It’s no secret that becoming a winning poker player (and retaining that status) has become much harder than it used to be in the past. The quality of an average poker player has improved tremendously, and to thrive in today’s environment, it is no longer enough to just put in the hours at the tables.
Therefore, many players turn to various training programs out there, and it’s fair to say there are more than a few options available. They all come with many advantages, but also certain downsides, be it the high price, lack of structure, or something else.
So, Ryan Laplante, an extremely successful player in his own right, took it upon himself to try and address many of these problems with his Learn Pro Poker training site and “Fundamentals of No Limit Hold’em Tournaments.” It’s an affordable and very well-structured poker training site aimed at those looking to improve their tournament results.
In his own words, this is something Ryan has wanted to do for a long time, but he was waiting for everything to fall into place before doing it. His aim was to deliver a fully rounded, easy-to-follow, and useful coaching package of the highest quality.
It was quite an undertaking, but after having a chance to review his “Fundamentals of No Limit Hold’em Tournaments” course on Learn Pro Poker, I can honestly say he has managed to achieve a majority of his goals.
Building Up from the Poker Fundamentals
Perhaps the biggest gripe that Laplante has about some of the other poker training programs out there is the lack of structure, making it harder for the players to jump in and learn about the topic they are interested in. So, his course is divided into several main groups and subgroups, and each of them can stand on its own.
If you’re looking for a particular topic, like opening ranges in deep-stack scenarios, there is an entire section devoted to it, and you can easily jump straight into it. There is no need to go back and forth between the lessons to find what you’re looking for.
The entire course is structured in this way as well, starting with some fundamental concepts, like the basic poker math, player types, ranges, tournament bubble, and even a lesson on buying and selling action (staking).
While Laplante isn’t targeting complete novices with Learn Pro Poker (as in, you should probably know the rules of the game and have a bit of experience on the felt), it is very beginner-friendly.
Before moving onto the more hardcore stuff, the first module will lay out the foundations and help ease you in to what’s ahead. Even though he doesn’t dwell too long on the most basic of concepts, these videos will provide you with a solid understanding of these and give you an idea of any knowledge gaps you may have.
Breaking Down Every Stage of the Game
After the introductory part the course moves on to more focused content, covering particular stages and aspects of poker tournaments. As mentioned, each of these is basically a standalone unit, so you can approach them however you like. If you’re not looking for any specific info, though, it’s probably best to go through the lessons as they’re presented.
Each module consists of a theory part, which provides you with GTO charts and calculations, followed by various hand examples (played by Ryan himself or the ones from coaching sessions with his students).
Learning GTO isn’t particularly entertaining, as there is a lot of dry information to digest and memorize, and Laplante isn’t running away from this fact. But the “dry” GTO videos with charts and numbers are balanced well with hand history reviews, explaining these mathematical concepts using practical examples.
In short, to make the most out of Learn Pro Poker you will need to do some studying. That said, any poker course that promises otherwise is either not being honest or doesn’t have a good grasp of what it takes to be a winning player in the modern era of poker.
As for the contents, there are three main modules, divided into several segments:
- Pre-flop (deep stack, mid-stack, and short stack play)
- Post-flop (general concepts, flop, turn, and river play)
- ICM and final tables
So, starting with general poker ideas and closing with the final table play and ICM explanations (which make the bread and butter of every tournament player), the course covers every single aspect of MTT strategy.
Is Learn Pro Poker Worth Your Money?
At the end of the day, every poker course has something unique about it. The big question is where your money will be best spent and if a particular course or site is right for you. So, is Learn Pro Poker a worthwhile investment? Will Ryan Laplante’s instruction truly help you master the Fundamentals of No Limit Hold’em Tournaments?
In response to that question, my view is that Learn Pro Poker has quite a few things going for it. The first one is the overall structure, which might be the best I’ve seen of all the training sites and courses out there. Every module is a mini-course on its own.
Secondly, you’ll get access to the Discord group and regular webinars with Ryan, which adds a lot of extra value. Being able to ask your questions and discuss the game with one of the greatest poker minds out there will certainly help you thrive.
New videos are added regularly as well, so you can expect at least four new lessons every month.
Some may not be happy about the fact that it’s based on GTO, but all of the good ones are these days. Plus, Laplante isn’t blindly following GTO principles, and he’s well aware that sometimes adjustments are needed based on your reads and the situation, and this is all reflected throughout the lessons.
At $39.99 a month, I don’t think you can really go wrong here. Even if your average buy-in is quite low, the membership at Learn Pro Poker will easily deliver handsome returns on your investment.
