WSOP U

Poker is a game that’s easy to learn, yet difficult to master, which is why poker schools have become a popular way for amateur players to hone their craft. Enter the game’s most prestigious tournament, the World Series of Poker, which is going online with the debut of the World Series of Poker Academy.

The only school endorsed and licensed by the WSOP, the academy previously offered classes in-person only. But now aspiring cardsharps can learn from the pros—including Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke and Greg Raymer. The legends share their strategies, provide insider commentary and tell students how to do it themselves.

“We teach people the fundamentals—people who have never picked up a poker chip or learned how to play poker,” says Mark Seif, professional poker player and instructor at WSOP Academy. “But we also go over hands that were worth millions of dollars. The people who actually go over those hands are the ones who played them. You ask anybody if they’d like to get inside Phil [Hellmuth’s] head, and they’ll say, ‘of course.’”

Former FBI agent and body-language expert Joe Navarro is also involved in the interactive project, and teaches players how to read their opponents while concealing their own reactions. The site, wsopacademy.com, costs $15 a month after a free trial.