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A course in cash-game poker in the order of a hand: preflop, the flop situation by situation, the turn, the river, then exploits. Every lesson teaches one idea, lets you predict before it shows you, and ends with practice generated and graded by Rail's own charts, solver and calculators — and, signed in, with your own hands.
Concept libraryEvery idea the lessons use, with a worked example and a calculator.
How Rail teaches
- Learn one idea, predict before the lesson shows you, then practise it on spots that Rail's own charts, solver and calculators deal and grade.
- A grade is the EV you gave up against Rail's reference, in big blinds and as a share of the pot: a close call costs almost nothing, a real mistake costs a lot.
- Your analysis ranks leaks by the big blinds they cost per 100 hands, and a lesson marked “Recommended” teaches the spot that costs you most.
- Signed in, a lesson ends with your own hands in its spot, the costliest first; items you miss come back as review cards.
The course assumes the basics. The ideas it builds on are reference pages, linked from a lesson the first time it uses a term:
Using Rail
Poker maths
Placement testAlready play these spots? Test out of a module instead of working through it.
Preflop
Module P1Opening
- P1-L1Seats and opening ranges, 6-max and full ringThe name of every seat at a 6-max and a 9-max table, and why opening ranges get wider the closer you sit to the button.
- P1-L2How much to open, online and liveWhat the size of your open changes (the blinds' price, who calls, the SPR) and how to adjust it for limpers, antes and live games.
- P1-L3Playing against limpersHow to play against limpers: when to raise to isolate, how big to go, when limping behind is fine, and how the big blind plays limped pots.
Module P2Facing raises
- P2-L1Facing an open: fold, call or 3-betHow to choose between calling, 3-betting and folding when a player opens before you, depending on your seat and the rake.
- P2-L2Building a 3-betting rangeHow to build a 3-bet range, linear or polarised, which hands make good 3-bet bluffs, and how big to 3-bet in and out of position.
- P2-L3When you are 3-bet or 4-betHow to respond when your open is 3-bet or your 3-bet is 4-bet: when to call, when to raise again and when to let the hand go.
- P2-L4Squeezes and pots with callersWhen an open and a call in front of you make a squeeze profitable, how big to squeeze, and when an overcall is the better choice.
Module P3Blinds and stack depth1 of 3 lessons written
- P3-L1Defending the blinds, and blind against blindHow the big blind's discount lets it defend wide, why the small blind mostly raises or folds, and how blind-versus-blind pots play.
- P3-L2Preflop choices that make pots multiwayWhich preflop choices keep a pot heads-up and which invite more players in, and the hands that suit each.Coming soon
- P3-L3Preflop at 40, 60, 150 and 200 big blindsHow opening, 3-betting and calling change from 40 to 200 big blinds deep, read from Rail's own chart set at each depth.Coming soon
The flop
Module F1Single-raised pots: raiser in position
- F1-L1Why the preflop raiser bets the flopWhy the preflop raiser bets the flop so often, and how range and nut advantage decide between a small bet, a big bet and a check.
- F1-L2Flop bets by board typeHow flop texture shapes the raiser's plan: where to bet small and often, where to bet big or check, and why ace-high boards are a case apart.
- F1-L3Which hands bet and which checkHow to sort your hands on the flop into value, thin value and protection, draws and air, and which of those bet and which check.
- F1-L4Checking back, and betting laterWhen checking back the flop beats betting, how to bet the turn after that check, and when slowplaying a strong hand makes sense.
Module F2Single-raised pots: raiser out of position
- F2-L1Raising preflop, out of position afterWhy the preflop raiser bets less often out of position, and how to keep its checking range strong enough to defend itself.
- F2-L2When your flop bet is raisedHow to respond when your flop c-bet is check-raised: how much of your range continues, which hands to keep, and when to fold more.
Module F3Single-raised pots: the caller
- F3-L1Defending against a flop betHow to defend against a flop c-bet as the caller: how wide to go against small and big bets, and which hands fold, call or raise.
- F3-L2Check-raising the flopHow to build a flop check-raise range from strong hands and good draws, and how to recognise the boards that suit it.
- F3-L3Calling in position and taking it awayHow to call a c-bet in position with hands that can win later, and how to bet when the raiser checks to you.
- F3-L4Leading into the raiserWhen the caller should bet first into the preflop raiser: on cards that move the strongest hands its way, or after the raiser checks back.
- F3-L5Big blind against the button, start to finishThe most common single-raised pot, big blind against a button open, played from flop to river with everything from the two modules before.
Module F43-bet and 4-bet pots
- F4-L1Stack-to-pot ratio and commitmentWhat the stack-to-pot ratio is, how to work it out, and how it decides which hands are ready to put all their chips in.
- F4-L2Betting the flop as the 3-bettorHow the 3-bettor bets the flop in and out of position, and how a low SPR changes which hands bet and how big.
- F4-L3Calling a 3-bet and playing afterHow to play a 3-bet pot as the caller: defending against small c-bets, raising low connected boards and catching bluffs.
- F4-L4In position after a check in a 3-bet pot: small, big or checkHow to split your range in position into a small bet, a big bet and a check after the player out of position checks a 3-bet pot.
- F4-L54-bet potsHow 4-bet pots play with very little behind: small c-bets, all-in-or-fold choices, and which hands can call a 4-bet.
Module F5Multiway flops
- F5-L1What changes with three or more playersWhat changes when three or more players see the flop: the job of defending is shared, bluffs work less and strong hands count for more.
- F5-L2Betting into two opponentsHow the preflop raiser bets the flop into two or more opponents: which boards and hands to bet, and how big.
- F5-L3Defending and leading multiwayHow to defend against a bet when other players are still to act behind you, and when to lead into the field yourself.
The turn
Module T1Betting again
- T1-L1Kinds of turn cardHow to sort turn cards into overcards, cards that complete draws, pairing cards and blanks, and say which player each one helps.
- T1-L2Betting the turn againWhen to bet the turn again as the preflop raiser: which value hands and bluffs keep betting, and when to give up.
- T1-L3Turn sizes, overbets and checking backHow big to bet on the turn, when an overbet is right, and which medium hands should check instead.
- T1-L4The turn after a checked flopHow to play the turn after both players checked the flop: leading out of position, betting in position, and defending against both.
Module T2Defending the turn
- T2-L1Facing a second barrelHow to decide which hands keep calling when the raiser bets the turn again, using bet size, draws and how capped their range is.
- T2-L2Leading and check-raising the turnHow the caller attacks the turn out of position: leading after a checked flop, and check-raising a second barrel.
Module T3The turn in 3-bet pots
The river
Module R1Betting the river
- R1-L1The river: value, bluffs and the middleWhy river betting ranges split into strong hands and bluffs, and how often a value bet must win when it gets called.
- R1-L2Thin valueHow to bet modest hands for value on the river, how small to bet them, and how to tell when a bet has become too thin.
- R1-L3Picking river bluffsHow to choose river bluffs by the cards you hold: block the hands that call and leave alone the hands that fold.
- R1-L4River bet sizesHow to pick a river bet size from your range's shape: small with thin value, big or an overbet with the nuts and bluffs.
Module R2Facing river bets
- R2-L1Calling down with a bluff-catcherHow to decide whether to call a river bet with a hand that only beats bluffs, by counting value, bluffs and the cards you hold.
- R2-L2Facing a river raiseHow to answer a raise of your river bet: why it is strong, which hands continue, and how your bet size changes it.
Module R3The river in 3-bet pots
Exploits
Module X1Reading people
- X1-L1Recognising player typesHow to place a player by how many hands he plays and how aggressively, and the one adjustment Rail's exploit lab finds against each type.
- X1-L2Reading opponent stats, and when to trust themWhat the numbers in Rail's opponents panel count, and how many hands each needs before it tells you anything.
Module X2The player pool
- X2-L1Adjusting to the player poolHow to start from Rail's baseline, read your own pool from your own opponents with their samples, and adjust without opening new leaks.
- X2-L2Against players who fold too muchHow to win more against players who fold too much: bluff with far more hands, turn weak pairs into bluffs, and bet strong hands smaller.
- X2-L3Against players who call too muchHow to play against players who call too much: bet thinner for value, bluff less, and size up with strong hands.
- X2-L4Against players who bet and raise too muchHow to face players who bluff too much: call down wider with pairs, raise some air, and judge aggression by what they show down.
- X2-L5River bets with too few bluffsWhere river bets hold too few bluffs and how to fold more there, judged from your own hands and their sample sizes.
Module X3The exploit lab
- X3-L1Node-locking in Rail: the best response to a readLock one decision of an opponent in Rail's solver and see the best response against it: what it gains, and what it risks.
- X3-L2When not to exploitWhen to stay close to the baseline strategy: thin samples, opponents who adjust back, and reads that cost a lot if wrong.
Module X4Live and deep
- X4-L1How live games differHow live cash differs from online: bigger sizes, deep and uneven stacks, rake, fewer hands an hour, keeping track of the pot, and showing bluffs.
- X4-L2Straddles before the flopHow a straddle changes the pot, the positions and every preflop range, from the opens to the blinds and the straddler's own defence.
- X4-L3Straddled pots after the flopHow the bigger preflop pots of straddled games lower the SPR, and what that means for commitment, draws and multiway play.
- X4-L4Playing 200 big blinds deepHow play changes at 200 big blinds: what Rail's 200bb charts open more, bigger bets after the flop, and why one pair is worth less.