Slowplaying
When facing an overly aggressive player, most players revert to slowplaying their hand. There is a logic to it; the player is betting too much. Why would we want to scare them off by playing the hand aggressively? The solvers have shown us what smart players already knew, which is that the way to deal…
Strategic Edge with Dara O’Kearney – Bet Sizing
One of the most common things I get asked is about bet sizing, bet frequency and board textures. I have developed three simple questions to help you get a handle on how often you should bet when it is checked to you as the preflop raiser: How high is the highest card How close together…
Strategic Edge with Dara O’Kearney – Family Pots
When you play live events like the IPT, in the early going, you will see lots of multiway pots. So let’s address a big leak most players have – bluffing too much. For those most part, this is C-betting too much. Most modern players learned that you print money with C-bets and you should do…
Strategic Edge with Dara O’Kearney – Tough FT decision
My cohost and fellow ambassador David Lappin and I recently made the final table of the IPO DUBLIN Super Highroller. With three left, we found ourselves in a race to the bottom as two short stacks trying to outlast each other as chipleader Joe Mullen applied considerable ICM pressure. Payouts remaining at this point were…
Multiway pots
Multiway pots are by far the most complex situations in poker. There are so many variables at play that I don’t believe they will ever be fully solved. The presence of multiple opponents drastically changes optimal strategies, forcing players to tighten up, adjust bet sizes, and rethink their approach to bluffing and bluff-catching. That said,…
Strategic Edge with Dara O’Kearney
A common strategy that often confuses players is leaving one chip behind when you would otherwise go all-in preflop. At first glance, it seems pointless—you’re already pot-committed, so why not just shove the last chip in and save time? But there are several strategic reasons why this small move can be beneficial. Why Leave One…
O’Kearney’s strategy corner
A common strategy that often confuses players is leaving one chip behind when you would otherwise go all-in preflop. At first glance, it seems pointless—you’re already pot-committed, so why not just shove the last chip in and save time? But there are several strategic reasons why this small move can be beneficial. Why Leave One…
O’ Kearney’s Corner – Thin Value Bets
One of the most common struggles players face is mastering thin value bets. Some only bet when they’re certain they have the best hand—but that’s not a thin value bet. Others confidently bet when ahead, but in spots where all worse hands would fold. That’s not thin value either. A true thin value bet happens…
Do you need a solver? By Dara O’Kearney
One of the most common questions in poker today is, “Do I need to use a solver?” Solver technology has reshaped the game, influencing both strategy and the way players discuss poker. But for many, it can feel intimidating. The truth is, you don’t need to run solvers yourself—but you do need to understand their…
