Q♠Q♥ In a Milestone Satellite to the WPT World Championship...

In a Satellite to the WPT World Championship with QQ

DECISION POINT: You are playing a Milestone Satellite to the WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas with blinds at 50/100 and a 100 big blind ante. You are in the Small Blind with Q♠Q♥ and 4,600 chips (46BBs). An Early Position player limps, a visibly frustrated player in the MP2 seat makes it 300, the Button flat calls, and action is on you. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are in the second level of a Milestone Satellite into the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. The blinds are 50/100 with a 100 big blind ante and we have 4,600 chips in the Small Blind with Q♠Q♥. MP2 has been active and recently frustrated by some tough spots, even tossing his cards aggressively toward the dealer in one instance. The UTG player limps and everyone folds to MP2 who makes it 300. The Hijack and Cutoff fold, the Button flat calls, and action is on us.

Queens are well ahead of MP2’s and Button’s ranges which makes folding out of the question. Calling is likely profitable but we’d be most likely to take a flop 4-ways, which can be quite problematic for a hand that is likely to make one-pair in a multiway pot. So in this instance if we are favoring a raise, what is the best size to use in this spot given our positional disadvantage?

The standard raise in this situation is 3x the initial raise plus any call amounts. In this scenario that works out to 900 + 300 + 100 or 1300 chips. Given our positional disadvantage, using a slightly larger raise size in the 1400-1500 chip range would be standard. The issue with adjusting to larger sizing to accommodate for the positional disadvantage is that we have committed one third of our stack.

That could remove any illusion of fold equity our opponents have and inadvertently force them to play better versus our hand by not bluffing against us. If we bet a little smaller, for example a sizing of around 1150, we create the illusion of fold equity if MP2 or the other 2 opponents want to shove. The smaller sizing also creates a really good price for a squeeze with some of our bluffs here to ensure balanced range with other hands in this same spot.

If the table was quite soft there is also merit to just moving all-in preflop. This would not be the default play, but if you’re at a soft table where chips are coming easy, moving all-in can sometimes induce some light calls from smaller pairs hoping to be racing against AK. The shoving line, while also a little lower variance, is at the expense of some EV as opponent calling ranges vs the large shove size will be more narrow.

Reraising small to 1,150 is the best play.

How would you play it?
Share your answer in the comments below!


Play Better Poker With Fearless River!

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Join now to get started, and you'll immediately gain access to the Fearless River training features, including GTO Trainer packs, 550+ strategy videos, downloadable tools, Ask a Pro Discord, and more!

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

2024 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas With Team Fearless River

2023-WPT-World-Championship-Wynn-Las-Vegas-Champions-Cup

Photo credit: Drew Amato

The second ever WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas saw record breaking prize pools, exciting off the felt activities, and set the standard for all future poker festivals. Almost every poker event crushed the guaranteed prize pools and we saw multiple players walk away with over $1,000,000 for their efforts.

The 2023 World Championship Festival awarded more than $110 Million in prize money and the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship saw an incredible conclusion as Dan Sepiol etched his name on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup and took home $5,282,954 for a well earned first prize.

WPT-World-Championship-Winner-Dan-Sepiol (1)

The Fearless River Team capped off the festival with huge results seeing Member Bob Buckenmeyer making the WPT Prime Championship Final Table and Instructor Andrew Lichtenberger Final Tabling the flagship WPT World Championship.

Are you ready to be part of history (again!)?


Your chance to join an exclusive list of Champions and take part in the most talked about poker event of the year is here! Team Fearless River is ready to dominate the felt and we want to make sure you're ready to rise above as you compete in the Championship Event.

Let's get started...


Be Part of Poker History at Wynn Las Vegas

Returning to Wynn Las Vegas for the third consecutive year, the December 3-23, 2024 WPT World Championship Festival will offer more than 60 tournaments and a first-of-its-kind $5 Million Freeroll Invitational sponsored by ClubWPT Gold.

WPT-Prime-Championship-2024

WPT Prime Championship: $5 Million GTD Prize Pool

Buy-In: $1,100 | December 8th - 14th | Schedule | Structure
➧ Day 1A - Sunday, Dec 8th 11am PT
➧ Day 1B - Monday, Dec 9th 11am PT
➧ Day 1C - Tuesday, Dec 10th 11am PT
➧ Day 1D - Wednesday, Dec 11th 11am PT
➧ Day 2 - Thursday, Dec 12th 12pm PT
➧ Day 3 - Friday, Dec 13th 12pm PT
➧ Livestreamed Final Table - Saturday, Dec 14th 4pm PT
A single (1) re entry is permitted for each starting flight

WPT-World-Championship-2024

WPT World Championship

Buy-In: $10,400 | December 14th - 21st | Schedule | Structure
➧ Day 1A - Saturday, Dec 14th 11am PT
➧ Day 1B - Sunday, Dec 15th 11am PT
➧ Day 1C - Monday, Dec 16th 11am PT
➧ Day 2 - Tuesday, Dec 17th 12pm PT
➧ Day 3 - Wednesday, Dec 18th 12pm PT
➧ Day 4 - Thursday, Dec 19th 12pm PT
➧ Day 5 - Friday, Dec 20th 12pm PT
➧ TV Final Table - Saturday, Dec 21st 4pm PT
One entry per day maximum (freezeout per flight)

ClubWPT Gold Freeroll Invitational: $5M GTD Prize Pool

ClubWPT Gold Freeroll

Buy-In: Freeroll | December 13th - 15th | Schedule | Structure
➧ Day 1 - Friday, Dec 13th 10am PT
➧ Day 2 - Saturday, Dec 14th 10am PT
➧ TV Final Table - Sunday, Dec 15th 4pm PT

WPT-Ladies-Championship-2024

WPT Ladies Championship: $250K GTD Prize Pool

Buy-In: $11,100 | December 6th - 8th | Schedule | Structure
$1,100 discounted ladies buy-in
➧ Day 1 - Saturday, Dec 14th 11am PT
➧ Day 2 - Sunday, Dec 15th 11am PT
Unlimited re-entry is allowed until the close of registration

WPT-World-Championship-Trophies

Photo credit: Drew Amato

With more than 60 events on the calendar, the 2024 Festival is where every poker player needs to be this December. There are plenty of can’t miss events that offer a wide range of buy-ins including over a dozen live Milestone Satellites awarding over 250 seats to the World Championship!

The Festival kicks off with a $1 Million Guaranteed, $800 No-Limit Hold’em multi-flight tournament followed by player favorites including the $250,000 guaranteed WPT® Ladies World Championship, $5 Million Guaranteed WPT® Prime Championship, the ever-popular Mystery Bounty featuring a $1 Million guarantee, multiple Seniors events (50+) and a $10,000 buy-in Seniors High Roller.

Multiple mixed game tournaments are also available throughout the Festival, ranging from the $2,200 HORSE Championship, PLO, Mixed Triple Draw, Big Mix Bet, TORSE, Big O, and more! With Satellites and Tournaments ranging from $200 - $10,580 the WPT World Championship Festival has something for every player!

➧ Click here for the full schedule of events
➧ For results, chip counts, redraws, and more visit: www.wynnlasvegas.com/casino/poker
➧ Follow the Wynn Poker Room Twitter page for nightly updates


📍 The Who, What and Where...

WPT-World-Championship-Wynn-Las-Vegas-Location

Photo credit: Drew Amato

With so much action going on at the Wynn Las Vegas where do you begin? Here are some quick tips:

➧ If parking or arriving by taxi cab or rideshare instruct your driver to drop you off at the main entrance of Encore (not Wynn)
➧ If driving, parking in Encore self-park is the quickest way to the Encore ballroom & registration for main events
➧ Players must have a Wynn Player card - you can get one from the Wynn Rewards counter in the Encore Casino area
➧ You will need a verified WPT.com Player Account to play in any World Poker Tour events. Signing up takes about 30 seconds.

  • Click here to get started
  • Enter your information and click ‘Create Account’
  • Click the link in the Confirmation Email
  • Click ‘Sign Player Release’ - That's it!

Wynn Encore Map

➧ Most events will be played in the Encore Ballroom - you can register in the Debussy Ballroom (next to the Encore Ballroom)
➧ If an event is played in the Poker Room - you can register in the Poker Room located in the Encore Casino area
➧ Registration in the Ballroom opens each day 2 hours prior to the earliest event (typically 9am PT) and closes approximately 10pm PT
➧ Registration is available for any event 24/7 in the poker room

The Encore at Wynn is marked with signage for easy navigation. Click here for the Wynn property map.


Our Members Are Ready To Dominate 💪

Team Fearless River hosted 6 Warm-Up 📚 Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2024 WPT World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each Session we provided Members with a strategy that focuses on specific concepts essential for tournament success - now let’s get YOUR game ready with FREE strategy videos and tips from Team Fearless River! Let's get started...

① Warm-Up Session: The Mental Game

Warm-Up - Mental Game

We'll kickstart your poker study by outlining valuable strategies for managing routines, building confidence, and dealing with adversity. We’ll also talk about preparing for long tournament days and using physical fitness and nutrition to optimize your play.

⦿ Tournament Prep With Tony, Chewy, and Johan

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

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

Many players ignore Mental Game issues that prevent growth in their game including fear, anger, and frustration. Building Endurance through exercise, rest, and nutrition is key to excelling during a long tournament series.

➧ Click for more tips and videos from the Mental Game Session

② Warm-Up Session: Preflop Strategy

Warm-Up - Preflop Strategy


In this Session we are focusing on the one decision you must make in every hand you play - what to do when action folds to you preflop. We'll also discuss strategies such as 3-Betting that will give you the opportunities to exert skill edge against your opponents.

🛑 Know Your First-In Hand Ranges

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

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

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

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

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

Think in Hand Ranges:

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

First-In-GTO-Hand-Ranges-Fearless-River


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

Use these rock solid Game Theory Optimal hand ranges and you'll be well on your way to an award winning performance at the 2024 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas!

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

Quick Tips for Using the First-In Charts:

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

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

Knowing how and when to make moves preflop is one of the keys to getting a hold of chips in a poker tournament. Understanding how to adjust for specific stack sizes and positions will give you opportunities to exert a skill edge.

➧ Click for more tips and videos from the Preflop Strategy Session

③ Warm-Up Session: Defense Strategy

Warm-Up - Defense Strategy


In this Session we'll be talking about the specific strategies you can use when facing aggression in common Defense situations at the poker table. We'll also dive into the factors that you need to consider when deciding to defend in position vs out of position.

⦿ Turn and River Play With Tony Dunst

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

To gain a true understanding of how tough these spots can be, it’s essential to analyze postflop decisions in Big Blind Defense situations away from the table.

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

Tips for Defending Your Big Blind Like a Pro:

  • Avoid calling with offsuit hands, suited hands and speculative hands are best
  • This strategy only applies when you are up against 1 opponent and in the Big Blind
  • Make sure you only defend by calling with specific hands. Don’t remove 3-Betting from your game plan!
  • Defend with tighter calling range against larger open raise sizes
  • Default to checking the flop after you call the raise, no matter what cards you hold


Blind and Button Defense Strategy in a poker tournament each have unique considerations and hand range constructions that help you target specific opponents in position and develop criteria for check-raising frequent c-bettors.

➧ Click for more tips and videos from the Defense Strategy Session

④ Warm-Up Session: Postflop Strategy

Warm-Up - Postflop Strategy

This Study Session is all about getting you geared up to attack flops with properly sized c-bets, identify spots to float aggressive opponents, and give you the tools to make huge laydowns and big hero calls when the pressure is on. We’ll discuss how to approach tough opponents and break down exploitative adjustments to max value when you have a skill edge.

⦿ C-Betting Vs Tough Opponents

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

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

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

Deeper stacked poker tournaments feature more decision points and create tougher Postflop Considerations. Understanding how board texture and ranges interact will have a big impact in your ability to win uncontested pots.

➧ Click for more tips and videos from the Postflop Strategy Session

⑤ Warm-Up Session: ICM & Satellite Strategy

Warm-Up Session - ICM-Satellite

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

🛰️ Satellite Your Way Into a WPT Championship!

Approaching satellite play with the same strategy used in a regular poker tournament will often result in you busting when you would otherwise have a seat to the target tournament locked up.

Watch this Strategy Episode from Fearless River Instructor Nick Binger as he discusses the key adjustments you need to make when playing Satellite Poker Tournaments.

Tips for Milestone Satellite Play

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

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

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

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

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


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

ClubWPT Golden Passport - Wynn Satellite (1)

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

Click here for the current schedule of satellites and tournaments

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

➧ Click for tips and videos from the ICM and Satellite Session

⑥ Study Session: Exploits and Intuition

Warm-Up - Intiuition and Exploits

This Session is all about using your strategic knowledge to punish bad plays and cultivate your feel for the game. A common trait shared by most successful tournament players is the ability to identify when an opponent is making an obvious mistake and knowing when to shift gears and use Exploits to maximize their edge.

⦿ Extracting Maximum Value With Gags

Opponents may change several times in any given poker tournament, so developing a specific player profile can be difficult, if not impossible. Bet-Sizing errors are often the best indicator of an opponent who is deviating from sound strategy and are most likely to make big mistakes postflop

Exerting your skill edge in these spots means staying alert and avoiding autopilot, especially when you flop a huge hand.

The difference between a small profit and a life changing score could lie in your ability to capitalize on obvious strategic errors. Watch as Fearless River Instructor Michael "Gags30" Gagliano breaks down hands where he uses exploitative lines to extract maximum value and demonstrates how to weigh the potential risk/reward of bet sizing to determine the best approach.

Poker is a game of incomplete information but if you’re focused and prepared to play, opponents will give off several cues that can be used to your advantage. Whether it’s odd bet-sizing, frequent over-calling, or taking too many hands to showdown, these mistakes must be capitalized on if you want to stay ahead of the field.

➧ Click for tips and videos from the Intuition & Exploits Session

Members can rewatch Study Sessions anytime from the Webinars Dashboard. Not a Member but want to watch the Live Study Sessions? Join for just $5 your first month of Membership!

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


On the Felt and in the Action!

The Fearless River Family capped off the 2023 Festival with huge results seeing Member Bob Buckenmeyer making the WPT Prime Championship Final Table and taking home $380K and Instructor Andrew Lichtenberger taking 3rd and over $2.7 Million in the flagship WPT World Championship. Fearless River Students have been putting in the time and effort and are now ready to put their skills into play by winning their way into the WPT Championship.

LET'S KEEP IT GOING …

WPT-Prime-Final-Table-Bob-Buckenmayer


We’ll be keeping an eye on our ClubWPT Golden Passport winners, WPT Prime Championship Satellite winners, Members, and Coaches as they take to the felt for their chance at poker glory.

To kickoff the 2024 WPT Championship at Wynn Las Vegas Fearless River Instructors and world-class Pros Niall Farrell "Firaldo87", Eric “Rizen” Lynch, and Tony Dunst spent 3 days with 27 students in the Fearless River Live Poker Lab to get them Championship ready! On December 8th the Live Poker Lab students will take to the felt in an exclusive satellite where we are awarding 3 seats to the WPT Prime Championship.

Video credit: Lee Cummings

During the Fearless River Launch Digital Workshop, Jerry came out the victor to win his seat to the WPT Prime Championship seat in an exclusive Satellite on ClubWPT.com. Andrew, Matthew, Christopher, and Robert will be playing for the $1M first place prize in the $5M GTD ClubWPT Gold Freeroll Invitational after winning their seats by signing up with our promo code.

The entire Fearless River Team will be at the Wynn Las Vegas helping cheer on our winners (and coaches) - Help us wish them luck!

Live Lab Satellite winners - Mark, Shen, Punal

Live Lab Satellite Winners Mark, Shen, and Punal

➧ Fearless River Launch WPT Prime Seat Winner: Jerry Drew
➧ Fearless River Lab WPT Prime Seat Winner: Mark Swafford
➧ Fearless River Lab WPT Prime Seat Winner: Punal Patel
➧ Fearless River Lab WPT Prime Seat Winner: Shen Sidana
➧ ClubWPT Golden Passport Winner: Andrew Stern
➧ ClubWPT Golden Passport Winner: Matthew Drager
➧ ClubWPT Golden Passport Winner: Christopher Gilley
➧ ClubWPT Golden Passport Winner: Robert Koller

Your Fearless River Instructors Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, Adrian Naggy, Brian Altman, Eric “Rizen” Lynch, Johan Schultz-Pedersen, Michael “Gags30” Gagliano, Niall Farrell "Firaldo87", and Tony Dunst will be at the Wynn and in the action.

Stay tuned for updates from our 2024 satellite winners!

LET'S GO TEAM 🏆


WPT Special Events for Players

The non-stop poker action, massive prize pools, and the chance to go down in history as a WPT World Champion are only part of the excitement happening in Vegas this December! The World Poker Tour and Wynn Las Vegas have created a one of a kind poker experience that is sure to BRING THE FUN during the Championship Festival!

WPT-Prime-Half-Time-Show

Whether you’ve dreamed of playing a few hands vs Phil Ivey, wanted to make a guest cameo in Brad Owen's Vlog, be entertained by amazing halftime shows and performances, or dance the night away with the WPT Family in an epic Player’s Party that could only be held in Vegas, there are plenty of off the felt activities to enjoy.

WPT Gold Booth - Win Your Seat (or a Supercar??)

McLaren-GTS-ClubWPT-Gold-Booth-Prize

Visit the ClubWPT Gold Booth from December 8th - December 17th for more chances to win! Sign up at the booth and pull an envelope for a chance to win big - Prizes include:

➧ A McLaren valued at $250,000
➧ Entry into the Ultimate Cash Booth to win up to $50K
➧ Over 100 Gold Passports into the $5M GTD Freeroll
➧ VIP Experience at Wynn Field Club with Brad Owen
➧ Entry into the Cash Booth to win up to $500
➧ Arsham Chip set valued at $5,000
➧ ClubWPT Gold coins, Wynn gift cards, and more

📍 Located in front of Mozart at Encore (10:30 am - 8pm PT)

ClubWPT Super SATurday Workshop With Fearless River

Fearless River has teamed up with ClubWPT to give online qualifiers even more opportunity to make a huge score at the Wynn.

Team Fearless River will be offering LIVE poker coaching to ClubWPT Super SATurday qualifiers to help enhance their strategies, just in time for Day 1D of the WPT Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.

Learn more about the ClubWPT.com Super SATurday Membership and start playing to win your seat to the 2025 WPT World Championship and get free access to the Fearless River CHAMP Membership!

🥳 WPT Thank You Players Party at AREA15

Players are invited to the Thank You Players Party at AREA15 on Thursday, December 12th at 8 pm - 1 am. Complementary shuttle service is available, departing every 30 minutes from the Encore shuttle area, starting at 7:30 pm. We'll see you there!

WPT Players Party - 2024

To join the party, just present your satellite receipt to or tournament receipt from the WPT Ladies Championship, WPT Prime Championship, WPT World Championship, or your Golden Passport.

📍 AREA15 Las Vegas

WPT Premier 💰 Meet Up Game (MUG)

WPT Premier MUG - Tony Dunst

Join the fun at the Premier Meet Up Game December 17th from 9am-12pm in the Wynn Poker Room. PLUS other prizes will be awarded during live-action play. Play some $1/$3 and $2/$5 cash with WPT Ambassadors including Vince Van Patten, Lynn Gilmartin, Tony Dunst, Matt Savage, Brad Owen, Phil Ivey, and special guests.

📍 Wynn Poker Room

2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ ClubWPT Members Take to the Live Felt

Congratulations and good luck to the 200+ players ClubWPT is sending to the 2024 WPT World Championship Events!

WPT ClubWPT Qualifiers - cropped


ClubWPT Members and Qualifiers always receive the royal treatment and will enjoy several fun events including additional ways to win seats into the Championship Events live on-site at Wynn Las Vegas.

WPT-World-Championship-Special-Events

ClubWPT fosters a tight knight community of players who love to compete and share the excitement of competing at the WPT World Championship Festival in Las Vegas each December. We love helping ClubWPT Qualifiers and Stream Team Members prepare to play their best poker and can’t wait to sweat the action as they look to make deep runs and bag big scores.

Good luck and good playing!


Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Are you playing any of the WPT Championship Events at Wynn Las Vegas? Stop and say Hi 👋 to Team Fearless River.

Your Fearless River Instructors Tony Dunst, Eric “Rizen” Lynch, Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, Brian Altman, Michael "Gags30" Gagliano, Johan Schultz-Pedersen, Niall Farrell “Firaldo87”, and Adrian Naggy will be at the Wynn and in the action.

WPT Champinship - Chewy FT

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Championship Events or side events on the Festival schedule! Follow and tag us on social media to share your pic with members of Team Fearless River, show off your chip stack, or celebrate a deep run.

Facebook @fearlessriver | IG @fearlessriver | X @_FearlessRiver

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

Good luck and good playing,
-Team Fearless River


Train With Fearless River Champions for $5

Meet Team Fearless River - Combined our Team have amassed 5 WPT Championships, 14 WSOP Bracelets, 9 WSOP Circuit Rings, 9 High Roller titles, 2 Poker Masters Championships, over $65 Million in live Tournament winnings, 5 decades of coaching experience, and authored 5 acclaimed poker books.

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

Fearless River instructor team

Fearless River Members have access to over 150 hours of on-demand video Strategy Episodes featuring key poker concepts and real world examples demonstrating specifically how to use them in your game - all for just $5 your first month of Membership!


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.




Fearless River logo - Stacked

Find Your Flow. Train Smarter. Play Fearless.

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

Win YOUR Seat to the ClubWPT Gold $5M Invitational Freeroll!

ClubWPT Gold Freeroll - LearnWPT code v2

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER!

➧ November 6th Winner: Andrew Stern
➧ November 13th Winner: Matthew Drager
➧ November 20th Winner: Christopher Gilley
➧ November 27th Winner: Robert Koller

Team Fearless River will be at the Wynn Las Vegas helping cheer on our 4 winners - Help us wish them luck!

Thank you to everyone who participated and we look forward to offering more ways to get you on the felt and at the final table.

If you are playing any of the WPT World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas events let us know and if you see any of the stop and say Hi.

Good luck and good playing,
- Team Fearless River


In celebration of the launch of ClubWPT Gold, the World Poker Tour is hosting a 2,000 player, invitation-only freeroll tournament during the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas and we want to help Fearless River Students get in the action!

Don't miss this chance to play in the biggest live freeroll of all time on December 13th in Las Vegas and walk away with the $1,000,000 life-changing 1st prize or win one of 100 seats to the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship.

To be eligible to win a seat, players must first visit ClubWPTGold.com and sign up for a free account with code LEARNWPT (no purchase necessary) prior to November 27th. Once completed you will be eligible to win 1 of 4 Golden Passports awarded in November (your $2,500 value ticket to the event) specifically for Fearless River students.

Click here to register with code Fearless River, be sure to complete the verification process, and you're entered to win!

Must be a legal resident of the United States (excluding the states of Idaho, Michigan, Montana, and Washington) and the District of Columbia and be able to play the event in on December 13th in Las Vegas. Participation is void where prohibited by law.

ClubWPT Gold Freeroll - Schedule (1)

ClubWPT Gold $5,000,000 Invitational Freeroll at Wynn Las Vegas:
➧ December 13, 2024 - Day 1 at 10:00 AM PT
➧ December 14, 2024 - Day 2 at 10:00 AM PT
➧ December 15, 2024 - TV Final Table at 4:00 PM PT
➧ See the full schedule here

What You're Playing For:
➧ 503 players in the money (~25% Paid)
➧ 1/5 Chance Consolation Prize to win a $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship seat
➧ Mystery Bounties begin at final 297 players - chance to win top prizes of two $100K envelopes, two $50K, four $25K, and four $10K
➧ Click here for more info

One Golden Passport winner will be drawn each Wednesday starting on November 6th through November 27th. Winners will be contacted directly by ClubWPT Gold confirming your seat and next steps. If you need assistance creating your ClubWPT Gold account click here for additional information.

You've put in the work, now let's get you in the action!

Good luck,
Team Fearless River

P.S. Click here for everything you need to know about the freeroll


No purchase necessary. Must be a legal resident of the United States (excluding the states of Idaho, Michigan, Montana, and Washington) and the District of Columbia. Participation is void where prohibited by law. Void where prohibited. Must be 21+ to gamble. The Golden Passport valued at $2,500. The Golden Passport is non-transferable. Winner must play the awarded event seat on December 13, 2024 or the prize will be voided. Prize includes one seat only and does not include transportation, lodging, taxes, food and beverages.

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Poker Quiz! Preflop With A♦K♦ Facing a 4-Bet, What Do You Do?

Facing a 4-Bet Preflop with AK-optimzd


DECISION POINT: You are in the early stages of the $1,100 WPT Prime Championship Tournament with blinds at 300/500 and a 500 big blind ante. Most stacks are between 50-100BBs and you have 95BBs. First to act, you raise to 1,300 with A♦K♦. Action folds to the Hijack who makes it 3,800, the Big Blind cold 4-bets to 8,500, and action is back on you. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing the early stages of the WPT Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. The blinds are 300/500 with a 500 big blind ante. Most of the table has between 50-100 big blinds. We are dealt A♦K♦ Under the Gun (UTG) with 47,500 chips in our stack. AK suited is firmly in our first-in opening range from early position, so we raise to 1,300 chips. Action folds to the Hijack who makes it 3,800. Everyone else folds to the Big Blind who cold 4-bets to 8,500.

Since we raised UTG and were reraised by the Hijack, the player in the Big Blind should already be putting us both on very narrow ranges. This means that the Big Blind’s cold 4-betting ranges should be quite polarized, with most bluff combinations that have card removal effects to the opponent's biggest hands. A good example of a hand that fits this category is A5s.

If we analyze this spot in a solver and assume the Hijack and Big Blind are using appropriately balanced ranges, we see that the recommended play with AKs is to shove all-in. In fact, the most surprising thing that we see in the solver output is that almost our entire range is reduced to shove or fold against this 4-bet from the Big Blind. The combinations that are recommended to raise small and call an all-in make up a tiny percentage of the strategy.

Continued Below ...

Webinars 300x250

This spot is still incredibly close given the strength of our hand preflop. Shoving AKs has a slightly positive expectation, however the offsuit versions of AK are neutral with the solver recommending a fold over half the time. Based on this output we can make a few general assumptions.

We should not be flat calling this raise, or raising a size that is not all-in. Additionally, our hand will quickly become unprofitable if the Big Blind is not 4-betting an appropriate range that is balanced and includes ATs/A5s with some frequency, JJ about half the time, and AQs almost always.

So without any knowledge of how our opponents play, we should move all-in here and assume they are playing reasonable ranges. If the Big Blind is 4-betting a narrower range than optimal, or if we feel our edge over the table is significant enough that passing on a spot that might be slightly +EV to make sure we are around for future opportunities where we can exert our skill edge, then folding would be best.

Moving all-in is the best play, unless we have player specific reads or a significant table edge, in which case folding is best.

How would you play it?
Share your answer in the comments below!


Improve Your Game Today!
Join Fearless River and Get:

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  • The GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks (over 4 BILLION solved spots!)
  • On-demand access to our full library of 550+ (and growing) in-depth Strategy Episodes from world-class players
  • All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro feature
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To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button and start improving your game!


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WPT® World Championship Study Sessions With Fearless River Poker Training - Plugging Leaks!

WPT-World-Championship-Wynn-Las-Vegas-2023

📚 Poker Study Sessions With Team Fearless River

Ready for December? NOW is the perfect time to start preparing!

Team Fearless River is back with a Member Exclusive Study Session Webinar series to get you ready to dominate the WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas this December. We’re holding four interactive sessions focused on plugging the biggest leaks in your tournament poker game.

Each Study Session includes lively interactive lectures focused on sharpening fundamentals and provides key strategic reminders to make sure your game is rock solid and ready to make deep runs. We’ll also recommend supporting Strategy Episodes to watch prior to each Session. The best part? You can ask questions and get direct feedback from Team Fearless River during the Webinar.

A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions. Members can rewatch the sessions anytime from the Webinars Dashboard.

Not a Member but want to watch or attend the Session? You can today for just $5 your first month of Fearless River Membership!

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

Good luck and good playing,
-Team Fearless River


Review Previous Poker Study Sessions!

Study-Session-Nov20-Thumb-optmzd

➧ Study Session 4: Plugging River Leaks - River play allows for more creativity and aggression, especially when a lot of chips are on the line. Tough opponents will look to get max value with big hands and use pressure to steal their fair share of pots with bluffs. In this Session we'll go over specific examples of the biggest River Leaks and how you can stop them from draining your stack. Live with Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy: Wednesday, November 20th

➧
Watch these Strategy Episodes to prepare for Session 4:
• Episode 309: Plugging River Leaks With Tony Dunst
• Episode 349: From the Lab - 2 GTO River Spots
• Episode 401: Unexpected Solver Bluff Spots With Tony Dunst

Thanks to everyone who joined the Live Study Session!

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

Study-Session-Oct30-Thumb

➧ Study Session 3: Plugging Turn Leaks - Turn play can be challenging. Equities can change quickly on this street and you need to be alert for moves, especially when facing tough opponents. You need to keep the pressure on and win more pots. In this Session we’ll talk about the biggest errors made on the Turn and what you can do to prevent them from derailing your next deep run. Live with Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy: Wednesday, October 30th

➧
Watch these Strategy Episodes to prepare for Session 3:
• Episode 31: Turn Second Bullet Basic
• Episode 291: Turn Considerations
• Episode 346: Turn Checks
• Episode 554: Turn Leads

Thanks to everyone who joined the Live Study Session!

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

Study-Session-Plugging-Flop-Leaks-thumb-border

➧ Study Session 2: Plugging Flop Leaks - Making good Flop decisions ensures you’ll have a great chance to grow your stack while also smartly protecting your chips when taking a cautious line is the better play. In this Session we’ll talk about the biggest Flop errors and what you can do to prevent them from derailing your next deep run. Live with Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy: Wednesday, September 25th

➧
Watch these Strategy Episodes to prepare for Session 2:
• Episode 208: Check-Raising Instead of C-Betting
• Episode 294: C-Betting Against Tough Opponents
• Episode 471: Train & Explain - BB Call Vs BTN Open at 20BBs
Play the same hands that Nick analyzes and follow along

Thanks to everyone who joined the Live Study Session!


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

Study-Session-Preflop-Mistakes

➧ Study Session 1: Avoiding Common Preflop Mistakes - Knowing how and when to make moves preflop is one of the keys to getting a hold of chips in a poker tournament. In this Session we'll discuss key opponent tendencies you need to be on alert for, how to spot leaks in your strategy, and how to adjust to specific player types. Live with Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy: August 28th

➧
Watch these Strategy Episodes to prepare for Session 1:
• Episode 305: First-In Hand Ranges
• Episode 405: Button Defense
• Episode 463: Big Blind Defense at 15-40BBs

Thanks to everyone who joined the Live Study Session!


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


Improve Your Game With Team Fearless River

The time is NOW to start getting your poker game ready!

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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You must be a Fearless River Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas Study Sessions and becoming a Member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll gain access to Fearless River Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring Downloadable Tools, our Ask a Pro Forums, over 500 Strategy Videos (and more).

All for just $5 your first month of Membership.

We'll see you online,
-Team Fearless River



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Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

Congratulations to Johan Schultz-Pedersen for Winning His 1st WSOP Bracelet!

Johan-Shultz-Pedersen-WSOP-Bracelet-Win-Online

Fearless RiverInstructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen took to the online felt last weekend to win his FIRST career WSOP Bracelet!

Johan captured WSOP Bracelet #1 and the $149,745 1st place prize after outlasting the 3,379 entry field in the $400 No-Limit World Series of Poker Colossus Online Event #20. As a testament to Johan’s focus and determination, he won his first bracelet while on an off day before the start of Day 2 of the $10K WSOP Main Event!

This incredible victory is the highlight of an already epic summer, including 🔥 12 WSOP cashes and a Final Table in the super stacked WPT Alpha8 Trifecta $25K buy-in event at Wynn Las Vegas.

Johan Schultz-Pedersen-Fearless-River-Instructor

Johan Schultz-Pedersen WSOP: 📸 Alec Rome

Johan adds this win to his impressive list of live and online career accomplishments including:

➧ WSOP Bracelet Winner
➧ More Than $1 Million in Combined Online and Live Earnings
➧ PartyPoker $150K GTD Tournament Champion
➧ Final Table $5K Buy-in EPT London Main Event
➧ Multiple Cashes in $25K Events Including WPT and PokerGO Tour

Johan’s knowledge of Game Theory Optimal (GTO) poker strategy has been a valuable asset in developing many of the training solutions currently available for the WPT GTO Trainer.

We are very proud to have Johan on Team Fearless River and know that this is just the beginning of his championship success.

Congratulations Johan!
- Team Fearless River


Improve Your Game Today!
Join Fearless River and Get:

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  • The GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks (over 4 BILLION solved spots!)
  • On-demand access to our full library of 550+ (and growing) in-depth Strategy Episodes from world-class players
  • All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro feature
  • Analysis from Fearless River Pros using The Hand Input Tool
  • Downloadable Tools you can use at the table and away from it
  • Learn from a Team of world-class Professional Players


To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button and start improving your game!


Have questions?
Email us at [email protected].


Congrats to Tony Dunst for Winning His 3rd WSOP Bracelet!

He's done it again!

Fearless River Instructor Tony Dunst took to the online felt last weekend to win his third career WSOP Bracelet!

Tony captured WSOP Bracelet #3 and the $134,888 1st place prize after outlasting the 2,435 entry field in the $500 No-Limit World Series of Poker Deepstack Online Event #15. After a hard fought 13 hour battle of online play through a massive field stacked with Pros and online grinders the remaining 8 players reached the final table.

Just as the sun was rising over the Las Vegas Valley, the last hand of heads up play with his opponent “vevere” was dealt, and the marathon session ended with Tony securing WSOP Bracelet #3.

Tony-Dunst-WSOP-Main-Event-2023

Tony Dunst 2023 WSOP: 📸 Hayley Hochstetler

Tony adds this win to his impressive list of live and online career accomplishments including:

➧ World Poker Tour Champion
➧ 3x WSOP Bracelet Winner
➧ 3x WSOP Circuit Ring Winner
➧ More than $5 Million combined live and online cashes
➧ World Poker Tour Lead Commentator
➧ 10+ Years as Professional Player and Respected Coach

Since the beginning of Fearless River in 2016 Tony has been an incredible asset to Fearless River members providing unique insights and expert strategy advice. His experience in the booth and on the felt combine for a one of a kind perspective on the game and we are proud to have him on our team.

Congratulations Tony!
- Team Fearless River


Improve Your Game Today!
Join Fearless River and Get:

Site Features - Multiple Devices Mockup

  • The GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks (over 4 BILLION solved spots!)
  • On-demand access to our full library of 550+ (and growing) in-depth Strategy Episodes from world-class players
  • All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro feature
  • Analysis from Fearless River Pros using The Hand Input Tool
  • Downloadable Tools you can use at the table and away from it
  • Learn from a Team of world-class Professional Players


To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button and start improving your game!


Have questions?
Email us at [email protected].


Poker Quiz! In the Small Blind With Q♥Q♦, What Do You Do?

In the Small Blind With QQ-fr

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

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

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

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

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

Continued below...

TJ-Murphy-WSOP-Win-300x250

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

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

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

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

Both checking and betting small are the best plays.

How would you play it?
Share your answer in the comments below!


Improve Your Game Today!
Join Fearless River and Get:

Site Features - Multiple Devices Mockup

  • The GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks (over 4 BILLION solved spots!)
  • On-demand access to our full library of 550+ (and growing) in-depth Strategy Episodes from world-class players
  • All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro feature
  • Analysis from Fearless River Pros using The Hand Input Tool
  • Downloadable Tools you can use at the table and away from it
  • Learn from a Team of world-class Professional Players


To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button and start improving your game!


Have questions?
Email us at [email protected].


Poker Quiz! 9♠9♣ on the Bubble of a Major Tournament...

99-on-the-Bubble-Major-Tournament


DECISION POINT: You are on the bubble of a major multi-day tournament with blinds at 1,000/2,000 and a 2,000 big blind ante. You have 9♠9♣ in Middle Position and a 40BB stack. Most of the table has you covered except for the UTG+1 player and there are multiple shorter stacks at other tables. The UTG+1 player has a 30BB stack and raises to 4,500 (2.25BBs). Action is on you, what do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are on the bubble of a major multi-day tournament. We have 40 big blinds and most of the table has us covered. There are multiple shorter stacks at other tables. The blinds are 1,000/2,000 with a 2,000 big blind ante. We are dealt 9s9c in MP1. UTG folds and the UTG+1 player makes it 4,500.

If this were earlier in the tournament where we were thinking about ChipEV only, pocket nines can easily continue here by both calling and reraising. The output from a solver for this spot without any real money considerations in play recommends a mix of calling and raising both with pocket nines, largely favoring calling. We can call UTG+1’s raise in that situation with as low as pocket 7s and still be profitable.

Continued below ...

Bubble Play EP61 ad

Once we start to factor in the ICM (Independent Chip Model) implications of being on the bubble our range starts to tighten up significantly. This adjustment is especially critical given many of the stacks still to act at the table cover us. In a situation where there is tremendous ICM pressure at play it would be a disaster if we were to commit a significant portion of our remaining stack only to run into a player behind us willing to put in a lot of chips.

As you approach significant payout jumps the value of survival increases significantly. This means the big stacks can play quite aggressively and leverage their ability to threaten the shorter stacks. Consequently, medium and smaller stacks often have to play much tighter. If we were facing a UTG+1 open on 40BBs with pocket 9s in the pre-bubble stages of a tournament it would correct to continue 100% of the time.

On the bubble we would need at least pocket tens to continue, and even then we only show very marginal expected value in this situation in the long run.

Folding is the best play.

How would you play it?
Share your answer in the comments below!


Improve Your Game Today!
Join Fearless River and Get:

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  • The GTO Trainer to play real solved hands and get instant feedback on YOUR leaks (over 4 BILLION solved spots!)
  • On-demand access to our full library of 550+ (and growing) in-depth Strategy Episodes from world-class players
  • All of your poker questions answered with the Ask a Pro feature
  • Analysis from Fearless River Pros using The Hand Input Tool
  • Downloadable Tools you can use at the table and away from it
  • Learn from a Team of world-class Professional Players


To join (just $5 your 1st month) click the JOIN NOW button and start improving your game!


Have questions?
Email us at [email protected].


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Building Mental Endurance in Poker With Jared Tendler

Written by Jared Tendler

Mental-Endurance-Jared-Blog (2)

Building Endurance for Your A-game

It’s easy to perform badly for a long time. Anyone can do that. Your A-game, however, is taxing. You’re utilizing recently learned skills and that requires more effort.

Even though performing at an A-game level feels, at times, natural and easy, I can assure you that experience doesn’t reflect the fact that your A-game uses a lot of mental energy and requires endurance to sustain.

While improving your mental endurance can be helpful in a variety of ways, with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) coming up, I want the poker players out there to pay special attention to this blog. Poker tournaments are intense and you need a reservoir of energy to be able to access the knowledge and skills you’ve worked on more recently, including progress in your mental game. This is especially true in the late stages of a tournament where the big money is on the line. The last thing you want is to falter down the stretch because you’re tired.

Of course, mental endurance is key in other fields. For many traders, endurance is a concept that isn’t discussed much but is still significant. This is especially true for newer traders who have yet to condition themselves to the intensity of the live market, which is very different from a typical 9-5 job. More experienced traders tend to underestimate the impact of burnout and don’t realize that strengthening endurance is key to minimizing or avoiding burnout altogether.

Jared Tendler - Golf - Mental Endurance (2)

The Author testing his skills on the course

Mental endurance is also relevant for golfers, including me, who are trying to improve their games. But the WSOP only comes once a year and I’m going to focus my examples and advice here on tournament poker.

A-game is Earned

One of the reasons mental endurance is key is because, for all of us, the only thing guaranteed every day is the C-game.

C-game relies mainly on your unconscious. Decisions come automatically and there is no deep thinking involved. Thinking is your mind working and if it’s working, it’s burning energy. If you have to think a lot and think deeply to perform well, it’s an indication of the lack of mastery or automation of knowledge and skills. I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m simply outlining the facts.

Your A-game, on the other hand, requires effort, preparation, and the right conditions. A-game is earned, not expected. Understanding the demands of what is actually required to be able to sustain your A-game for longer periods of time can help you unlock that performance more often.

To be at your best more often, you want to expand the amount of time where you are operating in that optimal state. You need endurance. You want to be capable of making high-level decisions when you need to or, at a minimum, solid ones that are part of your B-game and don’t fall into C-game.

Thinking Burns Energy

Decisions that require thinking burn more energy than standard decisions made automatically. Training knowledge to a deep level, on the other hand, not only builds capacity but preserves energy.

Habits and routines are energy-efficient. With a limit to how much you can think about at any one point in time, the more of your skills that are automated, or mastered to the level of Unconscious Competence, the better able you are to make quick, and accurate, decisions while burning less mental energy.

When your knowledge is part of your Unconscious Competence, performance becomes more instinctual. To be clear, I’m not saying to automate your decisions, I’m saying that by automating more of the knowledge that feeds into your decisions you preserve mental energy.

With that in mind, when preparing for the WSOP it’s important to know when to stop learning new things. There is often a tendency to want to do everything and check all the boxes, but you have to work/study with an eye towards the big moments. If you cram too much information in your head right before the series starts, you risk not having access to that knowledge readily available because of pressure, and you’ll burn more energy trying to get to it.

Cramming puts you in a compromised position from both an execution and endurance standpoint. While it can be hard to selectively choose to not try to improve areas of your game that you “theoretically” could, your ability to access that information is not guaranteed. So figure out when you’re going to stop actively learning new things, and hold yourself to it.

Of course, after that point and during the series, you can make small adjustments, because they can be easily integrated into your game. But you will play far better going in with a knowledge base that you know is solid and reliable vs. cramming for the WSOP like it’s a test in school. And let’s get real, you never took a test in school where the exam lasted 12 hours a day, and sometimes for several days in a row! So why would you approach the biggest tournament series of the year that way?

Training Your Capacity

Now is the perfect opportunity to build mental endurance for the WSOP and the process is similar to the process of increasing physical endurance. As an example, if you want to run a marathon, you are not going to just show up to the race without having built a capacity to run long distances. And you likely aren’t going to start your first training run at 20 miles and build from there.

While the analogy isn’t perfect, we can use the general framework of steadily ramping up your endurance to give us ideas on how to do it in poker. Here are a few ideas that have helped clients:

  • Make a realistic assessment of where you are today. For example, look at your average volume in a series like the WSOP or in years past, the prevalence and severity of mental game problems, and what your ideal WSOP schedule looks like.
  • Between now and a week or two before your WSOP starts, create a training plan where you look to steadily increase your volume or duration of play, either online or live. The idea is to understand where your limit is and then push it a little more.
  • To help you build endurance while playing well, use injecting logic statements and strategic reminders to help ensure you retain emotional stability and quality decision making as you push.
  • Increase steadily over time. While it’s hard to be exact about how much to increase your play, I think a reasonable goal is 10% at a time. Be wary of pushing too hard and burning out instead of increasing capacity.
  • We still have some time before WSOP and it’s a good opportunity to treat smaller poker events in the lead-up as a good tune-up for what’s been working tactically and an opportunity to build some mental endurance.


At the end of the day, if you want to perform at a high level, you have to fight for it. If it was easy, everyone would do it and there would be no reward.

I hope you final table a big event and that when you get there you have more energy than normal, and you can see how your opponents are tired and more vulnerable to tilt and mistakes from fatigue. This, of course, doesn’t mean you’re going to take down the title, but in a game like poker, you’ll take every advantage you can find.

If you want more content like this to help you prepare for the WSOP, including improving focus, reducing tilt, and getting in the zone more often, check out The Mental Game of Poker 2 and my video series The Mental Game Tune Up for Tournament Poker.

-Jared Tendler

For more insight and stories from Jared visit his blog at https://jaredtendler.com/blog/


Tune Up Your Mental Game

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

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

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

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

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