People go to Twitch for only two reasons: to stream or to watch streams.

Apart from video game content, one of the most popular content that people watch on Twitch is poker.

If you’re looking to get value out of these poker broadcasts from Twitch, then you need to find the right streamer for you.

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Remember that not all streamers will provide the same content nor deliver content the same way.

So, we’re going to help you by listing all of the best poker Twitch streamers that are worth watching or subscribing.

PokerStars

First on this list is PokerStars’ Twitch channel, and rightfully so.

The channel boasts of countless hours of poker content, ranging from streams of major online tournaments to educational content from famous poker pros.

partypokertv

partypokertv is one of the most favorite Twitch streams for poker players and is known for its nostalgic feelings of stacking fish.

Their channel recently got a huge boost of subs and viewers when Moldran of WoW and Diablo fame started to play poker on their channel.

Their channel includes online poker, cash games, MTTs, and interviews.

Bellagio Poker on the Strip

BellagioPOTS streams live poker straight from the Bellagio Poker Room.

Their streams also feature professional poker players like Dan O’Brien and Mike Del Vecchio, along with commentary.

Live at the Bike

Live at the Bike streams twice a week with poker personalities like Bart Hanson and David Tuchman headlining these streams.

As the name implies, they stream live poker and $5/$10 NLHE.

If you subscribe to their channel, you get access to their older videos.

Felix “xflixx” Schneiders

If you want a Twitch channel that aims to help you get better at poker, then Felix Schneider’s channel is worth subscribing to.

He gives solid poker advice on his streams, making him one of the best poker teachers on Twitch.

Thirst Lounge with Bill Perkins

If you want a very entertaining poker channel filled with high profile guests and poker shenanin, then the Thirst Lounge is perfect for you.

Hosted and owned by billionaire Bill Perkins, the Thirst Channel is one of the most unique poker streams to ever hit Twitch.

Flow Poker with Jeff Gross

Known as the “Professional Best Friend”, Jeff Gross finds it easy to bring in people like Michael Phelps to be on his twitch channel.

Apart from streaming entertaining poker games, he also provides great educational content for both new and experienced players.

Mike “Timex” McDonald

Mike McDonald is one of poker’s brightest players ever since he debuted (and won) at EPT Berlin when he was only 18 years old.

Now, you’ll find him streaming some MTT’s, Hold’Ems, and some poker playing advice for his viewers.

Lex Veldhuis

Known for being a dynamic poker player, Lex Veldhuis brings his entertaining TV personality to Twitch.

This Dutch pro regularly streams MTTs with a little bit of video games as well.

Whether it’s a game of poker or a round of H1Z1, his commentaries are witty and entertaining.

Parker “TonkaaaaP” Talbot

We’ve never seen a more energetic player than Parker “TonkaaaP” Talbot.

He streams MTTs most of the time, but he also streams card games like BlackJack if he or his viewers need a little bit more gambling action.

Unibet Poker

Unibet Poker’s channel streams a lot of games and brings in notable poker personalities like Viktor “Isildur” Blom and Charlotte van Brabander.

They stream a lot of MTTs, cash games, special events, live poker, and Hearthstone, Blizzard’s very own card game.

Kevin Martin

Kevin Martin plays a lot of mixed games and NLHE tournaments, and is known for playing all the stakes.

He’s gained a huge following for his poker skills and his appearance and victory on Big Brother Canada.

Poker Central

Poker Central is TV’s first 24/7 poker only network but it doesn’t stop them from crossing over to Twitch and making sure that everyone has access to everything related to poker on TV or online.

You’ll mostly find interviews and casual games in their channel, so don’t expect too much high-stakes gaming.

Rupert Elder

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Known for his consistency, Rupert Elder earned close to $2 million in live tournament winnings and another $2 million in online tournament winnings.

Elder plays high level poker and is perfect for anyone who wants to know how to play like a pro.

Fedor “CrownUpGuy” Holz

Poker fans and players rejoiced when Fedor Holz started streaming and you should follow him for one reason: he’s very good.

His streams are very insightful and analytical, so pay attention to everything he says.

If that’s not enough, he donates his earnings from Twitch to charity. Talk about a class act.

Dutch Boyd

Author of Poker Tilt, Dutch Boyd produces one of the best educational poker streams on Twitch.

His unique high-level approach of playing poker has earned him numerous subscribers and you can actually learn a thing or two just by watching him play.

Daniel Negreanu

Daniel Negreanu is probably the most popular player in the world (right alongside Hellmuth and Ivey).

His streams are entertaining and his non-poker dialogues are unregulated, so he’ll talk about anything.

Of course, he still produces great poker content.

Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier

You probably recognize ElkY from the time he played Starcraft, which was also his claim to fame.

But these days, his channel is all about poker (and some Hearthstone in between). But don’t let his video game background fool you.

He’s a PokerStars pro who plays the game at a very high level.

If you want educational content through gameplay, ElkY is your guy.

Jason “Jcarver” Somerville

Jason “Jcarver” Somerville is a former Ultimate Poker pro and is known for being one of the best poker streamers.

He generates close to a million views each stream and offers the most polished and most informative poker content on Twitch, making his $4.99 subscription worth every penny.

Jaime “PokerStaples” Staples

Jaime Staples is one of the most promising up-and-comers who streams MTTs on PokerStars.

He’s a consistent streamer, so you’ll find him streaming every day (except Fridays).

Maria Ho

Maria Ho may be a busy poker player, but she still finds time to produce quality and entertaining Twitch streams.

She plays NLHE cash games and tournaments, but she’s mostly popular on her stream because of how she interacts with her fans.

Her fanbase call themselves the “Ho-mies”.

Phil Hellmuth

Much like Daniel Negreanu, Hellmuth is a man who needs no introduction.

Being one of the top poker players in the world, it’s no surprise that he is still able to produce quality poker streams even though he’s not exactly technologically adept.

If you want to build a solid network of poker content on Twitch, Hellmuth should be on your list.

Gaëlle Garcia Diaz

Gaëlle Garcia Diaz is a Belgian/Spanish model but don’t let her looks fool you.

She’s known for hosting various poker tournaments and is rather good at small-stakes MTTs.

Her Twitch channel mostly covers a lot of MTTs, and on occasions, she plays Magic The Gathering on her streams.

Chris Moneymaker

Chris Moneymaker etched his name in poker history by winning the Main Event through an $86 satellite on PokerStars.

His streams are most of his home games on PokerStars, and while he’s not as sophisticated as the others, he’s still very entertaining.

Liv Boeree

Liv Boeree is a UK streamer who plays mostly tournaments on her Twitch channel as well as sharing some insights about the poker industry, a little bit of Igor Kurganov cameos, and her personal life.

Griffin Benger

Bearing the name of ShaGuar, Benger used to be a famous Counter-Strike player on Twitch before he started to showcase poker.

Just like ElkY, his streams are mostly big tournaments on Full Tilt Poker, partypoker, and even Poker Stars, with a little bit of Counter-Strike on the side.

Arlie ‘Arlie Shaban’ Shaban

Shaban lived the dream of quitting his day job to become a fulltime poker streamer and player, and he hasn’t looked back.

Since then, he’s got over 9000 followers because of his upbeat and fun approach to playing poker.

Make no mistake, he’s passionate about what he does and his passion is reflective of his skill in playing poker.

Peter ‘Peter804’ Thompson

Thompson has been playing poker for 10 years, so he’s totally legit when it comes to sharing his knowledge.

He’s good at mid-high stakes cash games and Zoom.

His streams are very casual, but the contents of every stream are valuable to every cash player looking to enhance their skill.

Tudor ‘Scrimitzu’ Stefan

Stefan’s Twitch channel is a beautiful mix of education and entertainment (and some Counter-Strike), and the hilarity often makes it difficult for some to take him seriously.

He provides in-depth hand analysis and goes deep into his thought processes and playstyle.

Summer ‘SummerTobie’ Harald

If you ever wonder if there’s a channel that shows a player’s progression in poker, we can only think of one person: Summer Harald or SummerTobie.

Harald streams micro-stakes games on her channel, but she makes it feel like she’s still learning the game and she makes it possible for her viewers to learn alongside her as well.

Ryan ‘Rschoonbaert’ Schoonbaert

This Canadian poker player has proven himself on the live game scene by earning over $80,000 in tournament winnings.

But now he’s transitioning into online tournaments and he streams it for everyone’s entertainment.

His channel consists of mid-high stakes mixed games, so one day he’ll stream MTTs and Pot Limit Omaha on the next one.

Randy “nanonoko” Lew

Randy Lew is a member ofTeam PokerStars Online and has been streaming his online grind for many years.

He also set the Guinness World Record during the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure where he played a total of 23,493 hands in 8 hours with a profit of $7.65.

But his streams are not as adventurous as that.

David Sklansky

Author of the Theory of Poker, David Sklanskly took to Twitch to provide in-depth discussion about the world of poker while playing online poker games.

He doesn’t charge any subscription fee, but the takeaways from his streams are very valuable, so watch his stream every chance you get.

Greg Merson

WSOP Main Event champion Greg Merson shares his secrets to poker success on Twitch.

He’s a little tricky to catch though because he streams on either his official Twitch profile or on the Team Gripsed Twitch channel.

Team Gripsed

Much like their YouTube account, Gripsed’s Twitch channel is a rich diaspora of poker content.

The channel is run and hosted by Evan Jarvis and Greg Merson, and they go above just hosting online poker sessions.

On top of their games, they also stream interviews and Q&A sessions with other professional players.

Kristy Arnett

Arnett may no longer be a part of PokerNews anymore, but she’s now on Twitch.

With her newly opened account, she streams her online poker games mixed casually with advices on how to improve your poker game and how to live a healthier lifestyle.

Deborah “QueenBee902” Vanneste

Known as QueenBee902 on Partypokertv stream, Deborah Vanneste is a former Canadian Navy reservist turned poker player.

She started out on partypokertv’s stream, but then she set out to make her own channel.

Much like SummerTobie, her streams are educational and mostly focused on how she’s constantly improving herself.

Ben “Spraggy” Spragg

Spragg is one of the brightest up-and-comers to poker streaming.

This young lad has been in the industry for quite some time now and is turning into one of the premier poker players (and channel) today.

Because of his skills, he was offered the chance to join Team PokerStars Online, playing alongside Fintan Hand and Jeff Gross.

Don’t ever forget that your goal on Twitch is to have fun and to learn.

The streamers that we’ve listed so loquaciously here will help you become a better poker player while making the learning experience as fun and interactive as possible.

The poker world is filled with plenty of popular strategy resources. These include articles, books, coaching, heads-up displays (HUDs), and training videos.

Twitch, and live streaming in general, entered the fray in the mid-2010s. Many people have since discovered that Twitch is one of the best ways to learn poker strategy.

But what is it that makes Twitch such a good strategy tool to use for your next game of poker? You can find out as I discuss everything it has to offer in terms of pro players and content.

Twitch Allows You to Look Over a Pro’s Shoulder

Twitch started out as Justin.tv, a platform for people to stream their video game play through. The service has since branched out to other areas, including everything from cooking to talk shows.

Poker players have also found Twitch to be extremely useful for live streaming their sessions. Professionals can now broadcast their sessions via this service. Many amateurs tune in to watch pro players in hopes of improving their own games.

You can see how a grinder handles certain situations through Twitch, whether they’re 3-betting or folding. They often explain why they make certain moves, which gives you a better understanding of their mindset.

Hundreds of poker pros now use Twitch on either a regular or semi-regular basis. Some of these players stand out among others, due to their high skill level and consistent streaming. Here are a few of the most popular poker Twitch streamers.

Jason Somerville (Run It Up TV)

Jason Somerville is the most successful poker streamer to date. He began his channel under his nickname, “JCarver,” before changing it to Run It Up TV.

The WSOP champ now has over 250,000 subscribers, a number that continues to grow every month. Somerville gives players an opportunity to play against him through Run It Up home games.

Jaime Staples (PokerStaples)

Jaime Staples has managed to garner well over 100,000 subscribers for his channel. He boasts nearly 300 videos and is one of the most active streamers.

The Canadian poker pro gained further fame for his channel when he won a $150,000 weight-loss bet with Bill Perkins. That said, Staples knows how to keep things interesting, whether he’s playing poker or making big prop bets.

Randy Lew (nanonoko)

Randy “nanonoko” Lew is famous for his insane multi-tabling abilities. Therefore, many viewers like seeing the method to his madness through Twitch.

Lew doesn’t log as much volume as he used to. But nanonoko still plays up to 20 tables simultaneously, showing the skills that helped him set a world record with 14,500 hands in eight hours.

Lex Veldhuis (LexVeldhuis)

Given that it’s both a popular video gaming and poker platform, Twitch was made for Lex Veldhuis. The Dutch poker pro started out as a StarCraft pro before turning to poker in the early 2000s.

He’s since found a great deal of success in both live tournaments and online cash games. Veldhuis streams his online tourney and cash sessions full-time, meaning he’s easy to catch on Twitch.

Parker Talbot (TonkaaaaP)

Parker Talbot is no doubt one of the best online poker players who also streams his sessions. He’s earned over $3 million in profits from online cash games and continues to be a profitable player today.

Winning isn’t the only thing that makes TonkaaaaP popular. He’s also quite colorful during his sessions. Some players may not like his animated style, but Talbot has close to 100,000 subscribers, so he must be doing something right.

Enjoy the Entertainment Aspect While Learning

Watching poker pros through Twitch isn’t just about learning strategy. It’s also a fun way to study the game while being entertained at the same time.

The best Twitch streamers are not only good at poker but also at entertaining their audiences. They can explain strategy without being too dry and have interesting stories to tell.

You simply can’t get the same entertainment aspect when studying poker strategy through other means, such as articles, books, and training videos.

Some even put themselves through difficult challenges in order to spice things up. For example, Arlie Shaban once streamed for 1,000 hours total in 25 days. Watching somebody in the midst of one of these challenges makes the experience even more entertaining.

Engage With the Streamers

You can’t just walk up to poker pros and start asking them a bunch of questions without invading their personal space. Twitch, however, gives you the opportunity to chat with them in an appropriate arena.

Engaging with the pros is easy. You begin by creating a Twitch account and watching an active stream.

You’ll then be able to type questions/comments to the pro in the chat box. Poker streamers run on a delay ranging from 3 to 10 minutes, but they’ll likely get around to answering you at some point.

You should actually push yourself to engage with them as much as possible. The goal is to get the most out of each Twitch session as you can.

You won’t get a lengthy one-on-one with the pro in question. But you might spark up a conversation between the other rail birds.

The best conversations lead to a strategy discussion that can help improve all of your games. This aspect also creates a sense of community, where players help each other.

Of course, you do want to use some discretion during this process. Not everybody who comments on hands knows what they’re talking about.

Twitch Pulsar Poker Player

A good way to get around this problem is by waiting until they’re done playing and have more time to address everybody. You can then shoot them questions about previous hands, and they’ll have more time to compose their thoughts/comments.

Learning Poker Strategy Through Twitch Is Free

Some methods for improving at poker cost money, including books, coaching, and training sites. The cost for books and training isn’t usually very expensive, but these options still cost money, nonetheless.

Coaching can be very expensive depending upon which pro you’re learning from. You’ll end up spending hundreds of dollars per hour to learn from the best.

Twitch, on the other hand, is completely free. You only have to spend your time to watch experienced pros grind online.

Of course, some Twitch content is only available through subscription. For example, you might have to spend $5 or $10 to watch a specific segment of a pro’s session.

But Twitch offers so much free poker content that you don’t necessarily have to pay for a subscription to anything. The pros already make money by sharing in advertising revenue with the site.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Twitch Streams

Twitch Pulsar Poker Game

You don’t need any specific plan of attack when watching Twitch streams. Instead, you can simply choose some well-known pros and check out their streams to pick up tips.

Twitch Pulsar Poker Games

But you can learn so much more from Twitch by going in with a smart plan. Here are some tips for how you can get the most out of watching other poker players’ livestreams.

Watch a Variety of Successful Players

Every poker pro has their specific strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, you want to watch multiple successful players to get a full range of tips and advice.

Some pros are really good at preflop play, while others are excellent at post-flop decisions.

You especially want to differentiate between players who specialize in cash games, sit and go’s, and multi-table tournaments. While pros are usually good at all of these mediums, they likely excel at one type of poker over the others.

Take Notes

You can pick up lots of tips just by intently watching poker pros on Twitch. However, you’re likely to forget much of what you learned over time.

Rather than simply viewing these streams, you should take notes and be more active when learning strategy. Notes serve as perfect references for remembering what you’ve learned weeks or months down the road.

For example, you might see a pro make an excellent check-raise on the turn. You can then jot down each scenario and the explanation behind their decision. Even if you eventually become a pro poker player, there are some tips you just won’t want to forget.

Check Out the VODs

Twitch livestreams give you an opportunity to interact with a poker pro. You can therefore ask questions and make comments in the moment.

However, you don’t have to catch streams live. Many pros make their content available through video on demand (VOD).

VODs allow you to watch streams that have already played.

These replays are also excellent for when you want to re-watch a specific hand or series of hands. It’s easier to take notes when you’re able to view the same content as many times as necessary.

Be Entertained – But Also Serious

I’ve mentioned several times how Twitch offers an entertaining way to study poker strategy. You can see how pros play the game and even interact with them and other viewers.

But your sole focus shouldn’t be the entertainment aspect. You also need to keep a serious mindset about the matter.

Don’t just mindlessly watch a Twitch stream while casually observing how pros play. Instead, you should think about every hand analytically and what you would do in each situation.

Get the Most Out of Your Time

Twitch features so many different poker streamers that you could literally spend all day on this site. Of course, you eventually need to play yourself and put what you’ve learned into practice.

Therefore, you can’t spend all day watching others play poker and expect to improve.

Everything from taking notes to looking at hands analytically will help you get the most out of your time. You may even want to limit yourself to a specific amount of time while watching Twitch. Doing so creates a greater sense of urgency and helps you pay closer attention.

Conclusion

You can learn poker strategy through plenty of means, but you should definitely consider dedicating the bulk of your time to learning through Twitch.

This livestreaming service offers a number of advantages over other methods of studying poker strategy. First off, you can learn how to play better by watching real pros.

Many professional players now stream their sessions via Twitch. Their content is free and doesn’t require a subscription in the majority of cases.

Learning poker through Twitch is also more entertaining than other methods. Livestreaming gives pros a chance to tell stories and thoroughly explain their decisions. In cases like Parker Talbot, they can even showcase their colorful personalities.

Yet one more advantage is the fact that Twitch is free. You don’t have to spend anything to watch these pros, unless you feel like paying for the occasional subscription content.

You’ll pick up plenty of tips just by watching professionals through Twitch. However, you should go the extra mile to ensure that you get the absolute most out of your learning sessions.

Watching a variety of pros, taking notes, and checking out VODs are all ways to improve. You also want to take a serious mindset into each session, rather than viewing livestreams solely for entertainment.

I’m not saying that other poker strategy methods like articles, books, and training videos don’t have their usefulness too. But you should strongly consider at least trying Twitch if you haven’t done so already.