RecPoker is made up of a positive and supportive community. We want that to grow and thrive and this is how we accomplish it.
Meet the RECing Crew that helps us build everything we do. Learn about it and even consider joining us!
The first step to becoming a bigger part of RecPoker is to sign up for your free membership. You can also upgrade and sign up for a premium membership.
Our History & Culture
RecPoker is a vibrant and encouraging poker learning community. Everything we do is to help recreational poker players (including ourselves) connect with people we enjoy and learn the game we love.
We have come a long way since Steve Fredlund started a local Minnesota podcast in 2016. We have fantastic content that will help you improve your game, but our growth has been fueled by our passion for learning in the context of community, surrounded by other encouraging players all looking to get better and build relationships. Here’s a screenshot from the main planning document Steve and Jim used to shape the organization that RecPoker would become:
One of the questions we are often asked is ”How is RecPoker different from all the other training sites on the market?” Fair question with an easy answer: no other groups out there have as many 1:1 and group engagement sessions where you can talk to real people – your peers! – about your love of poker. If you are like us, you want to get better at the game but make sure you don’t lose your passion for playing. This is where RecPoker comes in… we connect you with others who are passionate to keep that fire burning hot and then equip you with the content and opportunities to continually improve your skill edge whenever you sit down at the table.
In summary, we give you the skills you need to crush your home games, bar leagues, or smaller buy-in casino tournaments, all while making great friendships and having amazing experiences along the way.
What We Want
You’ll see the words “vibrant” and “encouraging” a lot around RecPoker Nation, because that’s the kind of poker community we want to be!
We believe that in order to learn, you have to feel like you can ask questions and not be afraid of being made fun of or attacked – how can any of us ever learn anything if we only ever share about things we already know? Part of learning is being open to making errors and feeling comfortable sharing those uncertainties with a group of people you can trust and respect. So that is what we are all about here at rec.poker – none of us are experts, but we all contribute to each other’s poker journey in some way, and we have a GREAT time doing it!
What We DON’T Want
So what does that actually mean for rec.poker events and spaces? Well, we don’t tolerate berating players or putting other people down, and we don’t use vulgar or offensive language. So if someone tries to post a comment or reply that contains any promotional links or offensive language, that post is automatically held back for review by our moderators. If they decide it is meant to be offensive, it will simply be deleted before it can be seen by anyone else. If you had a post or reply held back for moderation and you think it has been held back by mistake or improperly, just email info@rec.poker and we’ll see what we can do to get your comment out there for RecPoker Nation to enjoy! We’re not perfect either, so if you have some ideas on how we can make these guidelines and policies better for everyone, PLEASE tell us. We know this isn’t a perfect solution but we are trying our best to solve a difficult problem.
How We Accomplish It
Similarly if people are speaking rudely in the chat of our home games or other places, please let us know! No-one can avoid getting upset at the tables from time to time but each of us CAN control the language we choose to use with others, whether it’s live or in the chat box online. When we feel like someone isn’t acting in an encouraging and positive manner, we’ll often reach out with a friendly warning first to make sure they know what RecPoker is all about, but we have suspended accounts or in rare cases banned them if unwanted behavior continues. Most of the people that join our community already know what kind of company we like to keep – the kind that loves poker, wants to get better at it, and have fun doing it!
Join the Cause (Peer Moderation)
We try our best to make sure no bad actors get in, but if you do see someone getting out of line, you can help our administrators by reporting content or behavior that doesn’t belong. To report content, simply click the ‘Report’ buttons found in one of two locations: (1) below the comment or, (2) in the ‘More Actions’ menu beside a specific reply.
External Content
The final way we keep rec.poker vibrant and encouraging is by limiting the people that can post links. Of course we’d love for everyone to be able to link to all their favorite stuff to share with the rest of RecPoker Nation, but we remain a mostly FREE community and until we have the resources to add a comprehensive security system to monitor and regulate the links people can use, we’ve decided the best way to stop spammers and bad actors is to simply restrict link-sharing to our RECing Crew members, site moderators, and admins. Until that day, anyone is free to post on our “Classifieds” Discord channel if they have something to buy, sell, trade, give away, promote or solicit – but we don’t monitor that channel or vouch for anything listed there. If you are interested in helping us as a moderator, email info@rec.poker to start a conversation about what is involved, and HERE are some details about joining the RECing Crew and how YOU can start spreading your own poker story and experience with RecPoker Nation – and beyond! In the meantime, our moderators will likely continue to block most links unless they are purely educational and devoid of personal gain.
How to Share Content
To make it easier to share with other members without using links, we’ve made it possible for ANY member to upload and share various file types, like exports from PokerTracker, Equilab, Flopzilla, GTO+ and many other common ways that poker players like to exchange information and ranges and scenarios. So go check out the Forums and post away – See you there!
What the pros are saying
“I have been encouraged by the professionalism and passion for learning the game and sharing those insights with others”
“RecPoker brings you excellent poker content to both enlighten and entertain you. If you want to improve at poker, they can help you do exactly that.”
Having interviewed thousands of people in my career in poker, I am trained to get an immediate sense of what type of energy the other person can bring. RecPoker blew me away right away with positive, contagious energy and a true love for the game.
“A site and podcast that is sure to lead the recreational, hometown player to bettering their game without compromising the fun and enjoyment that is a vital part of any worthwhile game”
“I’ve always had a passion for trying to positively grow the game of poker, and in Steve I’ve found a guy who I think far exceeds my own drive at making the game be more approachable for players of all skill levels. Contributing to Rec Poker has always felt like a natural fit for me, and as I chat more and more with Steve I’ve found not only is he passionate and professional, but he’s actually a damn good poker player too who’s always striving to improve.”
“Steve has a great poker podcast that I have had the pleasure of being interviewed on. His passion for the beautiful game of poker shine through in his energy and the interesting questions he asks of his guests.”
What the recs are saying
Matt Hamilton: “Whether you are a newcomer or seasoned veteran when it comes to playing NLH, RecPoker will offer you insight that’s hard to find elsewhere. Designed with the intention to be easily digestible for the recreational player, RecPoker hits on strategy pieces and insights that will not only introduce novice players to more intricate parts of the game, but it will help quickly curb them to become more profitable and comfortable. I have listened to a lot of content from RecPoker, and can confidently say that though it is designed to be understood for the recreational, serious players will also benefit from the content. I highly recommend taking advantage of the content available through RecPoker.”
John Barrows, Casino Tournament Manager, Running Aces Casino and Racetrack: “The work that Steve has done to drive successful strategies for the Rec player is nothing short of remarkable. Every time he plays, he takes what he learns and applies it to his content. He’s definitely found a strategy for long-term success in the daily poker tournament arena. Furthermore, Steve’s charitable work with All In For Africa only further demonstrates his character and commitment to success!”
Derek Smith: “I have thoroughly enjoyed and absolutely learned a ton from being involved with and regularly listening to the Rec Poker Podcast. I greatly appreciate and admire Steve and his many efforts, and can without a doubt say my own game has improved because of the podcast content, interactions with Steve, and through the connections I’ve been afforded due to being a part of the ‘the tribe’! ”
Brad Olson: “As a new poker player, I was very overwhelmed with all of the resources available to players. However, most options are tailored toward players with a lot of experience. RecPoker is able to bridge the gap and provide content that is great for newer players and experienced players alike. Listening to the podcast has improved my understanding of the game tremendously. Steve also has a great knack for asking probing questions in his interviews and discussions. Steve is also very entertaining while being informative, whether doing a hand breakdown or talking about a bad beat.”