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The Best Poker Training Sites of 2023
Top Poker Courses Of 2022

Top Poker Courses Of 2022

Once upon a time, it was hard to get your hands on quality poker coaching resources. Good strategy content was difficult to come by outside of actually hiring a private coach which is something most people simply can’t afford.

Today, the situation has changed quite a bit.

There are dozens of poker courses out there, all of them promising to make you a better player at a reasonable price. So, the new difficulty players are facing is what option to choose from so many available to them?

Many different factors play an important role here, such as your current skill level, your preferred game type, and, of course, how much money you can afford to set aside.

Paying attention to these and other important aspects, we’ve come up with the list of the best poker courses in 2022. This quick overview will help you find exactly the kind of program you’re looking for and if something catches your attention, you can easily get more information on a particular site with our in-depth reviews.

The Tournament Master Class (Apprentice) by Raise Your Edge

If you’re looking to improve your play in poker tournaments, there are quite a few quality courses to choose from. However, the Tournament Master Class by Raise Your Edge is probably one of the most extensive and in-detail programs out there.

The course is presented by Bencb, an experienced tournament player and coach so you can expect the highest quality content covering everything you need to know to move your tournament game to the next level.

RYE’s Tournament Master Class is divided into several main areas:

  • Preflop
  • Postflop
  • Short stack play
  • ICM
  • Heads up

On top of these, you’ll also get access to some bonus content, such as high stakes tournament reviews, the GTO Bible course, an expert class on fighting tilt, and more.

Each module within the course covers a variety of subtopics. For example, in the preflop section, you’ll find tips on constructing your raising ranges, dealing with 3-bets and 4-bets, squeeze plays, and much more.

The posflop segment teaches you how to handle situations both in and out of position, when you have the lead or when you’re facing aggression. The short stack module talks about common problems of handling a short stack in tournaments, finding good spots to accumulate chips without a showdown, etc.

All in all, the Tournament Master Class is easily one of the more comprehensive MTT courses currently available on the market. Offered at $697 (but $617 when using discount code HOWTOAPP), it’s more affordable than some other similar programs, especially if we’re talking about courses for more advanced players.

Although the quality of the materials found inside is very good, this course does require you to put in a lot of work yourself to get the most out of it. Lessons are quite theory-heavy as well so you’ll need to really focus on what’s being discussed so it’s not one of those programs you can just run through.

As long as you’re serious about and committed to improving your tournament play, RYE’s Master Class does not disappoint. Just keep in mind that this course was designed for serious students of the game so you should only go for it when you feel you have the time and willpower to really immerse yourself into it.

The Tournament Master Class Pros:

  • Excellent value for money
  • Very comprehensive and detailed poker tournament course
  • High-quality video lessons

The Tournament Master Class Cons:

  • Theory vs. practical examples ratio could be a little better
  • Lessons can feel a bit too stretched at times 
  • The course is not suited for those new to the game

Mastering Live Cash by Raise Your Edge

A bulk of training content available on the internet is geared towards online players, which is not a surprise. However, there are still many who prefer good, old live poker with all the intricacies it involves. If you belong to this group, Mastering Live Cash is just the course for you.

Covering a wide array of topics but maintaining a simple and easy-to-follow structure throughout, the course doesn’t require too much previous knowledge to keep up. Players with solid No-Limit Hold’em foundations will be able to get the most out of this poker course.

You’re introduced to the course by several videos discussing general things, such as your approach to the game, maintaining a healthy poker mindset, figuring out a good bankroll management strategy, etc. These topics aren’t specific to this course alone as they apply to every poker player out there.

You’ll also find tips on:

  • What makes live poker different from online
  • How to create positive atmosphere at the tables
  • How to recognize and avoid tilt, etc.

After this introduction, RYE’s Mastering Live Cash dives into the thin and thick of live games. The course is divided into two natural sections, the first one covering the preflop play, followed by the posflop strategy segment.

The preflop section covers everything, from how to structure your own opening ranges to how to deal with 3-bets and 4-bets. Particular attention is given to play from the blinds as well.

What makes this poker course unique and worth it for the live players is the fact that it focuses on specificities of live games and required adjustments. Live poker is much more about knowing your opponents and figuring out the structure of your table to come up with the most profitable strategy.

The postflop segment is very extensive as there is a lot of ground to cover, from playing in single raised, 3-bet, and 4-bet pots, turn and river strategies, to bluffing and bluff catching. All of these are analyzed from the live play standpoint, constantly emphasizing the importance of paying attention to other players, their tendencies, mental state, etc.

For the price of $397, the Mastering Live Cash course definitely has a lot to offer. It is geared towards beginner and intermediate players and should help you beat the games up to NL500.

Mastering Live Cash Pros:

  • Easy-to-follow approach
  • Nice breakdown of lessons into relevant topics
  • Focus on live play specifics
  • Affordable price

Mastering Live Cash Cons:

  • Not enough content for more advanced players
  • No free trial option
  • Focused more on exploitative than GTO play, which some players can have a problem with

Red Chip Poker CORE 2.0

It is a common misconception that those just taking up poker have all the resources available to them for free. While it’s true that you can find everything you need to master No Limit Hold’em foundations at no cost, actually finding, gathering, and organizing these resources in an efficient way is a challenge on its own.

The Red Chip Poker CORE 2.0 program has been created by James “SplitSuit” Sweeney to offer a well-structured, easy-to-follow poker course for beginners.

All you need to know to get started with this course are the rules of Hold’em. With CORE, you’ll start at the very beginning as Sweeney proceeds to explain some very basic concepts such as pot odds, EV, equity, and more.

From theoretical and mathematical fundamentals, the course takes you to the next section, discussing things like the importance of position, stack sizes, understanding how to size your bets optimally to achieve desired results, etc.

The CORE program is divided into two main modules or levels. Both levels have similar structures but the second level contains a bit more advanced lessons that deal with more complicated concepts. The goal of this second section is to try to teach you how to think about hands and tailor your strategies ahead of time.

The third segment of RCP CORE 2.0 focuses on hand reviews, giving you a chance to see various theoretical concepts play out in practice. Every video review is accompanied by a written article and provides links to lessons covering concepts and ideas relevant for that particular review.

All lessons are between 10 and 30 minutes long, which is perfect for those just getting into the groove of things. Long lessons can be tedious even for more experienced players and shorter videos are definitely better suited for the audience this particular course is targeting.

Costing only $5 per week, Red Chip Poker CORE 2.0 is probably one of the best resources for beginner players looking to get better. You’re getting a lot of quality content for your money and you can always cancel the membership for whatever reason. When you feel ready to get back to studying, you can simply pay $5 again and pick up where you left off.

Red Chip Poker CORE Pros:

  • Very affordable price
  • No previous knowledge required to keep up with the lessons
  • Short, manageable videos that keep your attention

Red Chip Poker CORE Cons:

  • Lacking content for more advanced players

Advanced PLO Mastery

For those players looking to dip their toes into a popular poker variation that’s not No Limit Hold’em, Upswing Poker's Advanced PLO Mastery is one of the best poker courses on the market. It provides the ultimate guide to the great game of Pot Limit Omaha, starting from the very foundations.

The course is produced by Dylan Weisman and Chris Wehner, both of whom contribute to Advanced PLO Mastery in their own way.

Although this particular program does start with some basics before moving on to complex stuff, it needs to be said that the course is geared more towards those already familiar with PLO. If you’re completely new to the game, you’d probably be better off getting your hands on some simpler lessons first before graduating to Advanced PLO Mastery.

You’ll definitely struggle to find a more comprehensive and more rounded course on Pot Limit Omaha.

Through several main sections, Upswing’s Advanced PLO Mastery will teach you everything you need to know, from building your opening ranges, understanding differences between PLO and NLHE, navigating different flops, turns, and rivers, and much more.

Although lessons are presented in a rather entertaining and interactive way, the content found inside isn’t super easy to keep up with.

PLO is a very complex game and finding the right solutions in many spots requires elaborate mathematical calculations. Throughout the course, the creators will use MonkerSolver to figure stuff out and explain and break down many different scenarios.

For many, this isn’t the most entertaining or the most engaging way to go about learning poker but it is definitely one of the most efficient ones if you have the willpower and the patience to power through it and stay focused.

Advanced PLO Mastery won’t make you a great Omaha player overnight, especially if you’re new to solvers. It will take a fair bit of effort on your part. Priced at $999, it also requires a significant financial commitment on your part.

There is really no debate about whether this poker course is worth the money, though. It is, hands down, the best PLO coaching program you can get these days. But it won’t do the work for you. So, before you make the investment, make sure you’re ready to put in the time and the work required to really make the most out of it.

Advanced PLO Mastery Pros:

  • The most comprehensive PLO course out there
  • High-quality training videos
  • Plenty of valuable extras included in the course

Advanced PLO Mastery Pros:

  • Somewhat higher price
  • Not suited for inexperienced players

Bounty Hunter Course by PokerNerve

In recent years, tournaments featuring progressive knockouts have become quite popular. Featuring increasing bounties as the tournament progresses, these events add a whole new layer of excitement, especially for those who find regular MTTs too boring or dragged out.

But, this extra layer also means there are certain strategic adjustments required to achieve the best results in PKOs.

PokerNerve’s Bounty Hunter course is all about these adjustments and how to approach this particular type of tournaments. Presented by Kevin ‘Aces_Up’ Beattie, this course is entirely focused on progressive knockouts and it’s geared towards players who already have a solid understanding of general tournament strategy.

The Bounty Hunter poker course won’t teach you about MTTs in general. Instead, it assumes you already have this knowledge and focuses instead on how to go about adjusting these strategies to the particular format at hand.

This course is probably the best one you can find if you want to get better at PKOs. It covers everything you need to know, starting with some general theoretical concepts before moving to specific strategies for particular stages of play.

  • Learn how to properly account for bounties when making your decisions
  • Understand how bounties correlate with traditional ICM
  • Adjusting your strategy as the average stack depth changes
  • Isolation strategies, playing multi-way pots, and much more

Beattie is doing an excellent job of explaining things, starting with the most important theoretical fundamentals of bounty tournaments and working his way up to more complex concepts. This course will really open your eyes to some fresh ideas and help you significantly improve your results in PKOs.

PokerNerve’s Bounty Hunter comes with the price tag of $499, which may seem a bit steep for such a specific course. What you should understand, though, is that this course will easily pay for itself if you play a large number of bounty hunter tournaments or you’re looking to make these a regular part of your MTT sessions.

The highly specific adjustments required to make the most money out of these events aren’t something you can just stumble upon. You could learn a lot through the process of trial and error, of course, but the Bounty Hunter course can help you save a lot of time and money by providing you with all the information you need in a clear, concise, and well-structured manner.

Bounty Hunter Pros:

  • A highly detailed and in-depth poker course focusing specifically on PKOs
  • Engaging and easy-to-follow content
  • Plenty of examples and hand analysis to support theoretical concepts

Bounty Hunter Cons:

  • Focus on just one format
  • Requires a fair bit of previous knowledge on MTTs for the best results

Elementary Cash Game by Raise Your Edge

The general approach to poker courses in 2022 seems to be that everyone looking for coaching already has some knowledge of the game that they’re looking to expand on. Of course, this is not really true as there are always those just discovering the game and starting pretty much from scratch.

The Elementary Cash Game course by Raise Your Edge was developed with these players in mind. It is targeting those new to the game of No Limit Hold’em and looking to make their first steps into the world of online cash games.

The course is presented by ‘faLLout86’ and it’s been designed with inexperienced players in mind. You won’t find any super-advanced concepts in there. The main goal is to help build a solid fundamental strategy for online cash games that should help make you a decent player.

In today’s competitive environment, Elementary Cash Game probably won’t be enough to make you a winning poker player at small or mid-stakes but it's perfect for someone looking to take on the micros in a structure and easy to follow format. 

This poker course will give you an excellent foundation to build upon by teaching you the basics of:

  • Constructing you're opening ranges
  • Playing from the blinds
  • Analyzing the most common postflop spots, etc.

This program isn’t too comprehensive as every section contains three videos talking about a particular spot or a scenario. Keep in mind, though, that the main idea of this poker course is to give you a kind of introduction to online cash games and it doesn’t make any big promises that it can’t keep.

You’ll also get some bonus videos, the most important one being that on bankroll management. This is an important concept for all cash players but very much so for those new to the game. Knowing how to properly manage your bankroll can make all the difference in the world and greatly define your future success in poker.

You can gain access to this course for $97, which is more than a fair price for what it has to offer. All you’ll need to know going into it is the rules of the game so Elementary Cash Game can really help you save a lot of time and avoid many mistakes that are typical for beginners.

Even if you don’t have any serious plans for poker, I think buying this course is a worthwhile investment. While it alone may not make you a winner at the toughest games online, it will definitely give you a very solid fundamental strategy to help you hold your own at micro stakes.

Elementary Cash Game Pros:

  • A course geared towards complete beginners
  • Things are explained in a very clear, concise, and easy-to-follow manner
  • Good ratio between the price and the quality of the content

Elementary Cash Game Cons:

  • Lacking more advanced lessons
  • Requires further study to achieve desired results

Upswing Poker Lab

If you want a poker course that doesn’t focus on one specific area but covers No Limit Hold’em in its various aspects, you needn’t look further than Upswing Poker Lab. Easily the most extensive training resource on the market in 2022, the Lab touches upon everything, from general concepts, over tournaments and cash games, to live play, and more.

The really great thing about it, though, is that none of it feels rushed in any way. Every segment of the Upswing Lab dives deep into the thick and thin of it, providing much more than just basic explanations.

The first segment is the Lab Core Strategy, teaching you about Hold’em fundamentals. You’ll find out about the standard terminology, hand ranges, and other concepts that are crucial for anyone just starting their poker journey.

The module then continues to discuss thing such as raising ranges and sizing, advantages of position, as well as many outside factors such as bankroll management, tilt control, etc. All in all, the Core segment gives you a very good roadmap to playing Texas Hold’em in general.

The next module, named Beyond Core Strategy, addresses some interesting strategic points, such as playing your flush draws, navigating multi-way pots, utilizing overbets, playing deep-stacked, and much more.

Next, Upswing Poker Lab teaches you about playing MTTs, covering important theoretical concepts such as ICM and also addressing particular in-game spots such as defending blinds, playing on the short stack, adjusting your strategy for the final table, etc.

The final module of the course addresses live poker. In these lessons, you’ll learn about the differences between live and online games and many specific things to pay attention to when playing in a live environment.

All in all, Upswing Poker Lab contains dozens of hours of video materials and educational articles covering a wide array of topics. It is the most diverse of 2022 poker courses on the market and it’s geared primarily towards those completely new to the game as well as those with some experience but with certain gaps in their game.

You can get full access to the Lab for the entire year for $699. This may not seem too cheap but keep in mind that Upswing constantly adds new content so your membership will bring you more than what you initially pay for.

Upswing Poker Lab Pros:

  • Covers a lot of information (fundamentals, cash games, MTTs, live)
  • Lessons presented by experts in their respective fields
  • Suited for beginners and more advanced players
  • Current content is regularly updated and new content added monthly

Upswing Poker Lab Cons:

  • Needs more content for higher stakes, more experienced players
  • No lifetime access option

Advanced Heads Up Mastery by Upswing Poker

One-on-one poker, better known as heads up, requires a very special set of skills. It’s much different from full ring games as you only have to worry about one opponent – but your opponent can also focus solely on you.

Becoming a good heads up player takes a lot of time and effort and it’s not something that can happen overnight. However, Upswing’s Heads Up Mastery poker course is probably the best resource you can get your hands on to help you get there.

Presented by none other than Doug Polk, the man who was long considered one of the top online HU specialists, this course unlocks secrets and strategies that you just won’t find anywhere else. It offers a difficult but highly effective learning path that can turn you into a heads up monster.

What you should know is that this isn’t the program for those new to poker.

While Polk is doing a great job of breaking things down and explaining them to the smallest details, you are expected to have a pretty solid knowledge of poker strategy in general. You need to have a good understanding of the basic terminology and some general concepts such as hand ranges, range advantage, etc.

This course will teach you a fully rounded and very advanced strategy for heads up play that’s going to produce results in the long run. However, the only way you will be able to take full advantage of it is if you’re ready to take the knowledge contained inside and apply it to your own game.

In his Advanced Heads Up Mastery, Polk will provide you with all the tools you need to really take your HU game to the next level but what you do with this knowledge is entirely up to you.

This poker course retails at $999 and there is really no question about whether the content inside is worth the price. You won’t find a better, more in-depth training program on the heads up play. But you should only buy it if you are ready to do the work. Heads up can be very complex and the only way to become good at it is if you work on it. Advanced Heads Up Mastery is there to give you the guiding hand.

Advanced Heads Up Mastery Pros:

  • The most comprehensive heads up course on the market
  • Presented by Doug Polk, a long-time HU crusher
  • Hand history reviews featuring some of the best players

Advanced Heads Up Mastery Cons:

  • Hard to keep up with at times due to complexity

Advanced Cash Game Strategy by Upswing Poker

Presented by Alex ‘Kanu7’ Millar, Upswing Poker’s Advanced Cash Game Strategy is the poker course for those already well versed with the game but looking to take things up a notch. Like the name suggests, this course targets experienced players looking to move up in stakes or those that area already playing mid and high stakes but looking to gain an edge over tough competition.

One thing that’s really great about Advanced Cash Game Strategy is the fact Millar has managed to create it in a way that doesn’t overwhelm you. While some of the things discussed inside are quite complex (as you’d expect), the way they’re presented is quite easy to follow.

The course is divided into several main areas, namely:

  • Cash game fundamentals
  • Preflop play
  • Postflop strategy
  • Play & Explain videos

Each segment contains hours’ worth of footage addressing different concepts from the point of view of an advanced, experienced player who knows what he’s talking about. Every single topic is broken down to the smallest details and analyzed with solver programs to come up with the best, mathematically justified solutions.

This approach to learning poker is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea so it’s something you should be aware of ahead of time. Millar has a very scientific take on the game and every decision and every explanation he offers have solid foundations in the numbers behind them.

Clearly,  this course is geared towards more advanced players who are used to learning this way. If you’re just a beginner, Advanced Cash Game Strategy is probably over your head and that’s okay. There are other courses out there better suited for you.

The price of $999 clearly indicates that this course is for those who already play at decent stakes. If you’re someone playing at 200NL or above, the knowledge and strategies found inside this course will definitely be worth the investment. At these stakes, it’s not easy to beat the competition and Millar is one of few people who can give you effective tips to do just that.

Advanced Cash Game Strategy Pros:

  • In-depth cash game course for advanced players
  • Elaborate concepts explained in an easy to follow manner
  • High-quality additional resources like preflop charts

Advanced Cash Game Strategy Cons:

  • Highly mathematical approach to studying
  • Requires understanding of solvers

Unchained Mind by Raise Your Edge

Unchained Mind is a rather unique poker course that doesn’t talk about math or strategy. Instead, it focuses on mental aspects of the game, which are often neglected but are just as important for one’s success.

Created by ‘Bencb’, the course offers an interesting approach to the topic of developing the right mindset through 15 separate lessons addressing things such as motivation, recognizing and battling tilt, introducing positive changes, and finding and maintaining happiness.

Although these are individual lessons, Unchained Mind is presented as a full-scale story, following the development of an imaginary character on his quest for achieving poker greatness.

The course addresses many important and interesting points that even more experienced players struggle with. It helps you deal with issues of the feeling of the entitlement, emotional struggle that’s an essential part of playing poker, understanding where tilt comes from and how to properly deal with it, and much more.

In many ways, Unchained Mind is a really unique course that addresses problems that often neglected or not given enough attention. Everybody talks about tilt and emotions in poker but it’s often left as a side note, leaving players to figure it out on their own.

The course is priced at $597 but there are regular promotions that can help you get it much cheaper. The question is, how much do you need something like this?

As poker players, we often overestimate our own abilities to deal with stress and push problems into the background until they become so big that they are impossible to deal with. RYE’s Unchained Mindset will help you recognize these issues early on and build your poker career on the right foundations, regardless of what your long-term goals might be.

I believe this to be one of the best, if not the best, resource to help you improve your mindset and look at poker with a new set of eyes. You may not feel like you need it but after watching it, you’ll understand just how powerful this course is, despite its seemingly light approach to the matter.

Unchained Mind Pros:

  • Covers a variety of important mindset topics to help you grow as a player
  • The whole course is created as a developing story to keep your attention
  • Addresses serious and important subjects in a fun and approachable way

Unchained Mind Cons:

  • The course feels a bit repetitive at times, covering some things from a slightly different angle

The Best Poker Courses 2022 Conclusion

This is the list of the best poker courses available to you in 2022. Of course, these are, by no means, all the quality courses you can find out there, but we picked a few that stand out for a variety of reasons: quality of the content, unique approach, or addressing a particular segment of the game that’s not covered enough in other training programs.

In the interest of fairness of transparency, it’s important to mention that we do receive referral commissions from the poker courses listed here. However, we never allow this fact to cloud our judgment or impact the way we rate the programs.

Our ultimate goal is to provide you, the player, with the best value for your money and all courses are reviewed and rated with that goal in mind!