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BlackRain79 Start Here
Me 18 tabling online poker
(Tiled and stacked 2 deep)

Welcome!


My name is Nathan "BlackRain79" Williams and I have been an online poker pro for over 10 years now. 

I have also written 3 best selling books on the game and coached 100's of students to success at the lower limits.

If you are new to poker or you are struggling at the micro stakes then this page was created for you!

It contains all of the information that you need to quickly start playing with confidence and achieving real profit at the poker tables.


What is Success in Poker?


Before we start with anything though, let's talk about what success in poker actually means. Success to me in poker is very simple: long term profit

Anybody can get lucky and win a tournament or go on a heater at the cash tables.

The real pros are able to keep winning month after month and year after year though. This is how you know that their success is no fluke. It is the byproduct of skill instead.

Blackrain79 micro stakes graph
Your poker graph should look like this! (Some of my recent results)

So I want you to understand above all that success in poker is a long term endeavor.

There is no quick buck in this game. If you are looking for a "get rich quick scheme," you picked the wrong game.

I didn't start creating profits like this overnight. And you probably won't either.

But if you are willing to put in the work to improve your game and stay the course when you get unlucky, then I can teach you how to make long term profits like this.

And quite frankly a lot more as well.

Alright, so what hands do you need to play? When should you bet, raise, fold, bluff and so on? How do you beat the bad players?

I cover it all for you in a recent video I made, 16 Easy Poker Tips for BEGINNERS (Free Course)


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What You Also Need to Know


1) Success in poker doesn't come easy.

Top poker pros tend to be the ones who work the hardest. I have played millions and millions of hands of poker and spent countless hours studying away from the tables as well.

This is why I have been able to turn poker into a career (10+ years as a pro).


2) Success in poker has nothing to do with luck.

Poker is a game of skill in the long run. 

There is a reason why you see the same faces and names at the top of the leaderboards, money lists and final tables year after year. The cream always rises to the top in the end.


Here's the Bottom Line:


Please understand that I don't say all of this to scare you. I say all of this to "be real" with you instead.

If you have a deep passion for poker and you are willing to put in the effort then believe me, there is big money to be made in this game.

Here are some recent winnings of mine in small stakes poker games:

Blackrain79 poker winnings
Please note that my winrates above are in big bets per 100 hands 
(i.e. you need to DOUBLE them to get my big blinds per 100 hands winrate)

Yes, that is tens of thousands of dollars in pure profit. And almost all of it was made at stakes that most people would consider to be very low.

By the way, these results above don't even include all of the rakeback and bonuses I made which is about $20k more on top.

I did all of this from my laptop as well, while traveling the world, or sitting seaside at my condo in Thailand.

BlackRain79 traveling the world playing poker

If you want to know my full poker story by the way and why I decided to turn pro and move halfway around the world, check out my hugely popular 10 Years as a Poker Pro post.

Now, I don't say all of this to brag to you. I say it to inspire you and show you what is possible instead.

The key takeaway here is that you can achieve anything you want in this game. 

If you want to be a full time pro like me or you just want to make a nice side income each month ($200, $500, $1000 or more).

Then yes, you can do it.

I must warn you that it won't come easy though. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to achieve these results consistently. 

But that is what I am here to teach you to do.


My Free Poker Cheat Sheet Teaches You How to Make $2000+ Per Month in Low Stakes Games


Are you struggling to beat low stakes poker games like 2NL, 5NL, 10NL, 25NL online, low buy-in tournaments or $1/$2, $2/$5 live?

Do you want a simple step by step guide to show you exactly how to start winning consistently right now?
Blackrain79 free book
That is why I recently wrote this free little 50 page no BS guide to teach you exactly how to start crushing these games right now.

You will learn the exact poker strategies I have used as a 10+ year poker pro to consistently make $2000+ per month in small stakes poker games.

Enter your details below and I will send my free poker cheat sheet to your email right now.








My Poker Strategy Articles


I have written over 900 highly in depth poker strategy articles now for this website.

And that is why www.blackrain79.com is the #1 small stakes poker strategy website in the world today.

I have broken it down for you below into my most popular articles for each skill level, beginner on through to professional.

Feel free to bookmark this page because I am always updating and adding to this list.


Beginner


The Ultimate Poker Cheat Sheet (2025)

How to Beat 2NL: The Essential Guide (2025)

How to Beat 5NL: The Definitive Guide (2025)

47 Things That I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started Playing Poker

The Biggest Key to My Success at the Micros (It Might Shock You)

Why You Need to be More Patient at the Micros in Order to Succeed

The Ultimate Guide to Table Selection for Today's Online Micro Stakes Cash Games

How to Play Against the Fish Who Doesn't Fold Anything


Novice


How to Beat Online Poker (2025)

How to Beat 10NL: The Ultimate Guide [2025]

The Only Poker Software You Need in 2025 (Voted by Pros)

15 Proven Ways to Beat Micro Stakes Poker in 2025

The Step by Step Guide to Dominating in 3Bet Pots

Zoom Poker Strategy - The Essential Guide

15 Mental Tips That Will Double Your Results at the Micros


Advanced


Can You Win at Online Poker Without Using a HUD?

12 Advanced Online Poker Tips Used By Pros [2025]

What is the Best Poker HUD for 2025? [Used by Pros]

How to Optimize Your HUD for Today's Micro Stakes Cash Games

All the Poker Software Tools I Personally Use as a Pro

The Ultimate 6-Max Poker Strategy Guide


Professional Poker Player



How Online Poker Allowed Me to "Live the Dream"

10 Years as a Poker Pro: This is What I Have Learned

9 Guaranteed Ways to Improve Your Poker Game in 2025

Best Poker Training Sites 2025 (Free Download Bonus)

The Top 3 Poker Tools Used by Online Pros

Becoming an Online Professional Poker Player


Best Poker Strategy Book - Crushing the Microstakes


Crushing the Microstakes is the most popular poker strategy book ever written for the lower limit games. Specifically, NL2 and NL5 (and $1/$2 if you play live).

Poker Software and Poker Tools - Crushing the Microstakes

Crushing the Microstakes has now helped thousands of people drastically improve their results in these games.

And this is because as the author I have some of the highest winnings in online poker history at these stakes.

This book teaches you the exact strategies I use to win tens of thousands of dollars at the micro stakes. Some people think you can't make serious money at the micros. I beg to differ!

There is also an optional video course (6 hours of live play video) where you can simply watch me crush 6max, Zoom and full ring and explain all my decisions.

The NL2 Mastery Course

You get to essentially "look over my shoulder" as I show you the exact strategies that I use to crush low stakes 6max, Zoom and full ring for some of the highest winnings ever recorded.

Crushing the Microstakes also comes bundled with my extremely popular FREE bonuses:
  • The Starting Hand “Cheat Sheets”
  • The Ultimate Zoom Poker Strategy Guide
  • Lifetime Access to my Private Poker Forum (I personally help you with your poker hands)

If you are struggling to beat 6max, Zoom or full ring NL2 or NL5 online, (or $1/$2 if you play live), then Crushing the Microstakes will show you how to finally start consistently crushing these games.

You can go grab your copy of Crushing the Microstakes (and the video course) right now by clicking here.


Best Overall Poker Training - BlackRain79 Elite Poker University


I just released my brand new BlackRain79 Elite Poker University.

This includes 17 hours of advanced poker lessons along with hundreds of step by step example hands and "cheat sheets."

I actually just made a new video to give you a complete walkthrough of everything that is included in my new BlackRain79 Elite Poker University.


You are going to learn the proven strategies to beat good players in today's poker games.

For example:

Do you struggle with a hand like AK♣ when the flop comes 8♣74, and an Aggressive player raises you?

In my Elite Poker University training I show you the proven formulas for making the most profitable play here.

What about those "wild and unpredictable" fishy players?...

For example:

When you have KK and the flop comes A♠53♠ and the loose fishy player makes a big bet.

I have dozens of step by step video lessons showing you exactly what to do in difficult spots like this.

But here's the gist:

There are over 50 video lessons and hundreds of example hands in my new BlackRain79 Elite Poker University which cover cash games, tournaments, Zoom, live poker, online poker, 6max and full ring.

I explain everything from the most basic strategies for beginners at small stakes all the way up to advanced multi-street floating strategies for advanced pros at high stakes.

I also included two massive bonus sections covering Zoom poker strategy and Tournament poker strategy in particular.

Learn how to start dominating the Bubble and the Final Table no matter as a short stack (10bb), mid stack  (30bb) or a big stack (50bb+).

BlackRain79 Elite Poker University

And learn my wildly profitable 3-bet and 4-bet bluffing strategies to beat tight/passive and tight/aggressive players in Zoom poker.

You will also learn the specific strategies I use to read wild and unpredictable "fishy" players and put them on a hand right away.

BlackRain79 Elite Poker university is all about getting you winning right now, and finally getting world class results at the poker table.

Watch one or two videos per day and take the strategies to the poker table right away.

My Elite Poker University training is the most practical advanced system for winning at poker these days because it provides you with the simple strategies you need to know to win now, not later.

Learn EXACTLY how to start crushing small and mid stakes poker games, play semi-pro or even full time pro. Use my proven elite poker strategies to start winning fast.


I have a flash sale going on right now for new students.

Get $100 OFF Use Code: ELITE100


Best Beginner Friendly Poker Training Program - The Daniel Negreanu MasterClass


Do you play small or mid stakes? Are you struggling to get consistent good results? 

If so then one of the absolute best poker training programs available today is the Daniel Negreanu MasterClass.

Daniel's accomplishments in the game of poker kind of speak for themselves. 

He has $40 million dollars in live poker tournament winnings which is the highest of all-time and he is the most famous poker player on earth.

Here is my step by step walkthrough of exactly what you get in Daniel's new poker course.


In this MasterClass Daniel Negreanu teaches you all of the secrets to picking up tells, reading their poker hand, bluffing like the pros, poker math, table talk, putting them on tilt and so much more.

There are also 38+ video based poker lessons, a huge workbook, course notes, a large community to offer you support and "office hours" with Daniel himself.

The amount of high level poker instruction covered in this course is remarkable and Daniel's ability to teach the game is excellent as well.

Bottom line, if you are a serious poker player, then you need to enroll in this MasterClass. You are learning from the very best in the game.

Daniel's MasterClass is best for serious poker players who play online, live, cash games, tournaments, sit and gos, 6max, full ring or zoom.

To enroll in the Daniel Negreanu MasterClass right now click here.


Best Poker Training for Aspiring Pros - The Phil Ivey MasterClass


If you want to learn poker from the best to ever play the game, then there is no better option than the brand new Phil Ivey MasterClass.

Simply put, Phil Ivey has more winnings than anyone in the history of the game.

With 10 WSOP bracelets, over $38 million in live tournament winnings and $20 million more in online winnings, there is no poker player in history who has made more than this.

best poker training program phil ivey masterclass

What is even more astonishing is that Phil Ivey is actually best known for playing in (untracked) ultra high stakes cash games. So many people believe his real winnings far, far exceed this.

And for the first time ever in his brand new MasterClass Phil Ivey reveals the secrets that allowed him to become the most feared player on earth at the poker tables.


In the Phil Ivey MasterClass you will learn:
  • What hands Phil Ivey plays, when he chooses to raise and when to bluff
  • How Phil Ivey reads your hand at the poker table
  • How to stop tilting from bad beats and learn how to start putting other people on tilt!
  • How Phil Ivey knows when to pull the trigger on a massive bluff
  • The never before revealed pro level strategies of one of the game's all-time greats

You can also take the Phil Ivey MasterClass with you on the go in order to learn at your own pace. Download the videos right to you smart phone or tablet (Android and iOS).

Best poker training program phil ivey masterclass

Bottom line: If you are a struggling low or mid stakes poker player and you want to start winning consistently, then the Phil Ivey MasterClass is for you.

Learn from arguably the best poker player to ever play the game. I also highly recommend this poker training program for aspiring poker pros.

To enroll in the Phil Ivey MasterClass today, click here.


Free Poker Strategy Videos - BlackRain79 YouTube


Did you know that I make weekly free poker strategy videos on YouTube helping you improve your game?

For example, in a recent video I discuss the:

5 Things You Will NEVER See Good Poker Players Do


Never miss my poker videos, join 100,000+ who are already subscribed.


My Free Private Facebook Poker Group


Lastly, for those of you who are serious about taking your poker game to the next level, I have created a free private poker group on Facebook.

Here, you can get help with your poker hands from myself and tons of other high level poker players.

We are 10,000+ strong!

Join my free private poker group on Facebook.


I Appreciate You!


I just want to let you know that I am here for you as a guide, mentor and a friend. I know that the path to success in poker can be a slow, painful and lonely one at times.

Believe me, I am not somebody special, I am not some poker genius. I am just a guy who works hard at this game to get the results that I want.

And I know that if I can do it, then you can too.

The fact that you found my website already tells me that you have a deep passion for poker. 

My goal is to help you start consistently making a solid side income from this game or even a full time one.

So stick around because I have tons of brand new poker strategy content coming out every week to help you get crushing the micros.

Lastly, if you want to learn how to start consistently making $2000 per month at the micro stakes, make sure you grab a copy of my free poker cheat sheet.

Cheers and all the best at the poker tables!

- Nathan "BlackRain79" Williams

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Please note that a few of the links above are affiliate links (most are not). This means that if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. 

However, the reason why I recommend the poker software tools in this article is because they have helped me earn more as a poker pro for many years now. Please do not spend any money on poker tools unless you absolutely believe it will help you.

Blackrain79 micro stakes poker strategy