- The bottom line is that for the cost of a buy-in at NL25 or NL50 you can often learn some advanced poker strategies to quickly help you blast through the micro stakes. This isn't the 'old days' anymore where learning how to win at poker is some big secret that only the pros know about. The knowledge is out there, more than ever.
- Advanced Poker Moves: Weapons to Beat Your Opponents. In Unit 3 we looked at the types of bets that you should have in your arsenal of weapons to use against your opponents. In this lesson we are going to add three more advanced betting strategies to make your strategy even stronger. Blind stealing is a strategy used by a player.
- Tip #7: Play poker about twice as often as you study poker, but make sure to study! Studying is essential to becoming the best poker player you can be, but at the same time, poker is a game that requires practice. Without practice, we can't apply what we've learned off the felt, and we'll begin to lose our innate sense of the game.
Tournament poker strategy has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past decade.And an 'old-school' style will no longer cut it at the poker tournament tables. In modern tournament poker playing styles, bet-sizing and the general approach to specific situations have all changed drastically.
Daniel Negreanu can no longer claim the No. 1 spot on tournament poker's all-time money list, but he's still No. 1 when it comes to something else: fame.
Without question, no US poker player has done a better job of building their brand than Negreanu. Negreanu's fame and success have opened many doors, including his 'MasterClass' course.
Here's my firsthand review of the MasterClass course: 'Daniel Negreanu Teaches Poker.'
What is MasterClass?
For anyone unfamiliar with MasterClass, here's the description on its website:
'MasterClass is an immersive online experience that offers access to genius by allowing anyone to take online classes with the world's best. Our instructors include Christina Aguilera, Serena Williams, James Patterson, and more. These video courses are 100% exclusive – MasterClass produces the courses directly with the instructors to capture exactly what the masters want to teach.'
MasterClass courses run the gamut from basketball with Steph Curry, to cooking with Gordon Ramsay, to directing with Spike Lee.
Suffice it to say, there's a course for everyone, and if you're a curious person, there's no shortage of MasterClass options.
Each MasterClass course spans several hours and is broken up into dozens of individual lessons. Each course also comes with a downloadable workbook and other resourcematerials, as well as access to community discussions and opportunities to interact with the instructor during 'office hours.'
Of course, all of that comes at a price.
You can purchase MasterClass in one of two ways:
- A single MasterClass course for $90.
- A one year, all-access pass for $180 (includes all MasterClass courses). This pass automatically renews unless canceled.
You should know that you'll receive a $90 credit if you decide to upgrade to the all-access pass after purchasing a single course.
Negreanu's MasterClass
The Daniel Negreanu MasterClass is broken up into 38 video lessons (chapters) on a wide variety of poker topics.
Here's a general idea of some of the topics discussed.
The basics:
- Power of position
- Hand ranges and board texture
- Continuation bets, check-raising and three bets
- Game selection, bankroll management and life as a poker player
Beyond the basics:
- Bluffs
- Bet sizing
- Using a 'mixed' strategy
- Typical mistakes
- Hiding and spotting tells
These lessons last anywhere from a couple of minutes to nearly a half hour, but most of them are right around 10 minutes long.
Throughout the course, Negreanu does an excellent job of conveying each concept in an insightful, but an easily digestible way. Video footage of televisedhands, as well as a handreplayer and range calculator, make frequent appearances throughout the course.
Who will benefit from Negreanu's MasterClass?
First things first, Negreanu's MasterClass isn't going to turn you into a professional poker player.
It could be a jumping-off point that leads to that, but by itself, that's just not going to happen. Nor is it designed for experienced, winning players. Rather, the course is aimed at a wider audience. That audience being new, casual or struggling players.
As such, it's meant to keep students from becoming or remaining lousy poker players and help them start to think through different scenarios like a poker pro.
In that sense, I would consider the MasterClass more of a leak-buster series — a really good leak-buster series.
If you're a new or even a semi-regular poker player that's unfamiliar with concepts like GTO vis-à-vis exploitative play, blockers and proper bet sizing, the course will pay for itself multiple times over.
On the other hand, if you watch Twitch streamers, read '2+2' and have a subscription to 'Run it Once' or 'Upswing Poker,' the Negreanu MasterClass isn't going to offer much in the way of new strategies or information.
That said, there are multiple hand reviews (mostly from well-known televised hands) where Negreanu goes into great detail on seemingly unconventional plays and why he made them.
It's also engaging and entertaining enough that if you already have, or are considering purchasing the all-access MasterClass pass, the Negreanu poker course is worth watching.
While interacting with fellow players in discussion forums, watching a training video presented by a seasoned pro, or reading a blog on your favorite poker site are all excellent ways of improving your game, there will be times when even the most digitally integrated of us want to step away from the laptop for our poker fix.
Fortunately, there is a wealth of terrific poker material available in long-form, with some of the game's most revered analysts having published books in traditional and electronic form.
Before we take a look at our favorite poker books, let's consider something Daniel Negreanu stated in a post he wrote about selecting one. In poker, one should not separate the author's achievements from their work. Unlike many other competitive pastimes, knowledge about poker has to play out as success at the tables.
While many experts on sporting technique and strategy were themselves never competitors at the highest level of their areas of expertise, this should not be the case with poker. Pay attention to who the author of a particular book is. Find out what their achievements are before putting stock in their views. This is solid advice when exploring poker literature.
1. Gus Hansen: Every Hand Revealed
There are few players to whom a 'window into the mind of' would be more fascinating than Gus Hansen and with this publication, the eccentric and massively successful Dane gives us just that.
The innovative concept behind this book would surely have been enough to render it a worthy read, but, as it turns out, the content is absolutely stellar too, giving insight into the thought processes that drove a remarkable tournament performance.
Here's some background: In 2007, Mr. Hansen won his fifth major title when he became the Aussie Millions Champion, outlasting more than 700 players to take home an astonishing $1.2M in prize money.
Every Hand Revealed is the inside story of that victory. It is an unprecedented analysis of over 300 hands in which one of the game's most popular and enigmatic figures reveals the reasoning behind every single decision he made on his way to the final victorious hand.
About the author
Gus Hansen has reported live winnings well over $10M and was, at the height of his success, ranked 11th in the Global Poker Index (GPI)'s All Time Money List Best Rank.
2. Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier: The Raiser's Edge
Possibly the most relevant publication in terms of unpacking the current Loose Aggressive (LAG) style of poker employed by today's most successful players, The Raiser's Edge has far more going for it than just a clever title.
Focusing only on tournament strategy, the book helps readers understand the stages and spots where and how to employ a LAG approach and even when to shift to hyper-LAG. The book also deals with how to defend against a player who is bossing the table with this particular strategy.
The Raiser's Edge doesn't compromise its value by having too narrow a focus, however, with a significant portion of the book also focusing on innovative, but extremely valuable, concepts like opponent nationality and age.
A guest-chapter, written by leading body-language expert Steve van Aspelen – a man who regularly assists the Australian police force in suspect interrogation – focuses on spotting and interpreting physical 'tells'. This novel inclusion elevates The Raiser's Edge to must-read level for players who focus on live tournament poker.
About the author
With over $13M in live winnings, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier is one of the world's leading tournament players. His groundbreaking style of play, and his remarkable ability to explain it coherently makes him one of the most popular figures in the world of poker.
3. Mike Caro: Caro's Book of Tells: The Body Language and Psychology of Poker
Mika Caro's book, as you may have guessed from the title, deals entirely with the art of interpreting your opponents' physical behavior. The ability to pick up clues about a player's cards based on a combination of shrugs, sighs, shaky hands, eye contact, and many more is invaluable, and here Caro gives us 320 pages of information on this obscure topic.
Despite its length, the book only covers 20 basic tells but includes a significant amount of information on how each one can be interpreted based on certain conditions. It also defines how each of these tells can be exploited for maximum reward.
Critically, the book also deals with how to spot and respond to opponents who are deliberately exhibiting fake tells.
Bear in mind, though, that Caro's Book of Tells is an influential piece of literature and is likely to have been read by a number of players at any given table.
About the author
Mike Caro is a professional poker player with seven WSOP 'in the money' finishes under his belt. The 73-year old also contributed a chapter to Doyle Brunson's seminal Super/System, one of the first ever books on poker strategy.
4. David Sklansky: The Theory of Poker
In publishing, the term 'classic' is ordinarily reserved for texts that have influenced generations of readers, and, strictly speaking, this is entirely true of David Sklansky's seminal effort.
Despite being published a mere 24 years ago, The Theory of Poker could easily be regarded as being outdated, given how quickly the game and meta-game has evolved in recent years. However, nothing could be further from the truth since the book focuses on introducing and demystifying the fundamental logical and mathematical concepts that drive a winning poker player's decisions.
It is rightfully regarded as setting the benchmark for poker debate and is pretty much as essential as reading can get.
About the author
It may not come as much of a surprise to those familiar with his legacy to learn that David Sklansky practiced as an actuary before taking up poker as a full-time profession. A three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Sklansky is predominantly a live player and boasts career earnings in excess of $1.3M.
5. Dan Harrington: Harrington on Hold'em Vol. 1: Strategic Play & Vol. 2 Endgame
The first volume in a series of three was without a doubt the most influential work on the topic of tournament poker and introduced the world to many strategic concepts that are nowadays taken for granted, even at the micro-stakes.
It's almost impossible to think that there was a time, not too long ago, when most tournament players were not taking their M-ratios into consideration. This concept was introduced by Harrington and Robertie and is widely regarded as one of the most important contributions to the poker lexicon.
While the books' significant level of influence does render some of its knowledge less valuable than more contemporary offerings, it is still packed with a wealth of essential information and considered required reading for anyone interested in tournament success.
The second volume in the series narrows its focus to the final stages of the tournament – a topic so complex, the author felt it warranted a publication of its own. This volume deals with the fragile dynamics of playing when the money is in sight and the blinds and antes are starting to overwhelm the short stacks. 'Endgame' navigates these complexities expertly, providing readers with an arsenal of strategies to employ during this crucial phase of the tournament.
About the author
Dan Harrington won the 1995 WSOP main event, has ranked as high as 8th on the All Time Money List Best Rank and boasts career earnings of over $6.5M.
The 72-year old also recently expanded his bibliography by publishing two new volumes dealing with cash poker.
Bonus. Jared Tendler: The Mental Game of Poker
Advanced Poker Strategy Reddit Yahoo
The Daniel Negreanu MasterClass is broken up into 38 video lessons (chapters) on a wide variety of poker topics.
Here's a general idea of some of the topics discussed.
The basics:
- Power of position
- Hand ranges and board texture
- Continuation bets, check-raising and three bets
- Game selection, bankroll management and life as a poker player
Beyond the basics:
- Bluffs
- Bet sizing
- Using a 'mixed' strategy
- Typical mistakes
- Hiding and spotting tells
These lessons last anywhere from a couple of minutes to nearly a half hour, but most of them are right around 10 minutes long.
Throughout the course, Negreanu does an excellent job of conveying each concept in an insightful, but an easily digestible way. Video footage of televisedhands, as well as a handreplayer and range calculator, make frequent appearances throughout the course.
Who will benefit from Negreanu's MasterClass?
First things first, Negreanu's MasterClass isn't going to turn you into a professional poker player.
It could be a jumping-off point that leads to that, but by itself, that's just not going to happen. Nor is it designed for experienced, winning players. Rather, the course is aimed at a wider audience. That audience being new, casual or struggling players.
As such, it's meant to keep students from becoming or remaining lousy poker players and help them start to think through different scenarios like a poker pro.
In that sense, I would consider the MasterClass more of a leak-buster series — a really good leak-buster series.
If you're a new or even a semi-regular poker player that's unfamiliar with concepts like GTO vis-à-vis exploitative play, blockers and proper bet sizing, the course will pay for itself multiple times over.
On the other hand, if you watch Twitch streamers, read '2+2' and have a subscription to 'Run it Once' or 'Upswing Poker,' the Negreanu MasterClass isn't going to offer much in the way of new strategies or information.
That said, there are multiple hand reviews (mostly from well-known televised hands) where Negreanu goes into great detail on seemingly unconventional plays and why he made them.
It's also engaging and entertaining enough that if you already have, or are considering purchasing the all-access MasterClass pass, the Negreanu poker course is worth watching.
While interacting with fellow players in discussion forums, watching a training video presented by a seasoned pro, or reading a blog on your favorite poker site are all excellent ways of improving your game, there will be times when even the most digitally integrated of us want to step away from the laptop for our poker fix.
Fortunately, there is a wealth of terrific poker material available in long-form, with some of the game's most revered analysts having published books in traditional and electronic form.
Before we take a look at our favorite poker books, let's consider something Daniel Negreanu stated in a post he wrote about selecting one. In poker, one should not separate the author's achievements from their work. Unlike many other competitive pastimes, knowledge about poker has to play out as success at the tables.
While many experts on sporting technique and strategy were themselves never competitors at the highest level of their areas of expertise, this should not be the case with poker. Pay attention to who the author of a particular book is. Find out what their achievements are before putting stock in their views. This is solid advice when exploring poker literature.
1. Gus Hansen: Every Hand Revealed
There are few players to whom a 'window into the mind of' would be more fascinating than Gus Hansen and with this publication, the eccentric and massively successful Dane gives us just that.
The innovative concept behind this book would surely have been enough to render it a worthy read, but, as it turns out, the content is absolutely stellar too, giving insight into the thought processes that drove a remarkable tournament performance.
Here's some background: In 2007, Mr. Hansen won his fifth major title when he became the Aussie Millions Champion, outlasting more than 700 players to take home an astonishing $1.2M in prize money.
Every Hand Revealed is the inside story of that victory. It is an unprecedented analysis of over 300 hands in which one of the game's most popular and enigmatic figures reveals the reasoning behind every single decision he made on his way to the final victorious hand.
About the author
Gus Hansen has reported live winnings well over $10M and was, at the height of his success, ranked 11th in the Global Poker Index (GPI)'s All Time Money List Best Rank.
2. Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier: The Raiser's Edge
Possibly the most relevant publication in terms of unpacking the current Loose Aggressive (LAG) style of poker employed by today's most successful players, The Raiser's Edge has far more going for it than just a clever title.
Focusing only on tournament strategy, the book helps readers understand the stages and spots where and how to employ a LAG approach and even when to shift to hyper-LAG. The book also deals with how to defend against a player who is bossing the table with this particular strategy.
The Raiser's Edge doesn't compromise its value by having too narrow a focus, however, with a significant portion of the book also focusing on innovative, but extremely valuable, concepts like opponent nationality and age.
A guest-chapter, written by leading body-language expert Steve van Aspelen – a man who regularly assists the Australian police force in suspect interrogation – focuses on spotting and interpreting physical 'tells'. This novel inclusion elevates The Raiser's Edge to must-read level for players who focus on live tournament poker.
About the author
With over $13M in live winnings, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier is one of the world's leading tournament players. His groundbreaking style of play, and his remarkable ability to explain it coherently makes him one of the most popular figures in the world of poker.
3. Mike Caro: Caro's Book of Tells: The Body Language and Psychology of Poker
Mika Caro's book, as you may have guessed from the title, deals entirely with the art of interpreting your opponents' physical behavior. The ability to pick up clues about a player's cards based on a combination of shrugs, sighs, shaky hands, eye contact, and many more is invaluable, and here Caro gives us 320 pages of information on this obscure topic.
Despite its length, the book only covers 20 basic tells but includes a significant amount of information on how each one can be interpreted based on certain conditions. It also defines how each of these tells can be exploited for maximum reward.
Critically, the book also deals with how to spot and respond to opponents who are deliberately exhibiting fake tells.
Bear in mind, though, that Caro's Book of Tells is an influential piece of literature and is likely to have been read by a number of players at any given table.
About the author
Mike Caro is a professional poker player with seven WSOP 'in the money' finishes under his belt. The 73-year old also contributed a chapter to Doyle Brunson's seminal Super/System, one of the first ever books on poker strategy.
4. David Sklansky: The Theory of Poker
In publishing, the term 'classic' is ordinarily reserved for texts that have influenced generations of readers, and, strictly speaking, this is entirely true of David Sklansky's seminal effort.
Despite being published a mere 24 years ago, The Theory of Poker could easily be regarded as being outdated, given how quickly the game and meta-game has evolved in recent years. However, nothing could be further from the truth since the book focuses on introducing and demystifying the fundamental logical and mathematical concepts that drive a winning poker player's decisions.
It is rightfully regarded as setting the benchmark for poker debate and is pretty much as essential as reading can get.
About the author
It may not come as much of a surprise to those familiar with his legacy to learn that David Sklansky practiced as an actuary before taking up poker as a full-time profession. A three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Sklansky is predominantly a live player and boasts career earnings in excess of $1.3M.
5. Dan Harrington: Harrington on Hold'em Vol. 1: Strategic Play & Vol. 2 Endgame
The first volume in a series of three was without a doubt the most influential work on the topic of tournament poker and introduced the world to many strategic concepts that are nowadays taken for granted, even at the micro-stakes.
It's almost impossible to think that there was a time, not too long ago, when most tournament players were not taking their M-ratios into consideration. This concept was introduced by Harrington and Robertie and is widely regarded as one of the most important contributions to the poker lexicon.
While the books' significant level of influence does render some of its knowledge less valuable than more contemporary offerings, it is still packed with a wealth of essential information and considered required reading for anyone interested in tournament success.
The second volume in the series narrows its focus to the final stages of the tournament – a topic so complex, the author felt it warranted a publication of its own. This volume deals with the fragile dynamics of playing when the money is in sight and the blinds and antes are starting to overwhelm the short stacks. 'Endgame' navigates these complexities expertly, providing readers with an arsenal of strategies to employ during this crucial phase of the tournament.
About the author
Dan Harrington won the 1995 WSOP main event, has ranked as high as 8th on the All Time Money List Best Rank and boasts career earnings of over $6.5M.
The 72-year old also recently expanded his bibliography by publishing two new volumes dealing with cash poker.
Bonus. Jared Tendler: The Mental Game of Poker
Advanced Poker Strategy Reddit Yahoo
As an exception to the rule mentioned in our introduction, here is one book written by a non-player that has received such recognition that it is impossible not to include it in our list.
Psychology plays a bigger role in poker than most other competitive pursuits since it's the only game in the world where a good player can continuously play well but still lose. The mental repercussions of losing a big hand or running bad for two months can ruin a tournament or, in extreme cases, a career.
Advanced Poker Strategy Reddit Sites
This highly insightful book helps serious players overcome the challenges they will face when their emotions become involved in their decisions. It provides an actionable approach to dealing with tilt and it has been hailed by several WSOP bracelet winners, including 2012 Main Event Champion, Greg Merson, as having revolutionised their game.
Advanced Poker Strategy Reddit Games
About the author
Advanced Poker Strategy Reddit Streams
Former mental health practitioner, and holder of a master's degree in psychology, Jared Tendler, is a coach to over 500 professional poker players. His now defunct podcast, The Mental Game, has over 4.5M downloads and is still considered one of the most valuable resources on the psychology of poker.
