
Meet Alton Hardin, founder and lead coach of Micro Grinder Poker School and bestselling author, who specializes in teaching micro stakes and live low-stakes players to improve their game.
Introduce yourself in the course Q&A by sharing your poker experience, training materials, and goals for this course; the instructor will respond to every student and tailor references accordingly.
Downloadable Reference PDF Sheet of Important Math Charts & Tables
Explore how math underpins poker, trace the game's evolution, and learn fundamental concepts like effective stack sizes, spreads, and basic player types.
Explore how poker math shapes long-term profitability, from early street smarts to game theory and GTO, while mastering pre-flop and post-flop fundamentals and exploitative play.
Access six free poker calculators on the Microgaming Poker School site to double-check your math, including bluff-to-value ratio, minimum defense frequency, semi-bluff EV, pot odds, implied odds, and EV.
Master probability and odds as foundations for poker, including combined probability for pocket aces and pot odds. Convert ratios to fractions and percentages, using online play cheat sheets and practice.
Discover a three-step method for drawing hands: calculate pot odds and implied odds, estimate equity, and compare them to decide plus EV calls.
Use two practice templates to master implied odds and pot odds decisions in no-limit hold'em, analyzing outs, draws, equity, and whether to call or fold.
Explore pot odds and drawing hands through hand history reviews, evaluating when to call with draws, the role of equity and implied odds, and when to fold.
Master preflop concepts, including why we raise, diminishing equity, blind stealing, set mining, blind defense, and three-bet bluffing, to sharpen no-limit hold'em strategy.
Analyze common preflop odds in no-limit hold'em, including flopping a pair, set, straight, flush, or flush and straight draws, and understand their impact on preflop ranges and postflop strategy.
Demonstrate diminishing equity with Equilab, showing ace king suited of hearts against a range and how equity drops from 61.45% to 23% as opponents increase with Monte Carlo evaluation.
Master preflop set mining in no-limit hold'em, contrasting with postflop practice, by focusing on small pocket pairs, implied odds, and the 15-to-1 rule to decide calls.
Analyze set mining decisions in no-limit hold'em by examining three example hands, weighing implied odds, pot odds, and stack sizes from 25 nl to three-bet pots.
Explore combined fold probability and how multiple opponents lower the chance all fold, with preflop and postflop applications, including bluffing, semi-bluffing, and blind stealing.
Assess preflop all in decisions in no limit Texas hold'em by evaluating pot odds, opponent all in ranges, and your equity against those ranges, including multi-way and implied odds implications.
Learn to bet with your strong value hands post-flop by evaluating wet versus dry board textures, balancing value and protection, and sizing bets to exploit pot odds.
Learn how to semi-bluff post-flop with drawing hands, such as flush and straight draws. Use fold equity and pot odds to maximize value when your draws hit or opponents fold.
Explore pure bluffs and hero calls in no-limit hold'em, using break-even and pot odds math, while considering board texture, ranges, stack depth, and opponent tendency.
Analyze two hero calls and one pure bluff from recent hand histories, focusing on pot odds, board texture, and opponent tendencies to decide calls and folds.
Explore ev calculations and combinatorics in this section of essential poker math for no limit hold'em. Learn the basic ev calculation, semi-bluff ev calculation, and an introduction to combinatorics.
Explore the semi-bluff all-in EV calculation in no-limit hold’em, expanding the basic EV model. Analyze three scenarios—fold, call with improvement, and call without improvement—and apply equity and pot math.
Explore the basics of combinatorics and hand combinations in poker, including pocket pairs and non-paired hands. Learn the three plus two plus one rule, blockers, and card removal.
Practice combinatorics at home with a deck of cards, using card removal and blockers to estimate opponent ranges and improve no-limit hold'em decision making.
Explore a bonus live-play section with 1.5 hours of explained sessions from the nightly grind. Includes the first five videos and insights into poker math and preflop and postflop strategies.
Master 5nl no-limit hold'em on ignition casino through live play videos, focusing on bet sizing, pot odds, value hands, out-of-position decisions, and tagging fish on the table.
multi tabling 5nl on ignition casino, this episode analyzes live hands, continuation bets, double barrels, river value bets, and how to leverage fish tendencies and bet sizing for long-term profit.
Master multi tabling 5nl on ignition casino through live hands and session reviews, learning bet sizing, value bets, and reading fish versus nit tendencies.
LEARN POKER MATH FROM AN AMAZON #1 BESTSELLING POKER AUTHOR
Do you avoid poker math because you think it's too difficult or only for "math geniuses"? Are you making decisions at the poker table based on feel and instinct rather than solid mathematical reasoning? Do you find yourself guessing whether to call with drawing hands instead of knowing the mathematically correct play?
Many poker players fear poker mathematics and avoid learning it entirely. Yet poker math is one of the most important aspects of No Limit Hold'em, and it's surprisingly easy to learn and implement once you understand the fundamentals. Without using simple math at the poker table, you're simply playing a guessing game.
This comprehensive 8-hour course teaches you essential poker mathematics using the Keep It Simple Student (KISS) methodology. You'll learn pot odds, implied odds, expected value, equity calculations, the Rule of 2 and 4, combinatorics, and how to analyze hands mathematically both during play and in post-session review.
Based on Essential Poker Math, Expanded Edition, the Amazon #1 bestselling poker book and perennial bestseller for almost a decade, with over 60,000 copies sold. Featured in PokerScout's Top 5 Must-Read Poker Books and PokerListings' 30 Best Poker Books.
WHAT MAKES THIS COURSE DIFFERENT: PROGRESSIVE LEARNING WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Unlike poker courses that overwhelm you with complex formulas or skip the math entirely, this course uses the KISS (Keep It Simple Student) teaching approach. We teach progressively from basic concepts to more advanced topics, ensuring you can implement essential poker math quickly and confidently.
You'll work through over 50 lessons with follow-along exercises, practice templates for drilling concepts at home, and hand history reviews showing how to apply poker math in real game situations. You'll learn to use the MicroGrinder Poker Calculators and Equilab software to analyze hands away from the tables.
If you can do basic arithmetic, you can master the poker math in this course. You'll learn to make clearer decisions, avoid common mistakes, and stop guessing in the spots that cost most players money.
This course was completely updated in 2025 with new lectures, updated content, practice exercises, and hand history reviews to ensure you're learning current, practical poker mathematics.
WHAT YOU'LL RECEIVE IN THIS COURSE
8 Hours of Expert HD Video Instruction: Over 50 lessons covering every essential poker math concept you need for No Limit Hold'em
Based on the Amazon #1 Bestselling Poker Book: Taught by the author of Essential Poker Math, Expanded Edition, a perennial bestseller with 60,000+ copies sold
Join 10,000+ Students: Learn poker mathematics through a course trusted by thousands of poker players worldwide
Completely Updated in 2025: Fresh content with new lectures, updated examples, and current hand history reviews
KISS Teaching Methodology: Progressive learning from basics to advanced concepts using the Keep It Simple Student approach
Practice Templates: Downloadable exercises for drilling poker math concepts at home, away from the tables
Hand History Reviews: Watch real hand analysis showing how to apply pot odds, equity calculations, and EV analysis in actual game situations
MicroGrinder Poker Calculators: Learn to use exclusive poker calculators for quick in-game and post-session analysis
Equilab Software Training: Master hand range analysis software to study equity and combinatorics
Downloadable Reference Charts: Quick-reference materials for pot odds, common draws, and equity calculations
Follow-Along Exercises: Practice problems throughout the course to reinforce learning and build confidence
WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING
"Hands down the most well thought out and put together introduction to poker math for any skill level on the internet. I lucked out and got this on a flash sale, but even halfway through the course I'd still pay full price." — Trevor H. ★★★★★
"Topics such as pot odds, hand equity, and EV were clearly defined with easy-to-understand examples. The lectures averaged about 10 minutes, which made it easy to plan and study." — Aaron ★★★★★
"For anybody who doesn't know the math of poker, it's like you're simply guessing. After watching this course, I realized I was playing with both hands tied behind my back. I'm itching to do more of Alton's courses. Top course!" — Keith H. ★★★★★
"This is the best resource on the net for poker math. Most poker courses just glaze over the math. One thing that would be helpful is showing more how to apply it in a live game environment. Doing the drills off the table is valuable, but bridging it to real-time decisions would be amazing." — Greg P. ★★★★★
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM: 8 HOURS OF POKER MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION
Importance of Math in Poker: Understand why players who don't use math are simply guessing and how mathematical thinking transforms your poker decisions.
Fundamental Concepts: Learn essential poker concepts, including expected value, variance, and decision-making frameworks that underpin all poker mathematics.
Basic Player Types: Study how to categorize opponents and use math to exploit different player types at the poker table.
Probability and Odds: Build a strong foundation in poker probabilities and understand how to convert between percentages, odds, and ratios.
Understanding Equity: Master equity calculations and learn to use Equilab software for analyzing hand versus hand and hand versus range scenarios.
Pot Odds: Learn to quickly calculate pot odds at the table to determine if calling makes mathematical sense.
Implied Odds: Understand when future betting on later streets makes drawing hands more valuable than pot odds alone suggest.
Common Draws and Outs: Study flush draws, straight draws, and combination draws with practice exercises for counting outs accurately.
The Rule of 2 and 4: Master quick equity estimation during play for fast, accurate decision-making at the table.
Introduction to Expected Value (EV): Understand how EV drives sound poker decisions and learn to think in terms of long-term expectation.
Calling with Drawing Hands: Master the complete process for determining when calling with a draw is mathematically sound.
Small Pre-Flop Mistakes: Identify and eliminate common pre-flop errors that cost you money over time.
Common Pre-Flop Odds: Learn frequently occurring pre-flop scenarios, including pocket pairs versus overcards.
Why We Raise Pre-Flop: Understand the mathematical reasons for raising from a game theory perspective.
Set-Mining Mathematics: Master implied odds calculations for calling with small pocket pairs to hit sets.
Blind Stealing Mathematics: Learn fold equity calculations and understand when stealing blinds is mathematically sound.
Combined Fold Probability: Master calculations for stealing against multiple opponents in the blinds.
Blind Defense Concepts: Understand the mathematics behind defending your blinds against aggressive opponents.
3-Bet Bluff Mathematics: Learn when 3-betting as a bluff makes mathematical sense based on fold equity.
Pre-Flop All-In Situations: Master race scenarios and dominated hand mathematics for all-in decisions.
Betting with the Best Hand: Learn value betting mathematics and optimal bet sizing to maximize value.
Semi-Bluffing (All-In): Understand how to combine fold equity with drawing equity for semi-bluff all-in situations.
Bluffs and Hero Calls: Master calculations showing how often bluffs and hero calls must work to be mathematically sound.
The Basic EV Calculation: Learn to perform Expected Value calculations for analyzing poker decisions away from the table.
The Semi-Bluff All-In EV Calculation: Master complex EV calculations combining multiple equity sources for semi-bluff situations.
Combinatorics: Understand hand combinations for improved hand reading and range analysis with structured practice exercises.
WHY LEARN POKER MATH NOW?
Poker mathematics is the foundation of winning poker play. Every successful poker player uses math, whether consciously calculating pot odds at the table or relying on internalized mathematical principles developed through study and practice.
Understanding pot odds, implied odds, equity, and expected value allows you to make confident decisions instead of guessing. You'll know when calling with a draw makes mathematical sense, how often your bluffs need to work, what bet size maximizes value, and which lines have positive expected value.
Whether you're a cash game player, tournament player, online player, or live player, the poker math concepts in this course apply universally. These aren't advanced game theory concepts that only work in high-stakes games. These are fundamental mathematical principles that every winning poker player must understand.
The poker mathematics you'll learn through this course has stood the test of time. Based on a book that's been a perennial Amazon bestseller for almost a decade, with 60,000+ copies sold, these concepts have helped tens of thousands of poker players improve their games.
PREVIEW OVER 1 HOUR OF THIS COURSE FOR FREE
Scroll down and click the blue "Preview" buttons on free sample lectures. See the KISS teaching methodology, follow-along exercises, and course structure before you enroll.
READY TO STOP GUESSING AND START USING MATH?
Join over 10,000 students who have learned essential poker mathematics through this course based on the Amazon #1 bestselling poker book with 60,000+ copies sold. Start making mathematically sound poker decisions today with 8 hours of instruction, practice templates, hand history reviews, and complete poker math coverage.
See you at the tables!
Alton