From the moment Alex Fitzgerald graduated high school, he dove headfirst into the world of poker, driven by his passion for the game and the allure of a lifestyle far removed from the typical 9-to-5 grind.
“I love poker more than you’ll ever know,” Fitzgerald confessed. “I love that I study, teach, and write about it daily. I put out daily strategy content through my newsletter to thousands of players. It’s a fun job. It allows me to improve at a game I’ve dedicated my life to.”
Over the past 17 years, Fitzgerald has carved out a respected reputation in the poker world. He’s captured multiple online titles, reached WPT and EPT final tables, and amassed over $3.5 million in live and online earnings. Alongside playing, he’s authored three best-selling poker books published by D&B Poker, now available on Amazon.
Despite his impressive resume, Fitzgerald’s passion has evolved beyond the felt—into coaching. He’s become a go-to mentor for low- to mid-stakes players through strategy blogs, training videos, and personalized coaching.
“For over a decade, I’ve been coaching players privately,” Fitzgerald said. “I’d be surprised if anyone on the planet has done as many private lessons as I have. I’ve helped hundreds of players beat their local $1/$3 and $2/$5 cash games, as well as dominate local tournaments and softer online networks.”
In a recent conversation with PokerOrg’s Craig Tapscott, Fitzgerald shared insights on the current online poker landscape, how to thrive in WSOP online bracelet events, and what it takes to stay competitive today.
Navigating WSOP Online Events
Craig Tapscott: It’s WSOP season. What’s your advice for handling the emotional swings in large-field online bracelet events?
Alex Fitzgerald: Take it one hand at a time. You’re only up against eight other players at a table—don’t overextend yourself trying to win the tournament early. Conserve your energy. Stay present. Focus on playing big pots in position with strong hands.
You’re going to lose pots and take bad beats—it’s inevitable. Accept the variance, prepare for those tough hands, and they won’t shake you as much.
Strategy Adjustments Near the Final Table
CT: As the final table approaches, how do you adjust?
AF: Pay attention to who’s playing to survive versus those going for the win. Look for players who suddenly tighten up or take too long to fold—they’re often the ones afraid to bust.
Target those players. Pressure them. They’ll often fold marginal hands late in the tournament because they’re emotionally invested in reaching the final table.
Beating Multi-Table Satellites
CT: Any tips for playing multi-table satellites to enter the WSOP Main Event?
AF: Here’s my go-to method:
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Calculate the total chips in play by multiplying the starting stack by the number of players.
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Divide that total by the number of Main Event entries available—this gives you the average stack needed to win a seat.
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Aim for about 70–80% of that number.
Early on, recreational players will gamble. Get involved, play more pots with them, and maximize value. When near the bubble, don’t risk your stack—apply pressure instead of calling off.
Adapting to Today’s Online Game
CT: Is it harder to gain an edge online these days?
AF: Definitely. With so much strategy content available, you need to game-select wisely and actively study your opponents. Take notes. Use stats when possible.
How Has the Game Evolved?
AF: There are more competent players now, but many are still emotionally volatile. Recreational players, especially on softer networks, often refuse to fold—even when logic suggests they should. This allows for larger value bets when you know a draw missed.
But overall, players are playing closer to GTO. They sometimes misuse the concepts, so your goal is to spot when they over-apply and punish those mistakes.
Winning at Micro Stakes
CT: What’s the key to beating micro stakes today?
AF: You can still play a highly exploitative style. Most opponents at this level are focused only on their own cards. You’ll get away with a lot.
It’s essential to recognize your opponents: Are they a nit, station, or maniac? That simple framework can guide your strategy. For example:
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Nits beat stations.
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Stations beat maniacs.
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Maniacs beat nits.
Know who you’re up against and adjust accordingly.
Typical Opponents at Lower Stakes
CT: Who are the common types of players you face at micro stakes?
AF: Most are stations. You can profit by sticking to a solid value-betting approach. The tricky part comes when maniacs enter the picture—you’ll need to widen your ranges and prepare for high-variance play.
Multi-tabling is where you make your real money at these levels, so know your ranges and default plays cold before you sit down.
Moving to Mid-Stakes
CT: How do you classify players at mid-stakes?
AF: Players at this level still show tendencies—some are nits, some are maniacs—but they’re more adaptive. You need to observe their patterns and look for specific situations where they overcommit.
Take detailed notes, review showdowns, and reverse-engineer how they think. Mid-stakes players are less predictable than those at micro stakes, so exploiting them takes more effort.
And remember: weak players at mid-stakes get busted fast. If you find one, play as many pots with them as possible. That’s your window of opportunity.
What You Can Learn from High-Stakes Games
CT: What lessons can low-stakes players learn from watching nosebleed games?
AF: Watch how the pros shift gears against recreational players. They’ll play a completely different style when one shows up at the table.
That’s a crucial skill—identifying and adjusting to your opponent. One thing that helped me early on was seeing how thinly pros value bet against weaker players. It taught me to go for more value than I thought possible.
What’s Next for Fitzgerald?
CT: What’s your current focus in the poker coaching world?
AF: I’m streamlining things now. For years, I focused on private coaching and creating training packs. That was all word-of-mouth.
Now, I’m building out a new website where all of my articles and free strategy videos will live. For the first time in my career, I’m also launching a social media presence.
Players can subscribe to my newsletter at www.pokerheadrush.com, where I send out free daily strategy blogs.
