• HOME
• BEST POKER TRAINING SITES
  • BEST POKER SOFTWARE
  • POKER NOTES LIVE APP
• POKER GUIDES
  • How To Play Poker – A Guide to Basic Poker Rules
  • How to Play Texas Hold’em – Master the Rules
  • Pot Odds In Poker – Master The Numbers
  • Top 10 Poker Strategy Tips From the Pros – A Complete Guide
  • Poker Statistics – Learn How To Master the Math at the Tables
• BEST POKER BOOKS
• MIXED GAME FESTIVAL
  • Mixed Games Poker Guide
  • Flop Games Guide
  • Draw Games Guide
  • Stud Games Guide
• MORE
  • ONLINE POKER ROOMS GUIDE
  • ONLINE POKER PAYMENTS
  • How to Run a Successful Charity Poker Event

Our Social Media

During a break at a live stop, in line for a coffee or a bathroom, you’ll hear lots of poker players retelling their bad beats or working out how they could have played their hand better.

“So I raise with pocket queens and the guy re-raises me. He’s pretty tight, so I call. Flop is ace something something. He bets again and I call. He bets on the turn again, I call. On the river, he goes all in. Have to fold right?”

Cool story, Hansel. However good-faith the retelling of this hand history (HH) is, the quality of this HH is absolutely brutal.

In this article, I’ll provide you with a universal method for sharing hand histories that saves everybody time and that will make you come off more competent next time you ask for their thoughts.

Everything You Need to Include in Pro-Level Poker Hand Histories

Aside from the obvious components of a poker hand history such as your hand and the line you took, there are several tidbits you want to include to make your hand history pro-level. These include things like:

• Positions: It’s imperative that you include positions of all relevant players. The short-hand for these are UTG or EP for first position, MP or LJ for middle position (usually 4 off the Button), HJ (2 from the Button), CO (1 from the Button), BTN for the Button, SB for Small Blind and BB for the Big Blind. If you were the opener, be clear about where you opened from etc. Make sure to state which position your opponents are in. For simplicity, you can just call your opponent the position they are in. For example, “BTN goes all in.”
• Stack Sizes in Big Blinds: For the relevant players in the hand, make sure to clarify what the effective stacks are in big blinds (noting if there is a stack asymmetry can be relevant too). It’s common in live settings for players to discuss hands using the big blind level and the chip counts. However, the best study practice is to discuss hand histories in big blinds. Instead of saying, “They raised from EP to 2400 at the 1200 level,” you can say, “They opened to 2bbs”. Sometimes, the chip counts and level are pertinent but most often, strategic discussion is best served talking in big blinds. You’ll want to restate stack sizes on each street as the pot size increases and stacks shrink.
• Detail the Action & Runout: If you open and your opponent re-raised, make sure to include what bet size they re-raised to. If you’re doing this in big blinds, it becomes a lot easier to keep track of the pot street by street. Also when recounting the runout, make sure to include the suits in your hand and on the board. Having relevant suits in your hand or in the runout can be important when gauging your play. Last, always say the high cards first. It’s Ace-King not King-Ace. It’s 54 suited, not 45 suited. The flop was A52 rainbow or “r”, not 5A2r.
• Previous History, Meta, Reads: Since the players you are discussing hands with were usually absent when your hand took place, it’s important to include any additional information like history with the villain, any reads you may have had, or anything that you thought was relevant at the time that they wouldn’t know without your disclosure. For example, some people will raise “any two” during the last hand before break if it seems like the players are antsy to stand up and leave. If you end up playing a hand right before break against a player who has this tactic in their arsenal, you’ll want to include that in your HH.
• Your Thoughts: When looking for advice or to improve, explaining your thought process will help others help you. You might have come to the right answer for the wrong reasons. To do hand history analysis well, you don’t just want to cover what happened but also what you were thinking as the action unfolded.

Poker Hand Histories: Syntax Matters!

To save you and your listeners time, you need to nail your poker hand history syntax. At first, it can feel mechanical trying to do it like professionals, but after a little practice it becomes very easy and will feel a lot smoother as you go forward.

Here’s a summary of the best syntax to use for poker hand histories:

1. Effective Stacks. “We’re playing 50bbs effective.”
2. Preflop Action including Position, your Combo and Bet Sizes. “CO opens to 2bb. From the BTN, I re-raise (or 3bet) to 6.5bb with KdQc. Folds back to the CO who calls.”
3. Summarize Pot Size and Effective Stacks. “So now the pot with the blinds and antes is 15.5bb and have 43.5bbs behind.”
4. The Flop with Suits and Detailed Action, including your Thoughts. “The flop is Tc6c4d. The CO checks. The board seemed dry enough to range bet and having the Qc is nice so I bet 4bb (Just over 25% pot). CO folds.

Were the CO to call in this example, you’d want to summarize the pot size on the turn and the remaining stacks again, and so on and so forth.

Being able to detail a poker hand this way makes it easier for everyone. You can avoid a lot of unnecessary questions by providing all the details in a clear manner from the outset of your HH. Not only that, but if you’re sharing the hand with someone whose game you respect, they will give you a little more credit for being serious about the game. It’s getting things like this right that add up in a poker player’s career. The little things count.

The 888poker LIVE tour is making its inaugural stop in Glasgow, Scotland, from March 13-23, 2025. This festival promises an exciting array of poker events, culminating in a £250,000 guaranteed Main Event. I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be heading to Scotland’s largest city to cover the 888poker LIVE Glasgow festival in person. It’ll be the first time I’ve attended and covered an 888poker LIVE event in over five years, the last being in Madrid back in 2020.

This marks the first-ever stop in Glasgow for the popular poker tour, and with a packed schedule, a vibrant venue, and an incredible city to explore, there’s a lot to look forward to. Over the next few days, I’ll be publishing an additional article detailing the things that I’m looking forward to most, but for now I’ve put together this feature-length event preview for those considering attending the festival re: what you can expect at and away from the felt.

888poker LIVE Glasgow: Highlights and Schedule

The 888poker LIVE Glasgow festival runs from March 13-23, 2025, at the Grosvenor Casino Glasgow, Merchant City, featuring a mix of events catering to all types of players with a total of over £600,000 in guarantees. Whether you’re a high-stakes grinder or a casual player looking for a fun weekend tournament, you’ll find something that suits your taste. And of course, the £888 buy-in Main Event, boasting a £250,000 guarantee, is sure to be the marquee happening.

There are a total of 11 individual events on the festival schedule. Here’s a full look at what’s on tap:

With four starting flights for the Main Event (including a turbo flight), there’s plenty of flexibility for players to take their shot at a deep run. The “Beat the Ambassadors” Bounty event should be another exciting highlight, bringing an extra layer of suspense and fun to the mix. Among other team pros, 888poker ambassador Ian Simpson is slated to be in attendance. Will you be the one to capture the bounty of the 2025 888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event champion?

READ MORE: Interview with Ian Simpson

Venue: Grosvenor Casino Glasgow, Merchant City

The action will take place at the Grosvenor Casino in Merchant City, a fantastic location right in the heart of Glasgow. From what I’ve read online and what I can see in the sizzle reel video below, this Grosvenor Casino seems to tick all the boxes, offering not just a well-run poker room but also a full-service bar, restaurant, and comfortable surroundings to unwind between sessions. Given its central Glasgow location, it’s also within easy reach of plenty of top-notch eateries and nightlife spots in the city.

Exploring Glasgow Beyond the Felt

One of my favorite aspects of poker travel is the opportunity to explore new cities, and Glasgow is definitely a place worth experiencing beyond the felt. Something I always enjoy when visiting new places is taking a free walking tour of the city. Beyond that, you should be sure to check out some of these highlights:

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum – A must-visit for anyone interested in history and art, featuring incredible exhibits spanning multiple eras.
• The Riverside Museum – If you love transportation history and interactive exhibits, this is a great stop.
• Buchanan Street – The perfect place for shopping and grabbing a bite at one of Glasgow’s many fantastic restaurants.
• Glasgow Green – A great place to get some fresh air, take a stroll, and unwind.

If you’ve got some more time to explore beyond the city limits, Loch Lamond (pictured below) and the Scottish Highlands come highly recommended and the capital city of Edinburgh is just an hour’s bus ride away.

Will I See You in Glasgow?

888poker LIVE Glasgow is shaping up to be a can’t-miss event. I’ll be there covering all the action, sharing updates, and hopefully getting in on the games myself a bit, both in the cash game and tournament streets! If you’re attending and see me on premises or out and about in the city, be sure to say hello. I always love meeting fellow poker fans and Cardplayer Lifestyle readers in person, and I’ll be happy to give you a free patch!

For more details and updates, check out the official 888poker LIVE Glasgow hub page. See you in Glasgow!

It’s a month of on PokerGO in March that includes the continuation of the newest seasons of High Stakes Poker and No Gamble, No Future. Tournament action doesn’t slow down either as PGT Mixed Games concludes before the inaugural Super High Roller Bowl: $100k Mixed Games.

The month concludes with the return of the PGT PLO Series and 10 livestreamed final tables

High Stakes Poker

The 14^th season of High Stakes Poker continues, and a new lineup of players take center stage and includes Phil Hellmuth, Jared Bleznick, Scott Seiver, Markus Gonsalves, Justin Gavri, Kento Mori, and Seth Gottlieb playing $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em.

After those two episodes, the month closes out with the highest-stakes game of the season. The $500 / $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em cash game is headline by Rick Salomon and Alan Keating. It also includes Justin Gavri, Peter Wang, Nik Airball, and Vinny Lingham.

Watch new episodes of High Stakes Poker on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

No Gamble, No Future presented by PokerStars

The sixth season of No Gamble, No Future continues with a $100/$100 No-Limit Hold’em cash game Ethan “Rampage” Yau, Justin Young, Randy “3Coin” Sadler, Alexander “Wolfgang” Seibt, Markus Gonsalves, Joel Prelog, Luiz “Brazil God” Rizental, and Paul Gunness.

Episode 4 and 5 of the season will see Shawn Madden replace Joel Prelong, and Matt Berkey replace Paul Gunness. The final episode of the month will be PokerStars-themed as Joe Stapleton and Caitlin Comesky headline a $25/$50 No-Limit Hold’em game featuring Kasey Mills, Sashimi Poker, Jimmy D’Ambrosio, Justin Young, and Shawn Madden.

Watch new episodes of No Gamble, No Future on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

PGT PLO Series

The fifth installment of the PGT PLO Series returns during March Madness from March 25 to April 5. The 11-event schedule will have buy-ins ranging from $5,100 to the $25,200 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship and be exclusively Pot-Limit Omaha event with four bounty events.

The player who accumulates the most PGT points throughout the series will be crowned the PGT PLO Series champion and awarded the PGT Gold Cup and a $10,000 PGT Passport. Previous champions have included Lautaro Guerra, Daniel Geeng, Samuli Sipila, and Matthew Wantman.

Watch PGT PLO Series final tables from March 26 to April, at 4 p.m. ET.

PGT Mixed Games

The fourth installment of PGT Mixed Games will take center stage inside the PokerGO Studio from February 25 to March 5, with seven events on the schedule. Buy-ins start at $5,100 and climb to the $25,300 10-Game Championship finale with every final table airing exclusively on PokerGO.com.

Poker variants include H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, 10-Game, Dealer’s Choice, and the introduction of Mori’s Mix; a rotation of one-winner limit games including Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, Badugi, and 2-7 Triple Draw. For the player that can accumulate the most PGT points throughout the seven-event series, they will be awarded the PGT Gold Cup and receive a $10,000 PGT Passport. Previous winners include Dan Zack, Chino Rheem, and Max Hoffman.

Watch PGT Mixed Games final tables from February 26 to March 5, at 4 p.m. ET.

Super High Roller Bowl: $100k Mixed Games

The inaugural Super High Roller Bowl: $100k Mixed Games will be a 10-Game rotation and feature some of the world’s best mixed game players. The three-day event will be livestreamed on PokerGO.

Watch SHRB: $100k Mixed Games from March 6-8.

Connect with PokerGO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Watch daily poker clips on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Join the conversation on the PokerGO Discord server.

Poker fans and collectors, get ready for something truly special! Chris Moneymaker, the Poker Hall of Famer who changed the game forever with his unforgettable victory at the 2003 World Series of Poker, is teaming up with Faded Spade, the premier brand in high-quality playing cards, to release his first-ever Chris Moneymaker Collectible Playing Cards. This limited-edition series, available only through a Kickstarter campaign, will launch today, Monday, March 3, 2025, and is a must-have for both poker enthusiasts and collectors alike.

A Very Special Deck of Poker Playing Cards

These aren’t your average playing cards. The Chris Moneymaker Collectible Playing Cards combine Moneymaker’s historic legacy with Faded Spade’s signature attention to detail and craftsmanship. Designed to celebrate the man who ignited the modern poker boom, the cards feature custom artwork, high-quality paper stock, foil accents, embossing, and metallic touches. The unique card back designs are inspired by the Moneymaker brand, making these decks as visually striking as they are functional.

Moneymaker’s impact on the game of poker is immeasurable, and these cards serve as a tribute to his role in shaping the poker world as we know it today. Whether you’re a poker player who’s admired his journey for years, a frequent player on the Moneymaker Poker Tour or a collector who appreciates finely crafted playing cards, these limited-edition decks are an opportunity to own a piece of poker history.

Three Unique Editions to Choose From

Fans will be able to choose from three exclusive editions of the collectible decks: the Signature Edition, the Old School Edition, and the Limited Edition. Each deck features unique artwork and special design elements that reflect different aspects of Moneymaker’s poker journey and the modern poker boom. Whether you’re drawn to the sleek and sophisticated look of the Signature Edition, the nostalgic throwback of the Old School Edition, or the ultra-rare allure of the Limited Edition, there’s something for everyone.

The cards have been designed with not only aesthetics in mind but also the durability and quality that poker players demand. Faded Spade is known for producing some of the highest-quality playing cards in the industry, and these decks live up to that reputation. They’re made to last, ensuring that whether you’re playing poker with friends or displaying them in your collection, they’ll stand the test of time.

Limited-Time Exclusives and Rare Collectibles

As if the collectible decks weren’t exciting enough, backers of the Kickstarter campaign will also have access to exclusive add-ons, including autographed full deck cut-sheets. These rare collectibles feature the uncut layout of the playing cards before they are sliced and packaged into individual decks. It’s a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating the cards and a true gem for any die-hard Moneymaker or poker fan.

The cut-sheets are sure to become a highly sought-after item in the poker community, as they give a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the creation of these beautifully crafted decks. Whether you’re a casual player or a serious collector, this is a chance to own a truly rare piece of poker memorabilia.

A Celebration of Poker’s Past, Present, and Future

“I wanted to create something that would let poker fans and collectors experience the Moneymaker legacy in a new and exciting way,” said Chris Moneymaker. “These decks are more than just playing cards; they’re a piece of history. I’m proud to work with Faded Spade to offer something unique that will resonate with both long-time poker fans and new generations of players.”

Faded Spade CEO Tom Wheaton echoed the sentiment, saying, “Chris Moneymaker didn’t just win the World Series of Poker in 2003—he changed the entire trajectory of the game. We wanted to craft decks that reflect his legacy and influence on the poker world. These collectible playing cards represent the perfect blend of history and quality. With Faded Spade’s commitment to detail, we know poker fans will be thrilled to get their hands on these decks.”

Limited Time Only – Get Yours Before They’re Gone

The Kickstarter campaign will run for a limited time, offering fans and collectors the chance to secure these exclusive Moneymaker playing card decks throughout the month of March. Once the campaign ends, the decks will no longer be available, making this a rare opportunity to own a tangible piece of poker history. So if you want to get your hands on a limited-edition deck, be sure to act fast!

The campaign will offer plenty of early bird rewards and special pricing, so poker fans should keep an eye out for the chance to grab their decks before they sell out. Whether you’re a casual home game player, a poker tournament aficionado, or a passionate collector, these decks are something you won’t want to miss.

CoinPoker, the trailblazing blockchain-based online poker platform, has unveiled an exciting new partnership with Ryan Depaulo, a poker player known for his entertaining and unconventional style. This collaboration aims to bring Depaulo’s dynamic personality and creative content to the CoinPoker community, offering fans and players a fresh and engaging experience on the platform.

Meet Ryan Depaulo: The Relatable Poker Star

Ryan Depaulo isn’t your typical poker pro. He first made waves in the poker world when he won a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet in 2020 while famously playing from a parking lot. This unforgettable achievement showed his dedication and highlighted his unique approach to the game. Depaulo’s mix of skill, humor, and raw authenticity has since earned him a dedicated fanbase.

In addition to his poker accolades, Depaulo has built a reputation as a content creator who brings something different to the table. Whether through his YouTube videos or Twitch streams, he connects with viewers by sharing his highs and lows in an honest and often hilarious way.

SOMEHOW GOT ANOTHER POKER JOB
LFG!

Sign up using Code RDP for entry into a $5k kickoff free-roll Feb 3rd 7PM ET!

With $100 bounties on me, dlaz, and other special surprise guests, no deposit needed just gotta be under code.
Very grateful and excited! https://t.co/IQOLsfYZDl

— Ryan Depaulo (@depaulo_ryan) January 25, 2025

His fans love his unpredictable style and his ability to bring lighthearted fun to the sometimes-serious world of poker.

Depaulo’s excitement about this new venture is evident. Sharing the news on social media, he posted, “SOMEHOW GOT ANOTHER POKER JOB LFG,” a statement that perfectly captures his enthusiastic and self-aware personality. His fans have already shown their support, eager to see how he’ll shake things up with CoinPoker.

The Partnership: What It Means for Players

For CoinPoker, this partnership is about more than just adding a high-profile ambassador. It’s about building a bridge between the platform and a wider audience of players who value both entertainment and innovation. Ryan Depaulo’s ability to entertain and engage aligns perfectly with CoinPoker’s mission to make poker accessible and fun for everyone.

Depaulo will take on a central role in creating content for CoinPoker, including streaming sessions, giveaways, and special rollovers. His distinctive voice and storytelling style will add a personal touch to the platform, bringing in both seasoned poker players and those who are new to the game.

The Video Poker Legend and WSOP Winner from a Parking Lot @depaulo_ryan joins the CoinPoker crew! 🔥

He’s gonna be streaming.🎥
He’s gonna be doing backflips (okay, not really). 🤣
And showing up at your local poker home games (probably not, but we can hope!). 🏡

👉 Use… pic.twitter.com/23mIAuKPLY

— CoinPoker (@CoinPoker_OFF) January 25, 2025

The partnership reflects CoinPoker’s commitment to putting the community first. With Depaulo onboard, players can expect a more interactive and lively experience. Whether it’s through exclusive events or entertaining content, this collaboration is set to enhance the overall experience for CoinPoker users.

A New Chapter for CoinPoker and Ryan Depaulo

This partnership marks an exciting milestone for both CoinPoker and Ryan Depaulo. By combining Depaulo’s relatable charm with CoinPoker’s cutting-edge platform, they are poised to create something truly special for the poker community. Whether you’re a hardcore poker fan or just enjoy great content, this collaboration promises to bring more excitement to the game.

About CoinPoker

CoinPoker has been pushing the boundaries of online poker since its launch in 2017. Unlike traditional platforms, CoinPoker integrates blockchain technology to offer secure, fast, and transparent gameplay.

Players can use cryptocurrencies like USDT, ETH, BTC to deposit and withdraw funds instantly and anonymously. In around 20 countries player can also optionally now use fiat deposits, if they prefer to do so.

The platform also offers multiple bonuses, including a 150% welcome bonus of up to 2000 USDT. Players are also able to earn 33% rakeback weekly along with regular competitions that keeps them engaged.

The platform is also committed to fairness. Its decentralized random number generator ensures every game is provably fair, giving players peace of mind while they focus on their strategies. This approach has helped CoinPoker build a loyal community that values trust and innovation.

CoinPoker also prioritizes player privacy, allowing users to play without invasive identity checks. By blending technology with a focus on community, the platform has positioned itself as a leader in the evolving world of online poker.

A typical tradition among restaurant owners and some other businesses is to frame the first dollar bill they make upon setting up shop. Even the great Scrooge McDuck, of fictional cartoon fame, fondly recalled “me number one dime!” on many occasions. No matter how successful an enterprise one ends up growing, there’s just something uniquely special about the first time you’ve made money. So, too, for a poker player, however much money you end up making over your career, there’s just nothing quite like that first time you rake in a pot or cash in a tournament.

I’ve been playing poker since I was eight years old. I’ve raked in many, MANY a pot over the years, but tournament success has always eluded me. That’s not to say “I tend to fare better in cash games than I do in tournaments,” or that “I’m missing that big signature win.” Rather, I mean it quite literally: I have never experienced ANY tournament success whatsoever. Not a single cash!

How to Explain a 20+ Year-Long Poker Tournament Dry Spell

We all know the oft-cited stat that “even the best players only cash approximately 20% of the time in tournaments.” Well, I’m certainly under no illusions that I’m “one of the best”. But even if I’m just an average or below-average player, a big fat “$0” in lifetime cashes is tough to explain. It’s that much more difficult to “justify” considering how involved and active I have been in the poker world since starting Cardplayer Lifestyle over 15 years ago and making this my full-time work since 2017.

Believe it or not, though, the main reason why I have never cashed in a poker tournament for over 20 years actually has relatively less to do with luck, or dare I even also say skill, than it has to do with something else entirely: volume, or more precisely “lack thereof”.

After endless agonizing, I made an important decision and took action today.

I don’t have the luxury of showing up to play poker every day but, to the extent I’m able, I’m committing to make 2025 be “the year of volume”.

I’m hungry, and it’s about time we “get lucky”! 🚀📈💰🔥 https://t.co/XW5tQhcUhw pic.twitter.com/QgPrD9SApp

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) February 3, 2025

While there’s a part of me that has always wanted to play lots and lots of poker tournaments, “real life” has always gotten in the way. I’ve lived in Israel since I was 16 years old, and we unfortunately have no casinos or poker rooms in the country. Thus, while I have regularly played in home games for decades, the only chances I’d even have to play poker tournaments would necessitate a flight abroad.

Pause to think about that for a moment. Realize how fortunate you are, dear reader, to not have to fly to a different country(!) if you want to get your poker fix. How lucky you are to be able to hop into your car (or take public transportation) and just head over over to the nearest poker room. Even if it’s a 4-hour journey! What I would give to even have a single poker room that I could drive to from my house… but I digress.

If I’m on a family trip abroad, slipping away to a poker room, even just for an hour or two, is not typically something that’s, ahem, in the cards. And even on the occasion during a trip that I could justify a short cash game session, sacrificing family time to hop in a potentially hours-long tournament is just not something I’d ever consider doing.

That leaves my work trips abroad. By definition, what comes first during a work trip is… work! The typical work I do abroad consists of covering poker events or hosting the Mixed Game Festival. I can’t play while I’m working. It’s a huge -EV move to risk hopping into a tournament with a likelihood of potentially being needed for something work-related.

Oh, and most of you surely know by now that I’ve always preferred mixed games, almost to the complete exclusion of Texas Hold’em. So even if and when I do have the time and ability, I really only want to play in mixed game tournaments.

Finally, as an Orthodox Jew, I don’t play poker on the Sabbath. That means any tournament that could potentially stretch into the Friday night-Saturday night period is out of bounds for me; I just won’t enter it in the first place.

So that’s the context, my friends. That’s the all-encompassing set of reasons and circumstances — a very tight and limited set of parameters — that have determined I’d be a lifelong cash game player. Getting to play in a poker tournament is an ultra-rare treat that has only happened when the stars perfectly align; when I’m on a solo trip abroad with enough time in my schedule that I can clear for tournament play. This has happened altogether approximately 25 times since I turned 21 years old (and about 80% of those were mixed game tournaments).

Every Poker Tournament I Play is an Adventure

The occasions are so rare that I just want to hold on to every single one and never let them go. Each tournament I play is such a treasure to experience that I have felt compelled to record and document it, sometimes through pictures on social media, and sometimes right here on Cardplayer Lifestyle. Occasions such as the first time I played in a WSOP bracelet event. Or the WPT “Sea-HORSE”. Or the one mixed game tournament I could afford (time- and money-wise) to play at the PokerStars Players Championship in the Bahamas.

Every time I visit Las Vegas I (re)start thinking about finally getting to “take some shots” in mixed game tournaments.

I do, genuinely, think I could see some success.

Unfortunately, finding/dedicating the time is always the issue; between family + work it’s just too tough. pic.twitter.com/pzBePGp80E

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) December 21, 2022

Alas, none of those big marquee events saw me take down any bracelets, trophies or trinkets. Nor did any of the dailies or one-off special events I’ve played in see the name “Robbie Strazynski” listed alongside those of others who cashed. That’s just the nature of variance in poker tournaments. I’ve gotten close a few times, but my best finish was three spots outside the money.

Someone more typical on the poker tournament-playing spectrum would likely play in the same 25 tournaments across the span of anywhere from 1-4 months. And it’s not atypical to hear of a lengthy “dry spell” of that nature (e.g., “I’m 0-for-25 during the WSOP”). But my 25 tournaments have taken place across 20+ years. A two-decade-long “dry spell” is a very bitter, sour, and frustrating thing to have to live with day in and day out for all those long, long days, weeks, and months in between opportunities to try again.

You start to think you’re cursed. You start to think that it’s just never meant to be. You start to think you are, in fact, destined to never ever get a HendonMob profile, no matter how many times you try, no matter how hard you play. And you live with that feeling eating at you, living rent-free in your head for years and years because nothing ever changes. No flag. No result. As though you weren’t even there and never showed up to play in the first place.

Then arrived the glorious evening on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

The $150 T.O.R.S.E. tournament (2-7 Triple Draw, Omaha 8 or Better, Razz, 7-Card Stud, and 7-Card Stud 8 or Better) that I played in yesterday at the Orleans Casino here in Las Vegas also had its fair share of adventure. For starters, it was the first time I ever late-regged a tournament. To a serious recreational player like me, starting on time means you get to have the full tournament experience; that’s what I want. But I had been in the middle of a mixed cash game yesterday that only broke up after the tournament had begun. With no other mixed game action available to me that day, I decided to grab a quick bite to eat and then enter the TORSE-ament (about 2 hours late).

I was one of 55 entries into the $4k GTD event. The 6-handed affair featured a 7-handed final table, where everyone making it to that stage of the tournament would win some money.

Some Memorable Tournament Hands

The Good: By 5th street in a Stud 8 hand, I had made a wheel: Ad2d | 5h4h3d. Two opponents remained in the hand for 6th street, where I caught the 4d. One opponent, showing a likely flush, remained for 7th street and called my bet, only to see that I had binked the 5d for a steel wheel; a straight flush, to scoop a huge pot.

The Bad: Coasting with an average-sized stack with 10 players remaining, holding A245 in Omaha 8 and the board comes 99A rainbow. I stupidly decide to stick around “just in case” and the turn brings a 3. Now I HAVE to call with the wrap wheel + nut low draw. Blank on the river and heads up, I stupidly call “just in case” again (the pot was “so big” 🤦‍♂️)… and lost about half my stack to his AKxx. At that stage of the tournament, the collection of moves was about the stupidest thing I could’ve roped myself into doing. The deck didn’t bail me out, and I was forced to play desperate, short-stack poker to try and sneak into the money.

The Ugly: Starting out with 99 | 9 in 7-Card Stud, rather than full-throttle the gas throughout the hand, out of concern that my hand would seem “face up” if I’d do so, I let my opponent lead the action throughout and didn’t begin raising until 5th street. (Remember how I said earlier that I’m certainly not among the best players in the world? 🤣) By then, it was too late, as he had a low draw and ended up hitting a flush on 7th street to scoop me.

With eight players left, short-handed play at two tables with rising blinds and three games featuring compulsory antes ate hungrily at my chip stack. You can only imagine the internal panic coursing through me as I feared “no, please Gd NO! Not again. I will NOT bubble this tournament! I do not want to carry this monkey on my back for even a single moment longer!”

We were hand for hand for about 20 minutes, but it cost us 40-minutes in tournament clock time, when finally, mercifully, the bubble burst… and I didn’t have to pack up my bag and take yet another walk of shame.

Visions of Poker Glory, Through a Teary-Eyed Lens

I’m still that guy who dreams of instantly becoming rich through a big poker win. It doesn’t even make any logical sense to do that in my particular situation, but I dream on nonetheless. I had dreamed that when the “big first tournament cash” finally came, it would be in a WSOP bracelet event, along with a six-figure payout; life-changing money to me. My family and friends would be there — having flown in from Israel and other places around the US to watch me achieve that glorious championship moment.

But my life changed on a far more humble stage. The top prize I was shooting for was just over $2,400 and I whiffed on that. There was no cheering in the stands “Ro-bbie, Ro-bbie, Ro-bbie!” — there wasn’t even a rail. Nobody at the final table even realized what me making that final table had meant to me. Nobody realized how close I was to breaking down in tears when the bubble burst. The player on my right, however, did have a good belly laugh at the deep breath I expelled when the eighth place finisher existed the arena.

I managed to ladder up one more spot to eventually bust in sixth place for $380. My remaining 1BB was all in in 2-7 Triple Draw, and my 97 couldn’t hold against a better hand. GG, Robbie.

I couldn’t help myself, so I politely asked the remaining five players if I could hit the record button:

And then, the tears started flowing.

I cried by myself at an empty table. I cried walking to the car as I video-called my wife, Miriam, to share the news. I cried again when my Dad called to congratulate me after seeing my Facebook post. I actually teared up AGAIN a few when some people very, very close to me congratulated me on the achievement. Hundreds upon hundreds of people have engaged with my posts on Facebook and X where I “let the world know” that it happened.

And you know? It IS an achievement. Because it’s not about the $380. It felt like I won a million dollars that night. Had it actually been more money, that would’ve been icing on the cake.

But it was actually just about breaking through. Shattering that damn brick wall that I could never overcome. Forever that memory has finally been banished to the rail.

On to the Next One, with a Sweet, Sweet Smile

Who can forget Phil Ivey’s reaction to Brad Booth’s placing of three massive bricks of hundreds dollar bills on the poker table during that fabled old episode of High Stakes Poker? “That cash just looks so sweet,” said Ivey, as he contemplated making a call with KK for $300,000.

Yeah, man. That (first) cash just looks SO sweet. 🙂

Tonight, I did a thing.

Finally, for the first time in my life, I cashed in a poker tournament. 💰

I estimate that I have played in about 25 tournaments since turning 21.

You cannot possibly fathom how incredible it feels to get this monkey off my back after 22+ years. pic.twitter.com/KQpuWKbUzX

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) February 26, 2025

I don’t have one of those frames to display “my first dollar”, but I do have a keyboard with which to enshrine special memories with words. And while this story took me almost 2,500 words to tell, it’s one that has obviously been decades in the making. I might’ve taken me 43 years, but Robbie Strazynski is finally in the money!

I’ll leave you all with this: There was another guy in the poker world who also only recorded his first tournament cash at age 43, and he did pretty well for himself when “the dealin’ was done”. Maybe my poker tournament future is also a bright one after all.

This gives me hope, Norman. I’m 43 years old, and still no official tournament cashes. ❤️ It’s about damn time to start racking them up 👍#RIPMiami

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) February 11, 2025

Play Casino has compiled a list of the most gambling-obsessed states in the US, based on per capita gross gaming revenue (GGR), highlighting regions where gambling is a significant economic and cultural activity. GGR includes revenue from casinos, sports betting, and online gaming where legal, adjusted for population to show intensity.

Their analysis provides a comprehensive examination of the top 10 US states with the highest per capita gross gaming revenue (GGR), identifying those most “gambling-obsessed” based on their engagement with casino gaming, sports betting, and online gambling (iGaming). GGR, the amount gambling operators win from players, serves as a proxy for gambling activity, adjusted for population to reflect intensity. The analysis draws on data from 2023, ensuring relevance for current trends, and includes methodological considerations, state-specific insights, and unexpected findings.

Methodology and Data Sources

The analysis began by compiling total GGR for each state, encompassing casino gaming, sports betting, and iGaming where legal. Data for casino GGR was sourced from Statista Casinos, which includes both commercial and tribal casinos for 2023. Sports betting revenue was gathered from Covers Sports Betting, and iGaming revenue from PlayUSA Revenue, focusing on states with legal online casino operations. Population data was obtained from the US Census Bureau’s 2023 estimates via Populationdata.org.uk to calculate per capita GGR.

The challenge was aggregating data across different gambling types, as not all states have legal sports betting or iGaming. For states without reported iGaming (e.g., Iowa, Mississippi), only casino and sports betting revenues were included. Estimates were cross-checked with state gaming commission reports, such as the West Virginia Lottery Commission and Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, to ensure accuracy. The per capita GGR was calculated by dividing total GGR by the state’s population, providing a normalized measure of gambling intensity.

Findings: Top 10 Most Gambling-Obsessed States

The following table summarizes the top 10 states, their total GGR, population, and per capita GGR for 2023, ranked by per capita GGR:

Detailed Analysis by State

• Nevada: With a per capita GGR of $4,822, Nevada is the undisputed gambling capital, driven by Las Vegas and Reno’s extensive casino offerings. Its total GGR of $15.5 billion includes $14.8 billion from casinos and $700 million from sports betting, reflecting its status as a tourist destination where gambling is a cultural cornerstone. The state’s population (3.21 million) amplifies its per capita figure, making it a magnet for both locals and visitors, as reported by Forbes Nevada Record.
• New Jersey: Ranking second with $622 per capita, New Jersey benefits from Atlantic City’s casinos ($2.85 billion GGR) and a robust iGaming market ($1.92 billion), plus $1.01 billion from sports betting. Its population of 9.29 million supports a diverse gambling ecosystem, with online platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel driving high engagement, especially post-COVID, as noted by NJ Gaming Enforcement.
• Mississippi: Third with $797 per capita, Mississippi’s $2.35 billion GGR ($2.3 billion from casinos, $50 million from sports betting) reflects its riverboat casinos, particularly in Biloxi and Tunica. With a population of 2.95 million, its high per capita ranking highlights regional gambling enthusiasm, drawing visitors from neighboring states, as per Casino.org Mississippi.
• Pennsylvania: Fourth at $440 per capita, Pennsylvania’s $5.7 billion GGR ($2.46 billion slots, $972 million tables, $1.74 billion iGaming, $459 million sports betting) underscores its status as a gambling powerhouse. Its 12.97 million residents support numerous casinos like Parx and Rivers, with iGaming adding significant revenue, as reported by PA Gaming Control Board.
• Louisiana: Fifth with $588 per capita, Louisiana’s $2.7 billion GGR ($2.4 billion casinos, $300 million sports betting) is driven by New Orleans and riverboat casinos. Its 4.59 million population shows a strong gambling presence, with Mardi Gras and tourism boosting activity, especially in urban centers, as per Statista Casinos.
• Michigan: Sixth at $556 per capita, Michigan’s $5.6 billion GGR ($3.9 billion casinos, $500 million sports betting, $1.2 billion iGaming) reflects its legal gambling expansion. With 10.08 million residents, Detroit’s casinos and online platforms like BetMGM contribute to its ranking, showing a growing gambling appetite, as noted by MGCB News Release.
• Delaware: Seventh with $475 per capita, Delaware’s small population (989,000) and $470 million GGR ($400 million casinos, $20 million sports betting, $50 million iGaming) make it a standout. Its early adoption of iGaming and casinos like Dover Downs amplify per capita figures, despite limited scale, as per Statista Casinos.
• Iowa: Eighth at $406 per capita, Iowa’s $1.3 billion GGR ($1.1 billion casinos, $200 million sports betting) serves its 3.2 million residents. Casinos in Council Bluffs and Des Moines, plus sports betting, indicate steady gambling interest, though not as intense as coastal states, as reported by Iowa Racing and Gaming.
• Maryland: Ninth with $396 per capita, Maryland’s $2.45 billion GGR ($2.2 billion casinos, $250 million sports betting) reflects its 6.18 million population. Baltimore’s casinos and sports betting, especially around NFL games, contribute to its gambling culture, though less dominant than neighbors, as per Casino.org Maryland.
• West Virginia: Tenth at $391 per capita, West Virginia’s $701 million GGR ($551 million casinos, $50 million sports betting, $100 million iGaming) serves 1.79 million residents. Its emerging iGaming market and casinos like The Greenbrier mark growing gambling activity, particularly in rural areas, as noted by WV News.

Challenges and Limitations

The primary challenge was aggregating data across gambling types, as not all states report iGaming or sports betting uniformly. For instance, tribal casino revenues in states like Oklahoma were included in Statista’s figures, potentially skewing comparisons with states relying on commercial casinos. Additionally, GGR reflects operator wins, not total customer expenditure, which varies by house edge (e.g., 5-10% for slots, 2-5% for table games). This means per capita GGR may underrepresent actual gambling obsession in states with lower house edges. Future research could benefit from state-specific expenditure surveys to capture consumer behavior more accurately.

Unexpected Insight

An unexpected finding was Delaware’s seventh-place ranking ($475 per capita), surpassing larger states like New York ($317 per capita). This highlights how smaller, iGaming-focused states can exhibit high gambling intensity, driven by early adoption and compact casino markets, challenging assumptions that only urban, populous states dominate gambling activity.

Conclusion

This analysis identifies Nevada, New Jersey, and Mississippi as the most gambling-obsessed states, with per capita GGR reflecting their deep gambling cultures. States like Pennsylvania and Michigan show robust activity across multiple gambling types, while smaller states like Delaware and West Virginia punch above their weight. These findings underscore the diverse landscape of US gambling, where legal frameworks, tourism, and population size shape obsession levels, offering insights for policymakers and enthusiasts alike.

Warren Buffet has famously said that a major mistake amateur investors make is FOMOing their way into the market. They buy shares of stock they don’t really believe in because they just really want to own something. In poker, amateurs and even relatively skilled players make a very similar mistake with bad game selection. They play in games they are losing in because they want to play. Getting game selection right is a major determining factor in whether a poker career blossoms or not. What are the key indicators for a great game? How about a bad one? In this article, I’ll delve into both, helping you identify them next time you walk into a card room.

Bad Game Selection: Big, Bad, Tough games

A tough game is where there are no chips being given away. That means, if your goal is to win, you’re in for an uphill battle. Here some ways to tell if the game is bad:

• Serious and Quiet Table Dynamic: This is usually a matter of players focusing, paying attention to each other’s actions and making thoughtful plays. A feeler might notice the cutthroat vibe, maybe even a little toxicity. In small player pools, it can be the case where everyone knows everyone and how they play. Finding edges wherever they can matters if they are trying to win money in these games.
• Aggressive Preflop Action: An action game with deep stacks is not necessarily a good one. In live cash games, rake tends to be high and charged on the flop. Professionals take this into account, employing a lot of 3betting and 4betting in their preflop strategy to reduce the amount of rake they pay.
• Appearance & Discussion Tells: The trope has been to look out for headphones, hoodies and sunglasses. However, today I’d be on the lookout for sportswear, physical fitness, clean eating and listening for investing, business, crypto and sports chatter. These demonstrate a natural inclination towards competition and winning which will increase the likelihood they’re here to battle, eye-ing your chips.

It stands to reason that even if you’re in the 98th percentile of poker ability, if you play versus a pool of players in the 99th, you’ll lose. Playing poker well, the hard skill, can easily be outdone by poor game selection, the soft one. Learning how to game select and say no to bad action is imperative to a poker player’s career success as much as playing well in the games they say yes to.

Good Game Selection: Juicy, Fun, Soft Games

A soft game is where a winning player’s bankroll can thrive or at least trickle upward with minimal variance. These tend to be more enjoyable insofar as the playing experience goes. Here are some ways you can tell it’s a soft game running:

• Fun Table Dynamic: Chatter, laughter, drinking, and dramatic responses to game outcomes. An apparent good time that a non-poker person walking by might see and gravitate towards.
• Low Reg-to-Rec Ratio: In general, you want more good players for a game than bad ones. Having winning players at the table doesn’t necessarily hurt a good game. Professionals tend to understand the give and take necessary to keep a game good: being charitable with straddles, having a beer, loosening up, story-telling and joking around etc. The key here is that the players losing their money feel a fair exchange of value — a good time, the gamble etc. Players who are really good for the game are looking for in-kind behaviour. As long as the winning players understand this and act accordingly, a game with professionals can stay good. For tournaments, a $500 WSOP bracelet event with 5,000 runners will be great value since this ratio will be very low. Generally, any tournament that makes your entry a drop in the bucket will be good value.
• Multiway Flops and Turns: Studied players understand that most GTO solutions are for heads up play. Where serious players will be employing a lot of 3betting and 4betting, diminishing the amount of flops seen, a softer game will see the opposite. 4- and 5- way flops and 3-way turns are a good indication of great, soft action.
• Short Buys: In live cash, serious players will have mostly studied 100-250bb gameplay and only sit if they have bankroll to support buying in for the maximum. If you come across a game with short stacks or stacks that haven’t been topped up, it’s probably a good one.

Ultimately, there are two types of games. Games you are winning and games you are losing in. Bankrolls grow faster and exponentially in softer player pools. The tougher the player pool is, the slower a bankroll grows. Playing tougher competition means longer breakeven stretches and generally higher variance.

It’s OK to expose yourself to tougher competition for the sake of competition and improvement. Doing so forces you to bring it and see how you fare. If you dream about battling against your local end-bosses and making your way to the big stage, growing a bankroll in soft games, while continually working on your game is not an unreasonable means of getting there. Alternatively, if you have cash flow allowing you to play and lose without any negative impacts on your life, then cutting your teeth in tough games while studying can accelerate your growth. The most important thing here is to plan for your own context, understanding the risks. And sometimes, you get the rewards.

Continuation betting (cbetting) is the most common pot stealing play you’ll make in poker, especially on the flop. A well-placed cbet pressures your opponent into folding, even if you don’t have a strong hand (which is most of the time).

But how do you make your cbets more effective and maximize your fold equity to win more pots? Here are 8 key strategies to help you win more pots with flop cbet bluffs.

1. Bluff the Flop on Hard-to-Hit Boards

Certain flops are harder for your opponent to connect with, making them ideal for bluffing. Dry, uncoordinated boards like K72 rainbow (r) or A94r with no flush draw are difficult for most ranges and hands to hit. Paired boards (TT5 and A66) can also work. If your opponent’s range mostly consists of unpaired hands, they are more likely to fold to your continuation bet.

2. Bluff More Often When You Are in Position

Being in position allows you to control the hand and apply more pressure. Your opponent must act first, giving you more information and time to think, before you decide whether to fire a cbet. When you’re in position, your bluffs carry more weight because your opponent fears you may continue betting on later streets, making it harder for them to continue without a strong hand.

3. Use Smaller Bets When You Have Some Showdown Equity

If your hand has some potential to win at showdown—such as a weak pair or Ace-high overcards—you don’t need to risk a big bluff. A smaller cbet, around 1/3 of the pot, can serve two purposes: controlling the pot size and giving your opponent a chance to fold. If they fold, great—you win the pot without needing to hit your hand. If they call, you still have the chance to barrel bluff or improve your equity on later streets.

If they call the flop, most likely they’ll check to you on the turn. Being in position (#2 above), you have the option to check-back and see the river for free, or continue barreling if you believe they can find the fold.

Example Hand #1

Preflop: Villain 49 limps into the pot (41.4bb starting stack), Hero iso-raises to 4bb with Td9d, and V49 is the only caller.

Flop: 4s Qh 4d, 9.5bb pot. V49 checks and Hero cbets ~1/3 pot (3bb) and V49 folds.

Turn Plan: If V49 called the flop, Hero would barrel on a diamond (giving Hero a flush draw) and on straight draw cards (K, J, 8). Hero would also barrel on a Ten or 9 after picking up showdown value. This would allow him to check-back the river if necessary to see showdown (#6 below). And complete blanks like 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 would be great for barreling as they likely don’t help V49’s flop calling range.

Lesson: Even smaller cbets can work on hard-to-hit flops when in position.

Check out this YouTube video for help on planning for future streets:

4. Target Players Who Fold to Flop Cbets More Than 60%

If their HUD shows their Fold to Flop Cbet > 60%, you should cbet bluff them more often than not. These players are fine with folding flops, so give them that opportunity. If you have strong drawing equity, like two overcards with both a flush draw and a straight draw (QsJs on Tc9s4s), consider betting larger. This applies a lot of pressure and also builds the pot with your high equity holding.

READ MORE: Test Your HUD Statistics Knowledge

5. Exploit Players Who Show Flop Honesty

Fold to Flop Cbet is a great statistic to notice, but look at their other flop stats. Maybe they also have a low Cbet Flop < 50%, and they’ve never raised versus a cbet. These are additional signs of flop honesty and indicate a straightforward flop player, making them prime targets for cbet bluffs. Against these players, fire more flop cbets and expect to win the pot a high percentage of the time.

6. Double-Barrel More Often When the Turn Helps YOU

A great opportunity to cbet bluff the flop is when there are many possible turn cards that allow you to continue the aggression. Hands with backdoor flush draws, backdoor straight draws, or overcards on the flop give you the option to fire a second barrel (double-barrel) on the turn when a favorable card arrives. If your backdoor draws are nut draws, you gain even more equity and fold equity combined.

And, just as cbetting flop in position allows you to check-back turn to see the river, barreling the turn in position often allows you to pot control and check-back the river and get to showdown.

Example Hand #2

Preflop: Hero min-opens with AsQs, Villain 62 defends in the BB (55.3bb starting stack).

Flop: 9s 7c Td, 4.5bb pot. V62 checks and Hero cbets 2.2bb with 2 overcards + nut backdoor flush draw + nut backdoor straight draw. V62 Folds to Flop Cbets 100% (1/1), but calls. Hero plans to barrel on an Ace, Queen, spade, King or Jack. A blank 2, 3, 4 or 5 works as well.

Turn: Hero picks up a flush draw on the 2s. The pot is 8.9bb and Hero barrels 5bb with his added equity, V62 folds.

Lesson: Use helpful turn cards that add value or drawing equity with which to barrel. This continued pressure is often enough to earn the pot before you’ve made your hand.

7. Attack Tighter Players and Loose-Passive Fish

Tight players often fold if they don’t have a strong hand. Against them, well-timed cbets can steal many pots. However, another great target is the loose-passive “calling station” who loves to see flops but gives up when they miss. These players often call preflop in hopes of striking gold on the flop, but are quick to fold versus a cbet.

8. Choose Bet Sizes That Maximize Fold Equity

Your bet size should hit your opponent’s pain threshold—the point at which they feel it’s too costly to continue. On scary boards like an A-high monotone flop (As 9s 4s), even a small cbet of 1/3 pot can be enough to take it down. On more connected boards, like KQT, a larger bet of 3/4 pot may be needed to make opponents fold their weak draws and marginal hands. If you have a tight table image, opponents are more likely to believe your cbets, especially if they are on the larger side.

Take Action

Effective cbet bluffing requires a mix of strategy, observation, and well-chosen bet sizes. By targeting the right opponents, choosing the right board textures, and understanding when to double-barrel, you can dramatically increase your success rate with cbet bluffs. The key is to apply pressure at the right time when you believe they can find a fold given the factors of the hand.

Play your sessions this week with a focus on cbet bluffing the flop. Use the 8 strategies we’ve outlined here to steal more pots with confidence!

About five years ago, my fellow Cardplayer Lifestyle contributor Mike Patrick wrote an article entitled 10 PokerCoaching.com Coaches & the Skills They’ll Help You Master. Well, Pokercoaching.com isn’t just still around; they’re THRIVING, having added tons more content to their poker training library as well as a number of new coaches to their active roster.

The fact of the matter is that Pokercoaching.com founder Jonathan Little has been at the forefront of No Limit Hold ‘Em coaching for years now, from his many poker books to years of supplying online resources. As the site’s impressive roster of coaches has grown, we’ll be taking a closer look at what an additional eight poker coaches bring to the table.

The three main elements of PokerCoaching.com training are Courses, Classes, and Quizzes. There are also monthly Homework Challenges, webinars, and PeakGTO, PokerCoaching.com’s exclusive trainer and library of tournament poker solves. Each of these coaches provide their unique insight while taking advantage of the resources the training site has to offer.

Let’s take a look at the latest crop of crushers on PokerCoaching.com (as well as two “mainstays” from the 2020 list).

Jonathan Little

• Courses: As the team has expanded, Jonathan Little has taken the lead on introduction content. Many courses are taught by the site’s variety of coaches. But the content focused on introducing game theory optimal approaches to the game of poker begins with Little. There is something for everyone from his Cash Game MasterClass, Tournament Masterclass, and free Poker Math Every Player Needs to Know.
• Classes: Little offers over 100 videos available on every conceivable topic in areas of No Limit Hold ‘Em, both on and off the felt. His classwork tends to focus on tournament topics that are expanded upon in his various tournament masterclasses.

In the early days of PokerCoaching.com, lots of content came from founder Jonathan Little himself. But as the roster of coaches has expanded, Little has now serves a role more focused on introducing concepts that other coaches will push you to master.

That said, the vast amount of coaching he offers is worth the subscription price alone, and that’s without even mentioning the monthly Homework Challenge webinars and the multitude of situational charts on the site!

Anyone considering Little’s coaching content should begin by subscribing to PokerCoaching.com on YouTube. Little provides tons of free content each week, including planned lessons and live chats with other poker students. It’s an excellent resource provided by the site, and a fantastic stepping stone to becoming a member.

Justin Saliba

• Courses: Justin Saliba has become a household name in PokerCoaching courses. The young phenomenon is crushing the mid- and high-stakes tournament scene, all while contributing to several PokerCoaching masterclasses. Saliba’s insight can be found in the Advanced Cash Game Course, Advanced Tournament Course, and WSOP Prep to start.
• Classes: Saliba offers 11 videos reviewing his own play in the U.S. Poker Open, along with videos focusing on GTO theory and online review.

Saliba was the company’s first ever employee, leveraging a work for coaching arrangement with Jonathan Little. In the years since, Saliba has grown to become the website’s Head of Content as well as high stakes PokerGO and Triton invitational regular.

Despite coming from a cash game background, Saliba has become known as a consummate professional in the tournament poker scene. At only 30 years old, he has over $9 million in total live earnings.

Saliba’s preflop precision consistently places him deep into the money at Final Tables. Plus, he’s adding proficiency in mixed games to his repertoire!

Chris Brewer

• Courses: Chris Brewer is a jack of all trades, showcasing expertise on both sides of No-Limit Hold ‘Em. You can find Brewer’s coaching featured in both the Advanced Cash Game Course and Tournament Domination: Insight from the Pros courses.
• Classes: Brewer’s work goes in-depth through courses, with individual classes compiled together in the WSOP Main Event Review and High Stakes Secrets series.

With over $25 million in career tournament earnings, including a pair of WSOP bracelets, Brewer is a consistent presence in the most prestigious tournaments in the world.

Having transitioned from a background in athletics to becoming a prominent figure in high-stakes poker, on PokerCoaching.com, Brewer shares insights through play-and-explain videos and strategy classes, focusing on aggressive play styles and exploiting opponents’ tendencies.

David Peters

• Courses: David Peters is one of the latest coaches to join the PokerCoaching.com roster. His coaching can be found in the multi-part class series for now.
• Classes: Go deep on Peters’ thought process through the 5-part High Stakes Tournament Secrets series.

David Peters is one of the most accomplished tournament players globally, with over $33 million in live earnings. He has secured numerous high-profile titles, including a WSOP bracelet and multiple high roller event victories.

Peters is known for his methodical and analytical approach to the game. On PokerCoaching.com, he offers insights into advanced tournament strategies, focusing on theoretical concepts, player tendencies, and high-stakes decision-making processes.

Brock Wilson

• Courses: Brock Wilson can be found throughout Jonathan Little’s Advanced Tournament Course.
• Classes: In classes, Wilson can be found coaching Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau in the How to Bink Tournaments series.

Brock Wilson is an accomplished professional and one of poker’s young, rising stars. He has made significant impacts on the high roller circuit and is recognized for his analytical approach to the game.

On PokerCoaching.com, Wilson shares his expertise in advanced tournament strategies, including high-stakes exploits and solver analysis.

Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau

• Courses: Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau can be found throughout Jonathan Little’s Advanced Tournament Course and Advanced Cash Game Course.
• Classes: Yau plays the role of a mid-stakes player reaching to break into high-stakes full time. He can be found being coached by Brock Wilson in the How to Bink Tournaments series.

Ethan ‘Rampage’ Yau gained prominence through his poker vlogs, showcasing his journey from low-stakes games to significant tournament successes. He won a WSOP bracelet in 2020, further establishing his presence in the poker community.

On PokerCoaching.com, Yau provides content that bridges the gap between recreational and professional play, focusing on practical strategies and bankroll management.

Shannon Shorr

• Courses: Shannon Shorr is a longtime playing partner of Jonathan Little’s, explaining their rise through the ranks together on the Table 1 Podcast. These days, he can be found explaining how to crush live final tables in Tournament Poker Domination.
• Classes: Shorr’s 7-class series on How to Crush Every Stage of a Tournament is perfect for anyone looking to learn poker tournament essentials quickly.

Shannon Shorr has been a consistent performer in the poker world, with over $8 million in live tournament earnings. He has numerous final table appearances in major events and is known for his disciplined and strategic play.

On PokerCoaching.com, Shorr offers insights into tournament preparation, mental game strategies, and adapting to various tournament structures.

Adam Hendrix

• Classes: In the early days of Adam Hendrix’s coaching on the site, he has specialized in Pot Limit Omaha cash games. His classes have been combined in the Master PLO Cash Games series.

Adam Hendrix is recognized as one of the best young and up-and-coming players in professional poker. He has made significant impacts on the high roller circuit and is known for his analytical approach to the game.

On PokerCoaching.com, Hendrix provides training content on Pot-Limit Omaha, focusing on advanced strategies and game theory applications.

Aram Zobian

• Courses: Aram Zobian is a longtime contributor to PokerCoaching.com. His latest contribution to the courses area is a lesson on Exploits to Run Deep in Large Field Tournaments in Tournament Poker Domination.
• Classes: Zobian’s classes focus primarily on navigating large field tournaments, with two seasons of content on the subject. These 12 classes are compiled in the How To Run Deep in Large Field Tournaments series.

Aram Zobian gained attention with his deep run in the 2018 WSOP Main Event, where he finished 6th, earning over $1.8 million. He is known for his aggressive playing style and ability to accumulate chips in tournaments.

On PokerCoaching.com, Zobian contributes to courses aimed at preparing players for major tournaments, focusing on preflop and post-flop strategies, as well as navigating various stages of tournament play.

Matt Affleck

• Courses: Matt Affleck is one of PokerCoaching.com’s longstanding coaches (he’s the other one Mike mentioned in his 2020 article). His work can be found throughout nearly every tournament course on the site, and is highly recommended.
• Classes: Affleck has now contributed over 250 classes to the site. Notable recent classes have been compiled in the Big Blind Fundamentals series.

Matt Affleck has accumulated over $3 million in tournament winnings and holds more than 15 career titles. Notably, he finished 15th in the 2010 WSOP Main Event, earning over $500,000.

On PokerCoaching.com, Affleck specializes in both tournament and cash game strategy, providing insights into deep runs and critical decision-making processes.

Each of these coaches brings a unique perspective and set of skills to PokerCoaching.com, providing members with a comprehensive learning experience tailored to various aspects of poker strategy and performance.

Ed note: All career tournament winnings figures courtesy HendonMob.

The poker world is no stranger to innovation, but every once in a while, an idea emerges that fills a much-needed gap in the industry. Enter Poker Raffles, a UK-based platform co-founded by Des Duffy and Leigh Wiltshire, designed to offer recreational players the chance to win seats to major live poker events for as little as £1. Instead of grinding online satellites or breaking the bank with hefty buy-ins, players can now simply purchase a raffle ticket and hope their name gets drawn.

With over 180 raffles already completed and players winning seats to events like the WSOP, WPT, Irish Open, and more, Poker Raffles is quickly gaining traction. In this interview, Des and Leigh share the story behind their venture, how it all started, and why they believe they’ve created something special for the poker community.

You can watch our video interview below. Also included is a summarized transcript.

Poker Raffles Interview: Summarized Transcript

Hey everyone, I’m Robbie Strazynski and I’m here with a couple old friends of mine, Des Duffy and Leigh Wiltshire. How are you guys?

Some of you watching may remember that Des, Leigh and I worked together as a team on The Orbit, and roundtable poker podcast show that aired 20 episodes during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Des and Leigh’s collaboration long predates that, and now they’re working on a new project called Poker Raffles.

Before we get into talking about Poker Raffles, can each of you briefly give our audience a bit of info on your poker backgrounds and the work you do together? Des, why don’t you go first.

I’ve been around the industry for 20+ years and have worked on the operator side with some of the big rooms. One of my personal proud achievements was being involved in creating the organization called APAT, which started way back in 2006. It was designed to give recreational poker players a competitive, fun, and premium experience for a low buy-in. We’re coming up to 20 years with APAT now, having held many events across the UK and Ireland as well as other places in the world.

And Leigh…

I started as a poker player back in 2003 and was lucky enough to play my first live poker event in the Caribbean – I had won a seat via an online freeroll. I stumbled across an ad for APAT, so I attended the Luton stop during Season 1, which is where I first met Des.

I began volunteering and helping out with some of APAT’s regional events in Season 2, remained involved and now somehow nearly 20 years later I’m the CEO of the whole thing. We’re a close-knit team, with a lovely guy named Tom Brady looking after all our live events.

OK, so now let’s shift our focus to the main topic of this interview, that being Poker Raffles. Can you please describe the concept – what’s it all about?

There’s nothing else quite like Poker Raffles in the marketplace. In the UK there’s an evolving industry that is based around prize competitions: you can buy a ticket and win a house or fancy car, for example. You tune in to the draw and hope to win one of those prizes. The industry is fully legal, it’s advertised in the TV and press, etc.

A lot of our APAT players are older now, with increased demands on their time. So, as recreationals, they have less time to play online poker, but they still have that hunger to play in a big live event. They just don’t have the time to sit and compete online to win their way in via satellite anymore. Plus, those have gotten really difficult!

So, essentially, we thought of utilizing this mechanic of prize competitions to offer the big live event experiences to recreational players at a tiny price point. That’s how Poker Raffles was born.

How long did it take to workshop the idea from idea stage until launch stage, and when did that launch happen? What does a typical Poker Raffles prize offer look like?

We started examining this idea back in 2023. It took about six months to plan it, ensure that it’s all legal and on the up and up. We launched in November 2023, and put up the first seat to see if the idea had legs.

Tickets for that seat absolutely flew out the door! We’ve carried on since then and it’s been smooth sailing and lots of growth over the last year and change.

You guys recently marked a big milestone, offering the first Poker Raffle for an entry to the WSOP Main Event. But naturally one has to start out small. What were the first events you offered? Was there always a roadmap to at some point offer a Main Event seat?

Yes, right from Day 1, we all wondered “how can we send someone to the Main Event?” Last summer we sent two winners to Las Vegas to play in the Colossus at the WSOP + they had a week’s hotel stay.

Pretty much right away, there were a lot of poker tours that wanted to work with us. Within 3-4 months of launch, we sent someone to a WPT event in Amsterdam, for example. People saw this as a new way of engaging with poker players, and the industry understood that this wasn’t in conflict with mechanisms already in place, but rather “filling the gaps”.

We’re 15 months in and have done 180+ drawings. We’ve seen players going all over the world to play in live poker events, including partypoker Tour, the Irish Open, the HendonMob Championship and of course the World Series of Poker. And every ticket just costs £1!

Poker Raffles is currently only open to players from the UK and Ireland. Let’s say I want to participate – do I need to create some sort of account? What steps do I follow?

The process is very straightforward. You visit Pokerraffles.com and it’s exactly as though you were doing online shopping. No need to create an account or anything like that. Ticket purchases need to be made using a debit card, as credit cards are not allowed.

At some point in the future, we may seek to broaden the site’s availability beyond the UK and Ireland, to the US and other markets.

Ideas and innovation in poker are great things. Obviously we all work hard to try and make a few extra bucks – in your case, a few quid – but beyond that, what have been the most satisfying aspects of shepherding Poker Raffles through its journey up until this point?

Frankly speaking, it feels great to have uncovered something new in the market, so to speak, that can better service our APAT players, as well as that segment of recreational players we spoke about earlier. The folks who still want to play in the big live events but don’t have time to grind online and qualify in; now they have another potential way of winning their way towards a live poker experience they’d like to have.

The drawings take place once a week, typically on Monday nights 9pm UK time. Many of our players enjoy tuning in to Pokerraffles.com the live drawings and even if they don’t win themselves, they’re happy to see that one of their friends has won.

We sometimes also get emails from winners after their poker trips letting us know how they fared. They’re always so thankful and say that “if it wouldn’t have been for Poker Raffles, the whole experience would have been impossible.”

The drawing for the WSOP Main Event package, including flights and hotel for two, is scheduled to take place on Monday April 7th unless we sell out earlier. As of this recording, we’ve sold over 4,000 tickets already.

Thanks once again to Des Duffy and Leigh Wiltshire. The website is PokerRaffles.com, be sure to check it out today!

Among the many commonalities between life and poker, the paraphrased Solomonism “Pride comes before the fall” holds fast. Pride, overconfidence, an inflated ego, arrogance — however you put it —  can have, and generally has had, disastrous consequences for many poker careers. In other words, too much ego in poker can be your undoing. This is no gripe with good self-esteem and mental health but rather the self-sabotaging effects of irrational decisions informed by undue optimism.

Image credit: Pokerbaazi.com

A Key Difference Between Entrepreneurship and +EV Gambling

It has been said that in business, it is better to be overconfident and optimistic since you will try more things and thus increase your chances of striking gold. By contrast, someone with lower confidence and a pessimistic bent will often snare themselves in analysis paralysis, limiting the shots they take, and as a matter of sheer volume, score less.

If this paradigm is true, it is one of the ways that business and poker differ quite a lot. This is because success in poker depends heavily on making the correct and best decisions in every node of the game, more often than not. In the long term, errors a player makes pile up, eating their successes — or in poker terms, their winrate.

Poker is a game of logic, requiring skills like arithmetic, deductive reasoning, pattern recognition, game theory, risk management, critical thinking, memory and strategic planning, to name a few. To be good at the game requires rationality; neither pessimism or optimism but realism.

Too Much Ego in Poker Means We Go Broke in Poker!

The issue with overconfidence is that it incapacitates a player from making rational decisions. A pig may be confident it can fly but just wait till it launches over the cliff. The more overconfident one is, the greater errors they stand to make. Sometimes, it’s death by a thousand cuts. Sometimes, it’s a javelin in the chest (pardon the graphic descriptions).

Here are at least a couple ways that too much ego in poker can manifest and ruin your career:

• You Play Games You Aren’t Beating: A slow-bleed. Death by a thousand cuts. If you play a game you are losing in — whether stake, format or variant — it’s only a matter of time before you’ve emptied the entire clip. You might have 30 buy ins to play $2/3 at your local card room but your skillset is only beating $1/2. It might be more exciting and feel more macho to play the bigger game but if you have no way of replenishing, you might soon be grinding freerolls for that seed money you need to start that fledging poker bankroll all over again. PLO is a totally different game but it can’t be that tough, can it? Careful with contempt. It could wreck you.
• You Play Games You Aren’t Bankrolled For: There’s that classic scene in Rounders where Mike McDermott loses three stacks of high society to Teddy KGB. It’s not that he’s incapable of playing at his opponent’s level but that he fails to appreciate the amount of variance involved in short term outcomes. Putting your whole roll on the table is not a matter of ethics but of wisdom. Sound reasoning would have meant not playing a game that involves his case money and tuition. Remember, even the best players only win about 60% of their cash games sessions. Solid tournament players only cash 20% of the time. Being good at the game is not the same as controlling the elements. Even AA, the most powerful starting hand in no limit Texas hold’em is only an 82% favorite against a dominated pair.

Run It Once Training founder Phil Galfond, one of the game’s most successful players, has a lot to say about ego in poker as well, as you can see in the video below.

The Way of the Humble Poker Player

It’s true that a fool and his money are soon parted. Fortunately, no player is doomed to bankroll ruin. You don’t have to learn the hard way, though many have. Here are some things to think about:

• Study Habits: If it’s a knowledge gap that is the cause for your losses, then there’s only one way to address them: learning. And by that, I mean study. Many choose to enroll with the best poker training sites, but it’s the dedication that matters above all. Overconfidence leads to lack of hard work since being God’s gift to poker means you can coast. Coasting to drifting, drifting to shipwreck. Suddenly, you’re being pillaged by the winning regs. Arr! However, a healthy dose of humility keeps one’s head down, putting the work in, and at some point, reaping the rewards (I’m sure there’s a buried treasure pun somewhere here).

Pokercoaching.com founder Jonathan Little says it pretty well, too:

Whether you want to study or not should not matter.

If you’re serious about actually wanting to win from poker, you will do it either way.

Success is for those who want to go the extra mile when no one is watching.

— Jonathan Little (@JonathanLittle) February 3, 2025

• Off-Table Habits: Poker in 2025 is extremely competitive. Being well studied is often not enough to win consistently. At the top of each stake and variant will be a number of players who are very close in skill. Oftentimes, the differentiator ends up being how they live off the table. It may seem radical but many professionals invest heavily in their nutrition, fitness, mental health and limit many lesser joys like alcohol or partying in order to execute their A-Game when it counts. It’s a matter of preparation. If you don’t prepare for your exams, you shouldn’t expect to ace(!) them. However, there are many talented players who have tried showing up unprepared and gotten “the business”.

Again, this is not about deriding healthy self-esteem. It’s about not showing contempt for our opponents by our lack of work and unrestrained ambition. Trust me, the toughest players would love it if we just sat down with them. And, I would like not to give them the satisfaction.