Up The Stakes was built by poker coach Nelson Dong out of frustration with how most poker education is taught. Nelson argues that the industry's standard coaching approach solves the wrong problem, and built Up The Stakes as a corrective: a live, structured program instead of another set of static lessons.

The program runs in focused six-week cohorts with a strict cap on spots, keeping the group small enough that structure and accountability actually stick instead of getting lost in a larger course.