Phil Ivey Poker Training


Of course, Phil Ivey is a big name attached to the training site, but other top poker pros have been involved with providing coaching videos and content to the site. Such big-name players include Patrik Antonius, Jonathan Jaffe, Cole South and Andrew Lichtenberger.

Me 18 tabling on Pokerstars
(Tiled and stacked 2 deep)

Outfits that offer poker training courses include the venerable Upswing Poker and Red Chip Poker. Individual instructors like Jonathan Little, Fedor Holz, and even Poker Hall of Famer Phil Ivey have also put together some excellent material that undoubtedly has the potential to improve your game. Fittingly, in 2017 Ivey was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame at the age of 40 - the first year a player can even be considered. Phil Ivey Edge Sorting Lawsuit, Lasting Legacy. Phil Ivey is a player's player: the one the talkers keep their mouths shut around and the silent talk nervously through hands with.

  1. Learn poker strategy direct from Phil Ivey’s Masterclass. This world champion poker player is the master of the mental game across all poker formats. Whether you are just starting out with the game, a fan, or a seasoned player you are going to enjoy this masterclass.
  2. About Phil Ivey At 38, Phil Ivey was the youngest person to win 10 WSOP bracelets, a massive feat of skill in a game that's involves a large chunk of chance. Phil is from a generation where players didn't share their secrets, which makes this Masterclass a total revelation.

Welcome!


My name is Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams and I have been an online poker pro for over 10 years now. I have also written 3 best selling books on the game and coached 100's of students to success at the lower limits.
If you are new to poker or you are struggling at the micro stakes then this page was created for you!
It contains all of the information that you need to quickly start playing with confidence and achieving real profit at the poker tables.

What is Success in Poker?


Before we start with anything though, let's talk about what success in poker actually means. Success to me in poker is very simple: long term profit
Anybody can get lucky and win a tournament or go on a heater at the cash tables.
The real pros are able to keep winning month after month and year after year though. This is how you know that their success is no fluke. It is the byproduct of skill instead.
So I want you to understand above all that success in poker is a long term endeavor.
There is no quick buck in this game. If you are looking for a 'get rich quick scheme,' you picked the wrong game.
I didn't start creating profits like this overnight. And you probably won't either.
But if you are willing to put in the work to improve your game and stay the course when you get unlucky, then I can teach you how to make long term profits like this.
And quite frankly a lot more as well.

What You Also Need to Know


1) Success in poker doesn't come easy.
Top poker pros tend to be the ones who work the hardest. I have played millions and millions of hands of poker and spent countless hours studying away from the tables as well.
This is why I have been able to turn poker into a career (10+ years as a pro).
Phil Ivey Poker Training2) Success in poker has nothing to do with luck.
Poker is a game of skill in the long run. There is a reason why you see the same faces and names at the top of the leaderboards, money lists and final tables year after year. The cream always rises to the top in the end.

Here's the Bottom Line:


Please understand that I don't say all of this to scare you. I say all of this to 'be real' with you instead.
If you have a deep passion for poker and you are willing to put in the effort then believe me, there is big money to be made in this game.
Here are some recent winnings of mine in small stakes poker games:
Please note that my winrates above are in big bets per 100 hands
(i.e. you need to DOUBLE them to get my big blinds per 100 hands winrate)
Yes, that is tens of thousands of dollars in pure profit. And almost all of it was made at stakes that most people would consider to be very low.
By the way, these results above don't even include all of the rakeback and bonuses I made which is about $20k more on top.
I did all of this from my laptop as well, while traveling the world, or sitting seaside at my condo in Thailand.
If you want to know my full poker story by the way and why I decided to turn pro and move halfway around the world, check out my hugely popular 10 Years as a Poker Pro post.
Now, I don't say all of this to brag to you. I say it to inspire you and show you what is possible instead.
The key takeaway here is that you can achieve anything you want in this game. If you want to be a full time pro like me or you just want to make a nice side income each month ($200, $500, $1000 or more).

Where Is Phil Ivey


Then yes, you can do it.
I must warn you that it won't come easy though. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to achieve these results consistently. But that is what I am here to teach you to do.

My Free Poker Cheat Sheet Teaches You How to Make $1000+ Per Month in Low Stakes Games


Are you struggling to beat low stakes poker games like 2NL, 5NL, 10NL, 25NL online, low buy-in tournaments or $1/$2, $2/$5 live?
Do you want a simple step by step guide to show you exactly how to start winning consistently right now?
That is why I recently wrote this free little 50 page no BS guide to teach you exactly how to start crushing these games right now.
You will learn the exact poker strategies I have used as a 10+ year poker pro to consistently make $1000+ per month in small stakes poker games.
Enter your details below and I will send my free poker cheat sheet to your email right now.


My Poker Strategy Articles


I have written over 700 highly in depth poker strategy articles now for this website.
And that is why www.blackrain79.com is the #1 small stakes poker strategy website in the world today.
I have broken it down for you below into my most popular articles for each skill level, beginner on through to professional.
Feel free to bookmark this page because I am always updating and adding to this list.

Beginner


The Ultimate Poker Cheat Sheet for 2020
How to Beat 2NL: The Essential Guide [2020]
How to Beat 5NL: The Definitive Guide [2020]TrainingPhil Ivey Poker Training
47 Things That I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started Playing Poker
The Biggest Key to My Success at the Micros (It Might Shock You)
Why You Need to be More Patient at the Micros in Order to Succeed
The Ultimate Guide to Table Selection for Today's Online Micro Stakes Cash Games
How to Play Against the Fish Who Doesn't Fold Anything

Novice


Phil Ivey Poker Training Video

How to Beat Online Poker in 2020
How to Beat 10NL: The Ultimate Guide [2020]
The Only Poker Software You Need in 2020 (Voted by Pros)
15 Proven Ways to Beat Micro Stakes Poker in 2020
The Step by Step Guide to Dominating in 3Bet Pots
Zoom Poker Strategy - The Essential Guide
15 Mental Tips That Will Double Your Results at the Micros

Advanced


Can You Win at Online Poker Without Using a HUD?
12 Advanced Online Poker Tips Used By Pros [2020]
What is the Best Poker HUD for 2020? [Used by Pros]
How to Optimize Your HUD for Today's Micro Stakes Cash Games
All the Poker Software Tools I Personally Use as a Pro
The Ultimate 6-Max Poker Strategy Guide

Professional Poker Player


How Online Poker Allowed Me to 'Live the Dream'
10 Years as a Poker Pro: This is What I Have Learned
9 Guaranteed Ways to Improve Your Poker Game in 2020
Best Poker Training Sites 2020 (Free Download Bonus)
The Top 3 Poker Tools Used by Online Pros
Becoming an Online Professional Poker Player

Best Poker Strategy Book - Crushing the Microstakes


Crushing the Microstakes is the most popular poker strategy book ever written for the lower limit games. Specifically, NL2 and NL5 (and $1/$2 if you play live).
Crushing the Microstakes has now helped thousands of people drastically improve their results in these games.
And this is because as the author I have some of the highest winnings in online poker history at these stakes.
This book teaches you the exact strategies I use to win tens of thousands of dollars at the micro stakes. Some people think you can't make serious money at the micros. I beg to differ!
There is also an optional video course (6 hours of live play video) where you can simply watch me crush 6max, Zoom and full ring and explain all my decisions.
You get to essentially 'look over my shoulder' as I show you the exact strategies that I use to crush low stakes 6max, Zoom and full ring for some of the highest winnings ever recorded.
Crushing the Microstakes also comes bundled with my extremely popular FREE bonuses:
  • The Starting Hand “Cheat Sheets”
  • The Ultimate Zoom Poker Strategy Guide
  • Lifetime Access to my Private Poker Forum (I personally help you with your poker hands)

If you are struggling to beat 6max, Zoom or full ring NL2 or NL5 online, (or $1/$2 if you play live), then Crushing the Microstakes will show you how to finally start consistently crushing these games.
You can go grab your copy of Crushing the Microstakes (and the video course) right now by clicking here.

Best Advanced Poker Training - The Upswing Poker Lab


The Upswing Poker Lab is the #1 best video based poker course available today in my opinion.
This poker course is primarily taught by 3-time WSOP bracelet winner Doug Polk who has millions of dollars in winnings both live and online.
He also won the One Drop 'High Roller' WSOP tournament last year for $3.7 million dollars.
The Upswing Poker Lab includes dozens of video lessons, charts and tools to get you winning big in small and mid stakes games. It teaches you step by step how to think and play like a world class pro.
The amount of high level poker instruction included in this course is truly remarkable and that is why it is easily the best 'bang for your buck' poker training program in the world today.
The Upswing Poker Lab teaches you advanced poker math, GTO theory, exploitative strategy, how to understand ranges better, how to work with equity tools and the basics of solver theory.
If you take poker seriously, and you are struggling to beat low stakes games in particular, then The Upswing Poker Lab is the #1 way to start changing your results quickly.
The Upswing Poker Lab is best for serious poker players who play online, live, cash games, tournaments, sit and gos, 6max, full ring or zoom.

Phil Ivey Arrested


There is so much cutting edge advanced poker training available in this course that I actually created a complete step by step video walkthrough of what you get on YouTube:
You can enroll in The Upswing Poker Lab right now by clicking here.

Best Beginner Friendly Poker Training Program - The Daniel Negreanu MasterClass


Do you play small or mid stakes? Are you struggling to get consistent good results? If so then one of the absolute best poker training programs available today is the Daniel Negreanu MasterClass.
Daniel's accomplishments in the game of poker kind of speak for themselves. He has $40 million dollars in live poker tournament winnings which is the highest of all-time and he is the most famous poker player on earth.
Here is my step by step walkthrough of exactly what you get in Daniel's new poker course.

In this MasterClass Daniel Negreanu teaches you all of the secrets to picking up tells, reading their poker hand, bluffing like the pros, poker math, table talk, putting them on tilt and so much more.
There are also 38+ video based poker lessons, a huge workbook, course notes, a large community to offer you support and 'office hours' with Daniel himself.
The amount of high level poker instruction covered in this course is remarkable and Daniel's ability to teach the game is excellent as well.
Bottom line, if you are a serious poker player, then you need to enroll in this MasterClass. You are learning from the very best in the game.
Daniel's MasterClass is best for serious poker players who play online, live, cash games, tournaments, sit and gos, 6max, full ring or zoom.
To enroll in the Daniel Negreanu MasterClass right now click here.

Best Poker Training for Aspiring Pros - The Phil Ivey MasterClass


If you want to learn poker from the best to ever play the game, then there is no better option than the brand new Phil Ivey MasterClass.
Simply put, Phil Ivey has more winnings than anyone in the history of the game.
With 10 WSOP bracelets, over $26 million in live tournament winnings and $19 million more in online winnings, there is no poker player in history who has made more than this.
What is even more astonishing is that Phil Ivey is actually best known for playing in (untracked) ultra high stakes cash games. So many people believe his real winnings far, far exceed this.
And for the first time ever in his brand new MasterClass Phil Ivey reveals the secrets that allowed him to become the most feared player on earth at the poker tables.
In the Phil Ivey MasterClass you will learn:
  • What hands Phil Ivey plays, when he chooses to raise and when to bluff
  • How Phil Ivey reads your hand at the poker table
  • How to stop tilting from bad beats and learn how to start putting other people on tilt!
  • How Phil Ivey knows when to pull the trigger on a massive bluff
  • The never before revealed pro level strategies of one of the game's all-time greats

You can also take the Phil Ivey MasterClass with you on the go in order to learn at your own pace. Download the videos right to you smart phone or tablet (Android and iOS).
Bottom line: If you are a struggling low or mid stakes poker player and you want to start winning consistently, then the Phil Ivey MasterClass is for you.
Learn from arguably the best poker player to ever play the game. I also highly recommend this poker training program for aspiring poker pros.
To enroll in the Phil Ivey MasterClass today, click here.

Best Advanced Poker Tournament Training - Winning Poker Tournaments with Nick Petrangelo


Are you a poker pro or an aspiring pro who plays mid or high stakes right now?
If I had to recommend one poker tournament program for highly advanced players like this it would be Winning Poker Tournaments with Nick Petrangelo.
This brand new poker tournament course from Upswing Poker focuses on the highly sophisticated GTO math and solver theory that today's elite live and online tournament pros are using.
Nick Petrangelo (the head teacher of this course) has been destroying the tournament circuit lately with $23 million dollars in life-time earnings including a 1st place finish for $2.9 million dollars in this past summer's WSOP $100k High Roller for his 2nd bracelet.
If you are very serious about improving your play in poker tournaments and you are looking to learn from an elite world class pro, this is the most advanced poker tournament training program available anywhere today.
To enroll in Winning Poker Tournaments with Nick Petrangelo right now click here.

Poker Strategy Videos - BlackRain79 YouTube


There are tons of good YouTube and Twitch streams these days to help you improve you poker game. However, if I had to recommend one, it would have to be my own!
And the reason why is because I focus on making poker strategy videos for the stakes that YOU actually play in.
You know, stakes like NL2, NL5, NL10, NL25 and Zoom games online (or $1/$2 and $2/$5 if you play live).

I release brand new poker strategy videos just like this one on YouTube every single week teaching you how to crush the micros.
Don't miss out! Make sure you are subscribed to my poker YouTube channel.

I Appreciate You!


I just want to let you know that I am here for you as a guide, mentor and a friend. I know that the path to success in poker can be a slow, painful and lonely one at times.
Believe me, I am not somebody special, I am not some poker genius. I am just a guy who works hard at this game to get the results that I want.
And I know that if I can do it, then you can too.
The fact that you found my website already tells me that you have a deep passion for poker. My goal is to help you start consistently making a solid side income from this game or even a full time one.
So stick around because I have tons of brand new poker strategy content coming out every week to help you get crushing the micros.
Lastly, if you want to learn how to start consistently making $1000 per month at the micro stakes, make sure you grab a copy of my free poker cheat sheet.
Cheers and all the best at the poker tables!
- Nathan 'BlackRain79' Williams
Please note that a few of the links above are affiliate links (most are not). This means that if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you.
However, the reason why I recommend the poker software tools in this article is because they have helped me earn more as a poker pro for many years now. Please do not spend any money on poker tools unless you absolutely believe it will help you.

Published by:Julia

Learn poker strategy direct from Phil Ivey’s Masterclass. This world champion poker player is the master of the mental game across all poker formats.

Whether you are just starting out with the game, a fan, or a seasoned player you are going to enjoy this masterclass. More importantly, you are going to learn a lot about the art of poker.

A genuine insight into the world of professional poker

The idea that someone like Phil Ivey would share some of his secrets stunned me. So, to be honest, I was not expecting too much from this course.

At 3 hours long it is one of the shorter ones that are available on the Masterclass.com platform. But, Phil packs a lot in. He covers all of the important poker strategies and does so in a way that someone who is almost a complete novice, like me, can actually follow.

Phil Ivey’s Poker Journey

Like many of the bestplayers in the world, Phil’s interest in poker started early. As a child, hesaw the men in his family playing and was intrigued. His grandfather spent manyhours explaining the game to him. It quickly became his passion and even as achild he knew he wanted to be a professional player.

There is no doubt that ifyou want to be a good player, you have to practice…a lot. The strategies youwill learn from this course will give you a head start.

Make full use of Phil Ivey’s poker strategy workbook

Before I dive in and tell you more about what is in the course, I need to urge you to download and use the provided workbook (check it out here). Doing so will enable you to get a lot more out of the videos.

Pay particular attention tothe up your game section, this shows you how to maximize your results. Forexample, every now and again you will see a chip symbol pop up in a video. Thatis there to remind you to refer to the workbook. Usually, you will be providedwith exercises that are specifically designed to help you to cement what youhave just learned.

Phil also recommends placeswhere you can watch hands and learn more about the strategies he is teachingyou. He also highlights the best poker apps, which you can use to sharpen upyour game.

Understanding Pre-flop and Blind Defense

Master pre-flop and you’re in the game.

Phil Ivey – Poker Masterclass

One of the biggest mistakes players make is not understanding how to handle the pre-flop. The decisions you make at this stage of the game have a huge impact on the overall outcome.
Phil quickly walks you through the different positions at the table and explains which pre-flop strategy works best for each position. As Phil says “position is everything”.

He goes through the different reasons to defend a blind as well as how to defend for suited connectors. Phil reminds you that it is also possible to over-defend your blinds. Phil shows you how to assess each situation and avoid this pitfall. He uses a hand review to show you an example of a play where he made this mistake.

It is refreshing to see Phil using his mistakes to teach his students memorable lessons. He could have taken the opposite approach and only shown himself in a good light. The fact he used his mistakes, as well as his successes, makes what he is teaching far more memorable.

Betting Tactics

Betting in poker is all about maximizing value.

Phil Ivey – Poker Strategy Masterclass

Every bet you make has a reason or purpose. Phil says when you have mastered betting tactics you will be unstoppable.

This video has plenty of individual bets demonstrated on the screen. He goes through the various pitfalls and how to avoid them. Phil dives deep into the following subjects, in this section of the course. In many cases, he provides hand reviews to demonstrate the point he is making.

  • Overbetting
  • Three-betting
  • Three-betting from position
  • Inducing and calling bluffs
  • Induced bluff vs. polarized value bet

Bluffing while playing poker

Learning to bluff is a big part of playing poker. The best players are masters of the bluffing game. If you are known to be a good bluffer, your opponents are far more likely to feel unsure. This will often lead to them making a higher number of serious mistakes.

Phil starts out by explaining that you should only bluff when you have a good reason to do so. It is all too easy to see an opportunity and waste energy pursuing it, when the rewards are not adequate for the effort you have made.

He also shows you how to monitor your opponent’s stacks. Doing that ensures that your opponent does not run out of chips before you have been able to play out your bluff and profit.

Once again, Phil includes some hand reviews to demonstrate the technique he has just shared. The first one is pushing an opponent off of a winning hand. These reviews are a great way to gain an insight into the way Phil thinks and plays. If you like watching poker, you will really enjoy these sections of the course.

His other hand review demonstrates how he was able to turn a pretty good hand into a bluff. An approach that enabled him to get more out of the situation than most players would. He had the 3rd best hand but was able to use a bluff to take down the pot.

He also explains a bit more about how to handle the triple barrel. Unlike other players, he does not get too hung up on this.

This section also covers mastering the bluffing mindset and balancing your bluffs. Knowing when to bluff and when to put that strategy aside is an important skill that a lot of players fail to master. There is an exciting hand review that perfectly demonstrates these two concepts.

An in-depth look at the Post-flop

The longest part of the game is the post-flop. There is a lot of money at stake and it is a high-stress situation. Understandably, this is the longest part of the course.

It is very clear that poker strategy is not just about the game you are playing at the time. Every time you play your opponents are learning about you and the strategies you use in each situation. They then use this information to try to work out what you will do the next time they are sitting around the table with you. I had not really thought about this aspect of the game before.

  • When to slow play (hand review included)
  • Continuation betting and board texture
  • How to float the flop
  • How to float the turn
  • How to decide which draws to play (hand review included)
  • How to play draws with a small stack

In the 2nd post-flop video Phil goes over when to fold. This skill is just as important as knowing when to go in for the kill. He covers the dangers of overplaying in-depth as well as the following points:

  • Learn how to avoid overplaying a hand (hand review included)
  • How to anticipate changes triggered by the turn card
  • Learn how to take advantage of scare cards
  • Betting to avoid a check back
  • Learn when to check the river (hand review included)
  • Why you need to go after small pots

You really need to go ahead and believe in yourself and go with what you believe. A lot of poker is instinctual.

Phil Ivey – Poker Class on Masterclass.com

Successful deepstack play the Phil Ivey way

Playing deep stack is much more complicated and challenging than playing with a shortstack.

In this section, Phil includes how to play with small pockets. He briefly goes through what implied odds and reverse implied odds are and provides you with a hand example.

The hand reviews that are included in the deepstack video are:

  • The deepstacked hero fold
  • A deepstack implied odds hand

Playing the Mental Game

Phil Ivey has a reputation for being very strong mentally. So, this is the section of the course I was looking forward to the most.

He explains how to keep your emotions under control. While playing poker you need to make sure that the decisions you make are logical.

It is important to learn how to cope with your opponent’s attempts to tilt you. If you let them succeed at pushing you off course, it is easy to lose focus. So, strategies to avoid this are included. It includes a simple tip to help you to avoid disaster if you do lose control a little. There is also an in-depth explanation of the different ways you can push your opponents off tilt, so they make mistakes.

Importantly, Phil covers the subject of how to lose. At some point, you are going to lose, so you need to know how to handle that situation. Phil shows you how to learn from losing rather than let it overwhelm you.

Table Image and Tells

The key to being a good player is understanding your opponent and being able to adjust how you play to beat them. To a large extent, the strategies you use are dictated by who you are playing and how they act. The strategies are, however, something that you learn. If you’re passionate about poker, you can read what one of the best poker players of this decade has to say in his Daniel Negreanu Masterclass.

Interestingly, Phil does not consciously create a table image. But, other players do, in some cases, they do this to try to mislead you. This is something you need to be aware of. Phil also explains how to track changes to the way someone is playing. Over time, they will evolve.

Strategies for Success

Phil goes through half a dozen different ways you can improve your game. He explains how to analyze your game, who to follow, when to use statistics and how to collaborate with others. Being able to stay in the moment enables you to learn more. So, it is an important skill to learn.

Who is Phil Levy’s Poker Strategy Masterclass for?

If you have never played poker before, there is no way you are going to be able to follow everything in this course. It is definitely aimed at people who already play.

Even if, like me, you are fairly new to the game you will still be able to follow most of what Phil shares. Plus, once you have played more you can always go back over the parts of the course that you did not fully understand.

The course and workbook are laid out in a way that makes it easy for students to find things again and review things. Although, annoyingly the videos are not bookmarked, so you may need to watch the video for a few minutes before you get to the point you are looking for. But, using the workbook you will at least know that you are looking at the correct portion of the course.

Plus, as you can see from my full masterclass.com review, you also get access to something called office hours. Using this facility you can put any questions you have to Phil Ivey himself. There is also a good community forum and the facility to leave comments at the bottom of each video.

I doubt that a professional player would learn a huge amount from the course. However, I am sure many of them will still take this masterclass, especially those who are likely to end up competing against Phil Ivey, in the future. It is interesting for them to get an insight into how other professionals see the game. This is especially the case for someone like Phil who has won 10 world championship bracelets.

Is Phil Ivey’s poker strategy masterclass good value for money?

As I mentioned earlier at 3 hours this is one of the shorter courses on the masterclass.com platform. However, I still think it offers fantastic value for money. In particular, if you invest in an all-access pass.

I’ve got an all-access pass, so have been able to take 25+ of the courses for just $180. That is an amazing price. If I were to have bought just 10 of the courses separately, it would have cost me $900. So, there is no doubt that the all-access pass is the way to go. New courses are being added all the time, so there is always something fresh and interesting to explore and enjoy. Buy The Course Here.