Upswing Poker Podcast: 5 Tips for Playing the River

In a recent podcast, Michael Brady and Gary Blackwood discussed strategies for playing poker on the river, a crucial street where the biggest pots are often won or lost.

The podcast, titled 'Upswing Poker,' provides five tips to improve your expected value (EV) on the river. These tips include making thin value bets, aggressive play with weak hands, and understanding the importance of blockers.

Gary Blackwood advises making thin value bets, especially in small pots. He suggests that these bets can be effective even with hands that seem too weak to bet. Michael Brady illustrates a scenario where thin value bets can be effective, such as when the opponent checks on the flop and turn, and you have a weak hand like a third pair.

Gary Blackwood also suggests aggressive play with weak hands in small pots. He recommends bluffing with hands that do not block the opponent's folding range, such as hands like 7-8 offsuit. Michael Brady discusses the importance of blockers in larger pots, noting that blockers can significantly affect the effectiveness of bluffs.

Gary Blackwood advises to overfold in larger pots to avoid calling bluffs. He suggests that in larger pots, it is often better to fold rather than call a bluff, especially when you have blockers that make your hand less likely to be called.