loader from loading.io
WSOP 2026 Final Table: How Each Player Should Play (ICM Analysis) show art WSOP 2026 Final Table: How Each Player Should Play (ICM Analysis)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Use Code MTM100 and Get $100 Off the 'Modern Tournament Mastery' Course:  Which player at your final table has 35% of the chips but nowhere near 35% of the actual win equity? In this deep dive, you'll get the exact ICM-based strategy every WSOP Main Event finalist should be using at their stack size, so you can spot the mistakes the pros make before the money even changes hands. Get access to free preflop charts 👉 Get the Lucid Poker Trainer app for free 👉 Talk with Upswing Coaches & members 👉 00:00 Introduction & Final Table Preview 0:53 ICM Fundamentals Explained...

info_outline
3 Final Table Tips To Win The Whole Thing (Video) show art 3 Final Table Tips To Win The Whole Thing (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Buy Modern Tournament Mastery This Week and Get Tim's $300 Course as a FREE Bonus 👉  Final tables change everything. In this episode, high-stakes crusher Tim Adams breaks down the subtle strategic adjustments that separate players who ladder up from players who actually close out tournaments. Learn how to think ahead under ICM pressure, exploit overly aggressive chip leaders, and stay mentally composed when the stakes are at their absolute highest. Get access to free preflop charts 👉 Get the Lucid Poker Trainer app for free 👉 Talk with Upswing Coaches & members 👉 View...

info_outline
Can ChatGPT Help You With Poker? (ft. Tim Adams) (Video) show art Can ChatGPT Help You With Poker? (ft. Tim Adams) (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Get early sign up bonuses for Modern Tournament Mastery 👉 Mike Brady sat down with high-stakes tournament crusher Tim Adams (head coach of Modern Tournament Mastery) to put Chat GPT to the test. They break down a ton of spots and well... you'll see how poorly Chat GPT would play poker! Get Modern Tournament Mastery by Tim Adams, Daniel Dvoress, and guest coach Stephen Chidwick on May 25, 2026. View the hand history and ChatGPT analysis 👉 Get the written version of this episode 👉 Get access to free preflop charts 👉 Get the Lucid Poker Trainer app for free 👉 Talk with Upswing...

info_outline
How to Actually Win at Pot Limit Omaha (Video) show art How to Actually Win at Pot Limit Omaha (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Get the course here: View the written version of this episode here: Most PLO players are making the same costly mistakes without even realizing it—and it’s destroying their win rate. In this episode, you’ll learn the core fundamentals of Pot Limit Omaha so you can build stronger hands, make better decisions, and start playing a winning strategy immediately. 00:00 Episode Intro + Why This PLO Episode Matters 01:37 What This Episode Will Teach You About PLO 02:20 Why Most PLO Hands Are Overvalued 02:58 The 4 Key Traits of Strong PLO Hands 05:41 What “Robust Equity” Means in PLO 07:41...

info_outline
Winning Money with Small Bets (Video) show art Winning Money with Small Bets (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

In this episode, you’ll learn the seven most powerful small bet situations that can instantly pressure your opponents and win more pots. By watching, you’ll understand exactly when to use small bets for protection, range advantage, stack-to-pot leverage, block betting, and multi-way pressure so you can make more profitable decisions in both cash games and tournaments. 00:00 Mastering Small Bets to Punish Missed Ranges (Cash Game C-Bet Strategy) 00:48 Protection Betting: Thin Value with Medium Pairs in Tournaments 02:50 Range Advantage Boards: Small Bets When You Smash the Flop 04:30...

info_outline
BONUS: Stop Playing Ace-King Wrong (Video) show art BONUS: Stop Playing Ace-King Wrong (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

"Honestly in the 20 whatever years I’ve been on and off studying poker I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more impactful, concise, practical and actionable 20 minutes of content. Very very well done. Thank you." - Verified Lab 2.0 Member Learn how to play Ace-King with clarity as Uri Peleg breaks down real hands and shows you exactly when this “premium” hand is powerful—and when it’s just Ace-high. By the end, you’ll know how to avoid costly mistakes, read tricky situations, and confidently extract maximum value from one of poker’s most misunderstood hands. 00:00 Why Ace-King...

info_outline
Always Bet in These 5 Situations (Video) show art Always Bet in These 5 Situations (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

GIVEAWAY: Want to win a $3,000 trip to Las Vegas to play the WPT Prime Championship? Sign up for Lucid Poker and play just 1 hand on any leaderboard to give yourself a chance to win. If you start your free trial and climb into the top 10 of a leaderboard, you can unlock even more entries in the giveaway. Good luck! Mike Brady and poker pro Gary Blackwood reveal five key flop scenarios where you should always bet to maximize profits and simplify decision-making. From disconnected King-high boards to big-pair flops, they explain when aggressive range betting works best—and   00:00...

info_outline
7 Cash Game Tips that Print Money (Video) show art 7 Cash Game Tips that Print Money (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Learn seven essential strategies to dominate live and online cash games with host Mike Brady and poker pro Gary Blackwood. From value betting thinly to attacking capped ranges, this episode breaks down the habits that separate winners from everyone else at the table. 00:00 Tip 1 03:52 Tip 2 07:42 Tip 3 12:30 Tip 4 15:08 Tip 5 18:50 Tip 6 22:55 Tip 7 In this episode of the Upswing Poker Level-Up, host Mike Brady and poker pro Gary Blackwood share seven actionable tips designed to help players maximize their profits in live and online cash games. Tip 1: Value Bet Relentlessly, emphasizing that...

info_outline
Top 5 Spots to Bluff in Poker (Video) show art Top 5 Spots to Bluff in Poker (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood reveal the five most profitable bluffing spots in poker that every serious player should master. Learn how to identify and exploit bluffing opportunities—like paired boards, delayed c-bets, and favorable runouts—to outthink your opponents and win more pots. 00:00 Tip 1 05:06 Tip 2 09:15 Tip 3 12:28 Tip 4 16:03 Tip 5 In this episode of the Upswing Poker Level-Up, hosts Mike Brady and Scottish pro Gary Blackwood break down the five most effective bluffing spots that every player can add to their arsenal to win more pots and play with greater confidence. The...

info_outline
5 Solver Strategies That Suck in Real Life (Video) show art 5 Solver Strategies That Suck in Real Life (Video)

Upswing Poker Level-Up (Video)

Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood reveal five popular solver strategies that actually hurt your win rate against real-life opponents. From misguided three-bets to weak river plays, they break down when and why “playing like a computer” can cost you money—and how to exploit human tendencies instead. 00:00 Tip 1 03:05 Tip 2 05:30 Tip 3 08:38 Tip 4 10:19 Tip 5 In this episode of Upswing Poker Level Up, hosts Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood break down five solver-approved strategies that often backfire in real-world poker games. While solvers have revolutionized modern strategy, they remind...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

Poker success starts before the flop. If you make preflop mistakes, like raising too big or too small, you won't be able to maximize your winnings on the flop, turn and river. But the optimal preflop raise sizes aren't always intuitive. It's only since the advent of solvers that poker pros have truly been able to dial in their preflop sizing.

Mike Brady and poker pro Gary Blackwood walk you through the optimal open-raise, 3-bet, and 4-bet sizes in this episode. Plus, sizing adjustments you should make based on stack sizes and opponent tendencies.

Join the early access waitlist for the Lucid GTO Trainer: https://upswingpoker.com/lucid-waitlist

Episode Transcription

00:00 Introduction and Overview

02:45 Three-Bet Sizing Strategy

06:43 Squeezing: In-Position and Out-of-Position

08:16 Four-Bet Sizing Principles

11:48 Adjusting for Stack Sizes: Short Stacks

12:40 Adjusting for Stack Sizes: Deep Stacks

14:23 Adjusting for Different Player Types

18:06 Adjusting Against Limpers

23:02 Quiz and Wrap-Up

In this episode of our poker strategy podcast, hosts Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood guide you through the essential tactics for preflop raise sizing to maximize your win rate in any poker game. Whether you’re playing online or live, knowing the optimal raise sizes for different situations is crucial to your success at the tables. This episode is packed with actionable insights that will help you adjust your strategy for various positions, stack sizes, and player types, ensuring that your preflop decisions are always on point.

The episode begins with a breakdown of the "GTO" raise sizes for every preflop spot with 100 big blind stacks, serving as a baseline strategy. Mike and Gary discuss the importance of using smaller raise sizes in early positions to minimize risk and keep the pot manageable, while larger raises are more suitable from late positions like the button or small blind, where you are likely to be in position. They also cover the nuances of three-bet sizing, explaining why the old rule of 3x in position and 4x out of position no longer applies universally and how to adjust based on your opponent's opening size.

As the conversation progresses, the hosts explore squeezing strategies when facing multiple opponents and how to size four-bets to maintain post-flop playability without sacrificing value or fold equity. They delve into the impact of stack sizes on raise sizing, from short stacks where smaller raises allow for more post-flop maneuverability to deep stacks where larger raises help build bigger pots.

Listeners will learn how to adjust their raise sizes based on different player types, such as when facing loose players or adapting to passive tables in live games. Gary emphasizes the importance of not overcomplicating your strategy against weak players while maintaining a balanced approach against stronger opponents. The episode wraps up with a practical quiz to test your knowledge, ensuring you can apply these concepts effectively in your own games.

This poker strategy podcast is a must-listen for players looking to refine their preflop raise sizes and enhance their overall strategy. Whether you're grinding online cash games or competing in live tournaments, the insights shared in this episode will help you make more profitable decisions preflop and beyond. Tune in, take notes, and start mastering the art of preflop raise sizing with expert guidance from Mike and Gary.