Top 7 poker stables

What are we talking about here? Poker stable is the best learning option for beginners with the opportunity not to invest money at the initial stages. In such places, backing is used – the principle of financial support for beginning poker players in exchange for a share of their winnings.

What should you pay attention to? Poker stables are not cooperating with everyone. Potential participants should meet minimum requirements. In poker stables with backing, there’s an agreement both parties have to sign, terms of which are agreed upon in advance.

What is a poker stable?

There are many ways to learn poker, from reading books and watching videos to discussing game situations with other players and working with a coach. However, in addition to these methods, there are so-called backing funds (stables) or schools that specialize in training players and helping them develop in exchange for a portion of their profits.

It is important to understand that such foundations are not charities, but rather commercial enterprises interested in the success of their students. They can offer training in various aspects of the game, such as playing cash, playing tournaments or playing Spin n’ Go’s.

Often such stables are created by well-known and successful players, which helps them attract new students and effectively organize the learning process thanks to their experience.

Such organizations are becoming increasingly popular, and their numbers are increasing every year as the demand for professional training in the poker world continues to grow.

Pros and cons of playing in a poker stable

Skeptics may object:

“Why should I give away part of the profits if I’m already winning?”

However, there are a number of arguments in favor of cooperating with a poker school:

• Structured approach to learning. Schools offer ready-made training programs, which allows you to improve your game level in a short time. Coaches with extensive experience know what materials will help you develop effectively.
• Individual and group training sessions. Free lessons with successful players provide an excellent opportunity to improve your skills. Typically, individual lessons with an experienced trainer are expensive, but within the school they are provided free of charge.
• Increased bankroll. If your coach thinks you are ready for higher stakes, you may be provided with enough money to play at higher stakes. This allows you not only to win more, but also to develop faster.
• Free software. Schools often provide free tools such as Poker Tracker, converters, calculators and solvers.
• Community. Schools form groups of students and coaches where they can discuss various aspects of the game, solve problems and share experiences.
• The prospect of passive income. In some schools, the best kids can become coaches over time, receiving a portion of the income from their students.

Thus, cooperation with a poker school can significantly speed up your progress and help you achieve better results in the game.

Arguments against working with poker funds:

• Loosing part of your income. After joining the stable, players are required to give back part of their profits, even if they achieve success rather quickly. For example, if a newbie wins a major tournament in the third week after joining the school, he will still have to give up some of his winnings, even though the learning effect on this win is negligible due to the small amount of time spent in school.
• Risk of fraud. Not all poker schools are as effective as they claim to be. Therefore, it is important to take school advertising with a degree of skepticism. To avoid falling for scams, players should carefully study reviews and communicate with other players before purchasing any training courses, especially if they promise success in a dubious time frame.
• Requirements. The conditions that stables impose on their participants can be quite stringent. This may involve completing a certain number of tournaments or hands played, which requires significant effort and time. Such requirements may be difficult to meet for players who have limited resources or who have other commitments.

How to choose a poker stable, school or course

When choosing an online poker school, you should pay attention to several key criteria:

• Cost and payment format. Different projects may have different payment terms, such as a fixed hourly rate or payment for the entire course at once. It is also worth considering the availability of free classes or the possibility of receiving financial support (backing), especially if the student does not have a sufficient bankroll.
• Teaching Staff. It is important that the coaches in the school have a lot of teaching experience. Before choosing a school, you should familiarize yourself with their achievements, level of play and reputation.

• Training program. Course content must be organized and sequential to ensure effective learning. The material should be structured, which allows student to improve their skills gradually and consistently.
• Bonuses. Many online schools offer additional materials to the main course, such as video lessons, charts and poker software. These bonuses can greatly enrich the learning experience and help students learn the material better.

It is also important to take into account the reviews of students who have already studied at the chosen school. They can provide insight into the quality of teaching and the expectations from the course.

Top 7 poker stables for beginners and more

Many online projects offer funding for poker players. Some of them are included in the list of the best poker schools due to the provision of quality training. These foundations employ professional coaches, mentors and consultants, providing students with access to high-quality resources and knowledge. Let’s take a look at the list of seven poker funds:

MVP Team

The MVP Team (Most Valuable Players) poker school specializes in teaching tournament play (MTT). The MVP team employs more than 30 professional coaches, and currently about 350 people are training in the project. The average time to climb up the stakes of MVP participants is three months. The project does not impose any special requirements on candidates, except for the desire to learn, a good reputation and the absence of conflicts with poker rooms. Training and financing begin only after signing the contract.

FunFarm

FunFarm is a well-known backing project, a poker stable for beginners, offering to go through the “Player’s Path”. The training program includes several stages:

• FFStart is a free course for beginners.
• PreFFlop is a free intensive program, which purpose is to help the player reach an ABI (Average Buy-In) above $3.
• Leagues are closed clubs for project participants continuing their education.

FanFarm employs more than 100 coaches who prepare training programs and interact with students. There are also three management departments.

ITCPoker Team

ITCPoker Team, partnered with Poker Club Management, welcomes both beginners and experienced players and offers training under the guidance of experienced coaches.

To join the ITCPoker Team, you must fill out an application on the official website. The Foundation also organizes regular practical sessions and field trips to Sochi. The sessions host is Arthur Voskanyan, the head of ITCPoker offline events.

Greenline Poker

Greenline Poker is a backing cash stable with a probation period. Before signing a contract, the project invites players to familiarize themselves with the conditions; a decision should be made after 3,000 hands. The Greenline Poker stable accepts participants who meet certain selection criteria, such as:

• Profitable game at NL10+ or ​​PLO25+;
• At least 100,000 hands per year;
• No big conflicts in poker community.

For those who do not meet these criteria, there is the opportunity to join the Greenline Junior project. Training includes regular analysis of hands, personal and group coaching sessions, working with software, etc. Details can be found on the official Greenline Poker website in the “Conditions” section.

PokerUP

PokerUP Poker stable is a young project with an emphasis on personal coachings and hand analysis. Training process here is divided in stages and is based on the principle of consistency.

• Participants receive a bankroll and get access to video lessons.
• After watching the videos and completing homework, participants must play 10,000 hands, after which a personal lesson with a coach is scheduled.

Every 20,000 hands, participants are tested based on a checklist, and if successful, the stable increases their stakes and transfers more funds. PokerUP also invites all participants to a private chat and provides access to auxiliary software. The project provides 24/7 support.

Kings of Tournaments

Kings of Tournaments (KOT-MTT) is a backing project specializing in teaching to play tournament poker. Among the Kings of Tournaments coaches is Andrey Kotelnikov, WPT 2020 champion. The project accepts players who are serious about poker and are willing to devote at least 150 hours a month to it.

To join Kings of Tournaments you must:

• submit an application on the official website;
• pass an interview;
• sign a contract.

Participants receive an individual development plan, including personal coachings, access to private streams, group lessons and support from a professional psychologist.

“A-Team”

The “A-Team” project is a backing stable that specializes in training players in tournament poker with an ABI (Average Buy-In) of $2. The first contract in the project begins with participation in a minimum of 3000 MTTs. The following requirements apply to potential “A-Team” participants:

• Played at least 2000 tournaments over the past two years.
• Good reputation in the poker community.
• Willingness to devote at least 40 hours a week to the game.

Project participants are required to regularly attend coaching sessions and maintain discipline. For those who do not yet have experience playing poker, even at the amateur level, there is a project called “Plan B”.  Here people are trained from scratch, and in the end, you may join the “A-Team”.

The ranking of poker stables helps players choose the most effective and reliable organizations for their training and development in the game.

What to do if you are not accepted into the poker stable

Personal coaching

Working with an experienced coach is one of the fastest ways to improve your skills. A good specialist will help you identify key leaks and give valuable recommendations for development.

However, you should take into account that personal coaching is not free, which can be a problem for beginners.

Software training

Analyzing hands in specialized programs such as Flopzilla is an effective way to practice. This helps develop the ability to think in terms of ranges and understand probabilities. There are other useful programs such as trackers, solvers and simulators.

Free educational videos

Watching educational videos helps in the initial stages of learning. They provide a basic understanding of the game’s strategy.

Practice

It is very important to play against real opponents in order to apply the acquired knowledge in practice. Freerolls can be useful for this, where you can play for free, but at the same time get the experience of a real game.

10 Best Online Poker Courses in 2024

Poker training courses are designed to help both beginners and experienced players. They are aimed at improving game strategy, learning new techniques and increasing the chances of winning.

It is important to realize that success in poker depends not only on luck, but also on skill and the ability build solid strategy.

Proper training can greatly improve your poker skills, especially in highly competitive environments.

Such courses can also help you qualify for poker schools or foundations, which will open up additional opportunities for your development and success in the world of poker.

1. The “Poker and Logical Thinking” course from SkillBox is presented by six experienced coaches who will share the secrets of playing poker. Listeners will learn how to apply mathematics, assess risks and manage emotions, allowing them to improve their poker logic and win more money.
2. Udemy’s “Crush Micro Stakes Online Poker Course” is ideal for beginners looking to improve their poker strategy. It offers extensive training material, including over 160 HD video lectures and 24 hours of content, as well as articles, tips and downloadable resources. Upon completion of the course, participants are provided with a certificate.
3. One of the most successful professional poker players, Daniel Negreanu, has a course on MasterClass platform. The course covers basic poker theories, strategies and techniques, teaching users how to read opponents and make winning decisions.
4. Red Chip Poker’s Academic Poker Course offers a structured approach to learning a variety of techniques and strategies. It consists of 200 in-depth lessons and online quizzes, making it an ideal choice for beginners looking to become pros.
5. The RunItOnce website offers courses for both beginners and professional players, including more than 5,000 instructional videos. The courses are aimed at providing players with the best tools and strategies to improve their poker game.
6. Advanced Poker Training provides a platform with proven techniques and tips from experienced professionals. The course includes unique challenges, leagues and tournaments, providing the opportunity to put the knowledge gained into practice.
7. “Poker Math for No-Limit Hold’em” on Udemy focuses on developing the math skills necessary to play No-Limit Hold’em successfully. It covers probabilities, pot odds and the rule of twos and fours.
8. PLO QuickPro specializes in No Limit Hold’em and Omaha Hold’em, offering free courses, tips and techniques for success in PLO.
9. Poker WarmUp is an online platform designed to prepare players for high stakes games. It helps set and achieve goals and improve weak areas of the game.
10. “MasterClass – Phil Ivey” offers a comprehensive study of all aspects of the game of poker, including strategies, techniques and tips from renowned professional Phil Ivey.

Frequently Asked Questions about Poker Funds

How long will it take to master the game of poker?

From three months to two years. However, it’s worth considering that not everyone becomes a winning poker player. However, those who study at a poker school or stable have a much higher chance of becoming a successful player.

Which format is better: cash games or multi-table tournaments?

The decision is ambiguous. It is recommended to try yourself at both cash games and multi-table tournaments (MTT).

Is it reasonable to combine cash and MTT games?

This is not recommended at the beginning of your career. It is more effective to focus on one of the game formats in order to increase your level and achieve your first successes.

Playing poker is not only an exciting activity, but also an opportunity to earn money. Unlike the popular belief that success in poker depends on luck, the reality is that skill and strategy play a key role.

Learning from experienced professionals and learning different strategies greatly increases your chances of success. Poker stables, as well as poker schools and courses, are valuable resources for those who want to start playing or improve their skills. It is important to choose educational resources that provide comprehensive training and are appropriate for your level.