Welcome back, Poker Fam. Legendary Poker author David Sklansky was arrested Thursday in Las Vegas on suspicion of domestic battery, only to be released when the district attorney declined to file formal charges. The incident sent shockwaves through the Poker community, raising difficult questions about separating a player's contributions from their actions.

This week, we're covering the Sklansky arrest and release, a last-minute phone call that turned into a $1.5 million score, why the PGT commissioner is optimistic about 2026 turnouts despite concerns, Harrah's Pompano Beach gearing up for 18 Circuit events, and Jeff Platt's revealing interview about his dual WSOP role.

Also Today: We're breaking down 3-betting—not just when to do it, but why it's one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. Most players 3-bet too tight or too loose. Once you understand the four key reasons to 3-bet, you'll start building balanced ranges that keep opponents guessing.

1. David Sklansky Arrested for Domestic Battery, Released After DA Declines to File Charges — David Sklansky, the legendary Poker author behind "The Theory of Poker" and "Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players," was arrested in Las Vegas on Thursday on suspicion of domestic battery. However, he was subsequently released from custody when the district attorney declined to file formal charges.

The 78-year-old author arrived in custody on January 29 with a $3,000 cash bail set before his release. Police were unable to provide details about the investigation.

Sklansky is the author of 14 gambling-related books, most notably "The Theory of Poker," considered by many to be the most important Poker strategy book ever written. The longtime grinder is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner (two in 1982, one in 1983) and has $1.4 million in Hendon Mob tournament cashes, though he's more of a mixed cash game player who still frequents Las Vegas card rooms.

While the DA declined to file charges, the arrest marks a troubling chapter for a player whose intellectual contributions to Poker are undeniable. The incident serves as a reminder that Poker legend status doesn't exempt anyone from scrutiny when serious allegations arise.

Source: Poker News

2. Jean-Robert Bellande Wins $1.5 Million After Last-Minute Call From Rob Yong — Jean-Robert Bellande was relaxing in his room at the Merit Royal Diamond Casino in North Cyprus, planning to play cash games at the Onyx High Roller Series. Then Rob Yong called with an unexpected offer: Yong was running late and wanted Bellande to take his seat in the $100,000 High Roller Championship.

Bellande accepted immediately. Twenty-four hours later, he defeated a field of 50 players—including Yong himself heads-up—to claim $1,500,000. The score is nearly double Bellande's previous career-best and pushes his lifetime tournament earnings over $4.5 million.

"Oh, this is my biggest one?" Bellande asked when informed, genuinely surprised. For a player who's been a fixture on tournament and cash circuits for two decades, the win represents validation that's been a long time coming.

The heads-up battle started with Yong holding a 2:1 chip lead, but Bellande called down two big bluffs to swing momentum. On the final hand, Yong shoved the river with bottom pair and Bellande snap-called with top pair to take it down. Bellande joked afterward: "This is like when Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event. If I'm a talented Poker player and I hear that Rob Yong and JRB are top two in the Onyx event, I want to play every Onyx event for the rest of my life."

Source: Poker News

3. PGT's Tim Duckworth Cites "Fresh Blood" as Promising Sign for 2026 Turnouts — Tim Duckworth, Director of Live Events & Content for PokerGO and the Poker Go Tour, addressed concerns about participation levels heading into 2026 after the damaging new tax law created uncertainty about field sizes.

Duckworth initially predicted the PGT Kickoff series would hit around 60-75% of 2025 attendance numbers, but the opening event shocked everyone by drawing the second-largest $5K field in PGT history with 135 entrants. Event #2 pushed even higher with 151 entrants, and Event #3 continued the upward trend with 159 entrants.

What's driving the numbers? Duckworth points to incentives like rake reductions for on-time registration, double leaderboard points, and complimentary food. "Getting butts in seats is the most important thing," Duckworth explained. The PGT also saw 12 first-time players in Event #1 alone—a significant influx of "fresh blood" that the tour needs to grow the player pool.

Source: Poker.org

4. Harrah's Pompano Beach Gets Set for 18 WSOP Circuit Events — The WSOP Circuit returns to Harrah's Pompano Beach January 28 through February 9, featuring 18 ring events highlighted by a $1,700 Main Event with a $1 million guarantee.

The Florida stop has become one of the Circuit's most popular destinations, consistently attracting large fields and generating substantial prize pools. The Main Event runs three Day 1 flights (Friday, January 31; Saturday, February 1; and Sunday, February 2), giving players multiple opportunities to build deep stacks.

Every ring winner receives a $5,000 package to attend the WSOP Circuit Championship at WSOP Paradise 2026, including championship entry and free hotel.

Source: WSOP

5. Jeff Platt Opens Up: Why He Truly Loves Poker — Last week we covered the news that PokerGO's Jeff Platt would take on double duty at the 2026 WSOP—combining his role as roving reporter with actually competing in the Main Event. Now, in an extensive interview, Platt reveals the deeper reasons behind his enduring love for the game.

"I just genuinely love Poker," Platt explained. "I love the competition, I love the people, I love the stories. When you're on the floor reporting, you get to witness these incredible human moments—people winning life-changing money, busting on the bubble, making hero calls. It's drama and mathematics and psychology all at once."

Platt discussed managing the dual responsibilities. He'll play Day 1 flights strategically, choosing less crowded sessions that allow him to balance chip accumulation with reporting duties. Beyond studying ranges, he emphasizes physical and mental readiness: "Sleep, nutrition, exercise—these aren't optional during the WSOP. You're playing 12-hour days making decisions for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Your body and mind need to be sharp."

Source: Poker.org

Most players have no idea why they should 3-bet. Here are the four reasons that actually matter.

3-betting is one of the most powerful moves in Poker, but most players do it wrong. They either 3-bet too tight (only premiums) or too loose (any two cards against the wrong opponents). Both approaches are exploitable and cost you money.

Understanding why you should 3-bet is just as important as knowing when. There are four core reasons to 3-bet, and each serves a distinct strategic purpose.

1. 3-betting for Value

This is the most straightforward reason. When you have a strong hand like pocket aces, kings, or ace-king, you want to build a bigger pot. If you just call, you're keeping the pot small and allowing more players to see flops cheaply. By 3-betting, you're bloating the pot and creating opportunities to win more money when opponents call with worse hands.

Simple concept: you have the best hand, you want to play for more money. 3-betting accomplishes exactly that.

2. 3-betting as a Bluff

3-betting looks extremely strong. When you 3-bet, you're representing a premium range, which means you can get better hands to fold pre-flop. This is a massive win—you're taking down the pot immediately without having to navigate tricky post-flop situations.

Bluff 3-betting also helps you avoid trouble. If you flat-call a raise with a marginal hand and miss the flop, you're now out of position trying to realize equity against an aggressive opponent. By 3-betting and taking the pot down pre-flop, you skip all that complexity and just win the chips.

3. 3-betting for Range Balance

This is where most players go wrong. If you only 3-bet premium hands, observant opponents will exploit you relentlessly. They'll fold everything except monsters when you 3-bet, and they'll never pay you off when you actually have aces or kings.

To prevent this, you need to 3-bet both premium and non-premium hands. This is called polarization—you're balancing your strong hands with some bluffs to keep opponents guessing. When your 3-betting range includes both aces and suited connectors, opponents can't simply fold every time you apply pressure.

This keeps your strong hands disguised and ensures you get paid when you actually wake up with a monster.

4. 3-betting to Isolate Weak Opponents

If you're at a table with weaker players, 3-betting allows you to isolate them in heads-up pots. Remember: the more players in a hand, the less likely you are to win. By 3-betting, you're squeezing out better players and creating situations where you're playing one-on-one against someone less skilled.

You always want to be in pots with players who are worse than you. 3-betting to isolate accomplishes exactly that—it forces tough opponents to fold while keeping weak opponents invested with inferior hands.

The Bottom Line:

3-betting isn't just about having a good hand. It's about understanding the strategic context—are you value betting, bluffing, balancing your range, or isolating? Each reason serves a different purpose, and elite players understand when to deploy each one.

In my book, I dive deeper into constructing balanced 3-betting ranges for different positions, how to adjust based on opponent types and stack sizes, and specific hand examples showing when to 3-bet for value versus as a bluff.

Want to master 3-betting and build balanced ranges that keep opponents guessing? The Poker Accelerator breaks down 3-betting strategy in exhaustive detail—including how to construct polarized ranges, when to 3-bet for value versus as a bluff, how to identify spots to isolate weak opponents, and specific adjustments based on position and stack depth. You'll learn exactly when to apply pressure and when to exercise pot control, plus complete frameworks for playing 3-bet pots post-flop.

If you're tired of being exploitable with your 3-betting strategy or missing profitable isolation opportunities against weak players, this course shows you precisely how to fix both issues. Use coupon code 20PERCENT to get 20% off your enrollment.

Brantzen Wong picks up A-4 and completely whiffs the flop, turn, and river—but runs the triple barrel bluff… would you bet 3 streets?

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What's your biggest 3-betting leak? Are you only 3-betting premiums and becoming predictable, or are you 3-betting too wide without considering position and opponent type? Reply to this email and tell me. I read them all!

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Talk soon,
Lexy Gavin-Mather