5 Poker Tips for Playing Preflop
Upswing Poker Level-Up
Every hand begins with preflop play, so making correct decisions is critically important. Upswing Poker VP Mike Brady and Scottish poker pro Gary Blackwood share five actionable tips that you can use to elevate your game and take advantage of your opponent's mistakes! and check out the Low Stakes Launch Pad course. Make sure to use promo code LEVELUP when you sign up and you'll receive $50 off! 00:00 Tip 1: Tighten Your Big Blind Defense 01:57 Tip 2: Big Blind Three-Bet Strategy 06:30 Tip 3: Adjusting Ranges Based on Opponents 10:35 Tip 4: Tighten Up in High Rake Environments 12:43 Tip 5:...
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How to Calculate Pot Odds
Upswing Poker Level-Up
We've extended our biggest sale of the year to run all the way through Cyber Week! The math behind poker might not seem glamorous, but few skills will affect your bottom line more than a correct understanding of pot odds! Upswing Poker VP Mike Brady previews the new Low Stakes Launch Pad course by sharing everything you need to build a solid foundation for understand this critical topic. You can join the Upswing Lab to access that course: https://upswingpoker.com/the-poker-lab-coaching Audio version available on all major podcast platforms. 00:00 Definition and Importance of Pot Odds 02:04...
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When to Slow-Play Your Strong Hands
Upswing Poker Level-Up
Get 25% off elite poker courses & tools during the biggest sale of the year right now! You might be tempted to slow play the next time you have a monster hand, but that could be a huge mistake! Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood discuss how carefully choosing when to take your foot off the gas is the best strategy to ensure maximum profitability. Don't play another hand until you've listened to this episode! Audio version available on all major podcast platforms. 00:00 Welcome to the Upswing Poker Level-Up 01:04 Preflop Slow Playing Strategies 03:59 Distinguishing Slow Playing from Pot...
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How to Play POCKET ACES Like a Pro
Upswing Poker Level-Up
You look down at your cards and see pocket aces. It's the best starting hand in poker, but how do you extract maximum value from your opponents? On this episode, Mike Brady talks with poker pro Gary Blackwood about the best practices for navigating pocket aces across a wide range of scenarios. If you like winning more money at the poker table, then you need to listen now! Want to dominate every situation at the poker table? Take advantage of 's upcoming Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal! Everything site-wide is 25% off starting on November 25th and running through the end of the month! If you...
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What Poker Coaches Get Wrong
Upswing Poker Level-Up
Winning poker, made simple. Pre-register for the Poker Blueprint here: https://upswingpoker.com/poker-blueprint-pre-registration/ Uri Peleg has spent thousands of hours studying poker. He’s done more digging through solvers and tested more strategies than most players ever will. He’s put his findings into practice and come out on top in high stakes games – and he’s coached numerous players (through his Guerrilla Poker stable) to do the same. Uri has distilled his strategic approach into a simplified blueprint built on five core principles. Once you understand these principles,...
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DON’T DO THIS IN POKER (Mariano vs Doug Polk)
Upswing Poker Level-Up
Winning poker, made simple. Pre-register for the Poker Blueprint here: https://upswingpoker.com/poker-blueprint-pre-registration/ It’s a high stakes cash game at The Lodge studio featuring two players who are no strangers to playing $50,000+ pots, Doug Polk and Mariano. Poker coach Uri Peleg breaks down the hand using the strategic framework taught in his new course the Poker Blueprint. One of the players makes a big mistake on the river in this one. Uri Peleg has spent thousands of hours studying poker. He’s done more digging through solvers and tested more strategies than most players...
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POCKET KINGS vs ACES in the Main Event (WSOP Hand Breakdown)
Upswing Poker Level-Up
HAND RECAP (7 handed, 14 players left, 600K/1.2M blinds - 1.2M BB ante)Coelho (13.3M chips) raises to 2.4M with A♦ A♣. Kristen Foxen (49M chips) calls in the Big Blind with K♦ K♣.Flop A♠ T♥ 5♠. Foxen checks. Coelho bets 1.2M. Foxen calls.Turn 8♥. Foxen checks. Coelho bets 3M. Foxen calls.River 3♣. Foxen checks. Coelho bets 6.7M all-in. Foxen folds.There’s $10 million on the line with just 2 tables left in the World Series of Poker Main Event. Kristen Foxen is one of, if not the most tale
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RUNNER RUNNER at $250K Final Table (WSOP Hand Breakdown)
Upswing Poker Level-Up
HAND RECAP (6 handed, final table, 300K/600K blinds - 600K BB ante)Ben Tollerene (55M chips) raises to 1.2M from UTG with J♣ T♦. Taylor von Kriegenbergh (22M chips) calls from the Button with K♠ K♥.(Stack size notes: This is a battle between the top two stacks. There are two short stacked players with around 10 big blinds each.)Flop K♣ 6♦ 3♥. Tollerene bets 900K. TVK calls.Turn 9♥. Tollerene bets 1.7M. TVK calls.River Q♦. Tollerene 2.8M. TVK raises to 8.8M. Tollerene moves all-in. TVK call
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Legendary Player at $50,000 Final Table (WSOP Hand Breakdown)
Upswing Poker Level-Up
HAND RECAP (5 handed, final table, 100K/200K blinds - 200K BB ante)Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (14M chips) raises to 700K from the Small Blind with K♦ 4♠. Jesse Lonis (9.5M chips) calls from the Big Blind with A♠ 3♠.(Stack size notes: Blom and Lonis are in 2nd and 3rd chip position. The chip leader has 20M. There are two relatively short stacks.)The flop is 4♣ 4♥ 3♣. Blom bets 400K. Lonis calls.Turn 6♠. Blom bets 1.45M. Lonis calls.River Q♠. Blom bets 3.25M. Lonis folds.Get 33% off Aaron Ba
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$2,500 Freezeout (WSOP Hand Breakdown)
Upswing Poker Level-Up
HAND RECAP (6 handed, final table, 125K/250K blinds - 250K BB ante)Ausmus (4.5M chips) raises to 500K from the Cutoff with A♥ Q♥. Only Reichard (3.2M chips) calls from the Big Blind with J♥ 8♣.(Stack size notes: Reichard is the shortest stack. Ausmus is one of the shorter stacks, but everyone besides the chip leader has fewer than 30 big blinds. The chip leader has around 18M.)Flop T♣ 3♣ 2♣. Reichard checks. Ausmus bets 300K. Reichard calls.Turn 7♠. Both players check.River 2♠. Reichard be
info_outlineGet 25% off elite poker courses & tools during the biggest sale of the year right now! Click here to shop now!
You might be tempted to slow play the next time you have a monster hand, but that could be a huge mistake!
Mike Brady and Gary Blackwood discuss how carefully choosing when to take your foot off the gas is the best strategy to ensure maximum profitability. Don't play another hand until you've listened to this episode!
Audio version available on all major podcast platforms.
View the episode transcription here.
00:00 Welcome to the Upswing Poker Level-Up
01:04 Preflop Slow Playing Strategies
03:59 Distinguishing Slow Playing from Pot Control
06:23 Avoiding Slow Playing Strong Hands in Position
07:49 Slow Playing from the Big Blind: Specific Scenarios
09:50 Fast Playing Monsters Out of Position
12:14 Adjusting to Opponent Bet Sizes When Slow Playing
14:06 Slow Playing in Three-Bet Pots: In Position vs. Out of Position
17:25 Trapping as the Preflop Aggressor
19:01 Adapting Strategies for Low Stakes and Passive Players
21:02 Black Friday Sale Reminder
Welcome to another poker strategy podcast episode, where hosts Mike Brady and Scottish poker pro Gary Blackwood break down everything you need to know about slow playing. If you’ve ever wondered when to trap your opponents with monster hands—or when to avoid it altogether—this is the episode for you.
Dive into advanced poker strategies starting with preflop slow playing, such as why you should sometimes call a four-bet with pocket aces or kings to maximize value. The discussion also covers the delicate balance between slow playing and pot control, helping you recognize when playing passively protects your stack and when it costs you money.
This poker strategy podcast also examines the risks and rewards of slow playing on different board textures. Gary and Mike explain why betting three streets with strong hands is often the best move, but also reveal rare exceptions—like checking back top set on ace-high boards in single-raised pots.
As the episode progresses, you’ll uncover key tactics for fast playing out of position, the importance of reacting to opponent bet sizes, and how to adjust your strategies for three-bet pots. The duo even shares practical advice for adapting these solver-approved techniques to real-world games, including low-stakes live poker.
Whether you’re a beginner learning to recognize profitable traps or an experienced player refining your edge, this podcast delivers actionable insights on every aspect of slow playing. From appreciating your opponent’s range to identifying key moments for aggression, you’ll leave this episode with a stronger grasp of the nuances that separate amateurs from pros.
Plus, don’t miss the Black Friday sale at Upswing Poker, where you can get 25% off courses and tools designed by the game’s top players. Level up your poker IQ today and join us as we explore the art—and science—of slow playing in this exciting episode!