Pulling Back the Curtain: Getting an Inside Look at GGPoker’s New ‘Ask Fedor’ AI Training Feature

GGPoker recently launched the new “Ask Fedor” strategy feature and the company and Fedor Holz offered PokerScout some insight on the project.

Players feeling stuck in certain situations now have a chance for some advice from a poker savant at GGPoker. Perhaps there are some cash game spots that seem confusing? Maybe your short stack tournament game needs some work?

GG recently launched the new “Ask Fedor” feature to offer players a look at how to tweak their strategy in situations like these. The new offering features artificial intelligence (AI) with insight from poker pro and site ambassador Fedor Holz.

The company and Holz recently offered PokerScout some insight on how the new training tool came about and what went into adding it to the platform.

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How GGPoker’s ‘Ask Fedor’ feature works 

Online poker players in need of some fine tuning can now get insight from one of the best players in the game. The company describes the tool as an innovative deep-learning system, designed around the powerful Prometheus AI system.

Players using the tool receive feedback on their play with a rating from one to five. The advice also includes a recommendation on better choices the player could have made during the hand.

The goal is to then see improvement over a long period of time after getting some recommendations.

All GG players are given five free “Asks” to use when they log in to the site. There are also a  few subscription plans players can use as well to gain even more help.

A look at the “Ask Fedor” feature and how an analysis gets started.

Adding to the poker training environment

Bringing in players and allowing them the opportunity to reduce the learning curve has become key for online poker operators.

GG sees “Ask Fedor” as a way for players to add to their knowledge base and help close the gap with other more experienced players.

“We all know there are solvers out there and many professional and semi-professional players, the so-called ‘regs’, make use of them to analyze their play and improve,” GG spokesman Paul Burke says.

“We thought it would be great if we can use this technology to coach all GGPoker players and lessen the skill gap between recreational players – ‘recs’ – and regs. Providing easy access to powerful feedback facilitates greater learning opportunities for all GGPoker recs.”

Fine tuning the product

The GG team has spent the last year working on the project, perfecting the tool and smoothing out bugs. Handling scalability was one of the major technical challenges the team faced.

“We needed an AI solution that could handle the large number of players at GGPoker, and we needed that AI to revert with analysis and suggestions as quickly as possible,” Burke says. “We are working on improvements to make this turnaround even faster, as many GGPoker players have embraced Ask Fedor already and usage is going up.”

Company officials are pleased with the results so far, but say there are still ways to improve the platform. GG wants to provide feedback for more game types beyond Texas Hold’em. The goal is also to expand Ask Fedor into an even more powerful learning platform.

“GGPoker always works to make the game fun and fair for all, and Ask Fedor furthers our work in leveling the playing field that was begun by our introduction of PokerCraft and offering many what was previously only available to a select few,” Burke says. “Having a fully integrated and friendly user experience within the GGPoker platform helps with accessibility and adoption as well.”

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Holz plays major role in the project

Ask Fedor analyzing a hand.

Many poker fans already know Fedor Holz. He has won two World Series of Poker bracelets and has $32.7 million in live tournament winnings. Holz tells PokerScout that he was heavily involved in designing the Ask Fedor feature.

“I’m part of the Prometheus team that developed and supplies the AI that powers the Ask Fedor feature,” he says. “We worked closely together with GGPoker to create the best possible integration and user experience.

“I gave feedback within the development process of the AI that powers Ask Fedor, so you can say that my spirit is built into it.”

One of the key bullet points for the tool, Holz notes, is simply the depth of advice and knowledge players can gain. He believes Ask Fedor can be a critical piece of technology for players looking to add to their toolbox of skills.

“Ask Fedor is an incredibly valuable tool that will provide a very high-quality answer if you are unsure about how you played a hand,” he says. “This allows for better play in the future of course.

“Having this capacity at your fingertips is something professional players pay tens of thousands of dollars for, and we made an even more powerful and responsive solution available for much less. Ultimately, we want players of all levels to be able to level up their game.”

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Some Help From Holz: GGPoker Launches New ‘Ask Fedor’ Strategy Feature to Help Online Players

GGPoker recently launched the new “Ask Fedor” strategy feature and the company and Fedor Holz offered PokerScout some insight on the project.

Online poker operators continue working to bring in newer players to their platforms. Education and poker training remains a major part of those efforts.

GGPoker recently launched another of its own efforts at helping players improve through the “Ask Fedor” poker hand analysis feature. The training option was built into the poker room’s hand history system.

Created in consultation with poker star Fedor Holz, the innovative deep-learning system is designed around the powerful Prometheus artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

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The system reviews a hand history and provides feedback on how a player played his cards.

“The perfect poker player doesn’t exist, and every one of us is curious about the best way to play a hand,” Holz, a GGPoker ambassador, said in a news release.

“This is why we’ve created ‘Ask Fedor’ – your hand is analyzed in real time and the advice provided will help bring your game to the next level. It helps bridge the gap between casual players and the professionals, and is only available at GGPoker.”

Strategy advice from a GGPoker pro

Adding education tools for players remains a trend in online poker. The thinking is that the better a player can get quickly, the more fun that player will have.

Winning at least to some degree with a higher level of skill keeps players at the tables. Some advice from Holz may be well worth seeking out.

The two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner has $32.7 million in live tournament winnings. He’s also Germany’s most successful poker player.

Prometheus is a leading AI bot training and education technology. With the Ask Fedor feature, players get their own virtual training session with Holz. The service offers feedback that comes with a rating between one and five.

The rating includes a recommendation on better choices that were possible during the hand. These suggestions hopefully lead to improved results over the long term.

GGPoker’s latest training feature allows players some help from poker superstar Fedor Holz. (photo courtesy PokerGO)

More details on asking Fedor for some help

Players making use of Ask Fedor will currently find advice for Texas Hold’em cash game and tournament hands. GG may also add other game variants in the future.

All GG players start with five free “Asks” to use whenever they log in. To access more Asks, players can choose among a number of Ask Fedor membership packages:

  • Basic membership – 30 Asks per month (VIP games not included), $29.99 per month
  • Standard membership – 120 Asks per month (VIP games not included), $99.99 per month
  • Premium membership – unlimited Asks, VIP games included, $199.99 per month

VIP games are cash games with stakes at $25/$50 or higher or tournaments with buy-ins of $5,000 or higher.

Each player automatically receives a 50% discount on their first month’s subscription.

★★★ Looking to get in the action at GGPoker? Click here for a complete site review and exclusive PokerScout bonus offers. ★★★

Fedor Holz Chalks Up Big Session to Win GGPoker Face-Off Challenge

The GGPoker Face-Off Challenge between Fedor Holz and Wiktor Malinowski wrapped up Friday with Holz winning about $90,000.

The high stakes, heads-up action between Fedor Holz and Wiktor “Limitless” Malinowski wrapped up Friday. After four sessions, Holz came out a winner of about $90,000 in the GGPoker Face-Off Challenge.

The series is one of a growing list of heads-up battles that have attracted plenty of interest in recent months. Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth are up next, playing in a  live setting for PokerGO.

Here’s a look at the last two sessions between Holz and Malinowski. The series pitted two online poker sharks against each other battling online with GG streaming the action.

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  • Dates: March 5, 8, 10, and 12
  • Game: No Limit Hold’em
  • Stakes: $100/$200 tables
  • Starting stacks: $20,000 (100 big blinds)

Session 3: Holz notches six-figure win

After dropping the first two sessions, Malinowski found himself in a $52,000 hole to start the third day. The two players put in about four hours in the third session, which lasted 562 hands. In the end, Holz came out on top again, scoring $108,195.

Right of the gate, Malinowski picked up pocket Aces followed by Ace-King. However, he didn’t get much action on either and raked minimal pots.

One interesting early battle typifies some of the less-than-marginal hands played in these events. Malinowski raised to $500 with 310♥ and Holz made the call with 7♥2♥.

The flop brought Q♠2♣A♣ and both players checked. The 7♠ fell on the turn and both players checked again. Holz then hit a full house on the river 2♦.

He chose to check again and Malinowski made a stab at the pot with a $1,100 bet. Holz raised to $7,100 and his opponent quickly folded. A nice $3,840 pot went Holz’s way.

Holz takes command

Despite that hand, Malinowski held a $15,000 lead after the first hour of play. That wouldn’t last. One hand about halfway through the session saw Malinowski raise from the button to $500 with A♣9♠. Holz three-bet with Q♠J♠ and received a call.

The flop brought an interesting 5♦5♠5♥. Holz bet $1,230, Malinowski called, and the river brought the 8♠. Holz bet $3,600 and his opponent called again.

The 6♠ on the river gave Holz a flush, but still a scary board with full house possibilities. He bet $3,400 and Malinowski eventually folded, sending Holz a $13,700 pot.

Fedor Holz finished up the winner in the first edition of the GGPoker Face-Off Challenge. (courtesy Poker Central)

At the same time on the second table. Holz took a $29,000 pot after catching a set with 4♠4♥ to Malinowski’s A♣10♠ for top pair and top kicker.

It was that kind of day for the Polish high stakes online poker pro. He made some hands, but the bigger ones were too sporadic to gain any major traction.

Malinowski is a fun guy who clearly loves poker. Seeing him in some major live events would be a nice addition for a televised poker show.

After the third session, he lamented folding in some spots where he had the best hand. He said on the GGPoker stream: “I was Wiktor Fold-inowski today.”

  • Total hands played in series: 1,462
  • Results in series: Holz up $160,268

Session 4: Malinowski gets some back with win

After three straight losing sessions, Malinowski needed a win in the final session to cut his losses. If not, the series might end with a loss of $200,000 or more.

The fourth session went another four hours and this time Malinowski came out on top. He produced a $69,893 win after 392 hands, but that wasn’t enough to dig completely out of the hole. Holz ended the series with a win of $90,375.

The two players were fairly chatty during the session with Malinowski once again drinking a glass of wine.

The winning started early for Malinowski after picking up a $6,000 pot with 7-7. A few hands later, Holz picked up A♦A♠ and raised to $2,050.

Malinowski called with 7♣5♣ and the flop brought 4♣7♠8♦. Holz bet $1,230 and his opponent called. The 9♣ on the turn made the board even more interesting.

Holz bet $4,400 and Malinowski again made the call. The 7♥ on the river certainly changed things. This time, Holz moved all in and received an instant call.

The set of sevens sent Malinowski a $40,000 pot and typified the action on Day 4. After some missteps in the first three sessions, some solid poker skills and a little luck produced some positive results.

Full house over full house produces massive pot

By the halfway point Malinowski led by about $18,000. He turned it on even more in the second half. Holz missed some big draws and Malonowski made some nice calls after seeing some major bluffs in the first three sessions.

At close to three hours into the session, a huge hand developed. Holz raised to $500 from the button with 7♠7♣ and his opponent three-bet to $2,000 with A♣K♦.

The flop brought plenty of fireworks with 7♦A♥A♦. Malinowski hit two pairs but Holz landed a full house. After Malinowski bet $1,200, his opponent simply called.

The trap didn’t work, however, when the K♠ came on the river. Malinowski now had a larger full house and checked. Holz bet $3,200 and Malinowski simply called.

The river brought the 4♣ and tanked a bit before moving all in. Malinowski snap-called and raked a pot of $49,000. The day didn’t go his way but Hlz was pleased to finish up the series as a winner.

“This turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would,” he said on the GG stream, “and I’m very, very happy.”

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Looking back at the action

The Face-Off Challenge produced some interesting hands and showing each player via video was a nice touch. The final two sessions seemed to produce more chit-chat between Holz and Malinowski.

Joey Ingram did a nice job on the GGPoker stream and brought some humor himself. In the fourth session, Ingram noted that was a little stressed out.

The reason? Supposedly his ex-girlfriend was moving out in the other room. Who knows if that was the case, but that kind of humor adds some fun in these long sessions.

Some side conversations between the players also produced interesting moments. Malinowski’s sense of humor certainly comes through.

Both players talking about their other side games going on at the same time was also insightful. The downside of that? Some slow play bogged down the action at times, especially from Holz.

Overall, the Face-Off Challenge produced some interesting moments. Look for even more heads-up matches online in the coming months. The format seems to be growing in popularity among poker fans/.

  • Total hands played in series: 1,854
  • Results in series: Holz up $90,375

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Fedor Holz Takes Lead in High Stakes Poker Challenge at GGPoker

The GGPoker Face-Off Challenge between Fedor Holz and Wiktor Malinowski wrapped up Friday with Holz winning about $90,000.

After two sessions of action Fedor Holz has taken a lead of $52,073 in the GGPoker Face-Off Challenge. The German poker pro has chalked up two straight wins against Poland’s Wiktor “Limitless” Malinowski.

Malinowski challenged Holz earlier this year and the event matches two big online poker phenoms. With half the session now complete, Holz has some momentum going into Wednesday’s duel.

That win total so far is about under two and half buy-ins, and things could certainly change over the final two sessions.

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Some details on the poker challenge

For those new to the GG Face-Off, here’s a look at what to expect in the Holz-Malinowski matchup.

  • Dates: March 5, 8, 10, and 12
  • Game: No Limit Hold’em
  • Stakes: $100/$200 tables
  • Starting stacks: $20,000 (100 big blinds) 

The two squared off for about five and a half hours on Friday, playing on a single table in the first session. Holz said the action moved too slowly in the first session at one table

Fedor Holz (courtesy Poker Central)

The recent Daniel Negreanu-Doug Polk heads-up duel featured two tables and the action moved at a nice pace. Holz-Malinowski also switched to two tables in the second session.

Unlike Negreanu-Polk, Malinowski and Holz are featured via video on the GGPoker streams. Viewers could also check out hole cards, which made for even better viewing.

A look at the first session at GGpoker

In Friday’s action, Malinowski mixed in a glass of wine while playing the match and promised the occasional cigar. He said afterward on the GGPoker stream that he was hoping to bring some fun to poker with the challenge. Dispelling the myth that online poker players are nerds was also a goal, he said.

On the felt, Holz found a few nice pots early including a big bluff that paid off. On a board of JA748♣ and $5,800 already in the pot, Holz made a pot-sized bet with K♣Q♠. After betting the hand all the way, Malinowski folded his top pair with A3♥.

The Holz aggression paid off in that one and he found a $10,000 pot shortly afterward. Malinowski raised from the button with Q2♠ and Holz three-bet to $2,050.

Malinowski then four-bet to almost $5,000. Holz thought a big and moved all in. His opponent quickly folded and Holz took the pot.

For the most part, the first half of the match went Holz’s way and he was up about $87,000. Malinowski rallied and showed some discipline in one losing hand that could have cost him more.

Malinowski raised from the button to $500 with KQ and Holz three-bet to $2,050. Malinowski called and the flop brought 10KA♣.

With Q♣6♣, Holz held straight and flush draws and fired $1,230. That received a call and the turn brought the K♠, giving Malinowski a set.

This time Holz checked and Malinowski bet $4,600. Holz checked and the river brought the 8♣. Holz checked and Malinowski did as well, sending a $16,000 pot to Holz after rivering the flush.

Holz takes early lead after Session 1

After more than 400 hands, Holz finished up with a win. The first session turned out nicely for Holz and Malinowski believed his opponent played well.

“I give credit to Fedor,” Malinowski said. “He stepped up and played quite well. He bluffed in spots where I thought he might not bluff.”

Holz said he was playing by feel and watched some good heads-up players to prepare. He tanked numerous times and said he’s still learning the heads-up game. Running through various hand scenarios is a major part of Holz’s game and he spoke on his analysis.

“I think oftentimes, how I approach it is, I try to think about what I generally want to do,’” he said. “For example, what would be the worst hand I would call? Or a type of hand and how often I want to raise with it. Often if I just look at my hand, I feel a bit more lost.”

  • Total hands played in series: 459
  • Overall series results: Holz up $37,421

Holz scores again in second session

The second day in the session also produced a positive result for Holz. The two players battled for about three and half hours on Monday.

A big hand came early when Malinowski picked up pocket Kings. After raising from the button to $500, Holz made it $2,100. Malinowski then four-bet to $5,000 and received a call.

The flop brought 9J8♥ and Holz, who held J♣9♣, checked to his opponent. Malinowski bet $2,200 and Holz raised to $6,200.

Malinowski moved all in for $19,000 and Holz quickly called. He received no help on the turn and river, however, and Holz raked a $41,000 pot.

That cooler seemed to signal how it would go for Holz. About halfway through the session, he’d found a lead of more than $25,000.

That had dropped to about $6,000 with an hour left in the day. Malinowki put in a nice bluff at about the two and a half hour mark to cut into Holz’s lead.

From the button, Holz raised to 7♣4♣ and Malinowski three-bet to $2,000 with A♥J♣. Holz called and they saw a flop of Q♥7♥Q♣.

Malinowski bet $1,200 and Holz took some time before calling. The 4♥ fell on the river and Malinowski bet $2,000. Holz called again and the K♣ came on the river.

With a possible flush and other combinations on the board, Malinowski bet $7,300. After quite a tank, Holz ultimately folded. Malinowski won more than $10,000 with a well-played bluff.

For Holz, the session meant another $14,652 heading his way.

  • Total hands played in series: 900 (estimate)
  • Results in series: Holz up $52,073

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Inside the action

The GGPoker Face-Off certainly offers a bit of a unique look into these heads-up challenges. The two players are both on camera and comment randomly on the action.

Both players can see the other as if at a live table, although both were usually stoic during big hands. The shorter series means variance plays more of a role in the overall results.

Seeing the hole cards also makes for a more interesting experience for those checking out the action. That was a common criticism from the Negreanu-Polk match – not being able to see how they played their hands.

Holz’s occasional slow play may be a negative for some poker fans. However, both players were also battling it out in other tournaments while playing in Monday’s second session.

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Fedor Holz Faces Off With Wiktor ‘Limitless’ Malinowski in GGPoker High Stakes Heads-Up Challenge

The GGPoker Face-Off Challenge between Fedor Holz and Wiktor Malinowski wrapped up Friday with Holz winning about $90,000.

Heads-up poker seems to be en vogue lately. After some major action involving Phil Galfond over the last year, Doug Polk recently squared off with Daniel Negreanu.

The focus then turned to Phil Hellmuth and Negreanu in a live event as part of the High Stakes Duel series on PokerGO. On Tuesday, GGPoker got in the action by revealing details of an upcoming high-stakes battle between Fedor Holz and Wiktor “Limitless” Malinowski.

The online heads-up duel offers poker fans another major series to follow.

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Details on the match at GGPoker

Holz is a longtime online poker pro who’s played at the highest stakes and became a GGPoker ambassador in 2020. Malinowski, a high stakes pro from  Poland, issued an open challenge to the poker world in August 2020.

Holz, Germany’s all-time money winner with more than $32 million in earnings, has now accepted. The four-session series is the first match of the new GG Face-Off Challenge.

https://youtu.be/T2MWIJENyxU

The series pits the world’s top players against each other, with some major cash and professional pride on the line. Here’s a look at the Holz-Malinowski match details:

  • Dates: March 5, 8, 10, and 12
  • Game: No Limit Hold’em
  • Stakes: $100/$200
  • Starting stacks: $20,000 (100 big blinds)

Both players bring plenty of online poker skills to the table. Malinowski has more than $700,000 in live tournament winnings, but much more online. Last May, he won the $10,200 High Roller in the WPT Online Championship series at partypoker for $281,750.

Also in 2020, Holz found his own online tournament success. He took down the $25,000 heads-up event in the World Series of Poker Online at GGPoker for $1.1 million.

Following the action with GGPoker

Poker fans looking to check out the action can view every hand on GG’s YouTube channel at GGPoker.TV. The action will be on a 30-minute delay with expert commentary.

The streams will also feature exclusive interviews, special guests, and prizes given away. The GGPoker social media channels will also follow the match, with additional content, and competitions on tap.

“This one has been a while in the making,” director of live events and sponsorships at GGPoker John Scanlon said in a news release, “but we think that now is the perfect time for these two titans of the game to clash and there’s no better place for all the action to unfold than on GGPoker’s award-winning software.”

The matchup has already attracted some interest in the poker world – including from Polk. His Upswing Poker coaching site also plans on streaming the series with Polk providing commentary.

Malinowski is confident and recently called out Holz. He even offered to take on a few of his poker coaching students simultaneously.

Betting on the challenge will be available directly within the GGPoker app. The event should be another nice addition to the growing list of heads-up matches featuring interesting names in the poker world..

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NEED A PEP TALK? Poker Stars Liv Boeree, Fedor Holz Join Startup Coaching Platform

Fedor Holz and Liv Boeree have joined the PepTalk startup.

Video conferencing, Zoom calls, and Facetime have become part of life for many during the Coronavirus pandemic. A new startup is hoping to capitalize on that trend with an easy connection to experts providing some personalized motivation.

PepTalk is a live video coaching and speaking platform connecting interested learners with real-world experts. That includes some of the biggest names in poker.

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Founded on the idea that experience is the ultimate teacher, PepTalk launched this month with 200 coaches and speakers. Those include entrepreneurs, writers, authors, adventurers, athletes, and more.

The platform even collected a nice roster of poker stars ready to offer some advice and coaching. Two of those, Liv Boeree and Fedor Holz, spoke with USPoker about what to expect in a session with them

A pep talk to improve your poker game

PepTalk was designed for a modern remote workforce. The web-based platform allows individuals and corporate teams to book a session directly with a coach or speaker. 

Entrepreneurs Ant Cauchi and Lloyd Salmons founded the company after careers in the music industry at EMI. After leaving that industry, they launched the digital marketing agency Outside Line.

“In creating PepTalk, we were inspired by our early days in the music industry when we were fortunate to work with some of the most inspirational artists in the world,” they said in a news release.

“In time we became mentors to our own employees, and we realized that coaching and mentoring from a place of experience is invaluable. Our goal is to make that experience available to anyone.”

That could include poker players seeking a mental kick in the pants. Along with Boeree and Holz, the site’s roster of card sharks includes:

  • Maria Ho – poker pro and commentator
  • Jamie Gold – 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event winner
  • Maria Konnikova – author, poker player, and former PokerStars ambassador
  • Joe Stapleton – poker player, commentator, and comedian 
  • Jennifer ShahadePennsylvania-based poker player and PokerStars ambassador

The PepTalk platform can be accessed via computer or mobile device. A pick-me-up session with a poker pro is only mouse click or tap away.

Poker and life lessons from Liv

No stranger to speaking in front of a crowd or offering some insight, Live Boeree took a unique path to poker. Originally from the United Kingdom, she received a degree in astrophysics before launching a successful poker career.

At the tables Boeree has $3.9 million in live tournament winnings including WSOP and EPT titles. She sees her role with the startup as a way to work with others around the world.

Liv Boeree (photo courtesy of Poker Central)

The site allows people from all walks of life to gain some insight from experts in their field. Boeree’s career in science and poker offer a unique opportunity for some inspiration beyond just poker.

“I’ve joined PepTalk as a medium to share experiences and lessons learned in my life and career – including my time as a poker pro – with a broad audience,” says Boeree, who also hosts her own YouTube channel about space and science.

“I believe the principles of success at the poker table have value in life, business, and beyond.”

From TED Talk to PepTalk

Boeree’s coaching focuses on life strategies, improving decision-making, how poker principles can be used every day, and other concepts. She expressed similar ideas on her 2018 TED Talk, “Three Life Lessons from the Poker Table.”

 

“We know poker principles apply effectively to business and other parts of life, and I’m looking forward to sharing those with PepTalk’s customers,” she says. “My background includes speaking and writing on science, logic, math and philosophy, and I’ll be bringing all of that to the table – no pun intended!”

It’s a good bet Boeree might answer a couple questions on table strategy. Overall, however, she sees her PepTalk time as a way to give customers a boost – as the company name implies.

“In these times when we can’t necessarily interact in-person,” she says, “I hope to have a positive impact on people’s lives when they need a boost.”

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Face to face with Fedor

While he may not be an astrophysicist, Fedor Holz brings his own skills to the PepTalk team. The German poker pro has almost $33 million in live tournament winnings including numerous major titles. What’s expected in one of his PepTalk sessions?

Fedor Holz (courtesy Poker Central)

“I’m set to share my experiences and respond to questions they may have or situations they may want to talk through, applying my pro poker lens to it all,” Holz says. “I’m excited to be part of what PepTalk is building – accessibility to coaches with all different experiences and perspectives and wisdom.

“There’s an incredible range of coaches and speakers – there are a few of us from the professional poker world, Olympic athletes, adventurers, entrepreneurs. Experts from obvious and non-obvious arenas and career backgrounds who have a lot to share.”

Lessons learned preparing for poker success

Winning eight figures at the poker table isn’t easy. It takes perseverance and plenty of focus – traits Fedor hopes to drive home in his discussions.

“Building a poker career has been partially about the game and the skill and partially about discipline, preparation, and a ton of other lifestyle strategies,” he says. “They can expect to learn the big picture of poker – the big themes of what it’s about, what it takes to become a pro.”

Currently, Fedor has been playing in the WSOP Online at GGPoker, hoping to win his second career bracelet. The site signed the poker coach as an ambassador in May.

Holz worked his way up to the biggest games around conveys come of what he’s learned on PepTalk.

“It’s an opportunity to share poker wisdom in new ways,” he says, “how to win at work, for example, or how to manage a strong team.”

The startup’s poker team is ready – no cards and chips required.

LET’S MAKE A DEAL: GGPoker Reaches Partnerships Expanding Network into Europe, Asia

GGPoker announced three major expansion deals recently.

It’s been a whirlwind of news for GGPoker over the last few months. From major ambassador signings to major event launches, the company’s reach continues to grow.

That included some expansion news in April and May. The site also announced a partnership with one of the biggest names in poker – Fedor Holz. That also includes a deal with his training site PokerCode.

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The news comes after reaching a deal with the World Series of Poker for an international Super Online Circuit Series. GG has also had some other major signings including Daniel Negreanu, Bryn Kenney, and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier.

Since launching in Asia in 2014, GG has quickly become one of the top operators in the world. Company officials believe the site is poised to grow even more and these types of expansion agreements will help.

GGPoker, OlyBet sign strategic partnership

At the end of April, GG reached a strategic partnership with Olympic Entertainment Group. The deal moves OlyBet poker players onto the GGPoker Network, the largest in the world.

OlyBet is the largest provider of online poker, sports betting, and casino games in the Baltics and Finland. Olympic also has more than 100 casinos in:

  • Estonia
  • Italy
  • Lithuania
  • Latvia
  • Malta
  • Slovakia

GG software is now available on OlyBet in all local languages in the traditional desktop client and mobile options.

“GGPoker Network is the wunderkind of the post-boom online poker business and this deal is great news for all OlyBet players of today and tomorrow,” OlyBet managing director Veiko Krünberg said. “GGPoker Network is one of the clear leaders in global online poker and massive growth lies ahead in Europe and North America.” 

The partnership extends to all current and future OlyBet markets. The move offers GGPoker an expanding footprint into Europe as well as a partner with live poker experience. Olympic Entertainment organizes major European poker festivals like the Battle of Malta and Kings of Tallinn (Estonia).

“OlyBet is arguably one of the most experienced poker operators in Europe,” Head of GGPoker Jean-Christophe Antoine said. “We want OlyBet to become the dominant poker player in their markets and GGPoker will support OlyBet 100% in achieving this.”

TotoGaming joins GGPoker Network

A week after the Olympic deal, GG announced another partnership with TotoGaming also joining the network. The brand is operated by platform provider Digitain.

“We are delighted to partner with GGPoker, the world’s most extensive poker network,” digitain external communication manager Samvel Mkrtumyan said.

“With an impressive array of highly engaging jackpot, tournament, and stake options, the company’s product suite makes for an exciting addition to our award-winning casino platform. We look forward to a long and mutually-beneficial commercial relationship.” 

The company offers licensed sports betting, casino, and other games to the Armenian public.

“We are continuing our expansion with TotoGaming and we are not going to stop,” Antoine said.

“TotoGaming is an impressive partner to add to our roster, and it will be wonderful to see Armenian players enjoying the best poker experience on the market.”

Company welcomes Fedor Holz, Pokercode

As if the company’s stable of poker ambassadors wasn’t big enough, German poker superstar Fedor Holz becomes the latest addition. On May 4, GGPoker announced a partnership with poker training site Pokercode.

The site’s community is led by Holz and fellow poker pro Matthias Eibinger. Holz has lifetime live and online poker earnings of more than $42 million and Eibinger has $13 million. Holz becomes a member of Team GGPoker as an ambassador as well.

Members of the Team Pokercode community have access to elite-level training materials. Pokercode will also offer additional promotions to its players.

For GG, the platform gains access to a respected online training site. Pokercode will share training materials with the entire player base. That includes community coaches offering advice and strategy help.

“We’re thrilled to become a GGPoker partner, particularly at this exciting time, and I’m honored to join Team GGPoker,” Holz said. “In addition to the broad suite of poker training our players already have access to, helping them see much greater success at the tables, Pokercode players can now call the best platform in the industry home.”

Holz adds even more cachet to the Team GGPoker brand. The 26-year-old poker phenomenon has numerous major scores on some of poker’s biggest stages. That includes one WSOP bracelet after winning the $111,111 High Roller for One-Drop in 2016 for $5 million

“Pokercode is yet another top brand to add to our list of partners,” Antoine said. “It’s a pleasure to welcome Fedor Holz onto Team GGPoker.

“His passion for the game and success both live and online is truly impressive. We couldn’t be happier to welcome Fedor and the entire Pokercode community.”