Category: Free Content

On Tour With LearnWPT: 2024 WPT® Choctaw-Durant

WPT-Choctaw-Championship

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 2023 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 Jared Jaffe captured the $400,740 first prize and his 2nd WPT Main Tour Title

Jared-Jaffe-WPT-Chcotaw-2023

This year the Choctaw Festival returns featuring a huge slate of new 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 on site on May 2nd!) and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

Get In on the Action
Win a FREE $500 Satellite Seat
Satellite Keys and Basics
Test Your Satellite Skills
Understanding ICM at the Final Table
Play Solved GTO Final Table Hands
Launch Your Poker Game This Summer!

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

#TheCupAwaits 🏆


Get In on the Action ...

WPT-Choctaw-2024

The 2024 Choctaw Casino & Resort Durant festival kicked off on April 17th with the $300 Monster Stack $50K GTD opener and features some can't miss events including the $100K GTD $130 buy-in “Gargantuan“ on the 18th and the $400 buy-in $200K GTD “Choctaw Classic” event on the 25th.

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 $14,100 WPT package satellite that awards winners a seat to the $10,400 WPT World Championship in Vegas this December. There are also lower buy-in events scheduled nightly so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to get to experience the fun and excitement of playing in a World Poker Tour event!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
End: Monday, May 6, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

WPT-Choctaw-Championship-Action

Day 2 of the Televised Championship Event begins Friday, May 3rd with two starting flights and allows for unlimited re-entry until the start of level 9 on Day 1A and Day 1B - Click here for the structure.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1A: Friday, May 3, 2024 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 1B: Saturday, May 4, 2024 starting at 11 am CDT
➧ Day 2: Sunday, May 5, 2024 starting at 11am CDT
➧ Day 3: Monday, May 6, 2024 starting at 11am CDT
➧ Final Table: Thursday, May 30, 2024*

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, 2024.


Win a FREE $500 Satellite Seat and Train With Team LearnWPT - May 2nd!

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 you’ll need to make some adjustments that may seem strange compared to standard tournament strategy.

To help get you ready for the WPT Choctaw Championship Event we're inviting you to join Team LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy for a FREE 30 minute introduction to Satellite Strategy Workshop LIVE at 12PM CDT on May 2nd prior to the start of the Championship Event Satellites.

Team-LearnWPT-Adrian-Naggy-Eric-Lynch

You’ll get specific examples of how to change up your play to take advantage of the unique factors in a satellite, including how to adjust for each stage of the tournament, surviving as the shortstack, monitoring stacks and other tables, and navigating the bubble.

The Workshop is free to all and will be held in the Willow Room (located in the Conference Area next to The Grand Theater) on May 2nd at 12PM CDT - look for the LearnWPT banners!

Immediately following the FREE strategy session, we’ll go down to the tournament floor in the Grand Arena and play in an exclusive freeroll satellite for attendees with 1st prize awarding a $500 seat to the 4PM Mega Satellite to the WPT Choctaw Championship!*

Save your seat by registering below or clicking here


*
Entry limited to attendees of the Free LearnWPT Satellite Strategy Workshop on May 2, 2024 at 12PM CDT. Attendees must register prior to the start of Satellite. First Prize in the LearnWPT Freeroll Satellite awards one (1) seat to the $500 Mega Satellite to the WPT Choctaw Championship Event on May 2, 2024 at 4PM CDT. First Prize is only valid for the $500 Mega Satellite to the WPT Choctaw Championship Event on May 2, 2024 at 4PM CDT. First Prize non-transferable and not redeemable for cash value.

P.S. After the Workshop jump into the $500 Mega Satellite at 4 pm or the $250 Super Satellites at 6 pm and 9pm to win your seat into the $3,800 WPT Choctaw Championship Event.

WPT-Choctaw-Satellite-2024

Can't make the FREE Introduction to Satellite Workshop? Use the poker strategies below to sharpen your focus and who knows, maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday.


Should You Play a 🛰️ Satellite Differently?

YES YOU SHOULD!

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 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, the Button flat calls, and action is on you.

What do you do here?

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


Final Table ICM Pressure on Preflop Ranges

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-Championship-Final-Table

  • 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


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

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


LearnWPT Launch Digital Strategy Workshop!

Join Team LearnWPT for the upcoming LearnWPT Launch Digital Tournament Strategy Workshop to get your game ready for the Summer Tournament Series - all from the comfort of home!

LearnWPT Launch - WPT Passport

LearnWPT Launch is an interactive Workshop that consists of 4 Digital Training Sessions conducted over a span of 2 Weeks (starting May 14th). Each Session is highly structured and designed to deliver the maximum impact to your game over 8 Immersive Hours of Instruction with Team LearnWPT.

PLUS attendees have a seat in a private Tournament hosted on ClubWPT.com* to win a $2,500 WPT Prime Championship Passport!

LearnWPT Launch Instructors - border

LearnWPT Launch is your chance to train directly with Tony Dunst, Eric "Rizen" Lynch, Michael "Gags30" Gagliano, and Johan Schultz-Pedersen on your time and from the comfort of your home.

With a combined resume including a WPT Championship, 5 World Series of Poker Bracelets, 3 WSOP Circuit rings, best selling author, over 3 decades of coaching experience, plus countless other high profile final tables and huge scores, Team LearnWPT has the tools and knowledge to make this your best summer on the felt yet.

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




LearnWPT-Poker-Training

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

On Tour With LearnWPT: 2024 WPT® Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship

Hard-Rock-Hollywood-Hotel (1)

It’s time to head back to everyone’s favorite East Coast poker destination - the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL for the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event. Players from all over the planet are heading to sunny South Florida for a chance to make the TV Final Table and be crowned the next WPT Champion!

The Festival is known for constant poker action with some of the largest tournament fields on tour and features an epic schedule of satellites, huge guaranteed events, and is highlighted by the massive $3 Million Guaranteed prize pool Championship event. The action at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood never disappoints and it’s a certainty that this event will once again break records and generate life-changing first place prize money.

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Poker-Showdown-Bin-Weng

The 2023 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Event drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $7.3 Million!

After a long Final Table battle, 2023 WPT Player of the Year Bin Weng captured the $1,128,250 first prize and had his name engraved onto the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup alongside a prestigious list of World Poker Tour Champions.


Want the Cup? Get Aggression!

Brian-Altman-Seminole-Hard-Rock-2022

What single trait is shared by almost every player whose name is etched on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup? If you guessed that they are willing to stay aggressive and put their opponents to tough decisions, you’d be right. These masters of the game know when to shift gears and exploit weaknesses and they don't need to have good cards to push the action

WPT-Seminole-Rock-Roll-Tony Dunst

Team LearnWPT is here to show you specific plays that will add aggression to your game and build a fierce presence at the table. Watch these free videos from proven crushers and you’ll learn to identify more spots to make aggressive moves that won't break your game. Get the insight on how these pros pull the trigger more often in close spots, and get on the path toward the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship!


Get In on the Action ...

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Showdown-2024

The 2024 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Festival kicks off on April 3rd with the $400 Deepstack $1,000,000 guaranteed opener. There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Championship Event, so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to join the fun!

📅 Poker Showdown Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, April 3, 2024
End: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Click here for the full Festival schedule
Follow the live updates for action from all the events

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Poker-Showdown-Chips

The headlining WPT Poker Showdown Championship event begins Friday, April 19th with two starting flights and unlimited reentry through the start of level 9) - Click for the tournament structure.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
Day 1A: Friday, April 19, 2024
starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 1B: Saturday, April 20, 2024 starting at 11 a.m. ET
Day 2: Sunday, April 21, 2024 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 3: Monday, April 22, 2024 starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 4: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
starting at 12 p.m. ET
Day 5: The Final Table of 6 will be played and filmed for television at the HyperX Las Vegas at Luxor on Wednesday, May 29th

Starting May 29th Get 2 Days of WPT Final Table Live Streams!
WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship Final Table Live Stream - Wednesday, May 29th at 4:30 PM PT
WPT Choctaw Championship Final Table Live Stream - Thursday, May 30th at 4:30 PM PT
All live stream final tables are on a 30-minute delay

View ⚡ Live Streams on WPT Twitch, WPT YouTube or WPT.com


Meet Up With Brad and Vince!

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Poker-Showdown-Meet-Up-Game-Brad-Owen

Who’s ready for some bomb pots or a round of the Stand Up Game?

Brad Owen and Vince Van Patten bring the fun and excitement of the Meet Up Game (MUG) to South Florida to open the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship - and you're invited!

On April 18th beginning at 11 AM EDT the innovator of poker Meet Up Games and the legendary WPT Television host will kick off the $2/$5 cash game action in the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker Room.

WPT- MUG-Andrew-Brad-Collage

If you’ve been following the action from the MUG’s on social media and you’ve been feeling the FOMO, this is your chance to jump into the fun! Join us for a unique poker experience with the WPT Family, and you might even show up in Brad'd next VLOG 🎥


AJo at the $10K WPT Final Table - Your Move?

Maintaining aggression in the face of big pay jumps under the bright lights of the World Poker Tour Final table can be a daunting task. Every decision is magnified and one wrong move could end your dream run.

In this Strategy Episode LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger breaks down a pivotal hand from the $10K WPT Seminole Hard Rock finale. Learn how calculated aggression can frustrate a skilled opponent and create fold equity in a tough ICM spot vs the chip leader.

Fold Less, Float More!

Tired of playing vs THAT player who always seems to be dragging pots with preflop raises and constant continuation bets? Take away their equity advantage and turn aggression on its heels with the Float.

Tune in to this Strategy Episode as Nick gives you step by step guidelines to identify the best situations to float vs a frequent c-bettor. Utilize the power of position to turn aggression around on your opponents and add floating to your game plan.

Bluffing With LuckyChewy

To build huge stacks and be in contention for a WPT Title, you will almost certainly need to pull off a few bluffs along the way. You simply won't get enough good cards to keep up the pace with the rising blinds and antes, and when you do flop a big hand it won't always hold up.

In this Strategy Episode LearnWPT Instructor and poker legend Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger walks through his thought process when overbet bluffing the river in a $1,600 live tournament.


Be Ready for the Final Table

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Poker-Showdown-Trophy-Luxor

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the cameras and show off your skills, we’ve got some essential strategy adjustments to help you get ready. Final Table strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay-jumps and the prestige that only comes with winning a World Poker Tour title.

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Poker-Showdown-FT

Most poker players aren’t prepared for the sudden increase in intensity caused by playing in front of an audience with life-changing money at stake. When you are facing the pressure of big pay jumps and the studio lights seem just a little too bright, it’s important to stay focused and make objective decisions.

Tips To Sharpen Up Your Game for Showtime

  • Be aware of stack sizes and pay jumps at all times, even the slightest changes in stack sizes can shift strategy dramatically
  • When short stacks exist, there is extra pressure on the bigger stacks to avoid busting out
  • The chip leaders can use this extra pressure to win many pots while the short stack is in play
  • As a medium stack vs larger stacks be cautious with any bets and raises and try to take marginal hands to showdown passively
  • Preflop ranges shift quite a bit at final tables due to this effect with big stacks playing much wider ranges and medium stacks much narrower ranges
  • Do not be afraid to ramp up your aggression against players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to get more Final Table strategy.

Can You Stay Aggressive at The Final Table?

1053-118 30BB Button Open Vs 50BB Big Blind Call-optimzd

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

You are at the $3,500 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Final Table. You min-raise 2BBs on the Button with a 30BB stack and the Big Blind with 50BBs calls. Click below to play a free Final Table sample pack of this spot from the WPT GTO Trainer to see firsthand how decisions change 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 and get expert feedback from the LearnWPT Pros on their play with the 30BB Button Open Vs 50BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more hands using the WPT GTO Trainer.


Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Will we see you on the felt during the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown 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-Lucky-Hearts-Poker-Open-Seminole-Winner-S18

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Poker Showdown 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.

Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt | X @LearnWPT

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

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



LearnWPT-Poker-Training

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

On Tour With LearnWPT: 2024 WPT® Rolling Thunder Festival

WPT-Rolling-Thunder-Champions-Cup

Team LearnWPT is back On Tour and ready to roll as we return to the incredible Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA (right outside of Sacramento) for the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship!

The excitement is building for a repeat of the 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship which drew some of the best rounders on the planet and the prize pool swelled to over $1.8 Million. After a hard fought final table battle, featuring our own Tony Dunst, Scott Eskenazi captured the $361,600 first prize and added his name to the Mike Sexton Champions Cup.

Join Team LearnWPT for a festival full of exciting flops, turns, and rivers as grinders and shot takers descend on Thunder Valley to find out who will be crowned the next WPT Champion.

WPT-Rolling-Thunder-2023-Winner-Scott-Eskenazi

The friendly and skilled staff at the TV Poker Room are no strangers to hosting some of the most fun tournaments on the World Poker Tour. This year the Rolling Thunder Festival returns featuring a huge slate of new exciting tournaments, epic schedule of satellites, and huge guarantees leading up to the highly anticipated WPT Main Tour Championship Event.

LearnWPT Prepares You To Bring the Thunder!

Team LearnWPT is here to give the tools and strategy you need to win your seat to the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship. Check out the strategies in this blog (and onsite on March 22nd!) and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

🌩️ Get In on the Action
🌩️ FREE Satellite Intro Workshop
🌩️ Satellite Basics
🌩️ Keys to Satellite Play
🌩️ Get Inspired for Your WPT Final Table Moment
🌩️
Final Table Tips With Tony
🌩️ Tips To Sharpen Up Your Game for Showtime

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

#TheCupAwaits 🏆


Get In on the Action ...

WPT-Rolling-Thunder-2024-schedule

The 2024 Rolling Thunder Festival kicked off on March 7th with the $300 Opening Night $50K GTD tournament and includes some can't miss events including a $1M GTD Deepstack Thunder Valley on the 14th and the inaugural $570 “Savage Average” event on the 17th

If you are looking to join the action and want to parlay a small buy-in into a life changing score, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the Championship Event satellites starting as low as $165 plus a $700 Festival package satellite that awards winners buy-ins worth $5,100 including a seat to the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Thursday, March 7, 2024
End: Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Click here for the full Festival schedule

WPT-Rolling-Thunder-Champions-Table (2)

Day 1 of the Championship Event is Saturday, March 23rd and allows for unlimited re-entry until the start of level 11 on Day 2 (March 24th), when registration ends - Click for the tournament structure.

The $3,500 Championship Event features the player favorite WPT tournament structure giving you plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

📅 WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1: Saturday, March 23, 2024 starting at 11 am PT
➧ Day 2: Sunday, March 24, 2024 starting at 11 am PT
➧ Day 3: Monday, March 25, 2024 starting at 11am PT
➧ Final Table: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 starting at 11am PT*
*Final table will be live streamed with 30-min delay


View ⚡ Live Stream on WPT Twitch, WPT YouTube or WPT.com


FREE Intro to Satellite Strategy - LIVE With Team LearnWPT March 22nd!

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 you’ll need to make some adjustments that may seem strange compared to standard tournament strategy.

To help get you ready for the Rolling Thunder Championship Event we're inviting you to join Team LearnWPT Instructors Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy for a FREE 30 minute introduction to Satellite Strategy Workshop LIVE at 10 AM PDT on March 22nd prior to the start of the Championship Event Satellites.

learnwpt-instructors-rizen-adrian

You’ll get specific examples of how to change up your play to take advantage of the unique factors in a satellite, including how to adjust for each stage of the tournament, surviving as the shortstack, monitoring stacks and other tables, and navigating the bubble.

The Workshop is free to all and will be held in the poker room tournament area (near the large screen) on March 22nd at 10 AM PDT - look for the LearnWPT banners!

Thunder-Valley-Satellite-Day

P.S. After the Workshop jump into the $550 Shootout Satellites at 1pm and 6pm or the $100 Step Satellite at 3 pm to win a seat into the $3,500 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship Event.

Can't make the FREE Introduction to Satellite Workshop? Use the poker strategies below to sharpen your focus and who knows, maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday.


Should You Play a 🛰️ Satellite Differently?

YES YOU SHOULD!

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 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 watch and learn 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 Rolling Thunder 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

Quiz Time! Test Your Satellite Skills

At the Final Table with QJ

You are 4-handed at a winner-take-all Satellite Tournament for a seat to the WPT Rolling Thunder $3,500 Championship with blinds at 100/200. The player in the Cutoff folds and you raise to $600 with Q♦J♣. The Small Blind reraises to $1,110 and you call. Your opponent checks the A♠A♣J♦ flop.

Action is on you, what do you do here?

Poker-Hand-CTA-Check-Bet

Select your answer above to get insight from the LearnWPT Pros!


Get Inspired for Your WPT Final Table Moment!

WPT-Thunder-Valley-Tony-Fina-Table

WPT Tournament Director Matt Savage and WPT Champion Tyler Patterson called the Final table action of the 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship Event as LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst went for his 2nd WPT Title!

Watch a WPT Championship in Action…

Are YOU Final Table Ready?

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the cameras and show off your skills, we’ve got some important strategies to share to help you get ready. Final Table Strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay-jumps and the prestige that only comes with winning a World Poker Tour Title.

Often poker players are unprepared for the pressure that comes with playing in front of an audience with life-changing money at stake.

When you are facing the pressure of big pay jumps and the studio lights seem just a little too bright, it’s important to stay focused and make objective decisions.

Watch this breakdown of a high stakes final table from LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst to see how this dynamic plays out in real-time.

Can You Stay Aggressive at the Final Table?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the WPT Rolling Thunder Championship Final Table with big money and a WPT title on the line. How do you play your 30 big blind stack from the Button against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play?

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

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

Play hands from a WPT GTO Trainer Final Table Pack 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 and get expert feedback from the LearnWPT Pros on their play with the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

WPT-Rolling-Thunder-Champions-Tony Dunst

Tips To Sharpen Up Your Game for Showtime

  • Be aware of stack sizes and pay jumps at all times, even the slightest changes in stack sizes can shift strategy dramatically
  • When short stacks exist, there is extra pressure on the bigger stacks to avoid busting out
  • The chip leaders can use this extra pressure to win many pots while the short stack is in play
  • As a medium stack vs larger stacks be cautious with any bets and raises and try to take marginal hands to showdown passively
  • Preflop ranges shift quite a bit at final tables due to this effect with big stacks playing much wider ranges and medium stacks much narrower ranges
  • Do not be afraid to ramp up your aggression against players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to get more Final Table strategy.


Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Will we see you on the felt during the WPT Rolling Thunder 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.

WPTDeepStacks-Thunder-Valley-Team

Let us know if you are in the action during the WPT Rolling Thunder 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.

Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt | X @LearnWPT |

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

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



LearnWPT-Poker-Training

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

LearnWPT On Tour: The 2023 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas

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

Photo credit: Drew Amato

The inaugural edition of the WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas saw record breaking prize pools, exciting off the felt activities, and set the standard for all future poker festivals.

The $10,400 Championship event crushed its ambitious $15M Guaranteed prize pool and saw an incredible conclusion as Eliot Hudon emerged to etch his name on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup and take home $4,146,400 for a well earned first prize.

WPT-World-Championship-Winner-Eliot-Hudon

The 2023 WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas is even more ambitious and aims to take poker to new heights with the first $40,000,000 guaranteed prize pool in an open Championship event - the largest single live tournament guarantee in the history of poker.

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 LearnWPT 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.

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


The 2023 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas Festival runs November 29-December 23, 2023. The marquee event of the multi-tournament festival will be the $10,400 buy-in Championship event including a televised final table. The festival features more than a dozen tournaments including three primary events!

Let's get started...


Be Part of Poker History at Wynn Las Vegas

Schedule-WPT-Prime-Championship-2023

WPT Prime Championship: $5 Million GTD Prize Pool

Buy-In: $1,100 | December 7th - 19th | Schedule | Structure
Day 1A - Thursday, Dec 7th 11am PT
Day 1B - Friday, Dec 8th 11am PT
Day 1C - Saturday, Dec 9th 11am PT
Day 1D - Sunday, Dec 10th 11am PT
Day 2 - Monday, Dec 11th 12pm PT
Day 3 - Tuesday, Dec 12th 12pm PT
TV Final Table - Tuesday, Dec 19th 4pm PT
A single (1) re entry is permitted for each starting flight
Live Updates

Schedule-WPT-World-Championship-2023

WPT World Championship: $40 Million GTD Prize Pool

Buy-In: $10,400 | December 12th - 20th | Schedule | Structure
Day 1A - Tuesday, Dec 12th 11am PT
Day 1B - Wednesday, Dec 13th 11am PT
Day 1C - Thursday, Dec 14th 11am PT
Day 1D - Friday, Dec 15th 11am PT
Day 2 - Saturday, Dec 16th 12pm PT
Day 3 - Sunday, Dec 17th 12pm PT
Day 4 - Monday, Dec 18th 12pm PT
Day 5 - Tuesday, Dec 19th 12pm PT
Day 6 - Wednesday, Dec 20th 12pm PT
TV Final Table - Thursday, Dec 21st 4pm PT
One entry per day maximum (freezeout per flight)
Live Updates

WPT-Ladies-Champion-2022

WPT Ladies Championship: $250K GTD Prize Pool

Buy-In: $11,100 | December 6th - 8th | Schedule | Structure
$1,100 discounted ladies buy-in
Day 1 - Wednesday, Dec 6th 11am PT
Day 2 - Thursday, Dec 7th 11am PT
Final Table - Friday, Dec 8th 11am PT
Unlimited re-entry is allowed until the close of registration
Live Updates

Wynn-Las-Vegas-Trophy

Photo credit: Enrique Malfavon

With more than 30 events on the calendar, the 2023 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 more than 10 live satellites into the World Championship!

The festival kicks off with a $1 Million Guaranteed, $600 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 $2 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 $1,100 HORSE Championship to a brand-new addition to the schedule, a $3,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship.

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? Click here for the WPT Players Guide

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

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.


LearnWPT Members Are Ready To Dominate 💪

Over the last 2 months Team LearnWPT hosted 6 Poker 📚 Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

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

Study Session: Mental Game & Endurance

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session-Mental-Game-Endurance

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 LearnWPT 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.

For more tips and videos from the Mental Game Session…
Click to Watch the Live Study Session Replay
Click to Review the Mental Game Curriculum

② Study Session: Preflop Strategy

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session-Preflop


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 LearnWPT 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

GTO First-In Hand Ranges - Tournaments


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 2023 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 chart for your seat. 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.

For more tips and videos from the Preflop Strategy Session...
Click to Watch the Live Study Session Replay
Click to Review the Preflop Strategy Curriculum

③ Study Session: Defense Strategy

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session-Defense


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 LearnWPT 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 all have unique considerations and hand range constructions that help you target specific opponents in position and develop criteria for check-raising frequent c-bettors.

For more tips and videos from the Defense Strategy Session…
Click to Watch the Live Study Session Replay
Click to Review the Defense Strategy Curriculum

④ Study Session: Postflop Considerations

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session-Postflop

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.

For more tips and videos from the Postflop Strategy Session…
Click to Watch the Live Study Session Replay
Click to Review the Postflop Strategy Curriculum

⑤ Study Session: ICM & Satellite Strategy

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session-Satellite-ICM

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 LearnWPT 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 is usually noted in the rules and structure sheet (see pages 66-74).

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 $40M GTD WPT World Championship with a starting chip stack of 20,000 and the "Milestone" is 230,000 chips. Once a player's chip stack reaches 230,000 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 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 site 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 $40M GTD WPT Championship, or other Wynn Festival events.

Wynn-Las-Vegas-Milestone-Satellite

Click here for the full schedule of satellites and tournaments

Tournaments have specific inflection points where the threat of elimination plays a large role in shaping decisions. Bubble, ICM, and Satellite Strategy are critical areas of study to make big scores and win seats to high buy-in events for small investments.

For more tips and videos from the ICM & Satellite Session...

Click to Watch the Live Study Session Replay
Click to Review the Satellite, ICM, and Bubble Curriculum

⑥ Study Session: Exploits and Intuition

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session-Exploits-Intuition

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 LearnWPT 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.

For more tips and videos from the Exploitative Play Session…
Click to Watch the Live Study Session Replay
Click to Review the Strategy Study Curriculum

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 the Live Study Sessions? Join for just $5 your first month of LearnWPT Membership!.

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

LearnWPT Students Train With 🌎 Champions

Video credit: Gino Payne

To kickoff the 2023 WPT Championship at Wynn Las Vegas LearnWPT Instructors and world-class Pros Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, Eric “Rizen” Lynch, and Tony Dunst are spending 2 days with 30 students of the game to get them Championship ready!

Video credit: Lee Cummings

After class students will take to the felt in an exclusive satellite where we are awarding 2 seats to the WPT Prime Championship.

Stay tuned for updates from our 2023 satellite winners!

LET'S GO TEAM LEARNWPT 🏆


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 Brand and Andrew’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.

Join The WPT 💰 Meet Up Games (MUG)

During the Premier Meet Up Game you'll have the chance to play with WPT Ambassadors and Icons including Phil Ivey, Vince Van Patten, Lynn Gilmartin, Tony Dunst, Matt Savage, Brad Owen, and Andrew Neeme (and special guests!).

Join the action December 1st at 9am PT in the Wynn Poker Room

On December 8th, ahead of the WPT Ladies Championship final-table finale, Jamie Kerstetter will once again be bringing the fun (and Mimosas) to the Wynn Poker Room for the Ladies Meet Up Game! This year, 19 splash pot prizes will be awarded during live-action play, ranging from gift bags to $1,100 WPT Prime Championship seats.

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

Join Jamie and special guests for a cash game and connect with women from all different poker backgrounds including weekend warriors, professional players, women’s poker community leaders, your favorite influencers and even brand-new players trying out the game for the first time. Players of all experience levels are welcome!

Join the action Dec 8th at 9am - 12pm in the Wynn Poker Room

1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ ClubWPT Members Take to the Live Felt

Congratulations and good luck to the 100+ players ClubWPT is sending to the 2023 WPT World Championship Events!

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

The ClubWPT WPT® Ambassador Tag Team Challenge - Watch WPT Ambassadors Andrew Neeme, Brad Owen, Lynn Gilmartin, Matt Savage, Vince Van Patten, and Tony Dunst, play LIVE with ClubWPT™ qualifiers for a $10,400 WPT World Championship seat.
December 9th at 12pm - 2pm in the Encore Ballroom

The ClubWPT Phil Ivey WPT® Duel - Watch Phil Ivey play heads up simultaneously with two ClubWPT™ qualifiers as they play for a chance to win a $10,400 WPT World Championship seat.
December 10th at 12 pm - 2 pm in the Encore Ballroom

🥳 WPT Thank You Players Party at AREA15

Players are invited to the Thank You Players Party at AREA15 on Sunday, December 11th at 8 pm - 1am!

To join the party, just present your tournament receipt from the WPT Ladies Championship, WPT Prime Championship, WPT World Championship, and satellite events. WPT will provide a free shuttle every 30 minutes from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm to AREA15 to help keep the party going. Team LearnWPT will see you there!


WPT 🏆 Final Table Play With Tony Dunst

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the TV cameras and show off your skills, we’ve got some important strategies to share to help you get ready.

Final Table Strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay-jumps and the prestige that only comes with winning a World Poker Tour title. Often players are unprepared for the pressure that comes with playing in front of an audience and for potentially life-changing money at stake.

When you are facing the pressure of big pay jumps and the studio lights seem just a little too bright, it’s important to stay focused and make objective decisions.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst for key insights on how the Pros perform on the big stage.

Here are a few tips to help sharpen up your game for showtime!

  • Be aware of stack sizes and pay jumps at all times, even the slightest changes in stack sizes can shift strategy dramatically
  • When short stacks exist, there is extra pressure on the bigger stacks to avoid busting out
  • The chip leaders can use this extra pressure to win many pots while the short stack is in play
  • As a medium stack vs larger stacks be cautious with any bets and raises and try to take marginal hands to showdown passively
  • Preflop ranges shift quite a bit at final tables due to this effect with big stacks playing much wider ranges and medium stacks much narrower ranges
  • Do not be afraid to ramp up your aggression against players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up


Not 1, Not 2, But 3 📺 Final Tables

The WPT Big One for One Drop, WPT Prime Championship and WPT World Championship Final Tables will be filmed for Television in the Latour Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas! Reserve a seat for free in the audience by contacting [email protected].

WPT-World-Championship-Vince-Van-Patten

Photo credit: Miguel Cortes

WPT Prime Championship: TV Final Table - Dec 19th at 4pm PT
Doors open at 3:30 pm and seating is first come, first serve

WPT Big One for One Drop: TV Final Table - Dec 20th at 4pm PT
Doors open at 3:30 pm and seating is first come, first serve

WPT World Championship: TV Final Table - Dec 21st at 4pm PT
Doors open at 3:30 pm and seating is first come, first serve

Not in Vegas? The 2023 WPT World Championship Festival includes a full livestreaming schedule spanning 14 days for poker fans around the globe to follow the action live from Wynn Las Vegas.

WPT-World-Championship-Final-Table-Stream

Photo credit: Miguel Cortes

The livestream schedule, from December 7th through December 21st, includes multiple final tables, high-stakes cash games, and five-day coverage of the $40 Million 2023 WPT World Championship.

Streaming on:
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/worldpokertour
📺 Twitch: https://twitch.tv/worldpokertour


Join Team LearnWPT at Wynn Las Vegas

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

Your LearnWPT Instructors Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, Brian Altman, Tony Dunst, Michael "Gags30" Gagliano, Johan Schultz-Pedersen, and Adrian Naggy will be at the Wynn and in the action.

LearnWPT-On-Tour-2023-WPT-World-Championship-Wynn-Las-Vegas

Follow and tag us on social media to let us know you are in the action, to show off your chip stack, or celebrate a deep run.

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT


Train With LearnWPT Champions for Just $5

Meet Team LearnWPT - Combined the LearnWPT Instructors have amassed 5 WPT Championships, 12 WSOP Bracelets, 6 WSOP Circuit Rings, 9 High Roller titles, 2 Poker Masters Championships, over $55 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!

LearnWPT-Team-Instructors-border

LearnWPT Members have access to over 100 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.




LearnWPT-Poker-Training

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

LearnWPT Poker Study Session: Intuition and Exploitative Play

WPT-World-Championship-Tony-Dunst

Photo credit: Drew Amato

Over the past 2 months Team LearnWPT hosted Poker Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each Study Session we provide Members with a curriculum that focuses on specific concepts essential for tournament success - our last Session is focused on Intuition and Exploitative Play!

First, watch the selected Episodes, play the WPT GTO Trainer packs, and write down any questions you have
Then join Team LearnWPT LIVE on Tuesday, November 28th at 6PM ET / 3PM PT to discuss the study session topics

Let's Get Started...

📚 Study Session 6: Intuition and Exploits

There’s no doubt that consistently training your game through studying Strategy Episodes, using Ask a Pro, and practicing with the WPT GTO Trainer will put you in a good position to play your best. However, in real-world games there are a wide variety of opponents and unique spots that will force you to make decisions in situations that might not have come up during your preparation.

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.

Our next Study Session is all about using your strategic knowledge to punish bad plays and cultivate your feel for the game.

Gags and Rizen will break down the tendencies you should be on the lookout for and the exploitative adjustments that are likely to net you more chips, or help avoid disaster and conserve your stack. We’ll also talk about how being prepared and staying present at the table can increase your intuition and elevate your play.


Save the Date: 📅 Live Session November 28th

Wynn-WC-Study-Session-Intuition-Exploits-Live-Webinar

Join Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael “Gags30”Gagliano for a LIVE Study Session on Tuesday, November 28th at 6PM ET | 3PM PT

Make sure you watch the selected Strategy Episodes, practice the suggested WPT GTO Trainer packs, and write down any questions you have. Join Rizen & Gags on November 28th to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

🤔 Send questions to [email protected] about Intuition & Exploitative Play and we’ll answer them during the Live Session.

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session6-Exploits-optimzd

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.


🐐 Exploitative Play With the G.O.A.T.

Tournament poker requires a unique blend of caution and ruthless aggression in order to maximize your chance of making a deep run and cashing for a big score.

Using a strict strategy based on sound theory will net some profit in the long run, however without the ability to adjust to obvious opponent mistakes and the guts to pull the trigger, it’s unlikely to consistently produce wins.

EP435-Exploitative-Play-Vanessa-Selbst

Long-term tournament crushers like Vanessa Selbst are looking for the earliest opportunity to take advantage of errors in play and aren't shy about applying aggression as their tool. If you’ve ever been on the opposing side of an assault by one of these masters, you know how paralyzing their pressuring style can be.

In this Strategy Episode Vanessa introduces key concepts of exploitative strategy and illustrates how specific betting pattern tells can be used to exploit even the most skilled players.


Not a Member?
Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes and attend the LIVE Study Session.


Train & Explain With Vanessa Selbst

Train & Explain Strategy Episodes give you an exclusive seat behind a LearnWPT Pro for 5 select hands from the WPT GTO Trainer to learn the "why" behind each decision.

And we've added an innovative twist: you'll play the same hands as the LearnWPT Pro for each Episode!

Test your decisions against one of the all time best players...

MP2 vs Button 1005 - optmzd.gif


The setup
: In a Tournament with 50 big blind stacks you open raise to 2.5BBs from Middle Position and the Button calls.

Start by playing the same 5 hands that Vanessa does from the WPT GTO Trainer then click the WATCH NOW button

Next, watch Strategy Episode 449 and follow along as Vanessa delivers expert analysis targeting bluff spots that will put your opponent to the test

Members can practice more hands from this scenario by playing the Cutoff Open Vs Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.


Live Reads and Tells With Tony Dunst...

Unlike Hollywood movies, you’re unlikely to encounter an opponent who broadcasts their hand strength by how they eat a cookie.

You’ll need to pay much closer attention to specific actions including bet-sizing, timing, and whether they are more interested in the game on TV than your 3-bet range from the Cutoff.

EP502-Live-Reads-Tony-Dunst

Maximizing your edge in tournament poker comes from focusing on subtle changes in process and glaring strategic errors that can tip your opponent’s holdings. Developing a profile based on these tendencies will allow you to make exploitative adjustments more effectively and can play a big factor in making close decisions against specific opponents much easier.

LearnWPT Instructor and WPT Commentator Tony Dunst describes the Top 8 Tells he’s observed in live poker and gives you tips on making Table Reads that will add profit to your bottom line.


Have a Strategy question?
Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the November 28th Live Study Session.


Start With a Pregame 🏋️‍♂️ Warm-up

Have you been in the Zone at the poker table? The feeling of effortless decision making and almost “knowing” your opponent's next move is exhilarating, yet can be elusive. One day you are on top of the world and can’t lose, and suddenly during your next session the feeling of invincibility is gone.

Fortunately there is a way to train so that you’re more likely to play your A-Game on a consistent basis.

EP293-Pregame-Warmup-Jared-Tendler

Building a process to track your current leaks and manage your emotional state is vital to accessing strategic knowledge under pressure and avoiding early mistakes. Much like an elite professional golfer, a proper Mental Game warm-up for poker will ensure that you are ready to hit the felt focused and ready to battle.

LearnWPT Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler provides the building blocks for an efficient Pregame Warm-up and describes why it is essential for growth in your game.

Tune Up Your Mental Game and Save!

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

BONUS: We are giving Study Session participants the chance to SAVE $150 on Jared's course (use promo code JARED150 at checkout) for a limited time, through December 1, 2023.

In this section from his course Mental Game Tune Up for Tournament Poker Jared tells you why it’s critical to have a process for preparing to play your A-game aside from studying strategy.

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!

Purchase this course today for just $499 (normally $649) and get lifetime access to the course videos, downloadable worksheets, quizzes, and interactive forums.

Use promo code JARED150 at checkout to receive the discount!


Extracting Maximum Value With Gags

Your 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.

EP524-Exploitative-Tournament-Play-Michael-Gagliano

LearnWPT Instructor Michael "Gags30" Gagliano explains how maximizing your opportunities against opponents when you have a defined read is vital to growing your stack during a multi-day tournament Championship event.

The difference between a small profit and a life changing score could lie in your ability to capitalize on obvious strategic errors. Watch as Gags 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.

Have a Strategy question? Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the November 28th Live Study Session.


Review Previous Poker Study Sessions Here!

Poker-Study-Session-GTO-Trainer


A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions.

You can rewatch any of the sessions right now by clicking the links below or on the Webinars Dashboard.

Study Session 1: Mental Game and Endurance
Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy
Study Session 3: Defense Strategy
Study Session 4: Postflop Considerations
Study Session 5: ICM and Satellite Strategy
Study Session 6: Exploits and Intuition

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT


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.

LearnWPT-Instrutors-Altman-Tony-Gags-Chewy

You must be a LearnWPT Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship Study Sessions and becoming a member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring 500+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools (and more).



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Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

On Tour: 2023 WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open

Hard-Rock-Hollywood-Hotel (1)

Team LearnWPT is back On Tour and returning to our home on the east coast at the incredible Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL for the WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Championship featuring a massive $3 Million Guaranteed prize pool.

The excitement is building as the WPT hopes for a repeat of the 2022 series where the Main Event prize pool soared to almost $5 Million and Andrew Wilson claimed $785,500 and the WPT Title!

Join your poker family for a bountiful feast of flops, turns, and rivers as grinders and shot takers descend on Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood to find out who will be crowned the next WPT Champion!

WPT-Seminile-RNR-Champion-Andrew-Wilson

WPT Main Tour stops at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood are legendary for smashing guarantees and awarding massive 1st place prizes and this year’s Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open should be no exception.

This is your chance to join what is sure to be a massive field of poker fans and pros chasing the Mike Sexton Champions Cup! If you are ready to jump in the action and want to parlay a small buy-in into a life changing score, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the Championship Event satellites starting as low as $150!


Championship Strategy From Team LearnWPT

Team LearnWPT is no stranger to success at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, with 2 of Brian Altman’s WPT Titles coming at the venue.

We are here to serve up a healthy portion of poker tournament tactics and tools to keep you focused and playing your best poker during the $3,500 WPT Championship Event. Check out the strategies in this blog and you’ll be ready to jump in the action.

🎸 Get In on the Action
🎸 Blind Battle With Brian Altman
🎸 Tony Dunst on Broadway
🎸 Get Final Table Inspired
🎸 Train With Champions LIVE
🎸 Show Us Your Stack

Get an edge on your competition with expert poker strategies from proven winners who know how to succeed when the pressure is on!

#TheCupAwaits 🏆


Get In on the Action …

WPT-Seminile-Hard-Rock-Roll-Poker-Open-2023-Schedule

The 2023 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Festival kicked off on November 15h with the $400 Deep Stack $2,000,000 Guaranteed opener.

There are plenty of lower buy-in events and a ton of satellites into the Championship Event, so you don’t have to stretch your poker bankroll to join the fun including a $200 buy-in event on Thanksgiving Day with a $3,500 seat to the WPT Championship Event added to 1st place!

📅 Festival Dates:
Start: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
End: Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Click here for the full Festival schedule

WPT-Seminole-Rock-Roll-Poker-Open-Table-Chips

Day 1A of the $3 Million Guaranteed WPT Championship Event starts on Friday November 24th and offers 2 full starting days plus re-entry format, Day 1B on November 25th - click for more information.

The $3,500 event features a super deep championship structure giving you plenty of chances to chip up and build a final table stack.

🗓️ WPT Championship Event Schedule:
➧ Day 1A Friday, November 24th starting at 11AM ET
➧ Day 1B Saturday, November 25th starting at 11AM ET
Day 2 Sunday, November 26th starting at 12PM ET
➧ Day 3 Monday, November 27th starting at 12PM ET
➧ Day 4 Tuesday, November 28th starting at 12PM ET
➧ Final Table Wednesday, November 29th starting at 2PM ET
Final table will be live streamed with 30-min delay

View ⚡ Live Stream on WPT Twitch, WPT YouTube or WPT.com

Jump into the action and compete for your share of this massive $3,000,000 Guaranteed prize pool.


Tips From Tony & Adrian

LearnWPT’s Tony Dunst and Adrian Naggy are huge fans of the poker action at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood and are excited to head back to this amazing venue.

Check out this chat from last year's festival to hear about Tony’s run in the Championship event and get some tips on structuring your study routine to avoid burnout and stay sharp for the $3M Guaranteed WPT Rock N’ Roll Poker Open.

P.S. if you see the guys on site be sure to say hi!


Battling From the Blinds With Brian Altman

Brian-Altman-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Roll-Final-Table

Practicing from the Blinds will have a dramatic impact on your tournament results, particularly in higher buy-in tournaments with tougher competition. Facing aggressive late position opponents with marginal hands, especially hands containing an ace with a weak kicker, often result in making huge mistakes.

3x World Poker Tour Champion and WPT Player of the Year Brian Altman is no stranger to tough battles playing from the blinds against the world’s best poker players.

Watch this LearnWPT Strategy Episode as Brian details his strategy from this spot from a $5,300 event at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood to demonstrate championship play from the Big Blind facing an aggressive and tricky player on the Button.


Tony Dunst on Broadway

WPT-Seminole-Rock-Roll-Tony Dunst

Broadway hands (any 2 card combo that can make an A-K-Q-J-T straight) are often preferred combos for taking aggressive actions like raising first-in to the pot and 3-betting. While sometimes the approach to play these hands can seem straightforward, there are often very close decisions with hands even as strong as top pair particularly when stacks are shallow.

LearnWPT Instructor Tony Dunst played 3 key hands during a WPT Main Event at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, and he took some time to break down the unique lessons from each spot.

Check out this Strategy Episode to learn the importance of position and SPR (Stack to Pot Ratio) when it comes to playing broadway hands as both the initial raiser and when defending the blinds. Tony shows you how the strategy shifts based on the situation and how a WPT Champion breaks down these spots to improve their play.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to gain access to LearnWPT Training featuring 500+ Strategy Videos (and more!)


Get Final Table Inspired

WPT-Seminole-Hard-Rock-Roll-Final-Table

LearnWPT Member Adrian Naggy and WPT Champions Club Member, Matthew Waxman called the Final table action of the 2022 Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open Championship Event as LearnWPT Instructor Brian Altman chased history & went for his 4th WPT Title!

Watch a WPT Championship in Action…

Are YOU Final Table Ready?

To make sure you are prepared to shine for the cameras and show off your skills, we’ve got some important strategies to share to help you get ready. Final Table Strategy can differ dramatically from the early stages of a tournament, especially with huge pay-jumps and the prestige that only comes with winning a World Poker Tour Title.

Brian-Altman-Seminole-Hard-Rock-2022-FT

Often poker players are unprepared for the pressure that comes with playing in front of an audience with life-changing money at stake. When you are facing the pressure of big pay jumps and the studio lights seem just a little too bright, it’s important to stay focused and make objective decisions.

Can You Stay Aggressive at the Final Table?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the $3M Guaranteed WPT Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Championship Final Table with big money and a title on the line.

How do you play your 30 big blind stack from the Button against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play?

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

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

Play hands from a WPT GTO Trainer Final Table Pack 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 by playing the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

Tips To Sharpen Up Your Game for Showtime

  • Be aware of stack sizes and pay jumps at all times, even the slightest changes in stack sizes can shift strategy dramatically
  • When short stacks exist, there is extra pressure on the bigger stacks to avoid busting out
  • The chip leaders can use this extra pressure to win many pots while the short stack is in play
  • As a medium stack vs larger stacks be cautious with any bets and raises and try to take marginal hands to showdown passively
  • Preflop ranges shift quite a bit at final tables due to this effect with big stacks playing much wider ranges and medium stacks much narrower ranges
  • Do not be afraid to ramp up your aggression against players that are playing tight in the hopes of laddering up

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.


Train With Poker Champions LIVE in Vegas!

Join LearnWPT Instructors Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger, Tony Dunst, and Eric "Rizen" Lynch this December 4th-5th for an immersive LearnWPT Live at Wynn Las Vegas Tournament Strategy Workshop which includes Lab Sessions and a freeroll satellite into the $5 Million Guaranteed WPT Prime Championship.

LearnWPT-Live-Wynn-Workshop-Dec-2023


Learn Championship Strategy for 2 days then test your skills against fellow classmates in an exclusive freeroll satellite with two (2) seats to $5M GTD WPT Prime Championship Main Event awarded to the 1st & 2nd place finishers.

Seating is limited to this Workshop... don't miss out!

Have questions about this Event? Contact us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.


Have FUN, Good Luck, and Good Playing!

Are you playing? 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 on the felt and in the action during the WPT Seminole Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll Championship Event or any 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.

Twitter @LearnWPT | Facebook @learnwpt | Instagram @learn_wpt

We love to hear how LearnWPT Students are doing!

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT

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



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Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

LearnWPT Poker Study Session: ICM and Satellite Strategy

WPT-Championship-Wynn-Las-Vegas- ICM-Satellite

Photo credit: Drew Amato

Over the next 2 months Team LearnWPT is hosting Poker Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each Study Session we'll provide Members with a curriculum that focuses on specific concepts essential for tournament success - our next Session is focused on ICM, Bubble, & Satellite Strategy!

First, watch the selected Episodes, play the WPT GTO Trainer packs, and write down any questions you have
Then join Team LearnWPT LIVE on Wednesday, November 15th at 6PM ET / 3PM PT to discuss the study session topics

Let's Get Started...

📚 Study Session 5: ICM and Satellite Strategy

The WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas is a unique opportunity for poker players who normally wouldn’t dream of spending $10K on a poker buy-in. Whether it’s through online satellites on ClubWPT.com and WPTGlobal.com, or by taking advantage of the many live opportunities offered by WPT partner casinos across the world, there are countless satellites where you can turn a small buy-in into a life changing score.

If you do secure a seat and make a deep run, you’ll need to be ready for some tough decisions that could mean the difference between making your buy-in back and tripling your bankroll. Adjusting your strategy for situations near the tournament money bubble, when facing big pay jumps, and approaching the final table will play a huge part in how many zeros are at the end of your payslip.

Our next Study Session will 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.


Save the Date: 📅 Live Session November 15th

Wynn-WC-Study-Session-ICM-Live-Webinar

Join Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Adrian Naggy for a LIVE Study Session on Wednesday, November 15th at 6PM ET | 3PM PT

Make sure you watch the selected Strategy Episodes, practice the suggested WPT GTO Trainer packs, and write down any questions you have. Join Rizen & Adrian on November 15th to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

🤔 Send your questions to [email protected] about ICM and Satellites and we’ll answer them during the Live Study Session.

WPT-World-Championship-Study-Session5-Satellite-Strategy

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.


🛰️ Satellite Into a WPT Championship Event!

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

Strategies for Satellites can be very different from a normal Tournament, and you’ll need to make some adjustments to your strategy that may seem strange compared to standard tournaments to help increase your edge in a satellite.

Use these strategies to sharpen your focus and maybe you’ll turn a few bucks into a huge payday...

Should You Play a Satellite Differently?

YES YOU SHOULD!

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.

EP133-Satellite Play

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


Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes and attend the LIVE Study Session.

Need Help Closing The Deal?

EP134-Satellite End Game

In this Strategy Episode watch and learn as Nick reviews several key hands from a Satellite tournament to highlight the unique adjustments during the endgame.


Have a Strategy question?
Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the November 15th Live Study Session.

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 is usually noted in the rules and structure sheet (see pages 66-74).

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 $40M GTD WPT World Championship with a starting chip stack of 20,000 and the "Milestone" is 230,000 chips. Once a player's chip stack reaches 230,000 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 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 site 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 $40M GTD WPT Championship, or other Wynn Festival events.

Wynn-Las-Vegas-Milestone-Satellite

Click here for the full schedule of satellites and tournaments

Tim Fiorvanti sat down with Wynn Executive Director of Poker Operations Ryan Beauregard and Tournament Director Ray Pulford to discuss the innovation of their Milestone Satellites - read more.

Test Your Satellite Skills!

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

You are playing a milestone satellite to the $40 Million guaranteed WPT World Championship Main Event 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?

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


Understanding Bubble Play

Deeper effective stacks and championship blind levels means that you will be playing speculative cards at a higher frequency and flopping your share of draws. With skilled opponents and a reentry available, the frequency with which your opponents are likely to be taking chances with this category of hands also greatly increases.

EP61-Bubble Play

Watch this Strategy Episode as LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger introduces Bubble Play and how to use aggression on the bubble in a tournament to help improve your chances of accumulating chips and maximize your ROI (return on investment).

Let's Take a Closer Look...

Bubble play is often the most challenging aspect of tournament poker, especially with millions of dollars at stake.

You hold Pocket Kings on the Final Table bubble of a Main Event and two players go all-in ahead of you. If you win the pot, you are the chip-leader. If you lose the pot, you are the short stack.

Sounds like a dream scenario?

EP238-WSOP Final Table Bubble

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick breaks down the action from an ultra-high stakes Final Table and provides detailed analysis of the strategic points considered when facing a $2 million dollar decision!


ICM Pressure on Preflop Ranges

Strategy adjustments for various tournament stages must consider the impact of ICM 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.

EP400-ICM Pressure on Preflop Ranges

Watch this 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.

Are You GTO Ready?

Picture yourself as one of 6 remaining players at the $5M Guaranteed WPT Prime Championship with big money and a title on the line. How do you play your 30 Big Blind stack against a call from a tough chip leader with two short stacks in play?

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 hands from a Final Table pack 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 by playing the 30BB Button Open Vs 70BB Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.


Review Previous Poker Study Sessions Here!

Poker-Study-Session-GTO-Trainer


A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions.

You can rewatch any of the sessions right now by clicking the links below or on the Webinars Dashboard.

Study Session 1: Mental Game and Endurance
Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy
Study Session 3: Defense Strategy
Study Session 4: Postflop Considerations
Study Session 5: ICM, Bubble, and Satellite Strategy
Study Session 6: Exploits and Intuition

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT



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.

LearnWPT-Instrutors-Altman-Tony-Gags-Chewy

You must be a LearnWPT Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship Study Sessions and becoming a member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring 500+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools (and more).



learnwpt logo black-transparent-cropped-resized

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

LearnWPT Poker Study Session: Postflop Strategy

WPT-Wynn-Study-Session-postflop-strategy

Photo credit: Drew Amato

In any given hand of tournament poker the community cards (flop, turn, and river) can change equities dramatically and quickly force difficult decisions for your entire chip stack.

Accurate assessment of ranges for each opponent based on position and how they enter the pot preflop play a vital role in your approach to postflop play. Recognizing the different types of board textures and analyzing how each changes the likely actions of your opponent is crucial for maximizing value on your big hands and avoiding costly mistakes deep in tournaments.

Over the next 2 months Team LearnWPT is hosting Poker Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each poker Study Session we'll provide Members with a curriculum that focuses on specific concepts and habits essential for tournament success and our 4th Study Session is focused on Postflop Strategy!

First, watch the selected Episodes, play the WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have.
Then join Team LearnWPT LIVE on Wednesday, November 1st at 6PM ET / 3PM PT to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Let's Get Started...


Study Session 4: Postflop Strategy

If you’re planning to make a deep run in the $5M GTD WPT Prime Championship or $40M GTD WPT World Championship (or both!), making sure your postflop strategy is strong and adaptable is crucial. There will be many deep-stacked spots postflop where you will be facing tough decisions and potentially have your tournament life in the balance.

Our next 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.


Save the Date: Live Session November 1st

Wynn-WC-Study-Session-Postflop-Live-Webinar (2)

Join Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano for a LIVE Study Session on Wednesday, November 1st at 6PM ET | 3PM PT

Make sure you watch the selected Strategy Episodes, practice the suggested WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have. Join Rizen & Gags on November 1st to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

🤔 Send us your questions to [email protected] about postflop strategies and we’ll answer them during the Live Study Session.

Webinar-WPTWC-Postflop

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.


Playing Draws

Deeper effective stacks and championship blind levels means that you will be playing speculative cards at a higher frequency and flopping your share of draws. With skilled opponents and a reentry available, the frequency with which your opponents are likely to be taking chances with this category of hands also greatly increases.

Having a default process for determining pot odds and hand equity in real-time eliminates the anxiety around poker math. Add these simple rules for calculating outs and equity and quickly determine the pot odds you need to be profitable with a draw in any situation.

Strategy-Episode-49

Watch this Strategy Episode as LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger gives you the key factors to consider when playing draws including playing from both in position and out of position pots.

Applying Pressure With Draws

Since you’ll be raising first-in with speculative combos at a higher frequency when deepstacked, it stands to reason that you’ll also be playing draws as the aggressor far more often.

While the math behind making your draws may be the same on the surface, there are several additional layers that dictate your strategy when leading the betting after flopping a draw.

Strategy-Episode-175

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick takes a deeper dive into the strategy behind playing draws aggressively including how a paired board can actually increase our hand equity.

🧮️ Time for a Math Lesson

Understanding Odds and Outs is a vital component to playing draws effectively. Here are some quick shortcuts to use on the felt when calculating Odds and Outs to simplify playing draws.

Outs - Rule of 2 and Rule of 4:

Rule of 2: Percentage of Hitting on the Next Card = Number of Outs * 2
Example: 8 Outs * 2 = 16% Chance

Rule of 4: (Calling an all-in with 2 or more cards to come only) Percentage of Hitting Next Card on Turn/River = Number of Outs * 4
Example: 12 Outs * 4 = 48% Chance

Adjustment over 8 Outs: Subtract number of outs over 8 from your Chance of Hitting
Example: 12 Outs * 4 = 48% Chance of Hitting
Example: 12 Outs - 8 = Adjustment of 4
Example: 48% - 4 = 44% Chance of Hitting

Rule of 2


Pot Odds -  Rules of Thumb:

When facing a pot sized bet the pot odds are always 2:1
When facing a half pot sized bet the pot odds are always 3:1
You can always round numbers to simplify
Compare Pot Odds vs Hand Odds. If Pot Odds are more favorable it is a profitable situation.

For more on poker Outs, Pot Odds, and Implied Odds check out...

  • Episode 37 Outs \ au̇tz \ noun: Any card that needs to come on the flop, turn, or river in order to improve your hand
  • Episode 39 Pot Odds \ pät ˈädz \ noun: A ratio comparing the size of the pot to the size of the bet
  • Episode 41 Implied Odds \ im-plī ˈädz \ noun: A ratio showing the relationship between the expected size of a pot and size of a bet


Have a Strategy question?
Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the November 1st Live Study Session.


Equity Advantage & Nut Advantage

What is Equity in Poker? The share of the pot that is yours based on the odds that you will win the pot at that point in play. Equity changes from street to street.

A solid understanding of equity helps you identify spots where you are ahead or behind enabling you to make the best betting decisions.

Strategy-Episode-290

In this Strategy Episode Nick Binger introduces the concepts of Equity and Advantage and Nut Advantage. Tune in as Nick describes these concepts in detail and reveals how key tenants of the LearnWPT game-plan naturally account for them in


Quick Tips For Equity Vs Nut Advantage:

  • Equity Advantage: When a given hand range has more equity vs an opponent hand range. The preflop aggressor will have the Equity Advantage in most cases
  • Nut Advantage: When a hand range has more combinations of cards that make the best possible hand on a given board vs an opponent's hand range.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes and attend the LIVE Study Session.


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.

Strategy-Episode-294

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.

Have a Strategy question? Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the November 1st Live Study Session.

Practice Your C-Betting Skills!

Visit your WPT GTO Trainer Dashboard and use the Refine Search to Filter by "Open Raise" under Situation. Want to be even more specific? Filter by Game Type, Hero Position, and Stack Sizes!

GTO-Refine-Open-Raise


Practice, practice, practice. This is how the best poker players in the world continue to improve. Make it a goal to play at least 25 hands per day (takes about 10 minutes) and use the LearnWPT Membership Features to help implement what you are learning. Use the concepts learned in the C-Betting Episode to determine the Ideal Action!

Helpful Tip: Click the ☆ symbol next to the name of a pack you like! Starred packs will be sorted at the top of your WPT GTO Trainer Dashboard in the YOUR FAVORITES section.


Put Your Postflop Skills to the Test!

1029-32-MP2-Open-vs-Big-Blind-Call-MTT

You are in the $5 Million Guaranteed WPT® Prime World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. You open raise from Middle Position to 2.5BBs with a 50BB Stack and it folds to the Big Blind who calls. Now what’s your plan on the flop??

Put your skills to the test with the WPT GTO Trainer and play 5 GTO solved hands from this situation. After playing get your score and a breakdown of the correct moves from Team LearnWPT!


LearnWPT Members can practice more hands from this scenario by playing the MP2 Open Vs Big Blind Call WPT GTO Trainer pack!

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

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.


Review Previous Poker Study Sessions Here!

Poker-Study-Session-GTO-Trainer

A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions.

You can rewatch any of the sessions right now by clicking the links below or on the Webinars Dashboard.

Study Session 1: Mental Game and Endurance
Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy
Study Session 3: Defense Strategy
Study Session 4: Postflop Considerations
Study Session 5: ICM, Bubble, and Satellite Strategy
Study Session 6: Exploits and Intuition

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT


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.

LearnWPT-Instrutors-Altman-Tony-Gags-Chewy

You must be a LearnWPT Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship Study Sessions and becoming a member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring 500+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools (and more).

You'll also get alerts and links to the Study Session curriculum and Webinar dates.



learnwpt logo black-transparent-cropped-resized

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

LearnWPT Poker Study Session: Defense Strategy

wpt-wc-study-session-defense-strategy

Photo credit: Drew Amato

Aggressive opponents and escalating blinds combine to create a paralyzing force during a major poker tournament, especially given the increased odds with a Big Blind Ante in play.

You will face raises with a high frequency throughout the course of a tournament and fortifying your defense strategy must be a big part of preparation. Focusing on the specific ranges that perform best in these spots and the typical postflop situations that result from Defense scenarios is essential to growing and protecting your chip stack.

Over the next 2 months Team LearnWPT is hosting Poker Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each poker Study Session we'll provide Members with a curriculum that focuses on specific concepts and habits essential for tournament success and our 3rd Study Session is focused on Defense Strategy!

First, watch the selected Episodes, download the charts, play the WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have.
Then join Team LearnWPT LIVE on Thursday, October 19th at 6PM ET / 3PM PT to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Let's Get Started...


Study Session 3: Defense Strategy

Poker tournaments with excellent structures like the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas are full of aggressive opponents who attack blinds and pressure opponents to build their stacks. If you aren’t prepared for this level of aggression or lack confidence when facing a raise from the Blinds or on the Button, the likely result is indecision and bleeding chips.

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.

🤔 Send us your questions to [email protected] about defense strategies and we’ll answer them during the Live Study Session.


Save the Date: Live Session October 19th

LearnWPT-Off-Felt-Webinar-May

Join Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano for a LIVE Study Session on Thursday, October 19th at 6PM ET | 3PM PT

Make sure you watch the selected Strategy Episodes, practice the suggested WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have. Join Rizen & Gags on October 19th to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Send us your questions to [email protected] about defense strategy and we’ll answer them during the Live Study Session.

Webinar-WPTWC-Defense

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.


🛡️ Defend Your Big Blind

The Big Blind Ante creates an increase in the frequency you should defend against a single open raiser. Increased pot odds preflop allows for Defending with shallower stacks more often, and the specific portions of your range that perform best across each stack size is constructed differently.

Upgrading your Big Blind Defense Strategy to focus on these specific stack size inflection points will reduce the stress around these decisions in real-time.

Defense-Strategy-Episode-463

Watch this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT Instructor Nick Binger for an in-depth look at Big Blind defense in tournaments with stacks ranging from 15BBs to 40BBs.

Tune in as Nick describes the strategy for each stack size based on open-raises from late, middle, and early position using detailed hand range charts* that you can download and use today.

Note: The advanced hand ranges featured in this Strategy Episode are the result of modifying Game Theory Optimal hand ranges to remove the need for randomizing and exclude some hand combinations that are infrequent in common live poker games.

Advanced Big Blind Defense - 15BBs-40BBs - Tournaments

Download the Big Blind Defense Hand Range Charts

Add the Big Blind Defense Strategy hand ranges to your study routine each day to build a mental snapshot of the hands you should call with against each position group across the stack sizes.

Use the Big Blind Defense charts to decide your response when facing a raise in the Big Blind against a single opponent and increase your chances of winning more chips in the Blinds.

Quick Tips For Using Hand Range Charts:

Note: The strategies outlined in the charts assume optimal responses from our opponents, and therefore may require some adjustment for player tendencies and raise sizes.

  • For example, all-in shoves (hands highlighted in dark red) with wider ranges as shallow stacks may be called at different frequencies with tighter or wider ranges.
  • You should raise with all hands highlighted in PINK. Do not call the minimum bet amount - RAISE!
  • Your raise sizing should be 3.5x-4x the total raise size - i.e. MP2 opens to 2x - your raise size should be 7BB to 8BBs total.
  • When calling (hands highlighted in GREEN), your default should always be to check first to act, even when you flop a huge hand. Defaulting to a check on the flop keeps your entire range balance and avoids betting pattern tells.

You’ll gain confidence vs aggressive opponents and have the tools to battle for tough pots from out of position!

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes, download the charts, and attend the LIVE Study Session.

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.

Defense-Strategy-Episode-515

Join LearnWPT 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

Have a Strategy question? Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the October 19th Live Study Session.


🔘 Button Up Your Defense

The Button is the most powerful position at the table and it should be a priority to play as many hands as possible when you are in that seat. By entering the hand on the Button, you secure ultimate position postflop and can deploy a wide array of bluffs and creative plays on many board textures.

While position plays a major factor in your ability to win, playing just any 2 cards is not viable and there still needs to be a structured response strategy to maximize value.

Defense-Strategy-Episode-405

In this Strategy Episode Nick Binger analyzes the hand ranges you should be using to Defend your Button in Tournaments. Watch as Nick details key range adjustments for each positional group and gives you shortcuts for adjusting to different player types in real-time.


*Note:
The advanced hand range charts featured in the Button Defense Episodes are the result of modifying Game Theory Optimal hand ranges to remove the need for randomizing and exclude some hand combinations that are infrequent in common live poker games.

Button Defense Range Charts

Download a copy of the Button Defense ranges introduced in this Strategy Episode to defend your Button facing a single open raise.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes, download the charts, and attend the LIVE Study Session.

Time to Test Your Button Defense Skills!

1011-14 Button Call Vs Cutoff Open - MTT

Picture yourself on the Button with a 50BB stack in the $5 Million Guaranteed prize pool WPT® Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. Action folds to the player in the Cutoff who open raises 2.5BBs.

Put your skills to the test with the WPT GTO Trainer and play 5 GTO solved hands from this situation. After playing get your score and a breakdown of the correct moves from Team LearnWPT!


LearnWPT Members can play more hands from this common Button Defense spot with the Button Call Vs Cutoff Open WPT GTO Trainer pack and see firsthand the importance of defending your Button.


Defending Your Small Blind...

Improving your play from the Small Blind can have a dramatic impact on your tournament game and help avoid leaking chips due to critical mistakes. Spend time studying your Defense Strategy from the Small Blind and improve your play from the toughest seat at the table.

Defense-Strategy-Episode-338

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick introduces a tool for your tournament game-plan, Small Blind Defense. Nick also provides detailed hand ranges and discusses your approach to defending the Small Blind in Tournaments.

Small Blind Defense - Tournaments

Download a copy of the advanced Small Blind Defense ranges introduced in this Strategy Episode to defend your Small Blinds preflop facing a single open raise in tournaments.

Have a Strategy question? Email them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the October 19th Live Study Session.

Put Your Small Blind Defense Skills to the Test!

You are in the $40 Million Guaranteed prize pool WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. A Middle Position player open raises to 2.5BBs and action is on you in the Small Blind with a 50BB stack. You call the raise. Now what’s your plan on the flop??

Tip: Members can practice Small Blind Defense strategy with the newly released Small Blind Call Vs MP2 Open WPT GTO Trainer pack!

1138-162-SB-Call-MP2-Open-optimzd
Pack 162 Hand Ranges (1)

Regular play on the WPT GTO Trainer will help you adjust your decisions closer and closer to GTO strategy.

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

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to play more WPT GTO Trainer scenarios like this.


Review Previous Poker Study Sessions Here!

Poker-Study-Session-GTO-Trainer


A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions.

You can rewatch any of the sessions right now by clicking the links below or on the Webinars Dashboard.

Study Session 1: Mental Game and Endurance
Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy
Study Session 3: Defense Strategy
Study Session 4: Postflop Considerations
Study Session 5: ICM, Bubble, and Satellite Strategy
Study Session 6: Exploits and Intuition

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT


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.

LearnWPT-Instrutors-Altman-Tony-Gags-Chewy

You must be a LearnWPT Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship Study Sessions and becoming a member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring 500+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools (and more).

You'll also get alerts and links to the Study Session curriculum and Webinar dates.



learnwpt logo black-transparent-cropped-resized

Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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

LearnWPT Poker Study Session: Preflop Strategy

Wynn-WC-Study-Session-Preflop

Photo credit: Drew Amato

There are only a few things you can actually control at the table during a hand of poker. By far, the most important is your ability to choose the right cards to play before the flop.

Knowing which hands to raise first-in with and how to adjust based on position and stack depth is the bedrock of winning tournament poker. Responding to aggression with the correct strategy is vital to accumulating a big stack and crucial to avoiding costly mistakes that can derail your Championship run.

Over the next 2 months Team LearnWPT is hosting Poker Study Sessions for Members to get their game ready to dominate the 2023 WPT® World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas.

For each poker Study Session we'll provide Members with a curriculum that focuses on specific concepts and habits essential for tournament success and our 2nd Study Session is focused on Preflop Strategy!

First, watch the selected Episodes, download the charts, play the WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have.
Then join Team LearnWPT LIVE on Wednesday, October 11th at 6PM ET / 3PM PT to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Let's Get Started...


Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy

Huge Tournament Series like the WPT World Championship 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 have a solid preflop, postflop, and defense game-plan.

Knowing how and when to make moves Preflop is one of the keys to getting a hold of chips in a poker tournament. Since simply deciding to bet, raise, or call based on “feel” is not a proven way to be a long-term winner, it’s essential to base your move-making on a solid theoretical base.

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.

🤔 Send us your questions to [email protected] about preflop strategies and we’ll answer them during the Live Study Session.

Know The Basics: Start With The 5 Keys 🔑

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

  1. Always be aware of your and your opponent's Position
  2. Know the Stack Depth and Effective Stack in terms of big blinds
  3. Assign Preflop Ranges (not a specific hand) based on each player’s position and how they entered the pot
  4. Note the Number of Opponents seeing the flop
  5. Understand the Board Texture and how it affects your next move


Get these 5 Key Basics down pat by watching these four LearnWPT Strategy 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
  • Multiway and Coordinated? You’ll likely see the strongest possible hands in a player’s range at showdown

🛑 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.

Preflop-Study-Session-Preflop-Strategy-EP305

Watch this Strategy Episode from LearnWPT 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

GTO First-In Hand Ranges - Tournaments


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 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 Hand Range Charts:

  • Use the Position Graphic to determine your position at the table and reference the appropriate chart for your seat. 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!


Have Preflop Strategy questions? Send them to [email protected] and we’ll answer them during the October 11th Live Study Session.


Opening Hand Ranges With 20BB Stacks

Grinding a 20BB stack can be a challenge, especially when facing tough opponents or players with huge stacks deep in a tournament. Playing this awkward stack size without a solid preflop strategy can often lead to needlessly busting in all-in confrontations or failing to get max value on big hands due to betting pattern tells.

Adding a balanced first-in hand range for 20BB will bolster the chances of spinning up a stack and getting back into contention.

Preflop-Study-Session-Preflop-Strategy-EP353

Watch this Strategy Episode as Nick describes how range composition changes as the Effective Stack Depth decreases and provides you with an easy to remember methodology for adjusting to opponents in real-time at the table.

Note: The advanced hand ranges featured in this Strategy Episode are the result of modifying Game Theory Optimal hand ranges to remove the need for randomizing and exclude some hand combinations that are infrequent in common live poker games.

Download the Brand-New GTO Hand Range Charts!

GTO First-In Hand Ranges - Tournaments - 20BB Effective Stack


For more in-depth hand range study focused on pure Game Theory Optimal (GTO) solver generated ranges and solutions at various stack depths, open sizes, raises sizes, and position visit the Tools Dashboard and the WPT GTO Trainer.

Not a Member? Join for just $5 your first month to watch the full Episodes, download the charts, and attend the LIVE Study Session.


3-Bet Defense in Tournaments: Facing 3x Sizing

Responding to aggression preflop in tournament play is a crucial skill to making deep runs, especially after you've open raised and are facing a 3-bet.

Your plan for deciding which hands to continue with and how aggressive to counter opponents preflop must be built on the same foundation as your first-in strategy to be successful.

Preflop-Study-Session-Preflop-Strategy-EP329

Review this LearnWPT Strategy Episode as Nick Binger breaks down the why and how behind 3-Bet Defense in tournaments, including detailed advanced hand range charts* when facing 3x sizing for you to download and study.


*Note:
The advanced hand range charts featured in the 3-Bet Defense Episodes are the result of modifying Game Theory Optimal hand ranges to remove the need for randomizing and exclude some hand combinations that are infrequent in common live poker games.

Advanced 3-Bet Defense - Facing 3x Sizing - Tournaments

Download a copy of the advanced 3-Bet Defense ranges introduced in this Strategy Episode to defend your 3-bets preflop vs 3x sizing.

3-Bet Defense in Tournaments: Facing 4x Sizing

Adjustment of range assessments based on raise sizing is an important concept that applies most often when facing 3-bets from out of position opponents.

Preflop-Study-Session-Preflop-Strategy-EP331

In Part 2 of this series on 3-Bet Defense in Tournaments Nick outlines considerations when we defend facing 4x raise sizing, including detailed advanced hand range charts* for use in your game-plan.


Advanced 3-Bet Defense - Facing 4x Sizing - Tournaments

Download a copy of the advanced 3-Bet Defense ranges introduced in this Strategy Episode to defend your 3-bets preflop vs 4x sizing.

Not a LearnWPT Member? Join now for just $5 your first month to watch this full Episode and download the ranges.


Time To Practice!

Imagine you are in the $40 Million Guaranteed prize pool WPT® World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas. You decide to open raise to 2.25BBs from Middle Position with A♠6♠ and the Button 3-Bets to 3x your original raise sizing.

You call the raise. Now what’s your plan on the flop??

Practice hands in this common preflop tournament spot with the MP2 Open Vs Button 3x 3-Bet 8-Handed WPT GTO Trainer pack and see firsthand the importance of your preflop decisions.

GTO MP2 Open Vs Button 3x 3-Bet 8-Handed
WPT GTO Trainer 201 Ranges

Practice, practice, practice. This is how the best players in the world continue to improve. Make it a goal to play at least 25 hands per day (takes about 10 minutes) and use these features to help implement what you are learning.

See how close you get to 0 EV Loss and high percentage plays!


Save the Date: Live Session October 11th

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Join Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Michael "Gags30" Gagliano for a LIVE Study Session on Wednesday, October 11th at 6PM ET | 3PM PT

Make sure you watch the selected Strategy Episodes, practice the suggested WPT GTO Trainer pack, and write down any questions you have. Join Rizen & Gags on October 11th to discuss the study session topics and to get answers to your questions.

Send us your questions to [email protected] about preflop strategy and we’ll answer them during the Live Study Session.

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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.


Tune Up Your Mental Game and Save!

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 course is a step-by-step guide to prepare your mental game for sustained success and get you ready for the WPT® World Championships or a series at your local card room.

BONUS: We are giving Study Session participants the chance to SAVE $150 on Jared's course (use promo code JARED150 at checkout) for a limited time, through November 1, 2023

In this section from his course Mental Game Tune Up for Tournament Poker Jared tells you why it’s critical to have a process for preparing to play your A-game aside from studying strategy.

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!

Purchase this course today for just $499 (normally $649) and get lifetime access to the course videos, downloadable worksheets, quizzes, and interactive forums.

Use promo code JARED150 at checkout to receive the discount!

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.


Review Previous Poker Study Sessions Here!

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A huge THANK YOU to every Student who’s joined us for the WPT World Championship Study Sessions.

You can rewatch any of the sessions right now by clicking the links below or on the Webinars Dashboard.

Study Session 1: Mental Game and Endurance
Study Session 2: Preflop Strategy
Study Session 3: Defense Strategy
Study Session 4: Postflop Considerations
Study Session 5: ICM, Bubble, and Satellite Strategy
Study Session 6: Exploits and Intuition

We’re in the home stretch now! Make sure to submit any questions or hands on trouble spots to Ask a Pro and we’ll get you ready to conquer Vegas.

Good luck and good playing,
-Team LearnWPT


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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You must be a LearnWPT Member to access and join the WPT® World Championship Study Sessions and becoming a member is easy! Click the red JOIN NOW button to get started.

As a Member you'll immediately gain access to LearnWPT Training and WPT GTO Trainer packs, featuring 500+ Strategy Videos, Downloadable Tools (and more).

You'll also get alerts and links to the Study Session curriculum and Webinar dates.



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Train → Play → Think → Like a Pro

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