Good sit and go strategy comes down to one idea: play tight early, get aggressive as the blinds rise, and respect the bubble. Sit and gos (SNGs) are short tournaments that start as soon as the seats fill. That makes them one of the most structured formats in poker, and one of the easiest to learn.

This guide walks you through every stage of an SNG, from the first hand to heads-up. You will learn how ICM changes your decisions, when to switch to push/fold, how big your bankroll should be, and the mistakes that cost beginners the most money.

It is written for players who know the rules of No-Limit Hold’em but are new to single-table tournaments. If you already play cash games, pay extra attention to the ICM section; it is where most cash players leak chips.

What is a sit and go?

A sit and go is a tournament with a fixed number of seats that starts the moment it fills, with no scheduled start time. Everyone buys in for the same amount and gets the same starting stack. Blinds rise on a set schedule until one player holds every chip.

The most common SNG formats:

Speed matters as much as format. Regular SNGs have 10–15 minute blind levels, turbos around 5 minutes, and hyper-turbos as little as 2–3 minutes. The faster the structure, the sooner you reach push/fold mode and the more luck evens out over fewer decisions.

This guide focuses on the standard 9-max SNG. Nearly every idea carries over to the other formats with small adjustments.

Why SNG strategy is different: ICM explained

In an SNG, chips are not money: the chips you lose are worth more than the chips you win. That one rule, captured by the Independent Chip Model (ICM), is what separates SNG strategy from cash game strategy.

In a cash game, a chip is always worth its face value. In an SNG, you are paid by finishing position, not by chip count. Winning every chip only earns you first place, which is 50% of the prize pool, not 100%.

A worked example

Take a $10 9-max SNG with a $90 prize pool (ignoring rake), paying $45 / $27 / $18. Three players remain, each with 4,500 chips. Because the stacks are equal, each player’s equity is $30.

Now you go all-in against one opponent:

Doubling your chips raised your equity by only 30%, while busting cut it by 40%. That gap is why you need a stronger hand to call an all-in near the money than you would in a cash game.

What ICM means at the table

• Calling ranges shrink as the payouts get closer, especially for medium stacks.
• Shoving ranges widen for big stacks, because opponents can’t call you light without risking elimination.
• Short stacks gain leverage from other players busting first, so medium stacks should avoid fighting them.

You don’t need to calculate ICM at the table. Learn the patterns here, then check your close spots afterward with an ICM calculator.

Early stage strategy (blinds 10/20 to 25/50)

In the early stage, play tight and avoid big pots without a big hand. Stacks are deep (50+ big blinds), blinds are small, and there is little to win by stealing. Your main goal is to survive and pick up chips from weaker players’ mistakes.

• Play a narrow range. Open premium pairs, AK and AQ, and strong broadway hands. Add suited connectors and small pairs only in late position.
• Set-mine cheaply. Calling a small raise with a pocket pair to hit a set is profitable when stacks are deep.
• Value-bet relentlessly. Low-stakes SNG fields call too often. Bet your strong hands for value and bluff rarely.
• Avoid marginal stack-offs. Losing your stack with top pair, weak kicker in level 2 is the classic early-stage leak.

Think of the early levels as a time to gather information. Note who limps, who calls too much, and who folds to aggression. You will use those reads once the blinds start to bite.

Middle stage strategy (blinds 50/100 to 100/200)

In the middle stage, shift from survival to accumulation by stealing blinds. Stacks shrink to 15–30 big blinds, and the blinds plus antes are now worth fighting for. Players who stay passive here get blinded down into desperate spots.

• Open-raise more from late position. From the cutoff and button, attack tight players in the blinds with a wide range.
• Re-steal with a 3-bet shove. With 12–20 big blinds, shoving over a late-position open is a strong weapon against frequent stealers.
• Use smaller open sizes. A min-raise or 2.2x keeps your risk low and your fold equity high.
• Know your stack depth. Below roughly 10–12 big blinds, stop open-raising and switch to push/fold.

Push/fold basics

Once you have about 10 big blinds or fewer, your only preflop options should be all-in or fold. A raise you can’t fold to a re-shove wastes chips you need for fold equity. The shorter your stack and the later your position, the wider you can shove.

Push/fold charts, built with tools like ICMIZER or HoldemResources Calculator, show the exact ranges for each stack and seat. Study them away from the table until the common spots feel automatic.

Bubble strategy: where SNGs are won and lost

On the bubble, big stacks should attack and medium stacks should tighten up. In a 9-max SNG the bubble starts when four players remain and only three get paid. ICM pressure peaks here, and your stack size decides your role.

Big stack: apply pressure

You are the bully. Opponents can’t call your shoves without risking the min-cash, so shove or raise wide, especially into medium stacks. Avoid tangling with the other big stack; you have the most to lose against them.

Medium stack: stay out of trouble

You are under the most ICM pressure. Fold hands you would happily play in a cash game, like AJ or 88 facing a big stack’s shove. Let the short stack bust first; their elimination pays you.

Short stack: pick your spot and shove

With under 8 big blinds, you can’t wait for premium hands. Shove first-in, ideally into players who must fold, and do it before the blinds take your fold equity. Never limp or fold your way down to 2–3 big blinds.

Bubble rules of thumb

• Calling an all-in requires a much stronger hand than shoving does.
• The stack covering you matters more than your cards; avoid confrontations with players who can bust you.
• Players who are too tight on the bubble are your most profitable targets.

Bubble play is deep enough to earn its own study. If you want a structured course on it, Bubble Mastery by BBZ Poker covers ICM pressure and bubble spots in detail.

In the money and heads-up play

Once you’re in the money, play aggressively, because the pay jumps reward winning more than surviving. ICM pressure drops sharply after the bubble bursts. With three players left, the gap between 3rd ($18) and 1st ($45) in our example is worth fighting for.

Three-handed

• Steal the blinds from the button and small blind with a wide range.
• Still avoid calling off light against the big stack when a short stack is close to busting.
• Keep shoving short; most stacks will be under 15 big blinds.

Heads-up

Heads-up, ICM disappears completely: chips equal equity, so play to win the hand, not to survive.

• Play most buttons. On the button (small blind), raise or shove the large majority of hands.
• Defend your big blind wide. You are getting a good price, and folding too much lets your opponent steal freely.
• Shove wider than feels comfortable. With 10 big blinds or fewer, shoving hands like any ace, any pair, and most suited kings is standard.
• Call wider too. Against an aggressive shover, hands like K8 or Q9 are often clear calls.

Most beginners play heads-up far too tight. Your opponent’s range is wide, so yours should be too.

7 common sit and go mistakes beginners make

The most expensive SNG mistakes all come from treating chips like cash.

1. Playing too loose early. Stacking off in level 2 with a marginal hand throws away your survival equity.
2. Calling all-ins too light on the bubble. A hand strong enough to shove is often not strong enough to call.
3. Waiting too long to shove. At 4 big blinds you have no fold equity left; shove at 8–10 instead.
4. Open-raising and folding to a shove with a short stack. Under 10 big blinds, raise all-in or fold.
5. Ignoring stack sizes. Who can bust you matters as much as your cards.
6. Playing heads-up too tight. Ranges are very wide; folding hands like K7 on the button gives away chips.
7. Playing above your bankroll. Even winning players hit downswings of dozens of buy-ins.

Bankroll management for sit and gos

Keep at least 50–100 buy-ins for regular SNGs, and far more for high-variance formats. Variance in SNGs is lower than in multi-table tournaments, but losing stretches of 20–30 buy-ins happen even to strong players.

Move down a level if your bankroll drops below the minimum for your stake. Moving down protects you from going broke during a normal downswing. Move up only when you have the full buy-in cushion for the next level.

How to improve at sit and gos

The fastest way to improve is to review your close spots every week and study one topic at a time. SNGs repeat the same situations constantly, so a little focused study pays off quickly.

A simple weekly plan:

1. Play in focused sessions. Start with one or two tables until your bubble decisions feel automatic.
2. Tag close hands. Mark every bubble call, shove and fold you weren’t sure about.
3. Review them with an ICM calculator. Enter the stacks and payouts, and compare your play to the correct range.
4. Drill push/fold charts. Ten minutes a day on shoving and calling ranges builds instincts fast.
5. Take one structured course. A good course gives you a framework instead of scattered tips.

Recommended training

If you want to speed things up, a training course is the most efficient investment you can make:

• Bubble Mastery by BBZ Poker: Ryan McEathron’s course on ICM pressure and bubble play; the closest match to the skills in this guide.
• Browse all poker courses at cheapcourses.eu: discounted courses from Upswing Poker, Run It Once, BBZ Poker and PokerCoaching, including tournament and preflop fundamentals that apply directly to SNGs.

Frequently asked questions

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What is the best strategy for sit and gos? Play tight in the early levels, steal blinds aggressively in the middle stage, and adjust to ICM on the bubble. Switch to push/fold once your stack drops to about 10 big blinds.

What is ICM in poker? ICM (the Independent Chip Model) converts tournament chip stacks into real-money equity. It shows that chips you lose are worth more than chips you win, which is why you should call all-ins tighter near the money.

When should I go all-in in a sit and go? With around 10 big blinds or fewer, move all-in or fold rather than making a standard raise. The shorter your stack and the later your position, the wider your shoving range.

Are sit and gos still profitable? Yes, but the games are tougher than they were a decade ago. Profit now comes from solid ICM and push/fold fundamentals, table selection, and choosing formats with reasonable rake.

How many buy-ins do I need for sit and gos? Keep 50–100 buy-ins for standard SNGs, 100+ for turbos, and 200+ for jackpot formats like Spin & Gos.

Are sit and gos better than cash games for beginners? SNGs suit many beginners because they have a fixed cost, a clear structure, and repeated situations that are easy to study. Cash games reward deeper postflop skill and give more flexible session length.

What is the 6-Max Hyper SNG course?

6-Max Hyper SNG is BBZ Poker’s dedicated course for hyper turbo Sit & Gos — six-player tournaments where you start with around 25 big blinds and blinds rise every couple of minutes. With only two places typically paid, the format moves from a shallow early game to a three-handed bubble very quickly, and almost every important decision happens between 25bb and 10bb.

That structure is exactly why hypers are popular. Games are short, you can multi-table a lot of them, and the fields at low and mid stakes are generally soft. It’s also why they punish small mistakes: with so few chips and so little time, an overly wide open, a lazy blind defence or a misjudged bubble shove has an outsized effect on your results.

The course aims to fix that with solver-based ranges, worked examples on real board textures, and a full ICM framework for the bubble. BBZ markets it for players at roughly $7 to $500 buy-ins.

Who is Brandon “mazurite” Rollinson?

Brandon Rollinson plays online under the screen name mazurite. He is part of the BBZ circle around Jordan “BBZ” Drummond — the coach and backer behind BBZ Poker, whose staking operation finances a large team of online players — and PokerListings featured him in a short documentary about grinding online poker for a living from British Columbia.

He’s not a household name like some of BBZ’s MTT coaches, but that’s fairly typical of SNG specialists: the best hyper players tend to be high-volume grinders rather than streamers. What matters here is that the course is built by someone who actually plays the format, and it shows in the choice of spots.

What’s inside: the full curriculum

The course is split into nine chapters that follow the life of a hyper SNG from the first hand to the bubble.

1. 25bb early game preflop

The opening chapter lays out raise-first-in ranges for every position from UTG to the button, then covers how the small blind and big blind should defend against each open, and finally blind-vs-blind play. At 25bb, preflop decisions carry a huge share of your edge, so this is the foundation for everything that follows.

2. 25bb early game flop strategy

This is the biggest chapter and the one that sets the course apart. Rather than talking about postflop in general terms, mazurite works through button and big blind strategy on 14 specific flops — from dry boards like K92 rainbow and 943 rainbow to connected, two-tone boards like J85 and 754. You see how both players should approach each texture, which is far more useful than a single “c-bet small on dry boards” rule.

3. 25bb early game turn strategy

Five button turn spots that teach when to keep firing and when to slow down after a flop c-bet, including how specific turn cards (overcards, flush-completing cards, board pairs) change the picture.

4. UTG vs BB

A focused section on what changes when the button isn’t the opener. It covers when the big blind can lead into an early-position raiser, how UTG should c-bet, and how check-raising differs against UTG versus the button. It’s a nice touch — most hyper content ignores early-position spots almost entirely.

5. 25bb early game river bluffing

Five river spots on the button that show which hands make good bluffs on different runouts. Short as it is, this chapter is valuable because river bluffing at shallow stacks is where many low-stakes hyper regs leave money on the table by either never bluffing or bluffing the wrong hands.

6. 15bb early game preflop

Once blinds go up and stacks drop to around 15bb, ranges change significantly. This chapter repeats the preflop structure from chapter one — opens, SB and BB defence, blind vs blind — at the shorter depth, so you can see exactly what tightens, what widens and where shoving enters the picture.

7. Bubble theory

Three videos explain the ideas behind bubble play: ICM fundamentals, risk premiums and future game simulation (FGS). If you’ve never studied ICM, this is a clear, practical introduction. If you have, it’s a useful refresher on why the bubble strategy in the next chapters looks the way it does.

8. Bubble preflop play

The heart of the bubble section. Mazurite breaks down button and small blind strategy for four stack situations — equal stacks, chip leader, mid stack and short stack — then covers big blind defence adjustments, short-stack play in three-way all-ins, and small blind vs big blind battles. Because the hyper bubble happens three-handed every single game, this is the chapter most likely to have an immediate effect on your results.

9. Bubble postflop play

The final chapter covers button c-betting on eight bubble textures, including paired boards and boards like 765 two-tone and AJ2. Postflop bubble play is something almost no hyper resource covers, since most players treat the bubble as pure push-fold. Seeing how ICM changes c-bet strategy is genuinely useful.

What we like

• Built for the format. Most short-stack training comes from MTTs. This course is designed around the actual structure of a 6-max hyper, which is what you want if hypers are your main game.
• Serious postflop depth. Around 30 videos are dedicated to postflop play at 25bb and on the bubble. That’s rare for hyper content, which usually stops at preflop charts.
• Logical structure. The course follows the order you’ll actually face spots in a game — 25bb, 15bb, then the bubble — which makes it easy to study one phase at a time.
• Thorough bubble coverage. Four stack situations for each position, plus three-way all-ins and postflop bubble play, is a more complete bubble treatment than you’ll find in most courses.
• Transferable skills. The 15–25bb ranges and ICM concepts carry straight over to late-stage MTT play and satellites.
• Manageable length. At around 15 hours, you can realistically finish it in a few weeks alongside your normal volume.

What could be better

• No heads-up section. The course ends at the bubble. Since a 6-max hyper usually finishes heads-up, the post-bubble phase is a real gap, and you’ll need separate heads-up study to round out your game.
• Few 4- and 5-handed spots. The early-game content is built around six-handed play, and the bubble content around three-handed play. The short-handed phase in between isn’t covered in its own chapter.
• Mostly button-focused postflop. Apart from the UTG vs BB chapter, the postflop work is centred on button vs big blind. That’s where most hands happen, but other position combinations get little attention.
• No hand history reviews or live play. The course is theory and solver-based examples. If you learn best by watching a coach play and explain real sessions, you may want to supplement it.

Who should buy 6-Max Hyper SNG?

It’s a strong fit if you:

• Play 6-max hypers at $7–$500 and want a structured way to improve, from preflop ranges to the bubble.
• Are a winning low-stakes hyper player looking to move up and close leaks in postflop and ICM spots.
• Play MTTs and want a focused course on 15–25bb play and bubble ICM.
• Have limited time and want a fast, high-volume format you can grind profitably.

It’s probably not for you if you:

• Are completely new to poker and still learning hand rankings and basic preflop concepts.
• Mainly play deep-stacked cash games, where most of this material won’t apply.
• Want a heads-up course — the post-bubble phase isn’t covered.

How it compares to other options

Hyper-specific training has always been thin compared to MTT and cash content. A lot of what’s available is either older pre-solver material or preflop charts on their own. BBZ Poker itself also sells a monthly Hyper 6-Max Preflop Charts & Trainer subscription with solutions for six-, five-, four-, three-handed and heads-up play — a good companion if you want to drill ranges, but it doesn’t explain the postflop and ICM reasoning the course does.

If bubble play is your biggest weakness and you also play MTTs, Bubble Mastery by Ryan McEathron is a natural follow-up, covering the bubble from a tournament perspective. For pure hyper players, though, 6-Max Hyper SNG is the more relevant course.

Price and where to buy

BBZ Poker sells 6-Max Hyper SNG for $185. On CheapCourses.eu you can get the same course for $35, with instant digital access after purchase. That’s less than the buy-in of a single $50 hyper for 15+ hours of focused strategy.

Final verdict: is 6-Max Hyper SNG worth it?

Yes. 6-Max Hyper SNG does what few courses even try to do: it treats hyper turbos as their own format and gives you a complete plan from the first hand to the bubble. The postflop depth and the stack-by-stack bubble breakdown are its standout features, and the structure makes it easy to study.

The missing heads-up section keeps it from being a complete hyper solution, and players who prefer live-play videos may want something extra alongside it. But for anyone grinding 6-max hypers — or any MTT player who wants to get sharper at 15–25bb and on the bubble — it’s one of the best-value courses you can buy, especially at $35.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Frequently asked questions

Who teaches the 6-Max Hyper SNG course?

The course is taught by Brandon “mazurite” Rollinson, an online hyper and SNG specialist connected to Jordan “BBZ” Drummond’s BBZ Poker team.

How long is 6-Max Hyper SNG?

It runs a little over 15 hours across 9 chapters and 61 videos.

What stakes is the course designed for?

BBZ Poker designs it for 6-max hyper turbo Sit & Gos from roughly $7 up to $500 buy-ins.

Does the course cover ICM and bubble play?

Yes. Three of the nine chapters focus on the bubble: ICM theory (including risk premiums and FGS), preflop bubble strategy for every stack situation, and postflop c-betting on the bubble.

Does it cover heads-up play?

No. The course ends at the bubble, so heads-up play after the money isn’t included.

Is 6-Max Hyper SNG useful for MTT players?

Yes. The 15–25bb ranges and ICM bubble concepts transfer directly to late-stage tournament play and satellites.

Where can I buy 6-Max Hyper SNG for less?

You can get it on CheapCourses.eu for $35, compared with $185 at retail, with instant access after purchase.

For most low and mid-stakes MTT players, the problem isn’t advanced theory. It’s the boring stuff: missed opens, timid shoves, a big blind that folds way too much, and a grind schedule that falls apart after three bad weeks. That’s the exact gap Poker Pro Playbook by BBZ Poker coach Brian “Bfizz11” Fite sets out to close.

In this review, we’ll break down who Brian is, what’s inside all seven chapters, where the course shines, where it falls short, and whether it deserves a spot in your study library.

Quick Verdict

Poker Pro Playbook is one of the most practical, ROI-focused MTT courses available for low and mid-stakes players in 2026. Rather than chasing theory, it targets the high-frequency preflop spots where regulars leak the most money, then pairs that with the professional habits that keep a grinder solvent. If you’re a break-even tournament reg or a newer player who wants a solid foundation, it’s an easy recommendation. If you’re a high-stakes pro looking for deep postflop solver work, look elsewhere.

Our rating: 8.7/10

Get Poker Pro Playbook for $35 at CheapCourses.eu (original price $185)

Poker Pro Playbook at a Glance

Who Is Brian “Bfizz11” Fite?

Brian Fite has played online poker full time for more than 18 years — an eternity in an industry where most careers burn out in a few. Over that span he’s built millions in online tournament profit, mostly at low and mid stakes, and was long considered one of the most profitable low-stakes MTT players in the world.

He’s also the founder of Turbo Kings, a coaching community built around fast-structure tournaments, and has coached hundreds of students. His reputation as a coach rests on ICM knowledge, exploitative adjustments, and a talent for stripping complex spots down to rules you can actually use at the table.

That background matters for this course. Brian isn’t teaching from the perspective of a high roller who happens to coach. He’s teaching the exact stakes and formats most of his audience plays — and he’s done it profitably for nearly two decades.

What’s Inside Poker Pro Playbook: Chapter-by-Chapter

Chapter 1: Introduction – Before You Begin

A short orientation that frames the course’s philosophy: fix the leaks that cost the most money first, and build habits that make your edge last.

Chapter 2: Professional Mindset & Preparation

This is where Poker Pro Playbook separates itself from most strategy courses. Brian covers:

• Treating poker like a business — tracking results honestly and making decisions based on data, not feelings.
• Mental game — staying stable through the brutal variance of tournament poker.
• Realistic expectations — what win rates and downswings actually look like, so you don’t quit (or overreach) at the wrong moment.
• Turbo tune-up — adjustments for fast structures, where decisions come quicker and mistakes compound.

Many players skip this kind of material. That’s a mistake. Plenty of technically decent players never make it as pros because they can’t survive the swings or keep a consistent schedule.

Chapter 3: Preflop Opening Strategy

Two lessons, both aimed at money players leave on the table without realizing it:

• Stop missing easy RFI spots — raise-first-in opportunities that low and mid-stakes regs routinely fold or mishandle.
• Open shoving more from the SB and BTN — at the right stack depths, shoving wins chips without the complexity of postflop play, and most players do it far too rarely.

Chapter 4: Facing Preflop Opens

Arguably the most valuable chapter for break-even regs:

• Big blind defense against aggressive openers.
• BB facing a short-stack shove — a spot that comes up constantly and is often played on gut feel.
• 3-bet shoving from the blinds vs. the button — a profitable weapon against late-position steals.

Because these situations happen dozens of times per session, even small improvements here move your bottom line quickly.

Chapter 5: Facing Passive Preflop Play

Low-stakes fields are full of limpers. Brian shows how to attack limpers profitably and how to play BB vs. SB completes — a spot most players handle on autopilot despite how often it arises.

Chapter 6: Live Play & Workflow

Two videos that show the theory in action:

• Live play & explain — Brian plays and talks through his decisions in real time.
• Operating day to day — how he structures his grind, from game selection to session routine.

Chapter 7: Conclusion

A wrap-up that ties the strategy and the professional habits together into a single plan.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Targets the highest-ROI leaks first. Preflop mistakes in common spots are where low and mid-stakes players lose the most — and they’re the easiest to fix.
• Coach plays the stakes he teaches. Brian’s results come from the same games most viewers play, so his advice is grounded in real fields, not theory.
• Rare focus on the business of poker. The mindset, expectations and daily workflow content is genuinely useful and often missing from strategy courses.
• Turbo-friendly. The turbo tune-up and shoving material is a strong fit for players who grind fast structures.
• Digestible length. At 9+ hours, it’s long enough to be substantial but short enough to actually finish and apply.
• Works without buying tools. Brian uses HRC, GTO Wizard and PokerTracker 4, but you don’t need any of them to follow along.

Cons

• Light on postflop. The strategy content is almost entirely preflop. If your biggest leaks are on the turn and river, you’ll need another course.
• Not for high stakes. Experienced high-stakes regs will find much of the material familiar.
• NLHE tournaments only. No cash game or PLO coverage.
• Pricey at retail. $185 is a lot for 9 hours of content — which is why the discounted price changes the value equation significantly.

Who Should Buy Poker Pro Playbook?

Buy it if you are:

• A newer tournament player who wants to build a profitable preflop foundation from the start.
• A low or mid-stakes MTT reg stuck around break-even who suspects leaks in common spots.
• An aspiring pro who wants a realistic picture of what grinding for a living involves.
• A turbo or Sit & Go grinder who needs sharper shoving and blind-defense strategy.

Skip it if you are:

• A high-stakes pro looking for advanced theory.
• Mainly looking for postflop solver work.
• A cash game or PLO player.

How Does It Compare to Other BBZ Poker Courses?

Poker Pro Playbook pairs naturally with BBZ’s more specialised material. Once your preflop game is solid, Bubble Mastery by Ryan McEathron takes your ICM and bubble play deeper, while Passive Poker Systems focuses on exploiting the passive players you’ll meet constantly at lower buy-ins.

Think of Poker Pro Playbook as the foundation layer: fix the frequent preflop spots and build a professional routine first, then move into specialised topics.

Is Poker Pro Playbook Worth the Money?

At the $185 retail price, Poker Pro Playbook is a solid but not unmissable buy — the content is excellent, but you’re paying a premium for roughly nine hours of video.

At $35, the math becomes simple. If the course fixes even one recurring leak — say, folding your big blind too often or missing profitable shoves from the small blind — it will pay for itself within a few sessions for most low and mid-stakes players.

Final rating: 8.7/10. A practical, honest, results-focused course from a coach who has proven his approach over nearly two decades.

Get Poker Pro Playbook for $35 at CheapCourses.eu →

Poker Pro Playbook FAQ

What is Poker Pro Playbook?

Poker Pro Playbook is a BBZ Poker training course by Brian “Bfizz11” Fite. It teaches low and mid-stakes tournament players how to fix common preflop leaks and build the mindset and daily routine of a professional grinder.

How long is Poker Pro Playbook?

The course contains 7 chapters and 15 videos, totalling more than 9 hours of content.

Is Poker Pro Playbook good for beginners?

Yes. It’s designed for newer tournament players as well as struggling regulars, and it focuses on fundamental, high-frequency spots rather than advanced theory.

Does Poker Pro Playbook cover postflop strategy?

Only lightly. The strategy content is focused almost entirely on preflop play, alongside chapters on mindset, expectations and daily workflow.

Do I need software to take the course?

No. Brian uses tools such as HRC, GTO Wizard and PokerTracker 4 during the course, but you don’t need to own them to learn from it.

Is Poker Pro Playbook useful for Sit & Go players?

Yes. The shoving, blind defense and turbo adjustments apply directly to Sit & Gos and other fast-structure tournaments.

Where can I buy Poker Pro Playbook at a discount?

You can get Poker Pro Playbook for $35 at CheapCourses.eu, compared with the $185 retail price.

That’s the problem Team Bas Poker’s Crushing Regs bundle sets out to solve. It packages three of the team’s best-known video series into one product, all focused on playing against competent opponents rather than fish. In this review we’ll break down what’s inside each course, who the bundle suits, where it falls short, and whether it’s worth your money.

What Is the Team Bas Poker Crushing Regs Bundle?

Team Bas Poker (TBP) is a coaching team that specialises in Spin & Go training. The Crushing Regs bundle combines three standalone video series:

1. Spin & Go Secrets: Winning Strategies Unveiled by TBP head coach Sido_OBC
2. ART – Analysing Regular Tendencies by Sido_OBC
3. Mastering ISO Pots by TBP coach Beldarion

Each course tackles a different part of the reg battle. One gives you exploitative lines, one shows you where the regular population is making mistakes, and one focuses on a single high-frequency spot where a lot of EV is won and lost. Together they form a focused study plan rather than a random collection of videos.

Who Are the Coaches?

Sido_OBC is the head coach at Team Bas Poker and the main voice behind two of the three courses. His teaching style blends solver work with real population data: he uses GTO Wizard and range research as a baseline, then shows where actual players deviate from that baseline and how to punish it.

Beldarion is a TBP coach who presents the ISO pot series. His course is the most technical of the three, built around GTO nodelocks and detailed postflop play.

Course 1: Spin & Go Secrets – Winning Strategies Unveiled

This is the broadest course in the bundle and a natural starting point. Sido_OBC combines his experience, range research, GTO Wizard AI and population tendencies to show you lines that most Spin & Go players never find on their own.

Key topics:

• New and unconventional lines that put opponents in difficult spots
• Exploits against individual opponents
• Exploits against entire player pools
• Using population tendencies to deviate profitably from GTO

The value here is in the “why” behind each deviation. Rather than just telling you to bluff more or less in a spot, the course shows you what the population is doing wrong and builds the exploit from there. That approach carries over to spots the course doesn’t cover directly, which is what separates good training from a list of tips.

Course 2: ART – Analysing Regular Tendencies

If Spin & Go Secrets gives you the lines, ART gives you the evidence behind them. This series is a data-driven study of how regulars actually play, built on population analysis and GTO Wizard.

Key topics:

• How regulars react on different board textures
• 3-way scenarios, which are common and often misplayed in Spin & Gos
• Heads-up scenarios against regs
• Turning population habits into concrete adjustments

ART is the course that most directly matches the bundle’s name. Understanding how the reg population responds on different textures means you can stop playing every reg as if they were a solver and start targeting their real tendencies. For players who find themselves lost in reg-vs-reg pots, this is probably the most useful of the three.

Course 3: Mastering ISO Pots

Isolation pots come up constantly in Spin & Gos, which makes them one of the most important spots to get right. Beldarion’s series takes you through the full ISO pot journey.

Key topics:

• GTO nodelocks for isolated pots
• Advanced flop and turn play
• Correct use of big ISO sizings
• Maximising your postflop EV after isolating

This course answers questions a lot of players never stop to ask: Are you isolating with the right hands? Are you using the right sizings? Are you actually realising your edge after the flop? Because ISO pots are so frequent, even small improvements here add up quickly over volume.

How the Three Courses Work Together

The bundle makes sense as a package because each course feeds into the next:

• ART shows you where the regulars are going wrong
• Spin & Go Secrets gives you the lines to exploit those mistakes
• Mastering ISO Pots sharpens a specific spot where you’ll apply them most often

A sensible study order is ART first, then Spin & Go Secrets, then Mastering ISO Pots. Take notes on the population tendencies from ART, then look for how Sido’s exploitative lines target those exact leaks.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Tightly focused on beating regulars, the part of the game most courses skip
• Combines solver outputs with real population data rather than pure theory
• Covers 3-way and heads-up play, both key parts of the format
• ISO pot course targets a high-frequency, high-EV spot
• Three courses from the same team fit together as one coherent study plan
• Strong value when bought as a bundle rather than individually

Cons

• Not aimed at complete beginners; you’ll get more from it once you know basic Spin & Go ranges
• Exploitative strategy depends on player pools, so some adjustments may need tweaking for your site and stakes
• The coaches work heavily with GTO Wizard; you don’t need a subscription to follow along, but having one makes it easier to test the ideas yourself
• It’s a focused bundle, not a complete curriculum, so it won’t replace fundamentals training

Who Should Buy the Crushing Regs Bundle?

This bundle is a good fit if you:

• Already beat recreational players but struggle against regulars
• Play Spin & Gos regularly and want to move up in stakes
• Prefer exploitative strategy grounded in data over pure GTO study
• Want a structured, focused study plan instead of scattered videos

It’s probably not for you if you:

• Are brand new to Spin & Gos and still learning preflop ranges
• Mainly play cash games or MTTs rather than Spin & Gos
• Want a complete start-to-finish Spin & Go curriculum in one product

Price and Where to Buy

The full Crushing Regs bundle, with all three courses, is available at cheapcourses.eu for just $35. Given that you get three complete video series from Team Bas Poker, that works out to a very low cost per course for training focused on the most profitable part of the Spin & Go game.

Final Verdict: Is the Team Bas Poker Crushing Regs Bundle Worth It?

If your Spin & Go results have stalled because of the regulars, yes. The Crushing Regs bundle is one of the most focused pieces of Spin & Go training available: instead of trying to cover everything, it zeroes in on reg tendencies, exploitative lines and ISO pots, and it backs its advice with solver work and population data.

It won’t teach you the basics, and it isn’t a full curriculum. But as a next step for a winning Spin & Go player who wants to start beating the regs as well as the recs, it offers excellent value.

Get the Team Bas Poker Crushing Regs Bundle for $35 →

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s included in the Team Bas Poker Crushing Regs bundle?

Three video series: Spin & Go Secrets: Winning Strategies Unveiled and ART – Analysing Regular Tendencies by Sido_OBC, plus Mastering ISO Pots by Beldarion.

Is Crushing Regs good for beginners?

It’s best for players who already know Spin & Go fundamentals. Beginners can still learn from it, but will get much more value after learning basic preflop ranges.

Do I need GTO Wizard to use these courses?

No. The coaches use GTO Wizard in their analysis, but you can follow every concept without a subscription. Having one does make it easier to test the ideas on your own.

Which course should I watch first?

Start with ART to understand regular tendencies, move on to Spin & Go Secrets for the exploitative lines, and finish with Mastering ISO Pots.

Is the bundle only useful for Spin & Gos?

The content is built specifically for Spin & Gos. Some concepts, such as population analysis and isolation play, carry over to other short-handed formats, but Spin & Go players will get by far the most from it.

You defended your blind with AJ, flopped top pair, called a bet on the flop, called again on the turn, and now the river is a brick. Villain slides their whole stack into the middle. The pot is huge, your hand hasn’t improved, and the clock is ticking.

This spot, the river triple-barrel jam, is probably the single most expensive decision low stakes players make. Get it wrong by folding too much and you become a target for anyone who fires three streets with air. Get it wrong by calling too much and you hand over your stack to under-repped two pairs and slowplayed sets all night.

The frustrating part is that it feels like a coin flip. It isn’t. Below is a repeatable process that turns “I have no idea” into a decision you can defend, whether you’re playing 5NL online or a $1/$2 live game.

Why This Spot Feels Impossible

Three things collide on the river:

1. The pot is at its biggest, so the mistake costs the most.
2. You have a hand that looks good (top pair, overpair) but is really a bluff-catcher: you only beat bluffs.
3. Villain’s range is polarized: they either have a hand that crushes you or a hand that can’t beat a pair. There’s almost no middle.

That third point is the key insight. When you face a large river shove, you are almost never “ahead of some value hands and behind others.” You are either beating all of villain’s bluffs or losing to all of their value. Your job isn’t to figure out what they have. Your job is to estimate how often they’re bluffing and compare that to the price you’re being offered.

Step 1: Work Out the Price Before You Think About the Hand

Pot odds first, reads second. Always.

If villain shoves $60 into a $60 pot, you need to call $60 to win $120. That means you need to be right 33% of the time to break even. If villain overbets $120 into $60, you need to call $120 to win $180, so you need to win 40%.

Here’s the practical takeaway: against a pot-sized river shove, villain only needs to be bluffing one time in three for your call to be profitable. That’s a lower bar than most low stakes players assume. You don’t need to be sure. You just need bluffs to show up a third of the time.

Write the number down mentally before you go any further. Everything else is about deciding whether villain reaches that threshold.

Step 2: Count the Missed Draws That Could Be Bluffing

Now look back at the board and ask: what draws were available on the flop and turn, and did they all miss?

Take a board like K 9 4 2 7. Available draws that missed: flush draws (any two hearts), the QJ/QT/JT straight draws, gutshots like T8 and 86. That’s a lot of combinations that arrive at the river with nothing and a strong incentive to bluff.

Compare that to K 8 3 2 2. Almost nothing was drawing. A player who fires three barrels here and jams the river has far fewer natural bluffs, so the shove is much more weighted toward value.

The rule at low stakes: more missed draws = more bluffs = lean toward calling. Dry runouts with no draws = lean toward folding.

Step 3: Ask Whether This Player Actually Bluffs Here

This is where population reads matter more than anything a solver tells you.

At 2NL to 25NL online and $1/$2 live, the honest answer is that most players under-bluff on the river. They’ll semi-bluff the flop and turn happily because they still have equity, but when the draw misses on the river, the typical low stakes player checks and gives up. The players who do follow through with a river jam tend to be either quite aggressive regs or the occasional spew-heavy recreational player.

So default to a fold-leaning baseline against unknown players, then adjust hard based on what you’ve seen:

• Villain has shown down river bluffs before: call.
• Villain has only ever shown up with the goods when the money went in: fold, even if it hurts.
• Villain is a tight, passive recreational player who suddenly woke up: fold. This player type has an under-repped monster more often than a busted draw.
• Villain is a young, aggressive reg who three-bets a lot and doesn’t slow down: call more often.

Step 4: Check Whether the Line Makes Sense for Value

Before you decide villain is bluffing, ask what value hands take this exact line.

On the K 9 4 2 7 board, villain’s realistic value on the river is sets (99, 44, 22, 77), two pair (K9, K7), and maybe AK if they play top pair this aggressively. That’s a manageable number of combos. Add in all the missed hearts and straight draws and the bluff count starts to look healthy.

But if the river paired the board or completed a backdoor draw, or if villain is a player who would have raised earlier with a set, the math shifts. The point is to think about the ratio of value to bluffs, not just whether bluffs exist.

A useful shortcut: if you can name several hands villain would play this way for value and you struggle to name a single bluff that fits, fold. If you can name a stack of missed draws and only a couple of value hands, call.

Step 5: Look at Your Blockers

Blockers are a small edge, but on the river they can tip a close decision.

• Holding a card from the flush draw (say the A on the heart board) reduces the number of missed flush draws villain can have, which makes them slightly more likely to have value. That’s a fold nudge.
• Holding a card that blocks villain’s value (the K blocks KK and some K9 combos) is a call nudge.
• Holding no relevant cards means the blocker effect is neutral and you should rely on Steps 1 to 4.

Don’t overthink this at low stakes. Blockers should move you from “close” to “slightly better,” not from “clear fold” to “call.”

Putting It Together: A Real Example

You’re in the big blind at 10NL with A J. A loose-aggressive reg opens from the cutoff, you call. Flop J 8 3. Villain bets, you call. Turn 2, villain bets big, you call. River 6, villain shoves for a pot-sized amount.

Run the steps:

1. Price: pot-sized shove, you need to win 33%.
2. Missed draws: all the hearts missed, T9 and 97 missed, plenty of bluff candidates.
3. Player type: aggressive reg who barrels often. This is the profile that actually follows through.
4. Value line: sets (JJ, 88, 33, 22), J8, maybe AJ split. That’s real but not overwhelming.
5. Blockers: you hold the A and J. The J blocks some of villain’s top pair value; you don’t block hearts.

Verdict: call. Enough bluffs, aggressive opponent, and you block some value.

Now change one variable. Same hand, same board, but villain is a 50-year-old live player who has limped every pot and only raised twice all session. Steps 1, 2, and 5 are identical, but Step 3 flips the answer. Fold. This player almost never turns a missed draw into a stack-sized bluff.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Deciding based on how the hand feels. “I’ve come this far” is not a reason to call. The money you already put in belongs to the pot, not you.
• Calling because you can’t stand being bluffed. Ego costs more than any bluff ever will.
• Folding every time and calling it discipline. If you never call, you’re the easiest player at the table to run over.
• Ignoring stack size. A shove that’s 30% of the pot needs a very different answer than a 150% overbet.
• Not planning on the turn. Half of these river disasters come from calling the turn without asking, “What am I doing if they shove the river?”

Fix the Problem Upstream: Plan Your Turn Call

The best way to stop being confused on the river is to make the river decision on the turn. Before you call the turn bet, ask yourself: if the river bricks and villain jams, am I calling? If the answer is no, and the price on the turn isn’t great, folding the turn is often cheaper than calling twice and folding at the worst possible moment.

Players who do this consistently find that the “impossible” river spot mostly disappears. You either arrive at the river already committed to calling, or you never get there with a marginal hand.

Going Deeper

Everything above is a framework for making the decision at the table. If you want to build real confidence in these spots, that comes from studying river ranges properly: what percentage of a barrel range is bluffs in different formats, how often the population under-bluffs, and how your own calling range should be built so you’re not exploitable.

That’s the kind of work covered in structured postflop courses from Upswing Poker, Run It Once, and PokerCoaching, all of which you can find at a fraction of the usual price on cheapcourses.eu. A single session on river bluff-catching will pay for itself the first time you make a confident call instead of a coin-flip guess.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do low stakes players bluff the river?
Less than most people assume. Population data and coaching consensus point to most low stakes players significantly under-bluffing on the river, especially recreational and passive types. Aggressive regulars are the exception.

Should I always call a pot-sized river shove with an overpair?
No. An overpair is a bluff-catcher on the river, the same as top pair. Use the same process: price, missed draws, player type, value line, blockers.

What if villain overbets the river instead of shoving pot?
An overbet polarizes villain’s range even further and demands a higher win rate from you (40% or more). Overbets at low stakes are weighted heavily toward value unless you have a specific bluffing read.

Is it better to just fold and wait for a better spot?
Sometimes, but not as a default. If you fold every river shove, observant opponents will exploit you. Aim to call in the spots that meet the criteria above and fold the ones that don’t.

How do I stop getting into this spot in the first place?
Plan your turn call. Decide before calling the turn whether you’re prepared to call a river shove. If not, consider folding the turn instead.

Quick Verdict

Destroy Live Cash is the best live cash game course Upswing has released, and probably the best hand-review course on the market for $2/$5+ live players. It’s not a fundamentals course, it’s not a solver course, and it’s not cheap at retail. But if you play live, run deep, and want to understand how a top player actually thinks through a hand against real opponents, there’s nothing else like it.

Who Is Garrett Adelstein?

If you’ve watched any high-stakes poker stream in the last decade, you know him. Garrett was a winning online high-stakes regular for seven years before moving to live cash, where he became one of the most consistent winners on Live at the Bike and later the centrepiece of Hustler Casino Live. He’s known for relentless aggression against every player type, an unreadable table presence, and the ability to switch between theoretically sound play and pure exploitation mid-hand.

What he’s not known for is teaching. Until this course his coaching was private, reportedly at $1,000+ per hour. That matters for the review: this is a first-time course from someone with a lot of material and no track record of packaging it.

What’s Inside Destroy Live Cash

The structure is simple: 50 hands from Garrett’s streaming career, in roughly chronological order, each broken down over one to three lessons. The opponents include Tom Dwan, Matt Berkey, Andy Stacks and Art Papazyan, but the majority of hands are against the players you actually meet in a live game — VIPs, recreational players and “thinking recs.”

Every hand runs through the same three-step process:

1. Establish the GTO baseline for the spot
2. Identify the exploitative deviation the opponent is offering
3. Punish it — merge theory and read into the highest-EV line

The nine sections:

• Welcome to the Course (2 lessons) — A short PioSOLVER orientation. Not how to run sims, but how to look at output without memorising it.
• Live at the Bike: Early Streams and Exploits (Hands 1–7) — The pre-study era. Reading river sizing, spotting who’ll stack off, using physical tells to trigger bluffs.
• Leveling Up: The Study Era Begins (Hands 8–13) — Three-street bluff sizing, position when deep, wide-range leaks.
• Million Dollar Cash Games (Hands 14–20) — 300bb+ play vs Berkey, Andy Stacks and transparent VIPs. Big preflop sizes, overbets, quick math for huge calls.
• The Hustler Casino Live Era (Hands 21–30) — The biggest section at 17 lessons. Punishing players who never fold, when a read beats theory, hands vs Dwan.
• Unorthodox Lines in Massive Games (Hands 31–34) — Overbets, odd sizes, bluffing with showdown value.
• Deviations vs Elite Opponents (Hands 35–38) — Finding edges vs studied pros, and the cost of exploiting in the wrong direction.
• Exploiting Thinking Recs (Hands 39–43) — The $2/$5–$5/$10 reg who’s done some work. Wider 3-bets, relentless value, overbets that fold out aces.
• Taking Hands to the Limit (Hands 44–50) — Three-street bluffs GTO doesn’t approve of, bluff catches vs elite hand readers, big folds.

Bonus: Garrett’s deep-stack preflop ranges — 200+ charts for 300bb+ games built with the Lucid Poker solver team, using live-game structures rather than the usual 100bb/no-ante assumptions.

What’s Good

The reasoning, not the result

Most hand-review content tells you what happened and whether it worked. Garrett spends most of each lesson on what he knew at the time — the opponent’s history, the sizing tells, the table dynamic — and how that shifted him off the baseline. Several hands are ones he lost or misplayed, and he says so. That’s rare in a course sold on someone’s reputation.

It’s about live opponents

The course is organised by opponent type more than by hand category. The section on thinking recs alone is worth more to a $2/$5 player than most full courses, because that’s the player who actually costs you money: too good to be a pure fish, not good enough to be balanced.

Theory is used properly

This isn’t an “ignore GTO, play the player” course. Every deviation starts from a stated theoretical baseline, and Section 7 is explicitly about the mistake of exploiting when you shouldn’t. Studied players won’t feel talked down to.

The preflop ranges fill a real gap

Almost nobody publishes 300bb+ ranges. Live games at $5/$10 and up regularly play that deep, and the standard 100bb charts are wrong for them. The bonus alone has practical value.

What’s Not

The price

$999 is a lot for a hand-review course with no drills, no quizzes and no community component. Upswing prices it as a flagship product. If you’re paying retail, you’re paying for Garrett’s name as much as the content.

It assumes fundamentals

There’s no preflop or postflop theory module. If you don’t already understand ranges, position, pot odds and basic bet sizing, the lessons will go over your head. This is a course for players who are already winning or close to it.

Some lessons run long

Thirty-five hours is a lot. A few hands could have been covered in half the time, and the chronological ordering means the early Live at the Bike hands — from before Garrett’s study era — are less sharp than the later ones. It’s worth watching everything, but start with Sections 5, 8 and 9 if you’re short on time.

Live-only

Almost everything here is tuned to live dynamics: physical tells, table talk, VIPs playing 400bb deep. Online players will find the theory sections useful but the exploitative content less transferable.

Who Should Buy Destroy Live Cash

• Buy it if: you play live cash at $2/$5 or above, your games regularly run deep, and you want to understand how to deviate from theory against specific opponents.
• Buy it if: you’re an intuitive live player who’s never used a solver and wants theory explained without grids.
• Skip it if: you’re under $1/$2, still learning fundamentals, or play mostly online. The Upswing Lab is the better starting point.
• Consider instead: Elite Cash Game Exploits by Uri Peleg if you want exploitative theory for online play.

Destroy Live Cash vs Other Live Cash Courses

Final Verdict

Destroy Live Cash delivers exactly what it promises: the thinking behind 50 of the most-watched live hands of the last decade, from the player who played them. It’s too expensive at retail and too advanced for beginners, but for its target audience — live cash players with solid fundamentals — it’s the most useful course Upswing has put out.

Rating: 4.5/5. Docked half a point for price and the lack of any structured practice material.

Get Destroy Live Cash for $67 at cheapcourses.eu →

FAQ

Is Destroy Live Cash worth it?

For live cash players at $2/$5 and above with solid fundamentals, yes. It’s the most detailed live hand-review course available. Beginners and online-only players will get less from it.

How long is Destroy Live Cash?

Over 35 hours of video across 9 sections and 87 lessons, covering 50 hands.

Do I need a solver to follow the course?

No. Garrett teaches theory through heuristics, and the short Pio orientation at the start is designed for players who’ve never opened a solver.

What stakes is Destroy Live Cash for?

Primarily $2/$5 and up, or lower-stakes games that regularly run 200bb+ deep.

Is Destroy Live Cash an anti-GTO course?

No. Every hand starts from a theoretical baseline and then explains when and why to deviate against a specific opponent.

What’s the difference between Destroy Live Cash and Smash Live Cash?

Smash Live Cash (Nick Petrangelo) is a theory-first, systematic live course. Destroy Live Cash is hand-review based and focused on exploitative deviations. They complement each other rather than compete.

In this review, we break down what’s inside the course, how it fits into the BBZ Systems series, where it falls short, and whether it deserves your study time in 2026.

What Is Passive Poker Systems?

Passive Poker Systems is the official follow-up to Simple Poker Systems, BBZ’s flagship course. Where that course built the aggressor’s playbook, this one covers the other half of poker: what to do after checks, check-backs, and check-raises in heads-up pots.

The numbers: 10 chapters, 70 videos, and 10 hours of training, with lifetime access including future updates. The official price is $185 on BBZPoker.com. Yes, you read that right – 70 videos. The course is built around short, focused hand breakdowns rather than long lectures, which changes how it studies (more on that below).

What’s Inside

• BB turn probe betting – full theory plus 9 in-depth hand breakdowns on attacking checked-back flops from the big blind
• Defending vs probe bets – 8 hand examples from the in-position player’s seat, so you learn both sides of the battle
• River play after check-call → check-check – the classic “he gave up, now what?” spot
• River play after c-bet → checked turn – delayed decisions with capped and uncapped ranges
• River play after check-raise → checked turn – navigating the awkward aftermath of flop aggression
• Double-checked pots – dedicated chapters for both in position and out of position
• Versatility module – carrying the same principles across formats and stack depths

The structure is mirrored deliberately: for nearly every line, you study it from both seats. That two-sided approach is the course’s quiet superpower – you don’t just learn to probe, you learn what a good probe defense looks like, which sharpens both.

Teaching Style: Systems, Not Solver Dumps

If you’ve studied with BBZ before, the method is familiar: Jordan turns solver-level complexity into simple decision rules, then hammers them home through volume. With 70 short videos, this course leans even harder into repetition than Simple Poker Systems does. Each hand breakdown reinforces the same core heuristics from a slightly different angle, so by the end the “system” fires automatically rather than requiring conscious recall at the table.

Who Should Buy Passive Poker Systems?

• Simple Poker Systems graduates – this is the designed next step, picking up exactly where that course leaves off
• MTT grinders leaking in checked pots – if your stats show low probe frequencies or face-probe confusion, this course is surgical
• NLHE cash players – passive lines are format-agnostic; every concept transfers directly
• Players who feel lost on rivers – over half the course is river play after passive sequences, the least-studied street in the least-studied lines

You don’t strictly need Simple Poker Systems first – basic solver literacy is enough – but the two courses are clearly designed as a pair.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Covers genuinely understudied territory – your opponents almost certainly haven’t worked on these spots
• Both-sides structure: every line is taught from the bettor’s and defender’s perspective
• 70 short videos make it easy to study in small, consistent sessions
• Heavy river focus, where mistakes are most expensive
• Lifetime access with future updates included

Cons

• Narrower in scope than Simple Poker Systems – it’s a specialist course, not a foundation
• Assumes familiarity with BBZ’s systems approach; total beginners should start with the flagship
• Heads-up pots only – multiway passive lines are covered in a separate BBZ course
• $185 retail is a real investment for a single-topic course

Where It Fits in the BBZ Systems Series

The Systems trilogy covers one complete postflop game plan. Simple Poker Systems is the foundation – the aggressor’s core playbook. Passive Poker Systems handles everything that happens after checks. Pressure Poker Systems with Lex Veldhuis adds the advanced aggression layer: squeezes, geometric barreling, and overbets. Studied together, there’s essentially no common heads-up postflop spot left uncovered.

Our Verdict: 8.8/10

Passive Poker Systems does exactly what it promises: it takes the spots everyone ignores and turns them into a repeatable edge. It loses a little ground to the flagship on breadth – this is a specialist course by design – but that’s also the point. Because so few players study passive lines seriously, the EV per study hour here is arguably the highest in the whole BBZ catalog. If you already own Simple Poker Systems, this is the obvious next purchase.

Get Passive Poker Systems for Less

The official price is $185 – but you don’t have to pay it. At CheapCourses.eu you can get the complete Passive Poker Systems course, all 10 chapters and 70 videos, at a fraction of the retail price with instant digital delivery.

Get Passive Poker Systems at a Discount

But does it live up to the hype? In this review, we break down exactly what’s inside, who it’s for, where it falls short, and whether it deserves a spot in your study routine in 2026.

What Is Simple Poker Systems?

Simple Poker Systems is a No-Limit Hold’em tournament course built around one core promise: poker is complex, but your strategy doesn’t have to be. Instead of drowning you in solver outputs and chart memorization, Jordan distills modern MTT strategy into 12 plug-and-play systems – clear, repeatable decision rules for the most common and most profitable spots in the game.

The numbers: 15 chapters, 22 videos, and over 9 hours of content, with lifetime access including future updates. The official price is $185 on BBZPoker.com.

What’s Inside: The 12 Systems

The course opens with three preflop lessons – Raise First In, defending vs RFI, and 3-betting vs steals – built on simple heuristics rather than raw chart memorization. Then the systems begin:

• Systems 1–2: C-betting flops as UTG vs BB and BTN vs BB, including when to check back
• System 3: BB vs SB limp stabs – a tiny spot that comes up constantly online
• System 4: River bluffing frameworks, with dedicated videos for BB vs EP and BB vs SB
• System 5: Barreling medium-strength hands (and why doing it “in error” costs you money)
• System 6: Check-raising top pair for value
• System 7: C-bet folding – knowing when to give up
• System 8: Bet sizing in position
• System 9: Defending flops with calls and raises vs c-bets
• Systems 10–11: River value betting and hero calling, each split across two videos
• System 12: Defending 3-bets out of position

Notice the pattern: the course front-loads the spots you face most often, then spends its second half on the river – the street where the money actually changes hands.

Teaching Style: Why It Works

Jordan’s method is what separates this from most solver-era content. Rather than presenting outputs to memorize, he teaches concepts, then drills them in real time and compares his answers against the solver. Students consistently report the same thing: the material is dense enough that even experienced pros find leaks in it, yet it’s explained simply enough for newer players to follow. One reviewer put it perfectly – the concepts are advanced, but Jordan’s relentless repetition of the main takeaways makes it beginner-friendly by sheer clarity.

Verified student reviews on BBZPoker.com give it a perfect 5.0 rating, with reported winrate jumps like 2bb/100 to 10bb/100 after applying the systems.

Who Should Buy Simple Poker Systems?

• MTT grinders at any level – this is the target audience, and the course assumes tournament contexts throughout
• NLHE cash players – the postflop systems (c-betting, river play, hero calling) transfer directly
• Players tired of chart memorization – the entire philosophy is heuristics over memorization
• Anyone starting the BBZ ecosystem – this is the explicit prerequisite for Pressure Systems and Passive Systems

Pros and Cons

Pros

• 12 genuinely actionable systems you can use in your very next session
• No solver or software required – just the course and a notepad
• Advanced material made accessible through repetition and drilling
• Lifetime access with future updates included
• Perfect 5.0 student rating with documented winrate improvements

Cons

• At 22 videos it’s leaner than some rival flagships – depth comes from drilling, not volume
• MTT-first framing means cash players need to do some translation on preflop material
• Passive lines (checked pots, probe bets) are deliberately left for the sequel course
• $185 official price is steep if you’re buying multiple BBZ courses at retail

Simple Poker Systems vs the Rest of the BBZ Series

Think of the Systems series as three courses covering one complete game plan. Simple Poker Systems is the aggressor’s foundation: c-betting, value betting, bluffing, defending. Passive Poker Systems flips the script and covers what happens after checks – probe bets, check-backs, and passive river lines. Pressure Poker Systems with Lex Veldhuis is the advanced layer: squeezing, geometric barreling, and river overbets. Start here, then expand in whichever direction your game needs most.

Our Verdict: 9.2/10

Simple Poker Systems earns its reputation. It’s the rare course that improves both a €10 ABI grinder and a seasoned regular, because it doesn’t just show you solver outputs – it rewires how you make decisions. The main criticism (that it skips passive lines) is really just the roadmap for the rest of the series. As a standalone purchase, it’s the best first course in the BBZ catalog and one of the strongest MTT foundations on the market.

Get Simple Poker Systems for Less

The official price is $185 – but you don’t have to pay it. At CheapCourses.eu you can get the complete Simple Poker Systems course, with all 12 systems and every video, at a fraction of the retail price with instant digital delivery.

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Released on Run It Once in late 2025, this is the third and final course in Galfond’s training trilogy — following Run It Once Foundations (NLHE fundamentals) and This Is PLO (his 183-video Omaha masterclass). But Simplifying Solvers is different from both: it’s not a course about poker strategy in the traditional sense. It’s a course about how to study — specifically, how to pull durable, executable heuristics out of solver outputs instead of trying to memorize them.

In this review, we’ll break down what’s inside the course, explain the BRAIN framework at its core, and give you our honest verdict on who should (and shouldn’t) buy it.

Quick Verdict

Simplifying Solvers is the best framework-first solver course on the market in 2026. It’s the only major solver course that covers both No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha under a single unified system, and it’s taught by a player with arguably the most credible resume in poker education. If you already understand fundamentals but feel like your study hours aren’t converting into win rate, this course fixes the actual problem: your study method, not your work ethic.

Retail price: $999 (lifetime access on Run It Once) Format: 20+ videos, 6+ hours of content, plus a GTO Basics PDF and a Notion study notebook template Best for: Intermediate to advanced NLHE and PLO players Not for: Complete beginners (start with Foundations first)

Get Simplifying Solvers at a fraction of retail price here — instant delivery, forever license.

Who Is Phil Galfond?

If you play poker seriously, you already know the name — but the resume matters here, because this course is essentially Galfond selling you his personal study process.

Phil Galfond is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner with over $10 million in online cash game earnings, and the founder of Run It Once, one of the largest poker training platforms in the world. Most famously, he went undefeated in the Galfond Challenges — a series of ultra-high-stakes heads-up PLO matches against elite opponents, including a legendary comeback from a deficit of over €900,000 against VeniVidi1993.

The system he used to prepare for those matches — the way he studied solvers, extracted patterns, and turned them into in-game decisions — is the exact system taught in Simplifying Solvers. That’s the pitch, and it’s a strong one.

What Is Simplifying Solvers About?

The core premise of the course is simple: most players use solvers completely wrong.

The typical approach is to run a simulation, try to memorize the output, and move on. The problem is that solvers generate unique strategies for a near-infinite number of board runouts, stack depths, and range configurations. Memorization is a losing battle — the information doesn’t stick, and it doesn’t transfer to new situations.

Galfond’s approach flips this. Instead of asking “what does the solver do here?”, the course teaches you to ask “why does the solver do this?” — and then to compress that reasoning into simple, portable heuristics you can execute at the table without a chart in front of you.

Across the course, you’ll learn:

• How to simplify multiple solver bet sizes into one executable strategy without meaningfully losing EV
• How to work backwards from the river to understand the logic of an entire hand
• How to build unexploitable checking and calling ranges
• How to convert combo counting into quick percentage-based value betting decisions
• How different range constructions change strategy, and how to read what each player’s range is “trying to do” in a spot
• Efficient practice and drilling methods so the concepts actually stick

The BRAIN Framework

The centerpiece of the course is Galfond’s proprietary BRAIN framework — a step-by-step mental model for reading any solver output:

• B — Board coverage: How well does each range interact with this texture?
• R — Range & equity advantage: Who has the raw equity and nut advantage?
• A — Assets & gaps: What key hand classes does each range contain — or miss?
• I — Incentives: What is each player’s range actually trying to accomplish?
• N — Nevermind and move on: Knowing when a detail is low-impact noise you can safely ignore.

That last point is underrated and very “Galfond.” A huge amount of wasted study time comes from obsessing over mixed frequencies and tiny EV differences that don’t matter in practice. The BRAIN framework builds in a filter for that — it’s an 80/20 system by design, which is why the course carries the official subtitle The 80/20 Poker Solver System.

Course Structure and Content

The course runs 20+ videos totaling over six hours of dense, concentrated content — no filler, no padded intros. The structure follows a logical progression:

1. The Core Framework. The theoretical backbone: the Value First → Sizing First → River First methodology, range frequency analysis, incentives and range composition, defense strategy, mixed-strategy logic, and the full BRAIN framework.

2. In-Position Aggressor Walkthroughs. Guided solver sessions on flops, turns, and rivers from the aggressor’s seat — learning to spot betting patterns and extract heuristics from raw outputs in real time.

3. Defense. The same street-by-street methodology from the defender’s perspective: check-raise construction, calling frequencies, and when deviating from GTO defense is correct.

4. Study Optimization. How to structure sessions, drill concepts into muscle memory, and integrate everything into your real-game decision tree.

You also get a downloadable GTO Basics PDF and a Notion study notebook template to organize your solver sessions — a small but genuinely useful addition, since disorganized study is half the problem the course is trying to solve.

Does It Cover Both NLHE and PLO?

Yes — and this is the course’s biggest differentiator. Galfond uses examples from both No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha throughout, working with tools like GTO Wizard and Vision GTO Trainer. The framework itself is format-agnostic: it applies to cash games directly, and tournament players can layer ICM considerations on top of the same core logic.

If you play any form of Omaha alongside Hold’em, no other solver course on the market offers this dual coverage under one system.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Taught by one of the most credible names in poker — and battle-tested at the highest stakes ever played online
• Framework-first design: heuristics over memorization, so knowledge actually transfers
• Covers both NLHE and PLO — unique in the solver course space
• Genuinely cuts study time by teaching you what to ignore
• Includes practical study tools (PDF reference + Notion template)
• Lifetime access

Cons:

• Not for beginners — you need solid fundamentals first (Galfond himself recommends starting with Foundations)
• At six-plus hours, it’s shorter than mega-courses like This Is PLO — though the density is the point
• $999 retail is steep at full price (which is exactly why buying it through CheapCourses.eu makes sense)

Who Should Buy Simplifying Solvers?

Buy it if you:

• Already understand poker fundamentals but feel overwhelmed every time you open a solver
• Are a winning player who studies hard but sees flat or diminishing returns
• Play both NLHE and PLO and want one unified study framework
• Own GTO Wizard or PioSolver but suspect you’re not using it correctly
• Play live poker — understanding the GTO baseline is what lets you identify and punish your opponents’ deviations

Skip it (for now) if you:

• Are new to poker — start with Run It Once Foundations, then come back
• Want a spot-specific strategy course rather than a study-method course

Final Verdict: 9.2/10

Simplifying Solvers does something almost no other poker course attempts: it fixes how you learn rather than just handing you more material to learn. For intermediate and advanced players, that makes it one of the highest-ROI purchases in poker training — the framework compounds across every study session you’ll ever do afterward.

The teaching quality is what you’d expect from Galfond: clear, methodical, and refreshingly honest about what matters and what doesn’t. Combined with the dual NLHE/PLO coverage and his unmatched track record, this is an easy recommendation.

The only real barrier is the $999 price tag — and that’s a barrier you don’t have to pay.

Get Simplifying Solvers by Phil Galfond with up to 97% off retail → Instant digital delivery. Forever license. Study like Galfond for a fraction of the price.

FAQ

Is Simplifying Solvers good for beginners? No. The course assumes you understand core concepts like equity, pot odds, and position. Beginners should start with Run It Once Foundations by Phil Galfond, then return to this course.

Does Simplifying Solvers cover PLO or just Hold’em? Both. It’s one of the only solver courses on the market that teaches NLHE and PLO under a single unified framework.

Do I need to own a solver to take the course? Having access to GTO Wizard, PioSolver, or a similar tool will maximize the value, but the course teaches you how to study with any solver — not how to operate specific software.

How long is the course? 20+ videos totaling over six hours of content, plus a GTO Basics PDF and a Notion study notebook template.

What is the BRAIN framework? Galfond’s step-by-step mental model for reading solver outputs: Board coverage, Range & equity advantage, Assets & gaps, Incentives, and Nevermind (knowing what to ignore).

Is Simplifying Solvers worth it for winning players? Yes — arguably most of all. Winning players tend to study the hardest but the least efficiently. The course is specifically designed to cut study time while surfacing leaks you didn’t know you had.

Related reading: Run It Once vs Upswing Poker: Which Training Site Is Better? · Browse all Run It Once courses

That’s the gap The Mechanics of Poker (often shortened to MOP) is built around. In this review I’ll break down what the program actually is, who it’s for, what makes it different from a typical Upswing-style course, and whether the price tag is justified.

What is The Mechanics of Poker?

The Mechanics of Poker is a full coaching and mentorship program created by Rene “TheWakko” Kuhlman and Adam Carmichael. It’s the spiritual evolution of their well-known Poker Ambition Coaching For Profit (CFP) program — but restructured so any player can access the framework, not just CFP applicants.

Unlike a traditional video course (where you buy a pack of recordings, watch them once, and you’re done), MOP is structured as ongoing access to a coaching system that covers both the technical and mental sides of professional poker. It’s designed for cash-game and MTT players, online and live, at low to high stakes.

Who’s behind it?

Rene “TheWakko” Kuhlman — Head Coach (Technical Game)

TheWakko has been a full-time cash-game pro for 20 years and has earned well over $1,000,000 playing online. What gives him real coaching credibility, though, isn’t the bankroll — it’s the eight years he spent stuck at mid-stakes himself. He knows the plateau from the inside, and the program is largely shaped around the framework he eventually used to break out of it.

Adam Carmichael — Mental Game & Performance Coach

Adam is a former high-stakes player turned full-time performance coach. He holds a degree in Sports Science and specializes in behavioral psychology — backgrounds you almost never see in poker coaching. He’s spent eight years doing 1-on-1 work with players from 32 countries across every format imaginable. His role in MOP is to make sure the technical work actually translates under pressure.

What’s inside the program

MOP is built around two pillars. Both are central to the program — neither is treated as an add-on.

Pillar 1 — Technical Game, Management & Soft Skills

• A structured study path so you always know what to work on next instead of randomly bouncing between videos
• Real EV reasoning — when and how to deviate from solver outputs, not just memorize them
• Hand-reading, range-building and real-time decision frameworks
• Game selection, table dynamics and the management discipline full-time pros rely on
• Soft skills: routines, professionalism, self-review processes

Pillar 2 — Mental Game & Performance

• Practical systems to eliminate tilt, self-doubt and on-the-fly second-guessing
• Focus, discipline and routine work drawn from sports psychology
• Variance and downswing management — keeping your A-game intact when the run-bad hits
• Behavioral-psychology-backed techniques adapted specifically for poker

What makes it different from other poker courses

Three things genuinely set MOP apart from the majority of training products on the market:

1. It’s mentorship, not a video pack. Most courses are passive content. MOP is structured around ongoing engagement and a study system, which is closer to how serious athletes train than how most poker players study.

2. Mental game is half the system. Most poker training treats mindset as an afterthought — a bonus module tacked on at the end. With Adam Carmichael leading that pillar, MOP gives it equal weight. That alone makes it a different product category from something like an Upswing or Run It Once course.

3. The coaches’ own track record. The Poker Ambition CFP that preceded MOP has a documented history of moving mid-stakes regs into high-stakes wins. That’s a harder claim to make than “here’s a guy who beat NL500 once.”

Pros and cons

Pros

• Genuinely two-pillar approach — technical and mental treated equally
• Coaches with real, verifiable high-stakes pedigree
• Sports-science-backed mental game work, not generic “stay positive” advice
• Works across formats — cash, MTT, online, live
• Designed as long-term mentorship, so it grows with you instead of going stale

Cons

• Not built for complete beginners — if you’re still learning preflop ranges, this is too advanced
• Requires real commitment; passive learners won’t get value
• Premium positioning — this isn’t a $99 video course, and shouldn’t be evaluated like one
• The mental-game emphasis may feel “soft” to players who only want hardcore solver work

Who this program is for

• Serious cash-game or MTT players who are stuck at low or mid-stakes
• Players who understand the theory but can’t seem to execute it consistently
• Anyone treating poker as a long-term career rather than a hobby
• Players who’ve already tried multiple courses and still haven’t broken through

Who this program is not for

• Recreational players or beginners still learning the rules and fundamentals
• Players looking for a quick magic chart or one-shot leak fix
• Anyone unwilling to put in structured off-felt study

How to access The Mechanics of Poker

You can get full access to the program through our store at a reseller-friendly price — see the current pricing and access details on the product page:

Get The Mechanics of Poker Coaching Program →

Final verdict

The Mechanics of Poker isn’t trying to compete with Upswing or Run It Once on volume of content. It’s a fundamentally different product: a structured coaching framework, with mental game built into the foundation rather than glued on at the end. For mid-stakes regs who’ve hit a ceiling and can’t figure out why, that combination is rare — and it’s the exact gap most poker training fails to fill.

If you’re a beginner or you just want more video content to consume, this isn’t the right buy. But if you’ve already studied hard, you’ve already plateaued, and you genuinely want to operate at the next level — this is one of the most credible options on the market right now.

FAQ

Is The Mechanics of Poker for cash games or tournaments?

Both. The framework is built to work across formats — cash and MTT, online and live. The technical content adapts; the mental-game and management pillars apply universally.

Do I need to be a high-stakes player to benefit?

No — but you should be past the beginner stage. The program is most effective for low- and mid-stakes regs who already understand the basics and want to break through to higher levels.

Who are TheWakko and Adam Carmichael?

TheWakko (Rene Kuhlman) is a 20-year cash-game professional with over $1,000,000 in career online earnings. Adam Carmichael is a former high-stakes player and full-time performance coach with a Sports Science degree and 8+ years of 1-on-1 coaching experience with players from 32 countries.

How is this different from Upswing or Run It Once?

Most poker training platforms are content libraries — you buy access to videos. MOP is structured as a coaching framework with ongoing engagement and a true mental-game pillar. Different product category, different use case.

Is there a beginner version?

The Mechanics of Poker brand has separate products such as LeakBuster and standalone masterclasses that suit different levels. The full coaching program reviewed here is intended for serious players ready to commit to long-term development.

→ Check current pricing and access on the product page