Upswing Poker Level-Up

Your big blind strategy will make a huge difference in how much money you win or lose at the poker table. To avoid bleeding cash, you need to defend your big blind with profitable hands, fold unprofitable hands, and implement an iron-clad 3-bet strategy. This short episode of the Upswing Poker Level-Up Podcast will help you do all three of those things and more. You're about to learn:

• How to adjust your big blind defense strategy versus different positions, raise sizes, and stack sizes
• A winning big blind 3-bet strategy
• Crucial multiway adjustments

If you really want to take your poker skills to the next level, head over to UpswingPoker.com. Upswing has hundreds of free articles, free quizzes, affordable crash courses, and advanced training courses that will help you get better at poker.

Written Version of this Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:13 Adjusting Big Blind Defense to Raise Sizes

02:00 Position Impact on Big Blind Defense

03:33 The Role of Rake in Big Blind Defense

05:13 Specific Situations: Button vs. Hijack Raises

07:51 Stack Size Considerations in Big Blind Defense

08:58 Three Betting from the Big Blind

11:44 Multi-Way Big Blind Defense

14:15 Tournament-Specific Big Blind Defense Adjustments

In this episode of our poker strategy podcast, hosts Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood dive deep into the nuances of defending your big blind, a critical aspect often mishandled by poker players. They kick off by emphasizing how pivotal it is to adjust your big blind defense strategy based on the raise size, position, and the effective stack size of your opponents. By fine-tuning these elements, you can plug common leaks in your game, such as playing too tight, too loose, or too passively.

The duo explores how different factors like raise sizes and the position of the raiser can drastically alter your defense range. For instance, defending against a small raise from the button should be wider than defending against a larger raise from early position. They also touch on how rake, particularly in live games and micro stakes online, should tighten your defending range due to the decreased pot odds after the rake is taken.

Mike and Gary offer practical examples and discuss how your range should adjust when playing deeper stacks versus shallow stacks. Surprisingly, they suggest that deeper stacks don't necessarily mean a wider defense range due to increased reverse implied odds. They also delve into three-betting from the big blind, advocating for a strategic mix of suited and offsuit hands to exploit opponents effectively, especially when facing raises from the small blind.

In multi-way pots, the podcast emphasizes the need for a much tighter defense range, focusing on hands that can easily make strong post-flop hands. They caution against calling with marginal hands that may seem profitable due to good pot odds but fail to realize equity effectively.

As the episode wraps up, they offer insights specifically for tournament players, noting how the presence of an ante and smaller stack sizes can justify a looser defense strategy. This poker strategy podcast provides listeners with actionable advice to improve their big blind defense, crucial for maximizing profitability in both cash games and tournaments. Tune in to refine your skills and stay ahead of the competition!

You just got dealt your starting hand a player raises in front of you. Before you even look at your cards, you should have a good idea of which hands you will 3-bet (aka re-raise) and what size 3-bet to use. That's what this episode of Upswing Poker Level-Up covers. You will learn:

• When to 3-bet
• Which hands to 3-bet for value
• How to choose 3-bet bluffs
• What sizing to use
• The critical factors that should impact your 3-bet strategy in-game

If you really want to take your poker skills to the next level, head over to UpswingPoker.com. Upswing has hundreds of free articles, free quizzes, affordable crash courses, and advanced training courses that will help you get better at poker.

Written Version of this Episode

00:00 Importance of a Three Bet Strategy

01:35 Deciding Value Three Bet Hands

02:06 Impact of Open Size on Three Bet

03:07 Balancing Value with Bluff Three Bets

04:08 Best Hands for Bluff Three Bets

06:17 Special Adjustments for Three Bet Sizing

07:20 Adjusting Three Bet Size by Stack Depth

08:54 In Position vs Out of Position Three Bet

09:39 Three Bet Ranges from the Small Blind

11:00 Three Bet or Fold Strategy Benefits

12:35 Three-Betting Mini-Quiz

Welcome to another insightful episode of the Upswing Poker Level-Up Podcast, your go-to poker strategy podcast for improving your game quickly and effectively. Hosted by Mike Brady, this episode features expert insights from Scottish cash game pro and coach Gary Blackwood. Together, they delve into the crucial aspects of three-betting, or reraising before the flop, an essential skill for any serious poker player.

Gary emphasizes the importance of a well-thought-out three-bet strategy, noting that the game has evolved, and three-betting is now more common and sophisticated. Players must be up to date with these changes to stay competitive.

Position and open size play significant roles in determining your three-bet strategy. For example, a tight range is necessary when an early position player opens, but you can widen your range against a late position opener. Gary also explains the need to adjust your three-bet sizing based on whether you are in position or out of position and the stack depths involved.

Bluffs are crucial for a balanced strategy, and Gary highlights the best hands to use as three-bet bluffs, including suited ace-x and double broadway hands. He also discusses the unique considerations when three-betting from the big blind, particularly against small blind opens.

This episode of our poker strategy podcast also covers the advantages of a three-bet or fold strategy, especially in positions like the cutoff and middle position, where flatting can cap your range and expose you to squeezes from players behind you.

To wrap up, Mike and Gary provide a practical example, quizzing listeners on what hands to three-bet in a specific scenario, reinforcing the episode's key lessons.

Tune in to this episode of the Upswing Poker Level-Up Podcast to enhance your three-betting strategy and elevate your poker game. For more in-depth content, including advanced solver ranges and strategic lessons, visit UpswingPoker.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for video versions of these insightful episodes.

Imagine a player raises before the flop and you defend your Big Blind. You check on the flop, your opponent bets, and now it's back on you. Your check-raising strategy in situations like this will have a major impact on your overall poker results.

This episode covers:

• Which hands to check-raise
• How often you should check-raise
• The critical factors to consider when considering a check-raise

If you really want to take your poker skills to the next level, head over to UpswingPoker.com. Upswing has hundreds of free articles, free quizzes, affordable crash courses, and advanced training courses that will help you get better at poker.

Written Version of this Episode

00:00 Overview of Check Raising

00:46 Opponent's Bet Size Impact

01:36 Flop Texture Considerations

03:30 High Frequency Check Raise Flops and Hand Selection

06:23 Backdoor Equity and Natural Bluffs

07:58 Specific High Frequency Check Raise Boards

10:28 Check Raising with Bottom Pairs and Unnatural Bluffs

13:57 Low Frequency Check Raise Boards and Hand Selection

16:16 Raise Sizing Strategy

19:39 Opponent Tendencies and Exploiting Over C Bettors

Welcome to Upswing Poker Level Up, the poker strategy podcast designed to sharpen your skills and boost your bankroll in under 30 minutes. Hosted by Mike Brady and cash game pro Gary Blackwood, this episode dives into the art of the check-raise.

In this poker strategy podcast, Mike and Gary break down check-raising essentials, starting with a common scenario: a player raises pre-flop, you call from the big blind, and face a bet after the flop. They discuss key factors like opponent's bet size, flop texture, and player tendencies.

Gary emphasizes adjusting your raises based on opponent's bet size. Smaller C bets invite more frequent check-raises, while larger C bets call for selective aggression. They use solver data to show how check-raising percentages vary with different bet sizes and flops.

The podcast highlights the importance of flop texture. Gary explains that some flops favor your range, leading to higher frequency check-raises. They explore boards where check-raises are common, like connected, middling flops, versus ace-king-seven, where check-raises are less frequent.

On hand selection, they dispel the myth that raising strong hands scares off opponents. Balancing your range with strong draws like nut flush and open-ended straight draws is crucial. They discuss prioritizing draws based on equity, using examples to illustrate optimal check-raise hands.

Gary and Mike also delve into less intuitive aspects, like raising bottom pairs and unconventional bluffs. They stress exploiting opponents who over C bet and under float, revealing how strategic check-raising capitalizes on these mistakes.

Lastly, they address raise sizing and opponent tendencies. Gary advises adjusting raise size based on opponent's C bet size and flop characteristics, ensuring you apply the right pressure. They discuss leveraging opponents' tendencies, like over C betting on certain boards.

Tune in to this poker strategy podcast episode to master the check-raise and elevate your game. Don't miss this chance to refine your skills and dominate the tables with Upswing Poker Level Up.

Level-Up is a new show from the team of poker pros at UpswingPoker.com. If you want to improve your poker skills and bolster your bottom line, this is the show for you. The first episode will cover check-raising and comes out on Wednesday, January 4th. Subscribe to get notified when episodes come out!

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