The Official Red Chip Poker Podcast

Have you heard high-stakes #poker players claiming that they play a GTO strategy? That is a myth that is quickly disproved; the general GTO solution to poker is currently unknown. Even if such a solution was available, memorizing solver output and its mixing frequencies would be impossible.
It is also the case, however, that GTO solvers have radically improved our understanding of the fundamentals of poker. This podcast episode breaks down the practical takeaways from GTO research, with a particular emphasis on GTO traps to avoid.
 
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction: The GTO Myth
0:48 Why Nobody Actually Plays Pure GTO Poker
2:22 High-Stakes Players Who Claim to Be "GTO Players"
4:14 The Problem with Solver Memorization
6:03 How Players Are Misled by GTO Claims
7:42 Training Content Focused Only on GTO
9:30 The Danger of Solver Misuse for New Players
11:00 Card-Removal Effects vs. Fundamental Strategy
12:06 The RNG Mixing Myth
14:32 Suggestions for Better Poker Study
15:29 Why Pure GTO Players Are a Red Flag
17:55 GTO Principles + Exploitative Play = Maximum Win-Rate
19:57 Poker Ecology and Who Benefits from GTO Play
22:42 Final Thoughts on Maximizing Your Win-Rate
**RELATED LINKS**
- Red Chip Poker GTO Ranges App: https://redchippoker.com/gto-ranges-app
- The Exploitative Edge (Book): https://redchippoker.com/the-exploitative-edge
- How To Crush GTO Poker: https://youtu.be/j8cFt86B8To?si=KCYCurk0NK-Ua60v
- Common Questions About GTO Poker: https://youtu.be/jKzHZnVMjRk?si=53huagktpyXAOOSQ
 
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Join our free poker Discord today: https://redchippoker.com/discord

Playing #poker well can be viewed as making the highest-EV decision at every opportunity. In some situations, such as facing an all-in, calculating EV is relatively trivial. But what about more complex situations, particularly on early streets, where the EV formula is hard to apply?
Enter EV modeling; an approach that estimates the EV of different actions by modeling multiple branches of the game tree. In this episode of the Red Chip Poker podcast, coach w34z3l presents several practical EV modeling methods so you can optimize your poker decisions.
 
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction to EV Modeling
0:23 What is EV Modeling?
3:15 Tools for EV Modeling
3:33 CardRunners EV (CREV)
6:02 Limitations of CREV
8:29 Excel and Spreadsheets
10:52 Solvers and EV Modeling
13:01 Why Solvers Don't Work for Exploitative EV
13:38 Node-Locking Misconception
17:07 The Ideal EV Modeling Tool
20:10 Practical EV Modeling Examples
24:56 Managing Model Complexity
25:30 Conclusion and Next Steps
 
**RELATED LINKS**
- Join Red Chip PRO Now: https://redchippoker.com/pro-membership
- The Exploitative Edge (Book): https://redchippoker.com/the-exploitative-edge
- Poker Mastery 101 (Course): https://youtu.be/B8qidwy2UeU?si=A7G1_d1SYo2Ewrew
- Poker Strategy Math Every Pro Knows: https://youtu.be/QqXzTxxMzjU?si=yA1-iTJ1ISz42gDT
 
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Join our free poker Discord today: https://redchippoker.com/discord

In the season premiere of season 8, w34z3l breaks down the concept of minimum defense frequency, with an emphasis on how MDF can lead to inappropriate defense frequencies in certain spots.
GTO solutions frequently involve defense frequencies that violate MDF, suggesting such lines allow us to be auto-exploited. And yet GTO solutions are generally understood as being unexploitable. This episode reconciles this apparent contradiction, and explains how you can construct practical defense frequencies in common situations.
 
**RELATED LINKS**
· Upgrade To PRO Now: https://redchippoker.com/pro-membership
· The Exploitative Edge (Book): https://redchippoker.com/the-exploitative-edge
- Exploitative Poker Strategies Beyond GTO: https://youtu.be/_Jx3YAf3y1E?si=WRvj4dotH5SPeogi
- Defending Yourself Correctly In Poker: https://redchippoker.com/correct-poker-defense/
 
**JOIN US ON DISCORD**
Join our free poker Discord today: https://redchippoker.com/discord

Unlock the key pillars of exploitative poker strategy in this exclusive audiobook preview from The Exploitative Edge. In Chapter 4, you'll learn how to maximize profits against imperfect opponents by adjusting your play beyond rigid GTO theory.
From knowing when to build monster pots to avoiding low-confidence traps, this episode lays out six powerful strategies that will elevate your game and punish weaker opposition at every level.
This audiobook chapter was narrated by co-author James "SplitSuit" Sweeney
Ready to get your copy of The Exploitative Edge?
eBook: via RCP
Paperback: via Amazon

Is your understanding of position in poker costing you EV?
In this season 7 finale of the Red Chip Poker Podcast, you'll learn why thinking in terms of position alone is no longer enough—and how the concept of formational awareness can bring serious clarity to your strategy.
Coach W34z3l takes you deep into the subtle yet critical differences between various formations—like Button vs. Big Blind or Cutoff vs. Hijack—and how each one impacts everything from c-bet frequency to overbetting strategies to exploitative bluff-catching. You'll see how GTO solvers treat the same flop very differently based on the exact formation, and how many players make costly mistakes by ignoring these nuances.
Whether you're playing single-raised pots or 3-bet pots, in position or out, this episode will help you move beyond generic poker strategy and toward more precise, formation-aware decision making. If you're serious about improving your game, this discussion offers a powerful new lens for thinking about positional dynamics.
🧠 Want to go deeper into advanced concepts like this? Pick up our new book The Exploitative Edge—available via:
eBook at: https://redchippoker.com/the-exploitative-edge
Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4nu1UHa