Upswing Poker was started in 2015 by professional poker players Doug Polk and Ryan Fee. Even though Polk doesn't play much these days, he is still one of the biggest names in poker, so it should come as no surprise that his training site is one of the largest and most recognizable in the market. Upswing has grown from a small blog offering free content into an internationally known brand built around the Upswing Lab and a range of advanced courses for different formats.
Upswing offers content for all levels and almost every game type, with both free and paid options. For free content, you can't go wrong with the Upswing Poker blog or the Upswing YouTube channel, both of which offer excellent material for players of all skill levels.
What type of content does Upswing Poker have?
Upswing has content for pretty much every game type, which not every training site can say. Cash game players will find plenty in the Upswing Lab, the Advanced Cash Game Strategy course, the heads-up course and the blog. Tournament players can get their fix in the Upswing Lab, the Winning Poker Tournaments course, the High Stakes MTT Sessions course and the blog.
Advanced courses also cover:
- Pot Limit Omaha
- Mixed games
- Short deck
- Heads-up
Free content
With most things in life you get what you pay for, but Upswing's free content is the exception. When it comes to free training content, the Upswing Poker blog is king. It has quizzes, quick tips, complete guides and much more, with articles on just about every topic, including cash games, tournaments, fundamentals and the mental game. There is also plenty of quality poker content that isn't training related and makes for fun, light reading. You will find more free content on the Upswing YouTube channel, which mostly features Doug Polk.
The Upswing Lab
The Upswing Lab is Upswing's monthly membership and one of its flagship products. It is a training program designed to teach you how to approach the game correctly, with No Limit Hold'em content and tools for players of all skill levels. It covers both the basics and advanced concepts, with content for 6-max, full ring and zoom cash games, live poker and tournaments.
When we last checked, the Lab included:
- 70 learning modules that teach fundamental strategy
- 354 preflop charts for cash games and tournaments
- Access to the private Upswing Poker group
- New Play & Explain videos every week and new learning modules every month, with 5+ hours of new content a month
- More than 250 hours of content in total
The Lab was listed at $99 for the first month and $49 a month after that when we last checked. For most players who aren't already crushing the game, it is worth signing up for, and many players have got their start in the Upswing Lab. If you are willing to put in the work to learn and apply the material, it will pay for itself over and over.
Advanced courses
For players who want content targeted at their game of choice, Upswing has advanced courses covering pretty much every game type and format. When we last checked, they included:
- Winning Poker Tournaments by Nick Petrangelo (opens in a new tab)
- Heads-Up Mastery by Doug Polk (opens in a new tab)
- Mixed Games by Jake Abdalla (opens in a new tab)
- High Stakes MTT Sessions by Nick Petrangelo (opens in a new tab)
- Short Deck Course by Kane Kalas (opens in a new tab)
- ICM Unmasked by Nick Petrangelo (opens in a new tab)
- Brains vs A.I. by Doug Polk (opens in a new tab)
- How Tom Dwan Plays Short Deck by Kane Kalas (opens in a new tab)
Cash game players can't go wrong with the Advanced Cash Game Strategy course by Kanu7, one of the biggest winners in online cash game history. It features 36 hours of cash game theory videos and access to a private group where you can ask questions and discuss hands with other members, and as a bonus you get 286 solver-generated preflop ranges.
If you prefer tournaments, Winning Poker Tournaments by Nick Petrangelo is one of Upswing's flagship courses. It opens with a section on how the best players approach the game and use software to get better. The preflop section includes a "Preflop Mastersheet" with ranges for just about every spot and position, and the postflop section teaches you how to become a strong postflop player without having to learn how to use a solver. You also get more than 13 hours of Play & Explain hand reviews in which Nick walks you through real hands he has played. For tournament players looking to get to the next level, this course can help you do exactly that.
The PLO Matrix
For fans of Pot Limit Omaha, Upswing has a tool called the PLO Matrix, a visual representation of GTO preflop PLO ranges. Put simply, it tells you which hands to play based on your position, your stack size and your opponent's position. Upswing claims it is the fastest way to drastically improve your PLO game, and we tend to agree: most PLO mistakes come from poor preflop ranges, and after a short time with the PLO Matrix you will start to see the mistakes you have been making and can work on fixing them.
How much does Upswing Poker cost?
Upswing has content for players on every budget. When we last checked, the pricing was:
- Blog and YouTube content: free
- Upswing Lab: $99 for the first month, then $49/month
- Advanced courses: between $299 and $999
Is Upswing Poker right for me?
If you play poker and want to improve, Upswing is worth a look. If you are willing to put in the effort and do the work, it is more than worth it: you get to hear advanced strategy from some of the world's best players. New players will benefit from the free content and the Upswing Lab, while more experienced players will want the Lab plus the advanced course for their game of choice. Whether you are a beginner cash game player or already crushing mid-stakes tournaments, Upswing has something to help you get to the next level.