Octopi Poker

Beyond the Solver

15 Blueprints to Exploit Common Population Mistakes

If I had 15 sessions to improve a tournamentplayer’s game as fast as possible, this isexactly what I would teach.
— Thomas Boivin

Screenshot of the Octopi Academy lesson interface showing the Beyond The Solver course curriculum

Beyond The Solver breaks down the 15 highest-leverage areas of focus in tournament poker, taught through video sessions that combine clear instruction from Thomas with integrated quizzes and hands-on drills that turn concepts into reps you can apply at the table. You get lifetime access to every session, so the course keeps paying off long after the three weeks are over.

The course is hosted on Octopi Academy — our learning platform where all of our structured content lives in one place. You'll find courses from Thomas, Matt Hunt, and other Octopi coaches alongside the drills and quizzes that make each lesson stick.


What You Get

Study, practice, and coaching in one program

  • 160+ Video LessonsGTO baseline, then node-locking and exploitations for every topic
  • Octopi Pro IncludedFull platform access for the duration of the course
  • Quizzes & DrillsActive practice integrated into every session, not just videos
  • Leaderboard With PrizesCompete for rewards while you study
  • Lifetime AccessAll lesson content is yours to keep and revisit

How It Works

Three weeks, four milestones

Week 1

1

May 4th – 10th

Sessions 1–5. Preflop foundations and early postflop play.

Week 2

2

May 11th – 17th

Sessions 6–10. SRP depth, 3-bet pots, and blind vs. blind postflop.

Week 3

3

May 18th – 24th

Sessions 11–15. Turn play, multiway, ICM postflop, and WSOP prep.

Catch-up

4

May 25th – June 1st

Catch-up week and closing event.


The 15 Sessions

GTO, node-locking, and exploitation

Week 1 — Foundations and Core SRP

00Introduction to the CourseThomas Boivin

Thomas walks through the course structure, what to expect from each week, and how to get the most out of the curriculum. Sets the framework for everything that follows.

01SRP Postflop: HJ/EP vs. BBThomas Boivin

Postflop play in single-raised pots when early and middle positions open against the big blind. Betting and checking frequencies, sizing across board textures, and the population-level deviations that create the most profitable adjustments.

02SRP Postflop: BU vs. BBThomas Boivin

The most common postflop dynamic in tournament poker. How button vs. big blind play differs from earlier positions — simplified textures, GTO c-bet baselines, and where to find the biggest exploitative edges in live fields.

03Preflop RFI: All Positions and vs. RFIBrian Hastings

RFI construction from every position and how to respond when facing opens. GTO baselines first, then recommended exploitations for the tendencies you’ll actually see in live fields — who folds too much, who calls too wide, and how to size accordingly.

04Facing 3-Bets: Preflop and PostflopBrian Hastings

How to respond when you get 3-bet, both preflop and when you see a flop. Navigating postflop play as the caller in 3-bet pots — when to continue, when to fold, and how to exploit opponents who c-bet too frequently or give up too easily on later streets.

05Blind vs. Blind: PreflopMatt Hunt

Preflop strategy when the action folds to the blinds. Open-raising, 3-betting, and defending ranges in BvB spots — where most players leave the most equity on the table and how to exploit their tendencies preflop.

Week 2 — SRP Depth and 3-Bet Pots

06Preflop ICM: Final Tables and Bubble CliffsThomas Boivin

How ICM pressure reshapes preflop strategy at final tables and on the bubble. Risk premium adjustments, when to tighten, when to apply pressure, and where most players miscalculate the value of survival vs. chip accumulation.

07SRP vs. Small Blind (Both Sides)Matt Hunt

SRP play from both sides of the small blind — as the opener and as the defender. How the small blind’s positional disadvantage changes correct strategy, and where population tendencies create the largest gaps to exploit.

08SRP Between Non-Blinds (Both Sides)Thomas Boivin

Postflop play in single-raised pots between non-blind positions. How strategy shifts when both players have positional awareness, and the equilibrium and exploitation frameworks for these less-studied but high-frequency spots.

093-Bet Pots: Between Non-BlindsThomas Boivin

Navigating 3-bet pots between non-blind positions. Construction, sizing, and postflop play when stacks are deeper and positional dynamics are cleaner — plus the exploitative adjustments for players who fold too much or call too wide to 3-bets.

103-Bet Pots: SB vs. In PositionBrian Hastings

3-bet pot dynamics when the small blind is the aggressor against an in-position caller. How being out of position as the 3-bettor changes postflop strategy, and where the biggest population mistakes create exploitable edges.

Week 3 — Advanced and Tournament Edge

11Blind vs. Blind: PostflopBrian Hastings

Postflop play in blind vs. blind pots — one of the most frequently misplayed dynamics in tournament poker. Postflop lines in and out of position, and how to exploit the specific tendencies players show when the action folds to the blinds.

12Turn ConceptsThomas Boivin

Multi-street aggression and turn-specific principles: when to fire second and third barrels, how to construct bluffing ranges on later streets, and the population-level tendencies around turn and river fold frequencies that make this one of the most profitable areas to study.

13Multiway Postflop PrinciplesMatt Hunt

How strategy shifts in 3+ player pots — tighter ranges, less bluffing, changed sizing. Advanced heuristics for multiway scenarios and how to exploit the biggest population mistakes without overextending.

14ICM Postflop: SRP IP vs. BB (Both Sides)Brian Hastings

How ICM pressure changes postflop play in single-raised pots when in position against the big blind — covered from both sides. The adjustments to betting frequency, sizing, and aggression when pay jumps and survival equity reshape every decision.

15WSOP Prep and Outside the TablesThomas Boivin

Everything outside the felt that affects your results — bankroll management, game selection, mental game, travel logistics, and how to prepare for a major live series. The practical side of turning study into sustained tournament success.

Secure Your Spot

Your Coaches

Three Coaches to Guide You

Thomas Boivin, lead coach and designer of the Beyond The Solver course

Thomas Boivin

Lead Coach & Course Designer

Designed every topic, teaching sequence, and exploitation framework in this course.

  • ~$17M live earnings, #1 Belgium All-Time
  • $8.42M+ in live winnings in 2025
  • 8 WSOP final tables, $2.29M at WSOP Paradise
  • 12 years as a professional poker player
  • 5 years coaching amateurs to elite high-stakes players

Contributing Coaches

Brian Hastings, 6-time WSOP bracelet winner and contributing coach
Brian Hastings
6× WSOP Bracelet Winner

Contributes sessions on topics where his experience runs deepest.

  • 6 WSOP bracelets across multiple formats
  • High stakes player (NLH, PLO, mixed games)
Matt Hunt, $3M+ online tournament earnings and contributing coach
Matt Hunt
$3M+ Online Tournament Earnings

Contributes sessions drawn from years of hands-on coaching work.

  • 5,000+ hours of 1-on-1 coaching since 2013
  • Students: $5M+ in live earnings since 2023

Course Pricing

Course runs from May 4th – June 1st.
Registration opens April 23rd.

Beyond the Solver

15 Blueprints to Exploit Common Population Mistakes

$999
  • 15 blueprints, 160+ lessons, 23 hours of video
  • GTO, node-locking, and exploitation
  • Quizzes and Octopi Trainer drills
  • Octopi Professional plan included
  • Weekly live Q&A with Thomas
  • Small-group workshop sessions
  • Private Discord community
  • Leaderboard with prizes

Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestions

I already use solvers — how is this different from working through spots on my own?
The course is built on two pillars: structure and exploit. Every lesson is organized around bullet points, takeaways, and the heuristics we think are most valuable to teach right now — no aimless solver browsing for 45 minutes. Then roughly half of each session is dedicated to exploits. We took real data on how the population plays and ran custom sims to show exactly how to exploit them. It's a blueprint you can apply in your next series right away.
What skill level do I need to get value from this?
This isn't for complete beginners who've never opened a solver. If you've watched a course before, have a subscription to any study platform, or have browsed through a few sims — you understand how solvers work — you're ready. Whether you're a low-stakes player, a mid-stakes regular, or a grinder who studies every day, there's something to take from every session. The grinder might only take one new thing per day — but one new thing applied across a year of play is a serious edge.
Will this apply to my stakes?
If you play anything under $25k live or below a $500 average buy-in online, this absolutely applies. The exploits and heuristics target weaker, non-elite populations — which is about 95% of the field. Thomas plays everything from $80 local clubs to $200k live and $100 buy-ins online, and there's almost no table where there isn't something to exploit. The only players this isn't for are super high-stakes regulars playing against other elite pros.
How much of the course is GTO vs. exploitative play?
Roughly 50-50. The first half of each session covers the baseline — the GTO heuristics at a semi-advanced level, including spots where the common understanding is actually wrong. Once we've fixed those leaks, the second half shifts to exploits: taking the data on how the population plays and showing exactly how to adapt your strategy against them.
How much time will it take?
Each lesson is roughly 90-minutes of video content, plus quizzes and drills designed to test and reinforce what you learned. If you take your time and do it thoroughly, around two hours per day is comfortable. If you watch videos faster and skip ahead when you already know some of the content, 60-90 minutes is more realistic.
Can I go at my own pace, or do I need to keep up with the schedule?
Sessions are designed to be taken across 3 weeks, with a fourth catch-up week built in. You have lifetime access to all video content, so you can revisit any lesson at any time. The leaderboard and live events run on the course timeline, but the content itself stays available to you forever.
Is this recycled content from previous courses?
No. Every minute of this course is brand new, created specifically for this launch. All the sims were re-run, all the exploits were re-explored, and the content is built around the population leaks that Thomas has identified as most persistent — many of which have held for 5-10 years. What you learn will be applicable for a long time to come.
How do I retain and apply what I learn?
The course is built for active learning, not passive watching. Each lesson links directly to Octopi Trainer drills so you can practice what you just learned. After each video there's a quiz that reinforces the key takeaways. Weekly live events let you share exploits, meet other students, and hear how people are applying the material in their own games.
Do I need an Octopi subscription to participate?
No. Octopi Professional plan access is included for the full duration of the course. After the course ends, drills require an active membership — but all video content is yours to keep.
What if I already have an Octopi subscription?
We'll credit you with an additional month of Professional access.
How much of the course does Thomas personally teach?
Thomas designed the entire curriculum and teaches the majority of sessions. Brian Hastings and Matt Hunt contribute lessons on specific topics in their areas of deepest expertise.
When does the course run?
May 4th through June 1st, 2026. Registration opens April 23rd. Three weeks of structured curriculum followed by a catch-up week and closing event.

Beyond the Solver

15 Blueprints to Exploit Common Population Mistakes

15 topics. 3 weeks. Bridge the gap between studying and winning.

Course runs from May 4th – June 1st · Registration opens April 23rd

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