TPP Academy, Author at The Poker Place

OPENING STRATEGY | LESSON 2

When to Open Raise Preflop

Learn when to open raise preflop by using a simple EV-based decision system built on initiative, position, and who’s left to act. The article breaks down what open raising accomplishes, how to choose profitable hands using high-card value, playability, and blockers, and how to adjust to rake and player tendencies. Apply these rules to steal more effectively, face fewer painful 3-bets, and improve equity realization across online cash games.

OPENING STRATEGY | LESSON 1

Open Raising in Poker

Learn what an open raise is, why it outperforms limping in most online games, and how it generates EV through fold equity, initiative, and equity realization. You’ll build position-based opening ranges, choose consistent small raise sizes, and adjust intelligently based on who is left to act to avoid dominated, low-EV spots.

POSITIONS | LESSON 8

Preflop Position Mistakes

Learn how positional awareness should drive your preflop ranges in online cash games, and why most “position mistakes” are actually range-construction leaks. You’ll fix common EV drains like opening too wide early, overcalling out of position, and failing to 3-bet enough in late position—so your preflop decisions create profitable postflop spots instead of tough guesses.

POSITIONS | LESSON 7

Position Picks Your Starting Hands

Learn how table position should dictate your preflop starting-hand selection in online cash games. This article explains how acting later improves equity realization and fold equity, letting you open wider and play more aggressively while avoiding costly out-of-position spots. You’ll also learn the biggest position-based leaks (UTG looseness, SB flats, BB overdefends) and how to adjust when strong 3-bettors are behind you.

POSITIONS | LESSON 6

Why Position Prints Money Preflop

Learn why position is an EV multiplier in online poker and how acting last improves information, equity realization, and pot control. This article shows how to build position-based preflop ranges, tighten up when strong players are left to act, and avoid costly out-of-position calling leaks that get crushed by rake.

POSITIONS | LESSON 5

Positions: Winning From the Blinds

Learn how to stop bleeding win rate from the blinds by using structured preflop decisions, better equity-realization hand selection, and intentional 3-bet pressure. You’ll see why the BB is more price-driven while the SB should default to 3-bet-or-fold in most online pools, plus how rake and opponent tendencies change your defending frequencies.

POSITIONS | LESSON 4

Late Position: Your Preflop Profit Engine

Learn how late position (CO/BTN) turns preflop into a repeatable profit engine by leveraging information, initiative, and postflop leverage. You’ll see how to widen versus tight blinds, tighten versus strong defenders/3-bettors, and avoid rake-heavy passive lines so you win more pots earlier and bleed less EV.

POSITIONS | LESSON 3

Middle Position Preflop Decisions

Learn how to build a middle position (MP) preflop opening range that stays profitable in online games by accounting for who is left to act, rake, and common 3-bet/cold-call punishments. You’ll improve winrate by tightening against aggressive regs, widening versus passive lineups, and choosing hands that are both openable and defendable with a clear plan versus 3-bets.

POSITIONS | LESSON 2

Early Position Preflop Strategy

Learn how to build a disciplined early position preflop range for online cash games that holds up against aggressive 3-bets and tough squeeze dynamics. You’ll get a practical opening framework, correct 3-bet responses, and clear exploit adjustments so you stop leaking EV with dominated hands and “hope” calls out of position.

POSITIONS | LESSON 1

Poker Positions Explained

Learn how poker position shapes EV by giving you an information edge, better equity realization, and stronger pot control. This article breaks down the full-table position hierarchy and shows how to adjust preflop opens, calls, and 3-bet decisions based on who is left to act. Apply these position-based rules to avoid common leaks and improve your winrate immediately in online cash games.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 8

Starting Hand Mistakes Beginners Make

Learn how to fix the most common beginner preflop leaks by tightening your starting hand selection around position, rake, and who is left to act. You’ll build a cleaner raise-or-fold default range, avoid low-EV flats (especially from the Small Blind), and stop overplaying dominated broadways, weak suited hands, small pairs, and suited connectors.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 7

Position Changes Hand Value

Learn why position is the biggest factor that changes starting hand value in online poker, largely through improved fold equity, better decision quality, and stronger equity realization. You’ll see how ranges should tighten in early position and the blinds while widening on the Button, plus how to avoid “hope poker” lines that bleed EV (and rake) when you’re out of position.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 6

Pocket Pairs Preflop

Learn how to play pocket pairs preflop with a tier-based system that adjusts for position, stack depth, opponent type, rake, and squeeze risk. You’ll stop leaking EV from “hope poker” calls, build proactive raise and 3-bet plans, and make faster, more profitable decisions while multi-tabling.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 5

Suited vs Offsuit Starting Hands

Learn why suited starting hands outperform offsuit hands in real online poker EV, especially when you’re multi-tabling and need repeatable preflop decisions. This article explains how suitedness improves equity realization, reduces rake-sensitive marginal spots, and strengthens your calling, defending, and 3-bet bluffing ranges—particularly out of position and in deeper stacks.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 4

Weak Starting Hands: Fold Like a Pro

Learn how to identify weak starting hands and fold profitably in high-rake cash games by focusing on domination risk, equity realization, and reverse implied odds. This article gives a practical preflop framework for tightening up out of position, respecting who’s left to act, and choosing cleaner 3-bet-or-fold lines to protect your winrate.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 3

Medium Starting Hands Preflop

Learn how to play medium-strength starting hands preflop without bleeding EV in high-rake games. The article teaches you how to bucket these hands into open, call, 3-bet, or fold based on position, initiative, and equity realization—so you avoid multiway traps and reverse implied odds while creating more profitable, higher-leverage pots.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 2

Strong Starting Hands Preflop

Learn what actually makes a starting hand “strong” preflop by separating raw equity from equity realization and robustness versus 3-bets and multiway pots. This article shows how rake, position, and aggression change which hands print money—and how to avoid “almost strong” holdings that bleed EV through dominated spots and hope-driven calls.

STARTING HANDS | LESSON 1

Starting Hands: Your Preflop Foundation

Learn how to select starting hands based on position, rake, opponent tendencies, and table dynamics—so you stop “guessing” on the flop. The article explains why hands function as a hierarchy inside your ranges (opens, calls, 3-bets, defenses) and how tightening weak flats while adding disciplined aggression improves EV in high-rake games.

UTG Pocket Aces vs BB 3 Bet Squeeze: The Pro Line at 120bb

Hero is dealt Pocket Sixes UTG in a 6-max online cash game. Facing standard action pre-flop, the strategic decision centers on whether to open-raise from early position, factoring in stack depths and typical opponent ranges at mid-stakes online tables.

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