Poker with Fearless River streams on Fearless River.com by clicking here.

Join us for the next Play Better Poker with Fearless River Stream LIVE April 7th at 10am ET (7am PT) on twitch.tv/learnwpt!

Train With LuckyChewy Before the Event 🐐

The April 2nd-3rd Fearless River Live at Hard Rock Tournament Strategy Workshop at Seminole Hard Rock was a HUGE success! During the 2-Day Interactive Workshop students were given access to proven techniques to help get them ready to take down the Mike Sexton Champions Cup 🏆 (and we had some fun too).

During a Fearless River Live Workshop Instructors take turns being your coach and guide during Interactive Lab Sessions as they play simulated hands in a live tournament setting to practice the concepts just learned and give you direct feedback on your play.

Ready to join us Live? View the current schedule and sign up to get alerts when new events are added.

We look forward to seeing you at our next event!

5️⃣Tips for Deepstack Poker Tournament Play

While On Tour at WPTDeepStacks Championship at Thunder Valley Casino Resort Katie Stone and Tony Dunst took a break from the action to talk about some common mistakes they see players make when playing in deepstacked poker tournaments.

The early stages of a championship poker tournament with super deep structures like you find on the World Poker Tour require a specific strategy shift. It’s not uncommon for the average stack to equal 100 times the current big blind level or more during the first few hours in the tournament and you should focus on some strategic adjustments for these situations.

Anytime you find yourself in a deepstack poker tournament situation remember these 5 Strategies for deepstacked play:

➧ Strategy Tip #1 - Adjust your First-In Ranges
➧ Strategy Tip #2 - Be Cautious with 1-Pair Hands
➧ Strategy Tip #3 - Don’t Call too Loose Preflop
➧ Strategy Tip #4 - Attack Limpers
➧ Strategy Tip #5 - Use Board Texture as Your Guide

Join Team Fearless River On Tour at Hard Rock

Are you playing the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown? Stop and say Hi 👋 to the Fearless River Team!

Michael "Gags30" Gagliano, LuckyChewy, Brian Altman, Katie Stone, Tony Dunst, and Adrian Naggy will be on site and in the action for the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship!

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

Check out this Fearless River Strategy Episode preview from 3x World Poker Tour Champion, Season XVIII WPT Player of the Year, and Fearless River Instructor Brian Altman as he breaks down a hand played On Tour recently at the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open.

Read more about Brian's accomplishments here.

Good Luck and Have FUN!

If you are playing in the WPT Poker Showdown and want to celebrate a victory or deep run with your poker family, email the Fearless River 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 Fearless River

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

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

Fearless River is honored to welcome Darren "The End Boss" Elias LIVE as the next guest for Play Better Poker!📺

Want to start playing better poker?

Fearless River, the Official Poker Education Platform of the World Poker Tour®, is excited to announce a brand new episode of Play Better Poker with Fearless River featuring Katie Stone and the all-time record holder for most WPT Main Tour wins Darren Elias starting at 10:00AM ET on April 7th LIVE from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, FL!

Kickstart your poker game with an exclusive inside look into the mind of one of the greatest poker players in the WPT Universe. You'll have unparalleled access to hear directly from top players and power up your game plan with valuable tips and strategies!

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

Join the most successful poker players in the game as they share their secrets for Playing 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 Fearless River training tools and content.

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

With 15 years of experience as a professional poker player, Fearless River 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 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, FL on the next Play Better Poker with Fearless River is 2010-2019 World Poker Tour® Player of the Decade, winner of 4 WPT Main Tour Titles (the most in WPT history), and BetMGM Ambassador - Darren Elias!

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

Tune In to Hear Katie & Darren Talk About:

🡆 How elite players study to separate from the field in tournament poker.

🡆 The challenges of raising a family as a professional poker player.

🡆 What it takes to sustain a consistent level of excellence over time.

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

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 - Fearless River 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 Katie’s Guest All-Time World Poker Tour® and 4x Champion- Darren Elias!

To say Darren Elias crushes World Poker Tour® events is an understatement of the decade.

Darren, a New Jersey resident, is the all-time WPT leader in wins, final tables, and cashes. Throughout his 15-year career Darren has demonstrated unbelievable consistency in performance and dominance whenever he is on the felt.

From preliminary events to high rollers, Darren’s incredible track record includes victories all across the globe with over $15M dollars in lifetime cashes between live and online poker. A high-stakes Pro with the ability to make optimal strategic decisions under pressure, Darren is one of the most admired, respected, and feared players in the game today.

In Season XIII, Darren Elias won his first World Poker Tour title at Borgata in what was the fourth-largest WPT field in history at that time, beating a field of 1,226 entries to win $843,744 in 1st prize money with a prize pool of over $3.9 million. Elias defeated Kane Kalas on the final hand of play, etching his name on the Mike Sexton Champion’s Cup for the first time.

Directly following his breakthrough win at Borgata, “The End Boss” as he is known by peers and rivals on the virtual and live felt, became the first player to win 2 WPT Titles back to back in the same season with a victory at WPT Caribbean. World Poker Tour wins 3 and 4 came for Elias at WPT Fallsview in Season XV and the WPT Bobby Baldwin Classic in Season XVI.

While he seems to thrive on the big stage of the WPT Final Table set, Elias is no stranger to success in other venues and tournament series. To date Darren has amassed an impressive $9.5M in career live earnings, with over $4M coming from his success on the World Poker Tour. When he’s not dominating the felt in main event and high rollers tournaments across the globe, Darren can be found playing online where he is a BetMGM Brand Ambassador.

🏆Check Out Darren's Winner's Interview and Witness "The End Boss" Announcement to the Poker World:

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 Fearless River Katie delivers expert strategy and a unique perspective on learning poker to the Fearless River 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 Fearless River Instructor, Katie is also a Content Producer and Commentator for Fearless River.

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:

Join Katie and Darren for an enlightening discussion about what it takes to sustain a consistent level of excellence over time, find out how elite players study to separate from the field in tournament poker, and discover the challenges of raising a family as a professional poker player.

Play Better Poker is designed to provide a place for poker players of all skill and experience levels to learn together and have fun! We'll teach you easy-to-use strategies to study and improve your poker game, while also giving you unprecedented access to the mindset and approach to learning used by professional players.

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!

...

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

Fearless River, 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 Fearless River training tools and content.

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

With 15 years of experience as a professional poker player, Fearless River 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 Fearless River - 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 Fearless River!

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 - Fearless River 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 Fearless River Katie delivers expert strategy and a unique perspective on learning poker to the Fearless River 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 Fearless River Instructor, Katie is also a Content Producer and Commentator for Fearless River.

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 Fearless River 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 Fearless River, 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:

...

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.

Poker Quiz! A♠A♥ vs a Flop Check-Raise...

In this cash game scenario, a UTG+2 player calls, you raise from the Hijack seat with A♠A♥, it folds around to UTG+2 who calls your raise. The flop comes 2♥6♦9♠, the UTG+2 player checks, you bet, and UTG+2 check-raises.

🡆 Would you fold, call, or reraise here?

Poker Quiz! A♦A♥ on the River...

In a Tournament, you are dealt A♦A♥ in an early position and you raise. It folds around to the Big Blind who calls. The flop comes Q♣Q♥5♠. The Big Blind checks, you bet, and the Big Blind calls. The turn is the T♦. The Big Blind checks and you check behind. The river is the Q♠. The Big Blind checks, you bet, and the Big Blind raises all-in.

🡆 Do you fold or call here?

Poker Quiz! Trip Aces vs a River Bet...

In a Tournament, the UTG player raises preflop, MP2 calls, you call with A♣5♣ and the other players fold. The flop comes A♥A♦4♣. UTG and MP2 check and you bet. UTG calls and MP2 folds. The turn is the K♦. UTG checks, you bet, they call. The river is the Q♠, and UTG shoves.

🡆 Do you fold or call here?

Poker Quiz! Set of A♠A♣ vs a Check-Raise...

In a Cash Game, both early position and middle position players and the Hijack all call. You are in the Cutoff seat with A♠A♣. You raise and it folds around to MP1 who calls. All other players fold and it’s heads up to the flop, which comes K♦A♦7♦. MP1 checks and you bet. MP1 raises. Facing this raise from MP1, what is your play?

🡆 Do you fold, call, raise, or go all-in here?

When playing a poker hand, it's very important to look at all the hands in your range and not just the hand you hold. Pocket aces are the strongest hand preflop, but sometimes it’s pretty obvious that your hand is behind postflop and you need to be present and engaged enough to know when you are beat and fold.

Understanding and mastering strategies such as fundamental 1-Pair Betting Lines, Relative Hand Strength Postflop, and Pot Odds will give you the opportunities to exert skill edge against your opponents and play your aces effectively.

The concept of betting lines is crucial to understanding your overall game plan. A betting line is the plan of action taken across multiple streets, the blueprint of how to play various types of hands. If you have good betting lines in your game plan, you shouldn't think street by street or find yourself on the turn without a plan for the hand.

With 1-Pair hands, specifically a top pair or an overpair, it's important to know when to continuation bet postflop, up against a single opponent and when to take a cautious approach. If you are just focused on the specific hand you hold and not on the situation, you may end up trying to get three streets of value where it's not profitable and find yourself up against much better hands by the time there's a showdown at the river.

Relative hand strength refers to your hand strength changing based on the situation, so your goal should be to start seeing poker situationally and pay attention to the number of opponents that saw the flop with you.

Number of opponents is key to relative hand strength because the more players that see the flop, the stronger the average hand at showdown. You should also pay attention to how coordinated that flop is, for example how many draws are present and how close together and rank those cards are.

Board texture will influence how likely it is that anybody has hit the flop. It’s also very important to note how position can change from preflop to postflop. For example, in the blinds you act last preflop but often act first after the flop.

Stack depth is another crucial factor that you need to consider in every hand that you play, as the deeper the stacks are, the better hand you need to get all your chips in the middle.

Tying all these concepts together, in every single hand that you play postflop you should estimate your opponents' hand ranges based on actions taken. Note how your opponents played the hand thus far and what hand range would you put a reasonable opponent on that took those actions.

Lastly, when deciding whether to continue in a hand, it’s essential to look at the pot odds you are being offered in a hand to determine appropriate risk/reward.

Pot odds refers to how much is already in the pot for you to win versus how much you risk in order to win it. In other words, how much is already in the pot compared to how much you have to call in order to continue in the hand. As a quick reference you can always remember that you are facing a one pot-sized bet, the pot odds are 2 to 1, and if the bet is half-pot sized, your pot odds are 3 to 1.

We hope you enjoy these hands and that the strategies you learn will have you singing instead of crying the next time you are dealt the mighty pocket aces.

🎶 You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done. 🎶

(Sorry we got carried away....)

Becoming a Fearless River member is the easiest and fastest way to add more levels of complexity and nuance to your game. Gain access to 600+ scenarios like this to practice your decision-making skills!