Thank you for all the feedback about the Poker Hand emails!

Our purpose of these emails is to get students of poker to practice your decision-making skills and understand why Pros make the moves they make for long-term results.

Here's a collection of our most talked about Poker Hands of last month:

1. 2♠2♥ vs a Raise
2. A♥3♥ on the Turn
3. 5♠6♠ vs a Raise and a Call
4. 9♥8♥ on the Flop
   

Deliberate application of key concepts at the table and constant practice of your decision-making skills is essential for success in No-Limit Hold'em.

Amateurs play, Pros practice!

That's why we ask that you read these articles to keep you thinking, practicing, and learning about poker... be sure to let us know how you would have played it using the comments section below each Pro answer.

We'll see you online,
-LearnWPT

PS: a Membership with LearnWPT is the easiest and fastest way to add more levels of complexity and nuance to your game.

The Hand Input Tool (HIT) allows Members to capture, replay, and share real hands you've played and receive analysis and feedback from friends, other members, and the LearnWPT Pros. Any hands you save in HIT will be stored in your own Library.

Recording hands you've played, followed by analysis (with feedback), is one of the most powerful ways to improve your game. This habit creates a positive feedback loop for improvement which allows you to find (and fix) leaks faster, while learning to make better decisions.

Getting Started:

To access the Hand Input Tool click HIT in the top navigation bar or in the mobile menu. You can also access HIT by clicking the following url: https://learnwpt.com/learn/hit/

For more instructions watch the "Show Me How it Works" video on the HIT Dashboard or review Episode 226: Hand Input Tool (HIT).

Note: You must be signed in to you LearnWPT Membership to view and save hands to your Hand Library or send hands to the Pros for analysis.

Recording your hand:

1. To begin, click the red ENTER A HAND NOW BUTTON
2. Select Cash or Tournament and enter the Blinds Amount, Type and Amount of Ante, Number of Players, then click NEXT
3. Follow the onscreen prompts to record the hand information and street action
4. Use these shortcuts when entering hole card information for quicker recording:
   • Type the first letter or number of the card value and suit versus clicking each option to select your card
     • Example: type "a" + "c" to select the A♣ or type "2" + "d" to select the 2♦
   • Use the +/- keys to increase/decrease values or click your cursor into the field box and manually type the value

Hand Library:

You can review or edit saved hands and enter new hands from the HIT Hand Library Dashboard (we recommend watching the Show Me How it Works video as Nick walks you through how to use this new Tool).

Receiving Feedback:

Not sure if you played a hand correctly or have a question about your decision? Members can submit their recorded HIT hands to the LearnWPT Pros for analysis of their play and get answers to questions about a specific move or strategy using the Ask a Pro Feature.

Sending your hand in for feedback:

1. Once finished recording your hand, the action will replay and a pop-up will appear noting options for your hand
2. Click the ASK A PRO button to submit your hand for analysis
3. Enter a title, your question or comment, and click the SEND YOUR QUESTION button
4. That's it! The LearnWPT Pros will provide feedback shortly
   
   

Helpful Hint: Use the Sort By button to select HIT on the Ask a Pro page to review 500+ already answered submitted hands

Helpful Hints:

Our goal is to make HIT an easy to use and personal experience. Be sure to share with us any suggestions.

Did you know you can:

1. Update the name of a hand by clicking the NL Cash or NL Tourney fields in the top center of the screen
2. Change the name/nickname of a player and their chip stack by clicking their position tile Update the PLAYER NAME and CHIP STACK fields then click the NEXT button
3. Replay, edit, or delete hands you've saved from your HAND LIBRARY by clicking the thumbnail image or vertical ellipsis
4. Use these shortcuts while reviewing the replay of a hand for quicker navigation:
   • Pause/Restart Action = Space Bar
   • Show Hole Cards = "H" Key
   • Move Action Forward/Backward = Right/Left Arrow Keys
   • Toggle Stacks Between Big Blinds/Chips = "B" Key
   • Toggle Between Player and Position Names = "A" Key
     

Take the next step in improving your game by using HIT!

Be sure to watch Strategy Episode 226 as LearnWPT Pro Nick Binger shows a fast and efficient method for capturing and sharing your hands for analysis.

We are exited to provide this invaluable tool for our Members to help create that loop and to provide them with guidance and helpful feedback.

Thanks for being a part of LearnWPT!
-The LearnWPT Team

"I started playing poker in 2015 with very little knowledge, no understanding and absolutely no strategy.

That year, I finished 2nd in the first live tournament I entered, pocketed $347 and had no more success for the rest of the year.

I entered 2016 with the same arsenal of skills, played 12 tournaments and cashed a grand total of $400. Then I decided, prodded by the WPT commercials with Mike & Vince to join LearnWPT.com.

The following month I rode my Top 6 lessons; 2-Preflop Raise Sizing, 3-Preflop Calling, 6- Multiway Pots [Number of Opponents], 8- Board Texture, 11- C-Bets and 16- Position to a satellite tournament win on-board a cruise ship.

I won a second cruise valued at $3800 and a $750 entry into the $100,000 tournament on the new cruise. I was amazed at the difference just a few lessons had made in my understanding of Hold-em. I now had the beginnings of an actual strategy!

Last Year, I played 71 tournaments, mostly in Las Vegas. I won 11 of them and added 8 more cashes. My total winnings for 2017: $4296

Thank You Nick Binger, Thank You LearnWPT.

The bottom line?
Without LearnWPT - $747
With LearnWPT - $8296

Enough Said!

Congratulations on your poker success, Rhode! 👏

As a student of the game, Rhode has the LearnWPT mindset that a little bit of studying away from the table, done consistently over time, will put you on the path to success.

LearnWPT can do the same for you and your poker game! Try your first month of LearnWPT for only $5 (which includes the 6 Strategy Episodes Rhode studied to help him win), and you could be our next Inspirational Story!

The Bottom Line?

Join LearnWPT to improve your game... enough said 😊

Thank you for all the feedback about the Poker Hand emails!

Our purpose of these emails is to get students of poker to put your thinking caps on, test your decision-making skills, and understand why our Pros make the moves they make for long-term results.

Here's a collection of our most thought-provoking Poker Hands of the month:

1. Big Draw in a Multiway Pot
2. Flopped Trips with K♦J♦
3. Check-Raise on the Turn
4. Missed the Flop in a Multiway Pot
   

Building a habit of thinking about poker away from the table will improve your game and how you will Learn to Think Like a Pro!

That's why we ask that you read these articles to keep you thinking and learning about poker... be sure to let us know how you would have played it using the comments section below each Pro answer.

We'll see you online,
-LearnWPT

PS: a Membership with LearnWPT is the easiest and fastest way to add more levels of complexity and nuance to your game.

We've been listening to all the feedback from everyone and love hearing how you're using the "Poker Hands" emails to practice your decision making and improve your game.

We'll keep sending them, but here's a collection of your favorite and most discussed Poker Hands of the month.

1. Q♥Q♣ vs a 3-Bet
2. Big Draw vs a C-Bet
3. A♠Q♠ in the Big Blind
4. Under the Gun with A♠T♥
   

Amateurs play, Pros practice!

​​Deliberate application of key concepts at the table and constant practice of your decision-making skills is essential for success in No-Limit Hold'em.

That's why we ask that you read these articles and keep practicing your decision making skills... even if you don't always agree with our analysis (keep those comments coming)!

-LearnWPT

PS: a Membership with LearnWPT is the easiest and fastest way to start adding more levels of complexity and nuance to your game.

When we created LearnWPT our goal was to help improve the games of poker players who love the game as much as we do.

We’re blown away by all the emails we get from LearnWPT Members! Not only about the success they’ve been having at the poker tables since joining, but also about what poker means to them and how it’s changed their lives.

Unfortunately we don't have room to post all of them, but here's some inspiration we got from LearnWPT Members Tazo and Shirley, from Las Vegas, NV:

"My wife, Shirley, and I have more than 150 years combined. I am in my 71st year as a retired entrepreneur and Shirley is in her 81st year as a retired nurse and long-time Vegas resident.

I have dabbled at poker for a number of years. A few years ago Shirley asked me to teach her. I told her that poker takes a lot of work, and like the piano, not many take it up late in life… she took my casual comment as “fighting words” and immediately responded to the challenge! You need to know, Shirley helped her first husband host small family poker games in their basement more than forty years ago…she did the food and snacks…she never played…only the guys…some notable names...

I had books, some old DVDs, poker notes from over the years, but nothing coherent and certainly nothing presented in short digestible lessons. That’s when I tried LearnWPT on a weekly then monthly basis and for the last half year, I have subscribed for a year.

The bottom line, playing and learning how to actually have a winning tournament poker "game" at our age has changed our lives dramatically!

We play at lower levels in Vegas, buy-ins in $80 to $250 ranges, but both cash consistently, in 30-35% range, and played 300+ tournaments last year. Since we both have some medical constraints…only occasionally do we attempt deeper stack tournaments. We have done quite well early last year at Binion’s when they had their $10,000 guaranteed for $160 buy-in. In the past few months, while Shirley has been recovering from a knee replacement, I have played deeper stack tournaments a few times a month at The Mirage, Aria, and The Venetian…but again in the $150 to $250 buy-in range.

We find that our elderly ailments and old age pains completely disappear when we are at a poker table focusing on Nick’s fundamental approach to understanding what is going on and how we can exploit situations. Poker definitely keeps our mental game engaged and focused, not only do we love it, but clearly it is extremely healthy!

We thought that since most of your members are younger, you should know that there is a need for two old new revitalized poker players!

Thanks, Tazo and Shirley."

When you join LearnWPT for just $5 you'll get:

• On-demand access to in-depth Strategy Episodes
• All of your poker questions answered with Ask a Pro
• Sharper decision-making skills with Poker Hand scenarios
• Downloadable Tools you can use at and away from the tables

Everyone else is improving their game... are you?

DECISION POINT: In a Tournament, the UTG player calls, and the MP2 and Hijack call behind. You are in the Cutoff seat and you raise with T♥T♠. The Button and Blinds fold, the UTG player, MP2, and Hijack call. The Flop comes 9♣8♣5♠. Your opponents all check. Action is on you, what do you do here

PRO ANSWER: After several limpers, we raised preflop with pocket tens for both value and to thin the field. We failed to thin the field, since we were called by three opponents. With a highly coordinated flop and multiple opponents, one pair hands such as top pair or even overpairs to the board lose much of their value in deep stacked situations.

In many multiway pots you should be prepared to get away from your one pair hands when you face significant reverse implied odds. Having reverse implied odds essentially means that your hand can win a small pot, but will often lose if the pot gets big.

Hands that rarely improve, such as a pocket pair, can suffer from reverse implied odds fairly easily in multiway pots on coordinated flops with deep stacks.

However, in this hand the remaining effective stack is extremely shallow. We have less than a pot sized bet left in our stack. Despite having multiple opponents and a coordinated board, we are committed to this hand. We should move all-in both for value and to protect our hand.

When analyzing your play on the flop, always remember to pay attention to stack sizes. If stacks were deeper, we could have played this hand differently. Given these stacks, we must move all-in.

Moving all-in is the best play.