Poker Quiz! 3-Betting From the Small Blind With J♠J♣ ...

3-Betting Small Blind With JJ

DECISION POINT: You’re playing a daily tournament and late registration is still open. The blinds are 250/500 with a 500 big blind ante. A player in Middle Position raises first-in to 1,100 and it folds to you in the Small Blind with J♠J♣. You 3-bet to 4,000, the Big Blind folds, and the original raiser calls. The flop comes 9♥6♠6♣ and action is on you. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We're playing in a daily tournament. Late registration is still open and the blinds are 250/500 with a 500 big blind ante. We are dealt J♠J♣ in the Small Blind and the action folds to MP2 who opens to 1,100 chips. Everyone else folds and action is on us.

Out of the Small Blind we prefer to reraise with a linear range, meaning that we will be reraising for value with hands that are ahead of our opponent’s range. Our opponent in Middle Position should be opening with around 25% of total hands as the first-in raiser.

Our jacks are well ahead of that range, so they would be a part of a linear 3-betting range. Typical 3-bet sizing will be around 3x the opening raise size, but since we will be out of position the remainder of the hand, we want to reraise a bit larger to make up for the positional disadvantage. We elect to make it 4,000 chips and our opponent calls.

The flop is 9♥6♠6♣ and action is on us. As the preflop 3-bettor we have a large range advantage on this flop and have all the big overpairs in our range. MP2’s range consists mostly of bigger suited cards and middle pairs, most of which don’t connect very well with this board. Since we have such a tremendous range advantage, it is ideal to c-bet with our entire range.

Typically, we utilize a smaller bet size when c-betting our entire range. However, this situation is unique. The stack to pot ratio (SPR) is just under two. With so much money in the pot in relation to our stack, some hands in our range start to really benefit from protection.

In this case, our really strong hands like AA/KK and semi-bluffs, such as AKo/AQo type hands, prefer to bet around 25% of the pot. Our more vulnerable hands, like TT/JJ and A9s, want to bet a larger sizing of around 50% of the pot in order to protect against many of the potential overcards that connect with MP2’s range.

Betting half of the pot is the best play.

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


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Tournament Preparation Study Session: Preflop Strategy

Warm-Up Strategy Session - Preflop


Ready for your championship run?
LearnWPT is here to help with a free, six-part tournament preparation series built to sharpen your skills and build your confidence before you ever sit at the table.

In this post, we dive into Preflop Strategy, one of the few elements in poker you can control absolutely, and arguably the most important.

Your preflop decisions set the stage for your entire stack. Knowing which hands to raise first-in with and how to adjust based on stack depth and position is the bedrock of winning tournament poker.

Let's get started building a winning preflop game plan ...


Preflop Strategy Warm-Up Session

Knowing how and when to make moves preflop is essential to building a chip stack in tournament poker. Relying on “feel” alone when deciding to bet, raise, or call is not a reliable path to long-term success. Your decisions need to be grounded in proven strategy.

In this session, LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano focus on the one decision you must make in every hand you play - what to do when the action is on you preflop. They’ll also break down how to apply pressure with 3-betting and give you tools to gain a skill edge on your opponents.

💡Member tip: Watch all previous study sessions anytime from the Webinar Dashboard.

Have preflop strategy questions? LearnWPT Members can talk directly to the LearnWPT Pros in our Ask a Pro Discord!


Know The Basics: Start With The 5 Keys 🔑

Strong preflop play isn’t just about memorizing hands, it’s about mastering the why behind your decisions. To play optimally, you should think about these 5 Key Factors every time you act and they will guide your decisions on later streets:

  1. Always be aware of your and your opponent's Position
  2. Know the Effective Stack in terms of big blinds
  3. Assign Preflop Ranges (not just 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


Get these 5 Key basics down pat by watching these four episodes:

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, 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 someone has a strong draw or made hand as more chips go into the pot
  • Multiway and Coordinated? You’ll likely see the strongest possible hands in a player’s range at showdown


🛑 Know Your First-In Hand Ranges

Tournaments force you into dozens of stressful decisions, and staying present while focusing on the 5 Key Factors can be the difference between a deep run and an early exit. Remove distractions by reviewing GTO-based first-in hand ranges daily. As you build muscle memory and quickly know which hands to raise with from different positions, your preflop decisions become easier, reducing decision fatigue and keeping your mind sharp for tough postflop spots.

Watch this Episode from 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. Knowing 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

GTO First-In Hand Ranges - Tournaments


Download a copy of the GTO First-In Hand Ranges

Use these rock-solid GTO hand ranges and you'll be well on your way to a deep championship run. 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 Hand Range Charts:

  • Use the Position Graphic to determine your position at the table and reference the appropriate range chart for your seat. Tip: Count backwards from the Button to determine your position.
  • 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.
  • Be consistent. 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!

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month for more Strategy Episodes and downloadable tools.


Improve Your Game With Team LearnWPT

Whether you are brand-new to poker training or you’re an experienced student, this is your chance to learn from world-class professional poker players in a friendly community using state-of-the-art tools.

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Become a LearnWPT Member today (for just $5 your 1st month) and join our monthly LIVE Study Sessions, gain access to over 550 Strategy Episodes, drill hands with the WPT GTO Trainer, and more!

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Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

Poker Quiz! In a 3-Bet Pot With A♠J♠ Facing a C-Bet, Your Move?

Facing a C-Bet With AJ in a 3-Bet Pot


DECISION POINT: You are about 20 minutes into a live $5/$10 cash game session where most of the stacks are around 100 big blinds and you have $1,000. Action folds to you on the Button and you make the table standard raise to $30 with A♠J♠. The Small Blind folds, the Big Blind 3-bets to $120, you call. Your opponent bets $120 on the A♥7♠2♠ flop and action is on you. What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We’ve just recently joined a 9-handed $5/$10 cash game. Most stacks are around 100 big blinds and we start the hand with $1,000 and A♠J♠ on the Button. Action folds around to us, and with AsJs we have a hand that is certainly strong enough to open with first-in to the pot from the Button, so we make the standard table raise to $30. The Small Blind folds and the Big Blind 3-bets to $120.

When the Big Blind 3-bets, they are representing a very polarized range. This is especially true as the Big Blind is in a favorable spot to call with many hands since they are getting a great price to call and are guaranteed to see a flop as the last player to close the action preflop. Our specific hand AJs is strong enough to continue with, however not strong enough that we want to 4-bet.

We call and the flop comes A♥7♠2♠. This is about the best flop possible when we make only 1-pair in this scenario. If the Ah were the Jh we might feel slightly more confident in this spot since the Big Blind's 3-betting range has many more Ax hands than Jx, however we are still pretty happy on this Ace high flop with 2 low cards.

Our opponent comes out firing, making it $120.

Continued below...

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The first step in deciding our best approach to this c-bet is to consider the Big Blind’s likely range. We can assume they 3-bet preflop with a range including a lot of big Ax hands, some bigger pocket pairs, plus some smaller portion of suited connectors and other hands to balance out their polarized preflop range. This is a very tempting spot to raise, and doing so certainly is +EV.

However, taking a closer look at the Big Blind’s range we can assume if we raise they are likely to only continue with the Ax hands that have us outkicked, or hands such as 77/A7s. We have very little reason to protect ourselves against the Big Blind's TT-KK type holdings, and if they have complete air we would welcome them to continue bluffing on future streets. Continuing by calling allows us to keep weaker hands in the Big Blind’s range that might continue to bluff, and gives us a great price to draw when we are behind.

While we might be faced with some trickier turn and river decisions when we call and don’t improve, calling will maximize our expected value against their entire range.

Calling is the best play.

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


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

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What Is C-Game… and Why Is It Wrecking Your Results?

Every poker player has an A-Game. It's the sharp, focused version that makes winning decisions.

But then there’s your C-Game...

Your C-Game is the collection of bad habits that turn into unnoticed, repeated mistakes. They're automatic, and they cost you more than any unlucky river card ever could.

✅ Calling too wide when facing a 3-bet “just to see a flop”
✅ Betting half your stack when a smaller sizing would do
✅ Leaving value behind by betting too small
✅ Guessing which hands to open from one orbit to the next
✅ Having no plan and constantly asking “what now?” mid-hand

These leaks might feel small in the moment - but across hundreds of hands, they quietly bleed your bankroll dry. Even worse, under pressure they become your default mode.

Here’s the real danger:

If you don’t crush your C-Game now, it will show up when it hurts most... during deep runs, final tables, and your biggest buy-ins.

That's why we built the C-Game Crusher 2-Day Virtual Workshop.

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On September 20 & 27, world-class pros Niall Farrell, Michael Gagliano, and Eric Lynch will cut through the complexity and give you simple, proven strategies you can apply immediately.

Here’s what you’ll take away:
✅ Shorthand rules so you don’t need to memorize endless charts
✅ Guidelines for adjusting to different opponents and situations
✅ Bet sizing frameworks that simplify decisions
✅ Simple 3-betting shortcuts to handle preflop spots
✅ Default betting lines for common scenarios
✅ Connected flop → turn → river planning to avoid guesswork
✅ River techniques that eliminate hesitation and second-guessing

When you have a clear, simple plan, your confidence skyrockets and hidden leaks stop costing you chips.

Registration closes September 18th and seats are limited.

The truth is simple: You can’t reach your true potential until you fix what’s dragging you down. Your C-Game won’t fix itself, but you can.

Let's work on your game,
- The LearnWPT Team


C-Game Workshop Details at a Glance:

C-Game Crusher Workshop - Limited Seating-v2

Attend two sessions full of easy to implement strategy, interactive discussions, and elite insights from world-class players and teachers - all from the comfort of your home.

Dates: Saturday, September 20 & 27
Starting Time: 11 AM PT | 2 PM ET
Duration: ~ 5 hours per session
Where: Virtual—attend from home!
Taught by Niall Farrell, Eric Lynch, Michael Gagliano, & Adrian Naggy
Price: $997 - (SAVE $300*) = $697

BONUS: Lifetime access to session recordings, downloadable charts, and a private Discord forum for follow-up questions. Even if you can’t attend live, you won’t miss a thing.

Have questions? Email our Support Team at [email protected].


*Discount taken off the $997 list price. Offers and discounts can not be combined. See our Terms.

Poker Quiz! What's Your Move Here With A♣Q♦ Vs Loose Regs?

button-with- aq- vs-loose-regs

DECISION POINT: You’re playing a local daily tournament with a table full of regulars. Action folds to a player in MP2 who often limps to see flops but plays preflop fairly straightforwardly, and they limp again. It folds to you on the Button, and you raise to 5,600 with A♣Q♦. The Small Blind, an active player who likes to splash around but plays postflop well, calls. The Big Blind folds and MP2 calls. The flop comes T♥5♠2♣ and both opponents check.

Action is on you, what's your move here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing a local daily tournament with many familiar faces. The blinds are 800/1,600 with a 1,600 big blind ante. We recognize the player in MP2 as being a very loose player who likes to limp preflop and see flops, but tends to play relatively straightforward postflop. The Small Blind is another player who likes to splash around a lot, however they are extremely tricky postflop often trying to make up for a wide preflop calling range by winning more than their fair share of pots postflop.

We are dealt A♣Q♦ on the Button and it folds to the MP2 player who limps. Everyone else folds to us. This is a great spot for us to isolate a wide open limper while in position with a hand that figures to be well ahead of MP2’s range. The default bet size is 4,800 at this stack depth to isolate the limper, but with the splashy player in the Small Blind we elect to make it 5,800 in an attempt to shut them out of the pot. The Small Blind still decides to call and MP2 calls as well.

The flop is T♥5♠2♣ and both players check to us. It can be tough to put both our opponents on accurate ranges since we’ve observed they both can call quite wide preflop. One question that is fairly easy for us to answer is what our opponents are unlikely to have. If either MP2 or the Small Blind had big cards like AK/AQ or big pairs such as JJ+ they likely wouldn’t have just called preflop. This condenses both our opponents ranges to have a lot more small to mid pairs and middling connected and/or suited cards. Those types of hands connect very well with this board.

We could potentially go with a plan of betting here and just going with it against the tricky Small Blind who is relatively short, figuring we have more than enough equity against them and then folding if MP2 continues knowing they play straightforwardly. If this were a cash game, that might be a profitable plan. However in tournaments, ICM makes it so that the chips we win are worth less on average, than the chips we are risking. That makes betting in this spot less appealing.

If we choose to check we're going to get a lot of information on the turn. Ace high is rarely the best hand 3-ways, but any queen or ace likely gives us the best hand and any three, four, jack, or king also gives us an inside straight draw. In addition, with this configuration it is highly likely that when action checks through on the flop the Small Blind will stab with a very wide range on the turn and the player in MP2 will react very honestly with their hand. When MP2 folds to the turn lead we may often be able to continue against the Small Blind’s stabbing range. In the instances when MP2 calls we can often safely get out of the way, assuming we didn’t turn an ace or a queen or are getting proper pot odds with a draw plus overcards.

This is a dry board that can be very tempting to continuation bet into two players. With the given player configurations and tendencies however, it is unlikely to work the required amount of the time to be profitable. Additionally, checking against this specific player configuration will give us loads of additional information on the turn to make far better decisions.

Checking is the best play.

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


Will YOU Be Our Next Bracelet Winner?

LearnWPT Students consistently crush the Summer Poker Season (including 2 WSOP Bracelets in 2024!) bringing home massive scores and achieving their poker dreams.

WSOP Success 2023 and 2024 - Sean-TJ-Tammy

In fact, in just the past 3 years alone during the summer in Vegas LearnWPT Students have achieved:

🥇 4 WSOP BRACELETS (not 1, not 2, not 3, yes 4!)
🏆 6 WSOP Final Tables
💪 1 Around Town Win
👏 9 Around Town Final Tables
💰 Over $1.7 Million in Cashes

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Poker Quiz! In Late Position With 7♥7♣ Vs the Big Blind...

In Late Position With 77 Vs the Big Blind-optimzed

DECISION POINT: You are in the early stages of a daily tournament and you don’t have any significant reads on your tablemates, with the exception that most have been showing down reasonable hands. The blinds are 200/400 with a 400 big blind ante and you have 20,000 chips to start the hand. The action folds to you in the Cutoff with 7♥7♣, you open to 1,000, and only the Big Blind calls. Your opponent checks the K♣5♥2♦ flop, you c-bet 900, and they call. On the 3♣ turn, the Big Blind leads out for 1,500. Action is on you — what do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are in the earlier stages of a daily tournament with blinds of 200/400 and a 400 big blind ante. Most of the players have been showing down reasonable hands when we’ve had the opportunity to see them, and we haven’t developed any significant reads to this point in the session.

With 20,000 chips to start the hand in the Cutoff and 7♥7♣ we make a standard raise to 1,000 chips, and everyone folds to the Big Blind who just calls. The flop is K♣5♥2♦ and the Big Blind checks to us. This is a board where the preflop raiser from the Cutoff will have a significant range advantage and we will frequently continuation bet with our entire range. In game we make the preferred choice and bet 900 into the 2,600 pot, and the Big Blind just calls.

The turn is the 3♣ and surprisingly, our opponent leads for 1,500. When an opponent takes a line where they lead into the aggressor on the turn, there are often one of several factors at play.

First, the Big Blind will often lead the turn when picking up additional equity, which in this case would mostly be flush draws but does include some Ax, 6x, and 4x hands.

Continued below...

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Second, they could have turned two-pair or better with hands including A4, K3, 33, 53, and 32s, and are trying to build a pot fearing we may not fire again on this board texture. Lastly, this turn lead may be intended to to deny equity since we are betting such a wide range on the flop. Many of the 5x combos in the Big Blind’s range benefit greatly from generating folds from some of our random overcards such QJo that still have significant equity.

Given these assumptions, the Big Blind’s leading range likely consists of some draws, some bigger hands, and some medium-strength hands looking to clear out equity. Our pocket sevens are doing fairly well against that range. However, there is little reason to raise as our opponent is likely to fold medium-strength hands we dominate, continue with the hands that dominate us, and proceed with draws only if getting the correct price.

Calling is the best play.

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


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Poker Quiz! At the WSOP With A♠T♠ vs a Pro, What Do You Do?

At-WSOP-AT-Vs-Pro

DECISION POINT: You are in the early stages of a multi-day tournament at the World Series of Poker with late registration and reentry still available. Most players have around 50 big blinds but you’ve worked your stack up to 100BBs. The action folds around to you in the Cutoff with A♠T♠ and you make a standard raise to 1,000. The Button, who is an accomplished Pro and has a 105BB stack, calls and the Blinds fold. The flop comes Q♣5♠4♥ and action is on you.

What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing a multi-day event at the World Series of Poker. The tournament is in the early stages with late registration still open and players are allowed to reenter. Most players have around 50 big blinds but we’ve managed to work our stack up to 100BBs. The Button is a very studied Pro. The blinds are 200/400 with a 400 big blind ante and we are dealt A♠T♠ in the Cutoff. The action folds to us and we make a standard raise to 1,000. The Button decides to call and both Blinds fold. The flop is Q♣5♠4♥ and we are first to act.

The primary driver of continuation betting frequency on the flop is range advantage. Many players make the mistake of assuming that just because we are the preflop raiser, we have a range advantage on dry boards such as this one. Position is a key factor to consider in c-betting spots, and had we raised in Early Position instead of the Cutoff we certainly would have a range advantage on this board. However, in this specific situation we have a wide uncapped range and our opponent has a significantly narrower range that is capped and condensed.

Reviewing this spot in a solver after the hand we see that the Button actually defends with less than half as many hand combinations as we raise with from the Cutoff (215 vs 450) and has a slight range advantage (51% vs 49%) on the flop before any action takes place.

Continued Below...

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This happens most frequently in Cutoff opens vs Button call and Small Blind vs Big Blind scenarios. When facing skilled and aggressive players in these situations who are capable of utilizing their position appropriately, we should check the flop quite frequently. In fact, based on the solver results the Cutoff checks with the entire range around 85% of the time. It’s very important to note that checking here doesn’t mean giving up. We should be checking some of our big hands to protect our checking range and add some check-raising with some strong value hands and bluffs such A2s/A3s on this particular board. Check-calling on the flop also makes up a portion of our strategy, particularly against smaller bet sizes.

If our opponent on the Button was a more passive recreational player in this spot the strategy would change significantly. There would be more merit to betting because a passive opponent would likely be calling preflop with a much wider range, negating the range advantage a more narrow and condensed range has on this board, and they would be far less likely to float and raise the flop with the appropriate tendencies to discourage us from continuation betting.

Against tougher players it’s very important to recognize these spots as high frequency checks or we will quickly bleed chips to good players who utilize position well.

Checking is the best play.

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


Will YOU Be Our Next Bracelet Winner?

LearnWPT Students consistently crush the Summer Poker Season (including 2 WSOP Bracelets in 2024!) bringing home massive scores and achieving their poker dreams.

WSOP Success 2023 and 2024 - Sean-TJ-Tammy

In fact, in just the past 3 years alone during the summer in Vegas LearnWPT Students have achieved:

🥇 4 WSOP BRACELETS (not 1, not 2, not 3, yes 4!)
🏆 6 WSOP Final Tables
💪 1 Around Town Win
👏 9 Around Town Final Tables
💰 Over $1.7 Million in Cashes

Ready to be our next success story?

Become a LearnWPT.com Member now for just $5 your 1st month and start your journey to becoming a WSOP Champion.

If you have any questions regarding LearnWPT send the Support Team an email at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.

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Personalized Report and Training Accessible Online

Personalized report identifying critical strategic leaks that lead to early exits and depleted chip stacks
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Recorded Lab Session Instruction With Niall and Eric

Examples of errors in your game with in-depth video clips of hands you played with written analysis
Customized post event training plan featuring Strategy Episodes, Trainer Packs, Tools, and dedicated Ask a Pro Discord Channel
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Lab Session and Play Session Video Clips of Leaks

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If you have any questions or need assistance please reply back to this email or email [email protected] and we will be happy to help.

See you in Vegas,
Team LearnWPT


*Offer valid through May 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM PDT or until sold out. Discount is taken off list price. Offer can not be combined with other discounts. **The Wynn Las Vegas Championship Tournament Entry Satellite is not open to the general public. This opportunity is exclusive to attendees of the May 24, 2025 LearnWPT Live Lab event held in Las Vegas. The $1100 Wynn Las Vegas Tournament Entry Satellite prizes are non-transferable and have no cash value. Travel, food, and lodging are not included. The winner must play the awarded event seat within the prescribed prize redemption period, before December 31, 2025 or the prize will be voided. See our FAQ section for more information.

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Poker Quiz! In Early Position With J♥J♦, What Do You Do?

in-early-position-jj


DECISION POINT: You are in the middle stages of a daily tournament with over 50% of the field still remaining and 500/1,000 blinds with a 1,000 big blind ante. Most players at your table have 20-40BBs and you are relatively new to the table with no significant reads on your opponents. From Under the Gun you make the standard 2.2x open raise to 2,200 with J♥J♦. Players in Middle Position, Hijack, and Button all call. The flop comes 9♥8♦8♠ and action is on you.

What do you do here?

PRO ANSWER: We are playing in a daily tournament at a local casino. It is the middle stages of the tournament with just over 50% of the field remaining. Most of the players at our table have 20-40 big blinds and we are relatively new to this table with no significant reads. The blinds are 500/1,000 with a 1,000 big blind ante.

We are dealt J♥J♦ UTG and make a standard open to 2,200 chips. The player to our immediate left calls, as do the Hijack and the Button. Everyone folds and we go four ways to the flop.

The flop is 9♥8♦8♠. Playing multiway pots out of position can be extremely tricky. With a SPR (stack to pot ratio) of around 2 and holding an overpair, it’s going to be very difficult to get away from our hand without some sort of significant action from multiple players still left to act behind us. When deciding if we should c-bet or check, it is important to think of what our entire range wants to do in this spot.

Continued below...

StaticAd-Episodes-300x250-version2

The default range from UTG consists mostly of bigger overcards and overpairs, and while we do have some 77/A9s/A8s type hands as well, the overcards and overpairs will make up the majority of hands. Our opponents are much more likely to have condensed ranges that connect with this board in some way. For that reason, most of our range prefers to check in this spot.

Many players mistake checking for weakness or giving up here, and that’s simply not true. Depending on how the action unfolds behind us there are several options to continue including check-raise, check-call, or check-fold if multiple opponents go all-in before it’s back around to us. By checking, we allow our opponents to take stabs at the pot with hands they otherwise might fold to a bet, such as 66/55 or even some ace-high hands.

Our hand does benefit from protection, so if we were to lead at all in this spot, hands like JJ/TT/A9s would make the most sense. We become very easy to play against if we bet all of our made hands and check all of our misses, and our range is made up of far more overcards and misses than big hands and overpairs.

Checking is the best play.

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


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On Tour With Team LearnWPT: 2025 WPT® Choctaw-Durant

WPT-Choctaw-Durant

If you’re a fan of nonstop poker action in an award winning hotel casino where you can split time between fine dining, line dancing, and some time at the pool, then you need to get to Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, OK right now. Join Team LearnWPT as we head back On Tour for the televised $3,800 World Poker Tour® Choctaw Championship Event featuring 50K in starting chips plus a massive $2 Million Guaranteed prize pool.

The 2024 WPT Choctaw Championship Event drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $2.1 Million. After a long final table battle, world-class player James Mackey captured the $361,600 first prize and his 2nd WPT Main Tour Title in the same event!

WPT Choctaw S22 Winner James Mackey (2) (1)

This year the Choctaw Festival returns featuring a huge new slate of exciting tournaments, epic schedule of satellites, and huge guarantees leading up to the highly anticipated WPT Main Tour Championship Event.

Do you have dreams of making the televised final table and sharing the stage with Vince, Lynn, and Tony but don’t quite have the bankroll? Good news - there are plenty of chances to parlay a small buy-in into a life changing score, and you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the Championship Event satellites starting as low as $130!

Get Championship Ready With LearnWPT

Team LearnWPT is here to give the tools and strategy you need to win your seat to the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship. Check out the strategies in this blog and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

Get In on the Action
Satellite Keys and Basics
Test Your Satellite Skills
Understanding ICM at the Final Table
Play Solved GTO Final Table Hands
Launch Your Poker Game and Save 50%

Get an edge on your competition with poker strategies from proven winners and prepare to dominate the felt!

#TheCupAwaits 🏆


Get In on the Action at Choctaw ...

Choctaw-Chips

The 2025 Choctaw Casino & Resort Durant festival begins April 16th with the $250 buy-in $100K GTD "Kick-Off" and features some can't miss events including the $300K GTD $500 buy-in “Gargantuan“ on the 24th and the $600 buy-in $150K GTD “Choctaw Classic” on the 19th.

In addition to the satellites to the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship even starting as low as $130, you can also potentially parlay a low buy-in of $250 into a WPT package through Super Satellites that awards winners a seat to the $10,400 WPT World Championship in Vegas. There are also plenty of lower buy-in events scheduled nightly so you don’t have to stretch your bankroll to get to experience the fun and excitement of playing in a World Poker Tour event!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
End: Monday, May 5, 2025
Click here for the full Festival schedule

WPT Choctaw Table (1)

Day 1 of the Televised Championship Event begins Thursday, May 1st with three starting flights and allows for unlimited re-entry until the start of level 9 on Day 1A-Day 1C - Click here for the structure.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1A: Thursday, May 1, 2025 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 1B: Friday, May 2, 2025 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 1C: Saturday, May 3, 2025 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 2: Sunday, May 4, 2025 starting at 11am CDT
➧ Day 3: Monday, May 5, 2025 starting at 11am CDT
➧ Final Table: Friday, May 30, 2025*

The $3,800 Championship event offers 50K in starting chips and the player's favorite WPT structure providing plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

*The final table of 6 will be played and filmed for television by the World Poker Tour at the HyperX Las Vegas at Luxor on May 30, 2025.


Should You Play a 🛰️ Satellite Differently?

Satellite poker tournaments are a great way to parlay a larger buy-in event at a lower price so you don’t need to have big bucks to be in contention for a game-changing score.

Strategies for Satellites can be very different from a normal Tournament, and yes, you’ll need to make some adjustments that may seem strange compared to standard tournament strategy.

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

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

Need Help Closing The Deal?

In this LearnWPT Strategy Episode get invaluable perspective from a Pro as Nick Binger reviews several key hands from a Satellite to highlight the unique adjustments during the endgame.

These strategy concepts could help you avoid busting on the bubble and secure your seat to the WPT Choctaw Championship!

The Keys 🗝️ to Satellite Play

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

Test Your Satellite Skills!

In a Satellite to the WPT World Championship with QQ-optmzd

You are playing a Mega Satellite to the $2 Million guaranteed WPT Choctaw Championship 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, and the Button flat calls.

Action is on you, what do you do here?

Click here to get a detailed analysis of this hand from Team LearnWPT and learn more strategy behind the correct plays.


How Should You Adjust at a Final Table?

Strategy adjustments for various tournament stages must consider the impact of ICM (Independent Chip Model) and the specific factors in play at your table. When there are different stack sizes and a huge gap in pay between 1st and 9th place, making the most profitable decisions can seem daunting.

When you are the chip leader at a Final Table it’s also crucial to understand how dramatic ICM will affect your opponent’s strategy, and when you can use ruthless aggression to punish your foes on the way to victory. In both cases, the key to making better decisions with ICM in play starts with adjusting first-in hand ranges.

Watch this LearnWPT.com Strategy Episode as Nick breaks down ranges and adjustments across stack sizes and describes how you should be approaching these spots at your next Final Table.

Playing Medium Pairs at A Final Table

Medium strength pocket pairs are a common source of frustration at the poker table for many players. Often with this hand category we are faced with difficult decisions to continue on many board textures, and can be challenged to make the right play when facing aggressive action.

At a Final Table when pay jumps are a big factor, it’s even more crucial to understand the correct strategy with medium pairs in order to avoid massive ICM blunders.

Here’s a breakdown from LearnWPT Instructor Johan Schultz-Pedersen featuring pocket 8s at a Final Table to illustrate just how much ICM should affect your decisions in these spots.

Are You GTO Final Table Ready?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the Final Table of the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship event. How do you play your 30 Big Blind stack against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play and the Mike Sexton Champions Cup on the line?

1216-222-30BB-Button-Open-Vs-70BB-Big-Blind-Call
222-Hand Ranges

Payouts: 1st = 20%, 2nd = 14%, 3rd = 9%, 4th = 6.7%, 5th = 5%, 6th = 4%

Play FREE solved hands from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand how preflop ranges affect your decisions at the Final Table.


Here are some tips when practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer:

  • Your goal is to select the action for each individual hand that is as close to 0.00 EV as possible
  • EV Loss of 0.00 is the same action a GTO Player would take
  • 0.00 EV Loss means you broke even against a GTO Player
  • EV Loss Color Coding Hint:
    • Green = Near GTO Play
    • Orange = Take Caution
    • Red = Probable Leak in Your Game

Members can practice more hands from this scenario anytime by playing the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer Final Table pack! Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.

At the Final Table Remember To...

WPT Choctaw Final Table S22 (1)

  • Play to avoid busting out to the chip leader
  • You will check and call more often than bet or raise
  • You still need some bluffs in your range to prevent the chip leader from exploiting you
  • Almost never lead out from the Big Blind after calling preflop
  • Don’t be afraid to fold marginal hands against big bets that could set up an all-in situation on a future street
  • When facing an aggressive chip leader, you should often trap by check-calling with your big made hands


Launch Your Poker Game and SAVE 50%

Get your poker game ready for success with The LearnWPT Launch No-Limit Hold'em Tournament Course and get 50% off with promotion code VEGAS50 at checkout. This course is the PERFECT way to level up your tournament skills with the WPT Champions and WSOP Bracelet winners on Team LearnWPT.

Why are we so confident that Launch will help your game?

In 2024 not only did we see epic success from 2 Instructors who taught the LearnWPT Launch Course, we also saw 2 students grab a WSOP Bracelet and 2 WSOP Circuit Rings (in 1 week!) after attending.

Launch - Sean and Susan

In short - We’ve got the results to prove it!

With LearnWPT Launch you’ll get a highly structured upgrade to your tournament poker strategy from proven winners who are also expert teachers. The four sessions include more than 10 hours of lecture and in-depth hand examples to help align your game fast.

Early Stage Play with Johan Schultz-Pedersen
Responding to Aggression with Eric Lynch
Turn and River Play with Michael Gagliano
ICM and Bubble Play with Tony Dunst

In addition to the in-depth lecture sessions LearnWPT Launch includes 30 strategy videos from our expansive library to supplement your training, downloadable range charts, poker hand quizzes after each section, and 20 WPT GTO Trainer packs for you to play, train, and drill hands based on the strategies you are learning. You’ll also have direct access to a private strategy Discord channel to ask questions to your coaches.

Lifetime Access to the Course Videos and Tools
No hidden fees, LearnWPT.com Membership not required

Start the course NOW to prepare for the WSOP, WPT Championship, or any tournament that you are planning on playing!


Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Will we see you on the felt during the WPT Choctaw Festival? If you see Team LearnWPT stop and say Hi 👋!

Check the LearnWPT calendar to follow Team LearnWPT On Tour as we travel the globe to play WPT Events.

WPT-Choctaw-LuckyChewy-Vince-Van-Patten (1)

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Choctaw Championship Event or side events on the Festival schedule!

Follow and tag us on social media to share your pic with members of Team LearnWPT, show off your chip stack, or celebrate a deep run.

X @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

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

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

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