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Strategy articles and research notes — how the game actually plays, measured on real data.

Variance in poker: Pokai, the Pokalab octopus in a lab coat, points at a downswing around the EV line
The LabVariance in PokerHow many hands can you play without winning? At 5 bb/100, 1 time in 20 you are still down 73–84k hands later: the variance calculator’s theory, checked on real graphs up to 400,000 hands. Cash, MTT, Sit & Go, Spin & Go and PLO, one tab each.Pokalab ResearchNov 3, 2026
Pokai, the Pokalab octopus in a lab coat, points at a board: MDA, 376M hands — a river bluff-catch is worth 0 bb against GTO and +0.95 bb against NL50 regs
The LabWhat Is MDA in Poker? Mass Data Analysis, ExplainedMDA measures how real players play each spot, on 376 million real hands. Against GTO, a river bluff-catcher is worth 0; against NL50 regulars, the same call earns +0.95 bb.Pokalab ResearchOct 28, 2026
Pokai, the Pokalab octopus in a lab coat, points at a board: a good 3-bet is 10–11%
The LabWhat Is a Good 3-Bet Percentage? By Position, vs GTOA good 3-bet % is about 10–11% against a single open, 5% to 24% by seat. A good fold to 3-bet depends on the room: about 65% on GGPoker, 57–59% on PokerStars — measured low to high stakes.Pokalab ResearchOct 25, 2026
Pokalab, the all-in-one poker study platform: the MDA population range next to GTO, a preflop solution and the trainer
PokalabWhat Is Pokalab? The All-in-One Poker Study PlatformPokalab shows how real players play every spot, measured on 364M real hands, next to GTO — with preflop solutions, a trainer, a hand replayer and free tools in the same app, and soon a Leak Finder and exploitative solutions.PokalabOct 5, 2026
The share of 6-max players ahead in each VPIP range, highest between 21% and 27%, with the solver at 22%
The LabWhat Is a Good VPIP? What Winning Players Actually PlayGuides put a good 6-max VPIP anywhere from 20% to 30%. Measured on 11,583 online players with 10,000+ hands in five rooms: the winners play 21–27% (median 24%), the solver 22%, and above 35% almost nobody wins.Pokalab ResearchOct 4, 2026
A croupier’s rake pulling chips from a poker pot into a glowing glass jackpot jar
The LabGGPoker Rake: What the Preflop Rake and Bad Beat Jackpot Fee Really Cost YouGGPoker takes 1 big blind for its jackpot from pots of 30bb or more and rakes 3-bet pots that end preflop. Measured on real 6-max hands from NL25 to NL1000: about one hand in ten pays the fee, and the two charges cost a regular 2.1 to 2.6 bb/100.Pokalab ResearchOct 4, 2026
Sharks and reef fish crossing paths around a sunken poker table
The LabPlayer Types, MeasuredHow many kinds of poker player are there? None by nature, six useful ones by measurement — and the stat that finds the fish is not the stat that finds the winners.Pokalab ResearchAug 22, 2026
The LabWon-When-VPIPOf the pots you choose to play, how many do you actually win? Winrate climbs in lockstep with this one number — and the best regs in the pool own it.Pokalab ResearchAug 21, 2026