Hey Poker Fam,

There's a lot happening this week at The WSOPc at Caesars Republic in Lake Tahoe—and some of it might make you uncomfortable in the best way. An AI engineer is building a tool that identifies physical tells from livestreamed Poker. Congress is still fighting to fix the gambling tax mess. And I just ran back-to-back final tables at Lake Tahoe. Nicky Palma's story of turning tragedy into legacy is something every Poker player needs to hear.

Let's get into it...

An AI engineer is building a tool that analyzes livestreamed Poker to identify physical tells. The program watches for hand movements, blink rate, eye contact, and verbal patterns to flag whether players are bluffing or value-betting. While the tech is fascinating, it raises questions: Does analyzing tells outside the game qualify as prep, or is it unfair advantage? Right now, it only works with players who've already been exposed on camera with their hole cards. The real debate: what's preparation versus cheating?

Source: Poker.org

Nicky P grew up losing everyone close to him—godmother, mother, uncle, grandparents. Tragedy struck every few years. But instead of breaking him, it lit a fire. Now grinding in Prague for his first live bracelet, Palma's motivation isn't money—it's legacy. He wants the Palma name to mean something permanent in Poker history. His story proves that the toughest players aren't born from comfort. They're forged through loss and the refusal to quit.

Source: Poker.org

I came up short in a PLO final table at three players left fighting for that WSOP Circuit ring. Came up short. That stung.

Back-to-back 3rd place finishes at Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe. Two events. Two deep runs. Two times showing up ready to execute. One of those runs was brutal: I got all my chips in on the turn with the nuts—and he rivered a diamond to bust me in 3rd. Ouch. That's Poker.

Source: Instagram

Nevada Representative Dina Titus met with Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel to discuss the FAIR BET Act (H.R. 4304), which restores 100% gambling loss deductions. The current 90% limit creates "phantom tax" on money players didn't win. Titus emphasized the bill has bipartisan support and she's pursuing multiple legislative paths to get it passed by year-end. The sooner it passes, the sooner Poker professionals can stop planning around unfair tax policy.

Source: Poker News

Here's what most Poker players get wrong about draws: they treat them like made hands. That's expensive.

Draws are only profitable when you understand four things: what draw you have, where you're sitting, what the board tells you about your opponent's range, and your stack depth.

Position matters. Don't open weak suited connectors in early position—you'll find yourself in awkward spots when you flop a draw. Board texture matters too. You flopped a flush draw? Great. But does your opponent's range connect better than yours? Sometimes you check. Sometimes you fold. Always ask yourself: who has the range advantage?

Stack depth changes everything. When you're shallow, you can't really bet and fold your draws—you're committed. When you're deep, you have playability. You can c-bet, check-raise, semi-bluff with draws that have backdoor equity. But here's the leak: don't blow up a deep stack trying to get all-in with weak draws. A 6-5 suited with a pair might check-raise once, not go to war.

Bet sizing is your weapon. Bigger sizes on wet boards charge opponents more and give them worse pot odds.

In my book, I dive deeper into how to play draws as the aggressor, against tight players, and how hand strength interacts with your stack size.

Playing draws correctly is where you find your edge.

Free Poker Training → https://lexygavinmather.com/free-Poker-training/

I call a raise with 7-6 of diamonds and decide to check-raise bluff on a K-4-2 board with just seven-high and some nice backdoor equity—and when the turn brings an 8 giving me a gutshot and I fire again for 10k, you're going to want to see what happens next!

YouTube Channel → https://www.youtube.com/@LexyGavinPoker

If you're depositing from your regular debit card, you're leaving money on the table.

EDGE Boost is a Visa card built for Poker and sports betting—and it's changed how I manage my bankroll. Here's the deal: it keeps your gaming money completely separate from your personal account. Plus, every deposit earns cashback.

Sign up through my link and you start at Tier 3, earning 0.35% cashback immediately. Deposits hit your dashboard in 24–48 hours. Cashback gets credited monthly on the 1st, then you withdraw it straight to your bank.

It's free. Takes 2 minutes. Your digital card is ready instantly.

If you're serious about Poker, this is worth the signup.

👉 Try it here → https://www.edgeboost.bet/guide?oid=367&affid=97

Media interested in covering the 57th WSOP (May 26–July 15 at Horseshoe & Paris Las Vegas) must apply by May 8, 2026. The Main Event begins July 2, with final table play delayed 20 days—reminiscent of the "November Nine" era. Final table action concludes August 5 on ESPN. Vloggers are also encouraged to apply.

Source: WSOP

Michigan gaming regulators have cracked down on unlicensed offshore Poker operators serving state residents. The enforcement action signals stricter state-level monitoring of unregulated Poker platforms. Local operators and licensed sites remain unaffected, but players are warned about the risks.

Source: Card Player

Ohio gaming authorities levied a $5 million fine against Kalshi, a prediction market and betting platform, for violations related to unlicensed gambling operations. The penalty underscores ongoing regulatory tension between emerging betting platforms and traditional gaming oversight.

Source: Card Player

This week we talked about the four factors for playing draws: hand class, position, board texture, and stack depth. Which one trips you up the most at the table? Reply to this email—I read each one of them!

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Talk soon,
Lexy Gavin-Mather