The revolutionary Upstakes project brings a staking approach to the poker world that’s all about talent and performance, rather than connections or acquaintances. Here’s the simple concept: pay an entry fee, take an online GTO challenge featuring real poker situations, and prove your skills. Achieve the set score, and you'll receive an individual staking plan. We introduced the project's principle in a previous article you can find here.
Since the creators of this project claim staking is simple and truly accessible to everyone, we tested this process ourselves in our editorial and provide you with a step-by-step detailed review of how it all works and our impressions of the experience. Let’s get started!
1. Introduction and Registration
The beginning is straightforward and easy: head to the Upstakes website and create an account using your email and password. The site greets us with a modern and stylish design. For the GTO challenge, a computer is recommended, but the site is fully responsive and works well on any device.
The registration process kicks off simply: provide an email, password, and optionally create a username. A verification email will be sent to you, and a single click will confirm your email address.
2. Verification
The next step in registration is identity verification. The easiest way is via your mobile by scanning a QR code, where you’ll take a photo of your ID (passport, ID card, or residence permit) and perform a quick face verification. The process is fast and straightforward, with a sleek and brisk interface that presented no technical issues during our testing.
3. GTO Challenge
Once you've chosen and paid the entry fee, you can take the Upstakes Challenge - 100 real poker situations based on the Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategy that will test your decision-making. The challenge takes about an hour, and it's recommended to have a quiet environment to fully concentrate.
Before diving into the main challenge, we recommend trying the Demo challenge. It consists of 10 GTO spots and gives you a feel of how the process works. Completing it provides valuable feedback on your weaknesses and a bonus 5% discount on the main challenge.
4. Challenge Evaluation
After completing the main challenge, comprising 100 spots from five tournament phases, participants receive a detailed performance analysis. If you exceed the required score, you'll unlock a staking plan with clearly defined parameters; its form is determined by the test result and internal project rules. Failure doesn't mean the end - you get an analytical report of your weak spots and the option to retake the test at any time.
Our Experience and Verdict
The Upstakes platform comes across as professional, with intuitive navigation and helpful feedback even if you don't immediately qualify for staking. We appreciate the focus on measurable performance. If you're looking for a more transparent path to staking and don’t mind KYC, Upstakes is worth a try.
In conclusion, if you decide to try Upstakes, you can support us by registering through our partner link. We wish you the best of luck with the test and hope that Upstakes brings you closer to fulfilling your poker dreams!
