The Galfond Challenge So Far

The Galfond Challenge has, of course, been the greatest advocate of Galfond’s skill in the four-card game. Some of the world’s best players have taken on Galfond, only for luminaries such as Chance Kornuth, VeniVidi1993, Bill Perkins, ActionFreak and Brandon Adams to come up short. Galfond’s current opponent is Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates.

“I love any action I can get,” said Galfond “and Jungleman is as fun of an opponent as I can hope for. The perfect combination of toughness and excitement.”

That’s for sure. Cates is not only known for his off-the-felt antics but also his propensity to crush in mixed games, including PLO. He is the back-to-back winner of the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, after all.

It’s time to see if the falcon can survive the jungle

My #GalfondChallenge vs. @junglemandan finally begins!

We’ll play this Thurs-Sat from (roughly) 8am-Noon PT.

You’ll be able to catch me streaming on: https://t.co/95rCI2yhQt

Sub so you get alerted when we go live! pic.twitter.com/lUGQN6RvSj

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) January 30, 2023

Welp, I started out down $115,000 to @junglemandan today, feeling good about my play the whole time! (Sorry, @Farah_Galfond )

Managed to turn it around to finish down “only” $35,000.

Totals:
-$77,500
~2,250 hands

~5,250 hands left to play in this #GalfondChallenge.

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) February 4, 2023

Play PLO Within Your Means

Galfond’s knowledge of PLO is so vast, and he’s been playing the game so long. A lot of the mistakes players make can be eradicated by Galfond’s course but the variance is bigger in PLO, so a huge part of how someone moves from profitable to professional is how they can cope with those swings.

“I think it’s extremely important to play within your means,” Galfond says. “People try to do this, but I think they often fail to realize just how small they need to be playing to maximize their EV while minimizing their risk of ruin.”

Part of the This is PLO course teaches players to think like a solver rather than act on the basis of solver answers. But what does that mean in real terms for an intermediate player who is looking to become a crusher in Pot Limit Omaha? Humans aren’t computers.

“It’s impossible to memorize solver strategies. The only way to truly succeed in learning from solvers is to figure out how to transpose the solver outputs into human logic that they can digest and then draw on in any situation they find themselves in at the table.”

READ MORE: Bracelet Winner Nathan Gamble Reviews Galfond’s This is PLO

Heads-Up and Multi-Way Pots

Heads-up PLO hands vary hugely from multi-way, of course. Some of the easiest lessons to learn about the changes to make between hands boil down to a simple formula that Galfond is happy to crystallise. He goes into it in a lot more detail in his Run It Once Training course.

“In short, multiway pots create more incentives for small betting, including to clear up equity for pretty good hands.” He says. “In heads up pots, it’s more about getting the amount of money into the pot that your hand wants.”

Making a consistent profit in PLO is tough and this course really gets to the heart of this exciting variant of the game of poker – the ‘four card’ game so named because you receive four hole cards rather than two. What makes it so fascinating for Galfond is how a poker variant develops.

An Event Horizon for PLO

Galfond can see that PLO is approaching a kind of event horizon, a place where it cannot be improved further. So, what’s next for PLO?

“I think we’re already close to our final point of understanding in PLO, much like we are with cash game No Limit Hold’em,” says Galfond. “Solvers can tell us so much already, but the most successful people will be the ones who can extrapolate from what the solvers are telling us.”

Remembering His WSOP Bracelet Victory

Galfond has enjoyed a stellar career at the felt, winning three WSOP bracelets to date, two of them in Pot Limit Omaha. The first time he won a WSOP bracelet was in 2008, when he took down the $5,000 PLO event for over $817,000 – still Galfond’s biggest tournament cash. It’s not surprise that this is still his fondest memory playing the game live.

“It has to be the 2008 WSOP $5k PLO rebuy bracelet event that I won,” he agrees. “The table was star-studded, and it was my first big live poker score. And obviously, the bracelet meant a lot to me.”

Galfond is dead right when he says the final table was packed with stars. Players who made the final nine include Brian Rast, Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, John Juanda, Johnny Chan and David Benyamine. It’s a huge honor to have put the hard work he’s put into PLO over the years into practice, and is closing in on $3 million at the live felt, let alone the millions he’s won online playing PLO.

This summer, Galfond will be heading back to Las Vegas in effort to put the nuggets of gold he teaches via his This is PLO course back into practice at the felt at the World Series of Poker.

“I’m not sure what this summer has in store for me yet, but I think I’ll likely play quite a bit!”

We can’t wait to see Phil Galfond back at the felt, online battling in the Galfond Challenge, and at the WSOP competing for gold again.

• 2 Tables of Heads Up Pot Limit Omaha
• Established number of hands (between 10,000-35,000 hands)
• Galfond would lay odds

Phil is a perfect 5-for-5 against some of the top players in the world including Venividi, ActionFreak, Chance Kornuth, Brandon Adams, and Dan “Jungleman” Cates. Combined, he is up over $1,500,000 from his opponents between the poker and side bets.

What does this have to do with learning the great game of Pot Limit Omaha? Simple: Phil has turned his hundreds of thousands of hands into a course for his Run It Once Training site called This Is PLO. In it you’ll reap the rewards of his having broken down thousands of hands and running them through the solver, then sitting down to record his thoughts of how to play PLO.

For all intents and purposes, there are two ways to learn any type of poker: through intuition and through studying. Intuition lends itself to watching others play, feeling out the right time to bluff, watching what hands win at showdown, and figuring out how to manipulate situations to your advantage at the table in order to win the most with your best hand and win when you have the worst of it. Many modern players, however, lean towards studying and putting in work away from the table in order to understand the fundamental mathematical reason and the why behind every decision at the table.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Buy the Course?

This Is PLO is for the truly serious poker player who wants to dig into the depths of the game and uncover every nuanced reason for being in Omaha. Phil has put together a course that covers over 15 different segments of the game tree. Each segment of the game tree is broken down into four different branches, and each branch has 3-5 separate leaves. If the conversation of a game tree and the multiple facets of decision that fall off it leaves you scratching your head then it’s recommended to look elsewhere to learn the fundamentals of PLO. A wonderful spot to start this journey is through the more beginner level PLO course From The Ground Up on RIO. But if you’re serious about taking your game to the next level, this is the course for you!

As you can see illustrated in the screenshot below, each tab is broken out into Dynamic Boards, Straight Boards, Flush Boards, and Paired Boards.

The first few videos within the course are all about the fundamentals and delve into the math behind calling ranges and Minimum Defense Frequencies required to call down your opponent based off their bet sizing. It is very dry, it is very much like a professor walking his class through a problem on the chalk board. It is what’s required to win.

You will need to break it up in to multiple sessions and probably go back and rewatch it to make sure it sinks in. This section of the course is also inherently necessary to understanding the base level strategy in order to lay the foundation for your entire game so that you don’t have any fundamental flaws or leaks. You are going to need to understand terms like MDF, 1-A, and also want to learn from a mathematical perspective. In short, you need to be prepared to go back to school and unlearn all of what you thought you knew about PLO.

This being said, Galfond actively encourages the student to learn from a solver, understand the whys and hows of what it recommends, and then understand how to incorporate it into your game and deviate accordingly. It’s more than plugging situations into a computer; it’s also understanding the information that comes out. Naturally, it would also be sensible to have some working knowledge of the Run It Once Vision GTO Trainer tool in order to get the most out of this course.

READ MORE: Vision GTO Training Tool Review

In order to deviate from proper play, you must first know what proper play is. Once you make your way out of the fundamentals there are still plenty more lessons to dive into and Phil uses real life examples of hands he played in his heads up matches and explains his reasoning behind each of his decisions. This, coupled with some solver work to help provide clarity to the fundamental approach, enables Phil to provide a holistic answer on how and why decisions are made in PLO. Sometimes he follows what a solver would do, while other times he walks his own path, but there is always a what and a why for the play at hand.

To paraphrase one segment of Galfond’s videos: I’ll simplify my strategy slightly against what a solver would do and it may lose EV but it’s easier to implement in the long run, which means it’s a better strategy as I can stick to it and know what I’m doing across all situations.

The vast majority of This Is PLO material is based off of Galfond’s Heads-Up play from his challenge but don’t let that dissuade you; all of the fundamentals crossover and will strengthen your PLO game no matter how many players are at the table. If that doesn’t convince you then keep in mind there is also a 6-Max section.

Galfond pairs up with Richard Gryko for 20 different videos covering the nuanced differences between playing PLO Heads-Up vs. multiway. Gryko has multiple solo videos where he breaks down the theory of different spots and, to quote a friend, “Richard Gryko is an amazing player but isn’t the best teacher”. The theory videos are akin to going back to college and trying to stay awake during your 9am Physics class taught by your least favorite professor.

They are extremely dense in knowledge and, as such, if you want to truly ingest the information, you’ll need to watch it multiple times. With that said, they are important and are going to help you build an overall strategy if you give them their due. Thankfully the other 75% of the 6-max coursework is much more palpable.

Phil sits alongside Grkyo and they banter back and forth about situations: what Phil would do, why he would do it, what the theory dictates, and what his counterpart actually did in reality. It helps drive home the concepts and the differences between the two worlds; as much as some players may buy this course and think they can skip all the Heads-Up content and dive solely into the 6-max videos, I would challenge this idea and suggest that it would be detrimental to their overall learning. Spend the time on all sections and allow this section to sharpen your overall game.

Clearly This Is PLO is for professionals who look to make their living by knowing how their four cards interact with their opponents ranges and a variety of board textures. If you play PLO as more than a passing fancy online at stakes of $2-5 or higher or live at $5-10 and above, you are doing yourself a disservice by not buying this course and putting in the hours away from the table to become the best version on yourself at the table. It is a time commitment, as well as a monetary commitment, but it will reap huge rewards in a very short time. Plainly speaking, the $2,499 you invest will be a distant memory as your hourly increases and pays for the course in all but a handful of sessions.

Phil Galfond’s This is PLO: Pros vs. Cons

Pros:

• Most knowledgeable coach in the entire world
• Extremely extensive material, hundreds of videos broken down in a comprehensive manner
• More material being uploaded regularly

Cons:

• Expensive
• Helps to have a basis in solvers to learn faster, mathematically based

Let’s be clear: Phil Galfond’s This Is PLO isn’t for the faint of heart. If you buy it then you’re committing to hundreds of hours of video content, thought experiments, and familiarization with new terms and concepts. You truly have to want to get better at your Pot Limit Omaha game and that isn’t for everyone. There is a purity to the game that will be stripped away and the notion that it’s “just a game that you can gamble on and get large amounts of chips in willy-nilly” will vanish. But then again, everyone around you will still have that notion and you’ll be left picking up the free money that sits down on a daily basis.

READ MORE: Phil Galfond Discusses This is PLO, His First Ever Full-Length Course for Run It Once

That latter bit has always been celebrated and admired in the poker world, but only recently has Galfond gone all-in with his talents to have created his first ever full-length course for Run It Once Training entitled This Is PLO.

For many serious poker players, just hearing that one of the game’s greatest-ever players and instructors created the new course was enough to have insta-registered. Others have chosen to wait on the sidelines a bit for some testimonials before deciding whether or not to take the plunge and purchase the course, the priciest one in the company’s history.

In this exclusive interview, we sat with Galfond himself to get a better understanding of the process that went into his creating This Is PLO and gain insight as to what guided his preparation and content production. We’ll also hear his true thoughts with regard to whom he feels would benefit most from the course and why it’s a worthwhile investment for players who want to improve their Pot Limit Omaha game.

While you’ve run one of poker’s best training sites for years and have created tons of videos and training content as an instructor, you’ve never created a full-length course of your own up until This is PLO. What drove you to want to do that in the first place?

I had the idea a long time ago! When I began my challenges, I immediately had the goal of creating a course out of the process. As the challenges played out, I realized that I didn’t have the time and capacity to create a course while I was playing them, so I put the idea on the back burner, never sure if I’d ever get around to it.

Prior to beginning to produce the videos, how did you decide how to structure the course’s content in the first place? Did you make any tweaks to your original structure along the way?

What stood out to me in the way that I learned and improved was how segmented the different board textures were. When I studied my delay c-bet strategy on paired boards, it had absolutely nothing to do with my delay c-bet strategy on unpaired flush boards, for example. So, I wanted a way to address every significant part of the game tree with that separation between board textures.

I wouldn’t say that I changed the plan once I started, but I did keep adding more and more videos than I expected to because I realized that there was more and more to cover.

For the most part, each of the course’s videos is approximately 20-30 minutes in length. How did you decide on that particular timeframe? About how long did it take to produce each video?

I aimed for 30 minutes a video, but because I separated things into so many different specific scenarios, occasionally the strategy for one of the spots was quite simple, especially once I simplified it from the solver outputs (which is a theme of my course), so I stopped short when I felt I’d be wasting students’ time reiterating the same points.

Some videos essentially took me just the recording time to create, while others took as many as 12 hours to plan and record.

How long did it take from initial conception and deciding you wanted to create this course until you released it in January? Did you sort of have a daily/weekly routine re: how much you worked on it, or was it more of a side project?

It took about four months. I decided to finally create the course because we (Run It Once Poker) were so occupied with the process of selling the company that I was unable to play any poker in between my obligations relating to that.

Essentially, I worked six days a week, 10 hours a day, making videos whenever I wasn’t actively working on RIO Poker deal responsibilities.  There were a few days that I recorded over 10 videos!

What would you say were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the creation of your course content?

The sheer number of videos was the hardest part. That, and perfectionism. I would have never made a course if I didn’t force myself to get comfortable with just going for it, rather than waiting around and planning until it was perfect.

A big part of the reason we launched it in ‘early access’ was because it made me comfortable getting the course nearly finished, knowing that if I have some new ideas to round it out, I can continue to add to it.

Content creators often have an inner circle of people to bounce their raw work off, hoping to get constructive feedback in order to polish the final product. Undoubtedly, This Is PLO is your magnum opus. With that said, are there any shout-outs you’d like to give to some folks who helped you refine it along the way (and in what way did those individuals help)?

The entire RIO team was extremely helpful in facilitating my ambitious timeline of getting all of the videos edited, prettying up my PowerPoint presentations, etc. I actually didn’t bounce my work off of anyone from a strategy perspective. I had a very clear vision in my mind for how I wanted to teach what I’d learned.

This Is PLO’s landing page’s states that: “This course is for anyone who wants to improve their winrate at Pot Limit Omaha or who wants to think about the game at a higher level” and “You should purchase this course if you’re looking to improve your PLO game or if you’re interested in seeing how Phil Galfond, one of the best PLO players of all time, thinks about the game.” Realistically speaking, I wouldn’t expect a low-stakes PLO grinder to be shelling out $1,500 for any training course. So let’s ask sort of an inverse question: what “categories” of PLO players are not yet ready for a course like this?

I honestly think that players at every level above “I don’t know what a wrap is” can learn from this course, but the two major questions they need to ask themselves are:

• Is improving my game going to be worth this cost given my current level, my ambitions in poker, and my bankroll.
• If Heads Up PLO isn’t my focus, am I willing to learn key concepts in large part through examples of Heads Up PLO, and apply them to 6-max or 9-handed PLO, or will I find it unmotivating to see so many examples of a format I don’t play?

If you haven’t checked out This is PLO yet, here’s what you can expect from @PhilGalfond‘s course. pic.twitter.com/2BGfO7VexR

— Run It Once Training (@RunItOnce) March 4, 2022

One of your stated goals with this course is for it to act as kind of a shortcut for serious students, saving them hundreds of hours of solver study by training them to “think like a solver” in the first place. Similarly, you aim for players to “not have to rely on charts or solver outputs”. Is that to say that even players who’ve NEVER used charts or solvers to study would be able to make the most of this course, or is some basic familiarity with charts and solvers a prerequisite?

I don’t think any familiarity with charts or solvers is necessary, but realistically speaking, if someone has no familiarity at all with solvers whatsoever, they’re likely not at a stage in their poker journey where it makes sense to spend this much on a course.

Some of the course’s content includes you explaining how to use Run It Once’s Vision GTO Trainer. Please explain how this fits hand-in-hand with the methodology and approach to PLO that you’re advocating, rather than being in contrast to it.

I think that learning from solvers is integral to becoming an elite poker player, but I don’t think one needs to spend countless hours trying to memorize solver outputs. Instead, they need to turn solver outputs into heuristics that can be applied to whatever situation they might find themselves in. In this course, I walk them through doing just that, and I share my conclusions from my own solver study.

That said, I still believe that anyone looking to be great should study with solver tools, even after taking my course. I just believe that most people spend too much time and energy on it because they’re doing it the wrong way.

At $1,499, This Is PLO is by far the most expensive course that Run It Once Training has ever offered, and word on the street is that nonetheless sales have done really well since you launched it (congrats!). You’ve said that “when broken down by the number of hours, it’s very little per hour” and it’s quite clear that a serious student prepared to make an investment like this will undoubtedly recoup it swiftly at the tables. With all that said, $1,499 is still the “early access” price, featuring a $1,000 discount. Could you give our readers some sort of estimate as to when you expect the course to be offered at its full price of $2,499?

I’m working hard now with the goal of putting the finishing touches on the course before the World Series of Poker begins. That said, I decided to work with others to add some more 6-max focused content to the course, which could take some time and will be not fully within my control.

While This Is PLO is still available at the “early access” price, you’ve been gathering feedback and suggestions to decide what areas of the game tree to go even more in-depth on. What’s the nature of the feedback you’ve been getting thus far?

The feedback has been great, and I haven’t been asked for as many specific additions as I expected to be. The main thing I’ve been learning, not as much from those who’ve bought the course, but from those considering it, is that people want to see more 6-max focused content. So that’s my plan!

I’ll also be adding session reviews against multiple challengers and some 4-bet pot videos, which I haven’t yet covered in the course.

We’ve released the first video of @PhilGalfond‘s This is PLO on YouTube. Check it out to discover the structure of the course and how Phil will help you maximize your EV. https://t.co/PxcXpnAtAK

— Run It Once Training (@RunItOnce) January 28, 2022

You’re 4-for-4 in Galfond Challenges, and you’ve said that playing in those challenges was one of the key ingredients in you coming up with the material for This Is PLO. People used to ask Doyle Brunson back in the day if he was worried about giving away too many of his secrets in Super System. By the same token, is there any part of you that’s just a little bit concerned that some fellow online crusher is only too happy to pay for this course and use your own skills to their benefit in a future Galfond Challenge?

I was a little bit concerned about that, yes, but I have been struggling to find more challengers lately. Maybe this will make some people confident enough to step into the arena with me!

As far as paying for the course, I noticed that you currently offer three options: Skrill, PayPal, and credit card. In the future, will someone be able to purchase this – and other Run It Once Training materials – directly from an account balance in the eventually-relaunched Run It Once Poker client? Will any other payment options be added in the future?

At this time, we plan to stick with those payment methods, but we always welcome suggestions from users who can’t find an option that suits them!

Poker is constantly evolving, and players are constantly improving. Why do you feel that This Is PLO will “stand the test of time” and remain a top-tier poker training tool for years to come?

I think that the core concepts taught in This Is PLO won’t be invalidated by future advancements in the game. While study tools will continue to progress in the years to come, today’s solvers give the “real answers.”  The advancements in the future of solver tools will mostly be related to speed, ease of use, and ease of drawing conclusions.

So, while I’m not saying that I’ll never progress as a PLO player, I do believe that I had all of the info that I needed to teach concepts that will stand the test of time.

In your public video on the This is PLO landing page, you say that the course is “the culmination of nearly two decades playing and teaching.” Does that mean it’ll take another 20 years until we see the next course by Phil Galfond?

Haha! Honestly, maybe. This was hard work!

In all seriousness, the response to This Is PLO has been phenomenal. It seems like the poker world can never get enough Phil Galfond. In the event you DO someday decide to create another full-length course, what niche of poker do you think it would most likely cover?

The only other course that interests me right now would be a beginner course… teaching concepts that I believe all poker players need to know and that few are taught from the start. Let me finish this one and take a little break before considering it, though.

Of your 33 HendonMob live tournament results, 26 are from the WSOP, with your last non-WSOP result being almost a decade ago. Your last live WSOP result is from 2019. You’ve obviously got your hands full running the business, being an active father and husband, continuing to build out This Is PLO, etc, but with your fire to play poker newly lit once again, can we expect you to return to the WSOP this summer? If so, will you be playing a full schedule or just focusing on PLO events to try and claim bracelet #4?

Great question that I honestly don’t know the answer to! My passion right now is playing heads-up matches, so if I were to find one that excited me, I would probably even skip the WSOP entirely for it.  That said, I haven’t played WSOP (other than 2-3 small online events) since before the pandemic, so I miss that a little bit, too.

I go into every summer with a plan, and I leave every summer having done something different. We’ll see!

I’ll likely continue to skip non-Vegas-based events, just because I prefer being home with my family.

That said, whether you’re making a transition or Pot Limit Omaha is the first poker variant you’ve tackled, there is one problem that comes up immediately. How to learn to play the game correctly and adopt profitable strategies?

Phil Galfond’s training site Run It Once (or RIO, for short) offers a vast, excellent selection of coaching videos to help you become a better PLO player. However, if you prefer a more hands-on approach, the RIO Vision GTO Trainer, created by Matthias Pum, is just the tool you need.

RIO Vision GTO Trainer in a Nutshell

As you’re probably aware, PLO can be a very complicated game. With four hole cards instead of two, the decision-making process becomes increasingly complex. It’s hard to know what the best course of action is in different spots.

RIO Vision GTO Trainer is designed to help you address these concerns and find answers to all the questions you may have.

The tool allows you to easily set up different post-flop scenarios for heads-up and six-max PLO spots at 50bb and 100bb. The interface is quite intuitive, although it may take you a little while to get used to it and learn how to use all the available functionalities.

This is a good thing, though, as it means that RIO Vision GTO Trainer is a powerful piece of software that lets you break down all the different spots to the minute detail and get the answer you’re looking for. Plus, there are great video tutorials to help you understand how to use all these different options (scroll down to check them out).

RIO Vision GTO Trainer is a poker solver tool, which means it will supply you with mathematically optimal solutions for various spots. It will tell you how often you should check or bet in a certain spot and how to size your bets depending on the board texture.

However, unlike many solvers out there, this one is actually quite easy and intuitive to use, and you don’t have to wait long to get your results. It comes with preloaded GTO solutions for over 420 board textures and 11,000+ ready-made solver solutions, which eliminates the problem of long loading times.

UPDATE July 2022: 5-Card PLO simulations are now included in the RIO Vision GTO Trainer.

We’ve officially added 5-card PLO simulations to our GTO Trainer, Vision.

Now, you’re able to learn the basics of 5-card PLO, study tricky spots, or test yourself against others in Streak mode.

For more information, check out our website! https://t.co/kX8JrugQY9 pic.twitter.com/0BAaqlbMHi

— Run It Once Training (@RunItOnce) June 30, 2022

How to Make the Most Out of RIO Vision GTO Trainer?

This tool is probably not the best fit for absolute PLO beginners, as you still need to have a solid grasp and understanding of the game to make the most out of all the capabilities this software has to offer. That said, you don’t have to be an expert to use it, either.

The interface is very user-friendly, so setting up the scenarios you want to look at is easy. On the right-hand side, there is a panel where you can apply additional filters to further narrow things down and only focus on the boards you’re interested in, allowing you to save a lot of time.

Because the solutions have been computed ahead of time, you don’t need a powerful computer to use this tool. It even works on your mobile phone, which is quite revolutionary for poker solvers.

Once you figure things out, RIO Vision GTO Trainer allows you to set up everything exactly the way you want it. Whether it’s a button vs. big blind spot or you want to look into playing from the button against an early position raiser, you can easily create and study different scenarios.

If you want to make your learning experience more engaging, there is also the Vision Streak Mode. Here, you need to come up with correct answers for various spots, collecting leaderboard points along the way, and unlocking access to more streaks.

Value for Money: Is Vision Trainer a Good Investment?

The poker community is divided into two major camps. There are those who swear by the solvers and those who think that this type of software shouldn’t be around in the first place. But no one is denying these programs can be very helpful in shaping up your game.

When it comes to RIO Vision GTO Trainer, this tool has a lot going for it. Unlike many solvers out there, it’s really fast and doesn’t require you to have a supercomputer to make the most out of it. It is geared more towards an average PLO player looking to get better than someone already on a very high level.

As such, it is definitely a good buy for anyone looking for a tool they can use without much hassle. At under $100/month for the 6-max or the HU version (you can also get the package deal for under $150/month), it is great value for money even if you play at very low stakes.

Choosing an annual plan saves you 25% off the RIO Vision GTO Trainer monthly price

Of course, like all tools of this type, it won’t do the work for you. To get the highest value out of the software, you’ll need to spend the time analyzing hands, looking into GTO solutions, and understanding how these spots are solved. It’s impossible to memorize every single situation, but, with time, you can develop a very good feeling for “what a computer would do” in a certain spot.

All in all, if you’re serious about shaping up your PLO game, this tool will 100% help you on your journey. You’ll still need other resources to get there, but this is one that you can get for a very fair price and have handy whenever you feel like putting in some study time.

BONUS: Check out a the additional videos below, where Vision creator Matthias Pum guides you through the tool’s numerous various functionalities, including:

• Changing positions and flop texture
• Comparing our actions on different boards
• Introduction to practice mode
• Detailed practice mode overview
• Practicing with the frequency trainer
• Isolating specific hand categories
• Turn analysis in practice mode
• Exporting ranges with AutoHotkey
• River custom mode analysis
• Preflop custom mode analysis
• Analyzing rivers with MonkerSolver Free
• Saving and linking from custom preflop spots

In fact, Run It Once, one of the biggest poker training platforms around, is giving you the chance to purchase ALL courses at a big 25% discount + Elliot Roe’s A-Game Masteclass for 50% off!

What’s up for Grabs?

The RIO Black Friday sale has been designed so that players of all profiles should be able to take advantage. Whether you’re looking for some basic courses or more advanced lessons, there will be an opportunity to get what you’re after at a discount. There will be four stages of the Black Friday sale, to be announced gradually over the next two weeks:

• November 11 – 15: 25% discount on all From the Ground Up (FTGU) courses
• November 15 – 21: 25% off PADS on PADS + PLO puzzles
• November 22 – 25: 50% discount on A-Game Masterclass & 25% off on Annual Vision sub
• November 26 – 29: 25% OFF ALL COURSES/BOOKS/ANNUAL VISION PLANS & 50% OFF A-GAME POKER MASTERCLASS!

Beyond the four stages of the Black Friday promotion, head honcho Phil Galfond has announced something extra special:

PSA: @RunItOnce made its entire Essential library free for the next 7 days. 2,645 training videos are available to everyone with a basic account (free to open, no payment info needed, no strings attached).

Enjoy!

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) November 11, 2021

You read that correctly, all existing basic members as well as those who sign up for Run It Once can get FREE access to the essential plan! This promo will be active for one full week, starting November 11.

What Is RIO All About?

Most people involved in online poker already know about Run It Once and what it stands for. However, if you’re a newcomer or this information slipped by you, you might be wondering what the hype is all about.

Run It Once (or RIO for short) is a poker training platform founded by Phil Galfond, one of the most respected poker players around and arguably the best PLO player alive. Over the years, the site has become one of the top picks for everyone looking to improve their poker game, from beginners to experienced grinders.

In addition to Galfond, the site features lessons and courses from top pros such as Dan “Jungleman” Cates, Jason Koon, Sam Greenwood, Ben Sulsky, and Brian Hastings, to just mention a few.

The FTGU courses are designed to provide players with all the necessary knowledge and tools they need to be successful in whatever format they choose, be it MTTs, SNGs, or Pot Limit Omaha.

PADS on PADS is an advanced MTT course by Patrick Leonard, a man with over $15 million in combined live and online tournament earnings. This course can really help take your tournament game to the next level. You can read our review here.

Presented by Elliot Roe, A-Game Masterclass focuses on the mental side of poker, providing you with tools and strategies to always play your best game, teaching you how to deal with distractions and variance, and much more. You can read our review here.

Overall, Run It Once has something to offer to all players, and there’s never been a better moment to get involved. Even at their full cost, these courses are great value for money, but with these deep discounts, joining Run It Once is a no-brainer.

If you want to become better at poker, that is!

Negreanu’s previous challenge against Doug Polk seemed to ignite a new wave of interest in hyped-up heads-up matches. We know of at least two more challenges expected to happen before the end of the year, one of which sets billionaire recreational player Bill Perkins against 21-year-old poker prodigy Landon Tice.

The Galfond Challenge promises Phil Galfond against Dan “Jungleman” Cates at some point as well. These upcoming matches just scratch the surface of what’s possible in poker’s hottest form of content at the moment.

Image credit: capitalbay.news

What other heads-up matches could set the poker world ablaze? Let’s take a look at five heads-up challenges the poker world needs to see:

Fedor Holz vs. Chris Moneymaker

I’d pay money to watch poker icon Chris Moneymaker take on the semi-retired 27-year-old Fedor Holz. What’s not to like about this matchup, pitting the man who started the poker boom against a player who embodies everything about how the poker dream evolved into the 2010s and beyond?

These two players haven’t announced any such plan to engage in a heads-up battle for the ages. The announcement of the Joker’s Gambit charity chess event, which involves poker pros playing chess for charity, did give us this short exchange between the two:

Fuck that. No getting in labs. Play street chess like the rest of us

— Chris Moneymaker (@CMONEYMAKER) March 4, 2021

Moneymaker is ready to take it to the streets for Joker’s Gambit, while Holz is headed to the lab. A heads-up poker match between the two would likely feature that same approach to preparation.

Holz just came off a win in a heads-up match against Wiktor “Limitless” Malinowski. That challenge featured Holz and Malinowski trading needles over Zoom while they battled.

We need the same setup for Moneymaker vs. Holz.

Doug Polk vs. Wiktor “Limitless” Malinowski

Heads-up “supreme leader” Doug Polk isn’t ever shy about evaluating another player’s poker acumen. The Upswing Poker founder wasn’t impressed with Malinowski’s play against Holz, going so far as to say Malinowski played badly on purpose in an effort to get future HUNL action against other high stakes pros:

Is @Iimitless2 actually this bad or is he playing badly on purpose?

— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) March 5, 2021

Polk might not have a lot of poker playing left to do in 2021, as he’s indicated his return to the game to engage in the match against Negreanu marked a temporary return to poker.

The High Stakes Feud battle between Polk and Negreanu yielded delayed stream coverage on multiple poker media channels for every chapter of the match. That simultaneous coverage of the same match is something we’ve never really seen before in poker.

Anything Polk does at the table is must-see at this point, and a Polk-Malinowski match seems like a natural progression from each player’s previous heads-up challenge.

Phil Hellmuth vs. Johnnie Vibes

What kind of dynamic would unfold if modern-era cash game vlogger Johnnie “Vibes” Moreno took on 15-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth heads-up? The upcoming Hellmuth-Negreanu High Stakes Duel II match has the poker community talking, and that match is shaping up as perhaps the biggest poker story of 2021.

Moreno contends that the list of players that are willing to battle Hellmuth heads-up is “a mile long,” and includes Johnnie Vibes himself:

It’s tough cause I agree that PH is an all time icon in poker. But in the year 2021, I have my doubts that he works as hard as the professional field. There’s a list of people a mile long that would be willing to play him HU for 25K hands. I’d join that list.

— Johnnie VIBES (@JohnnieVibes) March 6, 2021

Moreno, a straight shooter and one of the more interesting creators in the poker content space these days, would be a fascinating counterpart to Hellmuth in a HUNL match. Let’s get the live Zoom feed going for this one as well.

Joey Ingram vs. The World

Joey Ingram’s hours of commentary on the Polk-Negreanu challenge seem to have inspired in him a newfound passion for heads-up no-limit hold’em. He’s succeeded in taking down a pair of live heads-up tournaments in Las Vegas since the end of High Stakes Feud.

Both the live appearances and the HUNL play are rare for Ingram, whose playing days were heavy on Pot-Limit Omaha before he settled into his current role as one of poker’s most influential content creators.

Ingram isn’t done with his new venture into HUNL:

I need to find some people to play HUNL sessions against at mid stakes to help me see how my game is coming along gotta test myself against someone else besides the bots

Also – looking for a platform to play games on

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) March 7, 2021

Ingram’s call for HUNL opponents prompted Matt Berkey, Benny Glaser, and David Tuchman to accept Ingram’s challenge.

Any of those matches would make for highly entertaining content. The list of potential other opponents for Ingram is amazing to contemplate; how about Ingram vs. Polk or Ingram vs. Hellmuth?

Tom Dwan vs. Gus Hansen

Season 8 of the newly rebooted High Stakes Poker from PokerGO has featured Tom Dwan in every episode, and Dwan has continued his long-running tradition of dominance on the show. Fresh off of that run, the poker world needs to see the inventor of a seminal heads-up match, the “Durrrr Challenge,” return to those heads-up roots.

If we’re thinking of opponents for Dwan in a “Durrr Challenge” revival, why not Gus Hansen? Seeing these two poker boom icons go at it in 2021 could potentially make for the most intriguing heads-up match on this list.

A mythical Dwan vs. Hansen match probably would be low on solver-approved play and high on entertainment value. Let’s get this high-stakes match going in a live format at the PokerGO Studio.

The Galfond Challenge

On November 19, 2019 Phil Galfond issued a high stakes poker heads up challenge to  promote Run It Once Poker. Bill Perkins, Daniel “Jungleman” Cates, and Chance Kornuth are some of the big names that accepted the challenge, but it would be the first match against Venividi1993 that highlighted the roller coaster ride of emotions playing 25K hands of €100/€200 PLO. The match began on January 22 with Venividi taking a nearly €400k commanding lead over Phil within two weeks. On February 11, Phil took to Twitter and provided his thoughts regarding the challenge. He announced that his downswing had grown to €900k, contemplated waving the white flag, and would take some time off from the challenge to determine if he would be ready to continue in March.

On February 26 Phil announced his decision on the Run It Once news page, concise and bold: “I’m gonna keep playing”. The rejuvenated Galfond got back into rhythm and progressively erased €400k of the lead by March 14. Phil and Venividi continued to battle hard every session with Phil getting closer to breaking even. With fewer than 100 hands remaining in the challenge, Phil won the pivotal €21.5k hand comfortably sat out and sealed the victory. Congratulations Phil and Venividi for creating some of the best heads up PLO action I have ever witnessed and good luck on your current match against Chance Kornuth!

The Ooka Luka

In early May, Norman Chad began posting short videos on YouTube titled The Ooka Luka is Here. He created a song and dance during a period of loneliness as a result of being apart from his wife, Toni, for an extended period of time, and the passing of his dog, Daisy. Jesse Fullen, of PokerNews, was hosting a WSOP stream on Twitch and informed the viewers of the Ooka Luka Challenge, a contest requiring the individual to film the Ooka Luka with the top 3 winning prizes.

I decided to throw my hat in the ring and filmed myself performing the Ooka Luka. I was excited when Norman announced that I placed third because I had taken a different approach and I had fun filming it. His movement of spreading positivity and message of treating others with respect has resonated with me.

There is still time to submit your Ooka Luka! Here is my submission @NormanChad @PokerNews #OokaLuka pic.twitter.com/6i5UFUUKHE

— Dano Arluison (@ManAllusion) August 18, 2020

After the challenge ended at the end of August, Norman launched the Ooka Luka Charity Challenge. He ‘challenged’ Tony Dunst and Ebony Kenney to create an Ooka Luka video, donate $50 to ‘Keep the Lights On’ and to challenge two others to do the Ooka Luka. Currently, there are over 100 videos of Norman performing the Ooka Luka. Be sure to watch one or two, it will brighten your day. If you’re slightly more daring, then perhaps you can show off the Ooka Luka to your friends and family!

The WSOP Online Summer Series

The annual excitement of a six week-long live poker series with thousands of players flocking to the Rio in Las Vegas, yearning for a shot to win a bracelet, heaps of cash, and competing live on the biggest stage would have to wait. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 World Series of Poker scheduled to start on May 27, was called off. Pivoting, the WSOP announced an Online Summer Series from July 1 to September 6 featuring 85 bracelet events split between WSOP.com (31) and GGPoker (54).

Notable pros winning their first bracelet included: Roberto Romanello, Daniel Dvoress, Eoghan O’Dea, and Connor Drinan. Four women won bracelets including Nahrain Tamero, Thi Truong, Melika Razavi, and partypoker ambassador Kristen Bicknell (her third). Other players who added to their career bracelet totals included: Michael Gathy, Joe McKeehen, Fedor Holz, Anson Tsang, David Peters, Alek Stasiak, Yuri Dzivielevski, Juha Helppi, Nick Binger, Tony Dunst, Kevin Gerhart, and Nathan Gamble. And of course we can’t forget to mention Stoyan Madanzhiev, who took down the Main Event for almost $4 million in the biggest single tournament online poker win in history.

Some other highlights from this year’s first fully-online WSOP included: Ryan Depaulo winning a bracelet while playing in a Whole Foods parking lot in New Jersey, Connor Drinan securing a $100k bracelet bet from Daniel Negreanu after winning the $10k Super Million$ event, and a Guinness World Record for ‘Largest Prize Pool for an Online Poker Tournament” for Event #46 $5K Main Event on GGPoker.

The Passing of Mike Sexton

The poker world was deeply saddened to hear the news of Mike Sexton’s battle against prostate cancer and eventual passing on September 6. Mike is regarded as the greatest ambassador of poker. His involvement with partypoker and the World Poker Tour have been immeasurable to the growth of the game.

The only silver lining was that , albeit for just a brief window, the entire poker community had the opportunity to pay tribute after tribute to Mike while he was still alive and could see just how universally beloved he was.

The World Poker Tour pays tribute to Mike Sexton. #ThankYouMikehttps://t.co/RkLnRN7ux2

— World Poker Tour (@WPT) September 8, 2020

I met Mike at the World Cup of Cards series held at the Playground Poker Club in Montreal in 2016. I had hoped that I would have played at the same table as him at some point throughout the tournament, but that opportunity did not come. I remember vividly the moment I introduced myself and shook his hand, I felt a great warmth and happiness simply to be in the presence of a true gentleman. You will not be forgotten Mike. Your stories on and off the felt will continue to be shared for years to come.

Negreanu vs. Polk Grudge Match

Doug Polk came out of retirement to issue a heads-up challenge that Daniel Negreanu felt compelled to accept. The history between these two poker greats has been a rocky one. Throughout recent years there have been quick jabs directed at each other either on Twitter or during live high roller tournaments. To me, this match is reminiscent of the Mayweather vs. McGregor with Doug listed as the heavy favourite, having been regarded as one of the best heads up no limit players. Daniel may be out of his element, but his perseverance and 20+ years experience in poker should not be overlooked.

I officially challenge Dnegs to a HUNL battle. I am hoping to leave with both his money, and my teeth still in my mouth. https://t.co/yE4ibc8Ydl

— Doug “Truck Driver” Polk (@DougPolkVids) July 28, 2020

The conditions of this match are as follows: 25K hands of $200/$400 No Limit Hold’em with an option to wave the white flag after 12.5k hands. On November 4, the first 200 hands were played live at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. It was refreshing to see no animosity between Doug and Daniel during the match. Action started right away in Hand #1 with Doug attempting a river bluff only for Negreanu to call with top pair. Two key hands involved both players making a river shove in position but it would be Daniel “Old Man Speeding” Negreanu securing a $117K win in round 1.

On November 6, Round 2 began on WSOP.com with the remaining hands to be played out exclusively online on two tables simultaneously. Now on Polk’s turf, the momentum has certainly shifted in his favor. The first online session saw several $100k pots all-in preflop fall in Polk’s favour. Doug ended the session winning $218K with fewer than 500 hands having been played. Expect to see more big pots and perhaps the return of some trash talk between these two as the grudge match continues.

The Return of High Stakes Poker

Poker fans should be thrilled that High Stakes Poker will be returning for an eighth season. If Twitter is anything to go by, the excitement for the show’s return is at fever pitch. Important questions that some might be thinking are: who will be in the lineup? Will Gabe Kaplan and AJ Benza return as hosts? Be sure to watch High Stakes Poker, exclusively on PokerGO starting December 16.

ICYMI: High Stakes Poker is BACK!!!! New episodes premiering December 16, only on #PokerGO!

Use code HSP2020 for $10 off a subscription: https://t.co/vNIqJCNLne pic.twitter.com/KH7kyjgaNg

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) October 31, 2020

Free Video Offer for Cardplayer Lifestyle Readers

For the next seven days — exclusively for Cardplayer Lifestyle readers — you can access a brand new Essential video from Peter Clarke for free! The video reveals six cycles of failure that might be preventing you from reaching your poker goals in 2020. Peter shares specific advice on how you can change each of these detrimental patterns to escape the failure plaguing your game and get on the path to poker success. The video is relevant for all forms of poker and applicable for both live and online players. Check it out now!

Procrastinate No More! Introducing: Vision Streak

All serious poker students have experienced bouts of procrastination when it comes to studying poker and actually taking the steps needed in order to improve our game. Run It Once has sought to improve on the monotony that can accompany working with solvers with the release of their newest addendum to its PLO software “Vision” with “Streak.”

Vision Streak works in conjunction with the Vision software and allows users to drill a variety of spots quickly and rapidly forcing you to choose the best option and counting correct guesses towards your overall score. The program begins with the raise first in strategy from all positions requiring certain scores before allowing you to proceed to more difficult areas of the game tree. High scores are shared among other members allowing for bragging rights for exceptionally lengthy streaks.

Throughout 12 different modules you’ll learn the foundations required for a successful GTO approach at the four-card tables. Each module is organized into the different positions you can find yourself in at a table and you can explore the correct answers with Vision’s intuitive learning modes for a deeper understanding.

Vision Streak is included in all Vision plans and enhances the software that was already one of the most powerful ways to improve your game. If you want to find out more about Vision and the new addition of Vision Streak, you can do so here.

Introducing Elite Q&A Calls

A few months back, Run It Once Training began offering an exclusive benefit to their Elite Members: Monthly Q&A Calls with some of the best players on the planet live on Zoom.

Back in August, we released a detailed article about these calls outlining the structure and benefits. In a nutshell, the Elite calls were launched as a way for Run It Once Training members to get in touch and communicate on a more personal level with the coaches on the site. Discussions have ranged from getting specific strategic tips in tough spots to discovering how pros climbed and worked their way to the top of the poker food chain.

Run It Once Training has held four calls featuring Sam Greenwood, Daniel Dvoress, Kevin Rabichow as well as pre-Black Friday nosebleed crusher (and now successful restaurant owner) Hac Dang. Elite members can not only participate live during the event but also get access to all previous Q&A sessions in a new section on the site.

If you want to check out the previous Elite Q&A calls and get ready for the next installment, all you need to do is upgrade your account now.

Kevin Rabichow: Crowned Heads-Up NLHE Legend

Towards the end of summer, Run It Once Poker launched the 2020 Legends Showdown inviting a mix of high stakes Heads-Up NL crushers as well as MTT high roller star Fedor ‘CrownUpGuy’ Holz to battle it out on the virtual felt. Over the course of nine matches, at stakes of €50/€100, players competed for spots in the semi-finals for the final showdown of the best of the best.

It was Fedor Holz, Pauli ‘Fiilismies’ Ayras, Bjorn ‘asianflushie’ Li as well as Run It Once Training Elite coach Kevin Rabichow who reserved their spots to battle for an additional €60,000 in prize money. In the semi-finals Fiilismies destroyed Holz, winning over $91,000 over the course of 1,500 hands. Rabichow matched the destruction with an impressive match in which he booked a win over asianflushie for almost $80,000.

With both finalists being well known in the high-stakes Heads Up NL pools there were lots of expectations for the big showdown, which was held as a 3-session match with 750 hands in each session. After some crazy ups and downs it was Kevin Rabichow who crossed the finish line with €10,796 in profits, capturing the €40,000 in prize money bringing his overall profit for the 2020 Legends Showdown to €144,000. Congratulations to Kevin for this great performance!

If you’re looking for insight on Kevin’s game and how he approaches HUNL, he has released over 135 training videos on the Run It Once Training Elite plan.

Run It Once Training Releases New Book: Poker Foundations

For the first time, a team of Run It Once pros combined forces to get their thoughts into one text in an effort to improve your game. Lead author Cory Mikesell is joined by Phil Galfond, Kevin Rabichow, and Tommy Angelo to build the foundation required for success at the tables with the release of Cory’s book Poker Foundations.

Want to start learning poker from the beginning the right way? Want to understand essential Game Theory concepts that pros love to discuss? Want to rise from the micro stakes and become a pro? Then you want Poker Foundations.

Most books for beginning and intermediate players teach tricks that are obsolete before the book is even complete. With Poker Foundations, you will learn the deepest poker truths which never age.

Cory Mikesall, Run It Once Training – Elite Pro

You can find out more about the book and even get a free sample chapter here.

Galfond Challenge: Can Kornuth Break Phil?

One month ago the Galfond Challenge finally returned after a brief hiatus with Chance Kornuth taking on Phil in his high stakes PLO challenge. After the once in a lifetime comeback of Phil in his first match against Venividi1993 and the dominant performance against ActionFreak, Phil was the clear favorite heading into the match in the eyes of the poker community. 

It seemed like everything was going as expected as the action saw Phil building an early lead of $280,000 after 4,800 hands. However, after a forced break due to difficulties with Chance reloading his busted account, the momentum drastically shifted and Chance struck back winning big in five consecutive sessions.

It’s now Phil who finds himself down $234,000. Things appear to be even more dire for him since, as the decided favorite, he is laying $1,000,000 to Chance’s $250,000 in a side bet that goes to the player up at the end of the match. You can follow all the action on the Run It Once Poker Twitch channel and if you want to track results make sure to check out the Run It Once Poker website.

Run It Once Poker: Announcing SNG Select

Just a few days ago Phil Galfond released one of the most exciting update posts since the launch of the site in February 2019: The upcoming addition of a new game type, SNG Select. These SNGs, which are just around the corner, aim to follow in the steps of previous policy and feature decisions at Run It Once Poker, as they take their own unique approach to tackling some of the problems that they see with current versions of SNGs. 

Unilaterally increasing the variance for players who enjoy it, while not doing so for the players who don’t, is a concept that I believe has the potential to do a lot of good for online poker.

Phil Galfond

As usual, Phil doesn’t just stop at announcing the new feature but gives first-hand insight into a lot of the reasoning that went into the new innovation and how all the decisions assure an exciting, but simultaneously fair and beatable poker experience. Curious to find out what Run It Once’s approach to one of the all-time favorite forms of poker will look like? Check out Phil’s post.

One of the things that the Run It Once Poker team is most excited about is bringing on board the players who wanted to support Run It Once’s vision but couldn’t, at that point in time, find their main game on the site.

With this new offering, Phil Galfond and his team will welcome all of the Sit & Go players who have wanted to support them but haven’t had the option to move their volume over to Run It Once Poker yet.

Be sure to check out SNG Select for all of the latest updates so that you’ll know the moment that this new game mode goes live.

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That’s all for now. This column will be back once again come winter, where we’ll continue updating you with the latest news, updates, and product releases that Run It Once Training has to offer.

Without further ado:

Special Free Video Offer for Cardplayer Lifestyle Readers

You may already know that Run It Once offers access to three videos of their highest tier (Elite level) on an alternating basis to give everyone a free taste how it feels to learn from some of the best players on the planet. For a limited time only, exclusively for Cardplayer Lifestyle readers, you can NOW access a brand-new Essential video for free on top of that! The video features hall of fame Essential crusher Owen Shiels revealing the top strategy secrets for beating MTT micro stakes. Be sure to act fast though; the video will only be free for the next seven days. 

Phil Galfond Goes 2-0 in the Galfond Challenge Thus Far

Unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the last six months, you’ve likely heard about the results from the Galfond Challenge. What began as an idea from Phil to prove he still has some gas left in the PLO tank turned into a roller coaster of emotions across multiple weeks and thousands of hands. Back in April, we chronicled the top 10 takeaways from Phil’s mind-blowing comeback versus his first challenger, VeniVidi1993.

Phil overcame a deficit of nearly €1,000,000 to claim the victory within the last 75 hands of the 25,000-hand marathon match. The comeback heard round the world was even featured on ESPN and reinvigorated the poker community in ways that were reminiscent of the online poker boom after Chris Moneymaker’s WSOP victory.

What may have slid under the radar, however, was Phil’s victory against an even stronger high-stakes, heads-up PLO lobby holder: ActionFreak. Phil clinched the win in this match on May 27, walking away with a $114,803 lead along with the $150,000 side bet. Combined with the first match and his current $90,144 lead against third challenger Bill Perkins, Phil is currently up over $456,580 in total. With the challenges not even halfway completed, Galfond still has well over $2 million at risk in side bets alone against Perkins and upcoming challengers Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates, Brandon Adams, and Chance Kornuth. 

The Most Intuitive GTO Study Tool on the Market: PLO Vision

One of the tools Phil used to prepare for his challenges was the interactive, intuitive study tool PLO Vision. Run It Once Training released this proprietary PLO solver software in February and anyone willing to commit to their game can get access to this unique study tool. Two of the most recent updates include the addition of Pre-flop Training and the analysis of 4-Bet Pots both in the Practice and Learn modes of the Trainer.

So, if you want to engage in a whole new, innovative, unique study experience, head over to the Vision section on Run It Once to learn more or check out the easy-to-digest tutorial videos.

If you’d like to see the PLO Vision software in action and gauge whether it’s right for you to try yourself, you can check out the brand new twitch show ‘2020 Vision’ where Elite Pro Richard Gayler and poker commentator Henry Kilbane review hands with the Vision GTO Trainer live with the Run It Once community. You can check out a recent episode of 2020 Vision right here.

If you like watching free poker training content on Twitch but prefer two-card poker to four-card poker, you can check out the Elite Pro Kevin Rabichow’s streaming show, in which he shares his thoughts on hands that made Run It Once community members struggle. To submit a hand for the upcoming episode, check out the Run It Once Poker Discord Server.

The Run It Once Coaching Roster: Stronger Than Ever

Run It Once Training is packed with an exciting assortment of some of the highest-achieving players on the Elite plan as well as a selection of the freshest poker talent when it comes to the Essential plan. There are an astonishing 135 coaches on the roster, but that number doesn’t tell the full story.

Since our last Spring article the coaching team on the Essential roster was strengthened by plenty of fresh talent: The PLO, MTT, and NLHE teams have all seen strong additions recently:

• Greek tournament talent Kyriakos Papadopoulos made his premier with a review of a $530 MTT where he made a deep run.
• The newest PLO coach Thomas Emter launched his Run It Once career with a series on how to Break Through the Barriers of Low Stakes.
• The NL cash team saw longtime favorite Steve Paul return with his theory video on Getting Back in Shape after taking a break from poker.
• Live play expert Akshar ‘cosmos1994’ Patel also joined the team.

If you’re still starting out and aren’t yet ready to commit to an Elite membership don’t shy away.

Order Your Very Own Run It Once Training Books

Are you more of a classic studier of the game and prefer poker books to training videos? Be sure to check out Run it Once’s two offerings including Peter Clarke’s Poker Therapy, which shows you how to rewire your mind for poker, and Leszek Badurowicz’s Mental Edge, which dives into the mistakes we seek to avoid when playing our A-game. Both books offer a free chapter to give you a taste of what to expect.

Finally, as we all know, there’s no harm in looking good while grinding away at the felt. Run It Once offers a selection of some of the most stylish poker apparel worn today. You can check it out in their apparel shop, and even wear your favorite branded apparel at home while on the online grind at Run It Once Poker.

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That’s all for now. This column will be back once again come autumn, where we’ll continue updating you with the latest news, updates, and product releases that Run It Once Training has to offer.

About a month ago, Alec Torelli put the word out that he wanted to shake things up a bit on his Twitter timeline.

On my Twitter timeline everything is wrong, fucked and broken.

What are some great comedy/meme/positive accounts I can follow?

— Alec Torelli (@AlecTorelli) April 10, 2020

While there are of course loads of people in the world whose Twitter accounts fit the descriptions Alec was searching for, for the purposes of this article I’ve focused exclusively within the poker world and the positivity that can be found within, if you know where to look.

As with every list, I’m sure people will point out “snubs.” Let me assure you that it’s not as though I “left anyone out on purpose.” I just thought 21 was a good number and the individuals listed below were the first 21 who came to mind (listed in alphabetical order). As a matter of fact, I’d love nothing more than to get oodles of comments from people listing loads more positive people in poker.

1. Robert Campbell

The 2020 WSOP Player of the Year has a sense of humor that can brighten up anyone’s day. Robert Campbell clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is a welcome stance on life from one of poker’s top tournament players.

My Uber driver was a funeral pianist, he told me he’s really struggling as the new laws with the limit on funeral attendees mean he almost always gets the boot. I told him I like organs, he told me he only plays piano. I was joking but it didn’t play.

— Rob Campbell (@SonicJaxx2019) April 22, 2020

2. Norman Chad

The legendary WSOP commentator, Norman Chad is always in character, even on Twitter. Norman’s posts provide a daily dose of comic relief, sarcasm and trademark bad jokes from the master himself.

The 11-day Little League World Series this summer has been canceled.
Organizers hope to play it online later this year, perhaps in November.

— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) May 1, 2020

3. Antonio Esfandiari

Always a talkative, entertaining showman at the poker table, Antonio Esfandiari’s Twitter presence is every bit as engaging as the legendary poker star. Clearly grateful for everything he has in life, Esfandiari loves to reflect on the past, both on and off the table. These reflections on the life of a one-of-a-kind personality are fascinating.

Crazy time for all of mankind. The silver lining in this whole experience is that humanity as a whole will be better in the end. People will appreciate so many things we once took for granted. Myself included.

— Antonio Esfandiari (@MagicAntonio) March 30, 2020

4. Tony G

Never one to disappoint when it comes to entertaining at the poker table, Tony G has the heart of a champion and is the owner of an equally compelling Twitter account. For much of the past year, the Tony G Twitter feed has included numerous posts on his experiments with fasting, the keto diet, and his overall approach to improved health.

I have decided to do another water fast. I am hoping others would join me too. All the saved money on food and drinks we can donate to the elderly we know. pic.twitter.com/xxUCFaf8EO

— Antanas Guoga (@TonyGuoga) April 1, 2020

5. Phil Galfond

It’s pretty tough to not be inspired by Phil Galfond, in light of his unfathomable comeback win in the first round of the Galfond Challenge. Galfond’s positive attitude, even at the lowest depths of the challenge, is something every poker player can learn from. The Run It Once founder is one of poker’s most important advocates, and just a quick view at Galfond’s Twitter can provide an entire day’s worth of inspiration.

This table is a good start!

Obviously chips & cards won’t work, but we could use a screen with digital chips & cards.

Replace the flimsy plastic dividers with the sturdy walls of people’s homes.

Use the internet.

Then legalize & regulate safe online poker across the USA. pic.twitter.com/pCGBZPH8hr

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) May 3, 2020

6. Lynn Gilmartin

Another of poker’s best ambassadors, Lynn Gilmartin exudes positivity through the television screen while hosting World Poker Tour broadcasts. That same positivity is on display on Gilmartin’s Twitter account. Viewing this feed makes one look forward to the day the World Poker Tour comes back.

Iso Day 52 @VinceVanP_WPT pic.twitter.com/BIEtJMdERK

— Lynn Gilmartin (@LynnGilmartin) May 2, 2020

7. Phil Hellmuth

Mr. #POSITIVITY himself, Phil Hellmuth clearly makes a genuine effort to live up to that title on his social media accounts. Look for the #POSITIVITY posts on Hellmuth’s feed and get inspired by a daily dose of optimism from the 15-time WSOP bracelet winner.

Help us feed the heroes on the frontlines! I will be playing in the “Chipping In” charity poker tourney on Sunday w business leaders: come watch us, and come support us! #POSITIVITY

Morning Brew // Chipping In https://t.co/cFoRi0kP6e

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) May 1, 2020

8. Sarah Herring

The face of televised poker coverage for PokerNews, Sarah Herring has been one of poker media’s most recognizable personalities for years. “Aunty Chardonnay’s” Twitter makes it clear that Herring has great passion for what she does, and loves the game of poker.

So I can share with my fam that missed it from @PokerGO @gpi @pokerstars my academy award moment. Eat your heart out Marilyn. pic.twitter.com/Hsz39dYssQ

— Sarah Herring (@AuntyChardonnay) April 15, 2019

9. Chad Holloway

The PokerNews Head of Live Reporting in the U.S., Chad Holloway is another staple of the poker media. His love for the history of game, and the modern poker industry, shine through on Holloway’s Twitter account. Holloway has always used his social media platform to promote poker players, authors, and programming.

ICYMI, last week I chatted w/ Poker Hall of Famer Crandell Addington for the @PokerNews Podcast.

So much poker history, from being a Texas Road Gambler alongside @TexDolly to the early days of the @WSOP, was discussed.

Listen here -> https://t.co/R8MAGEd9pW pic.twitter.com/0hNfoqjIfq

— Chad Holloway (@ChadAHolloway) May 14, 2020

10. Jonathan Little

The Twitter account of Jonathan Little might just inspire you to study the game of poker and become the best player (and person!) you can possibly be. The veteran poker coach posts all kinds of analysis about tough spots you might face at the poker table, posts videos and live streams daily talking all manner of poker and non-poker-related topics with occasional cameos from members of his family, and produces one of the most informative poker-centric feeds found on Twitter.

Thanks to you all, I won the GPI People’s Choice Award this year Also a big thank you to @gpi and @PokerGO for the amazing night!

NEW VLOG: Global Poker Awards 2020https://t.co/WLNTYcbd3p pic.twitter.com/ejJehn1iQq

— Jonathan Little (@JonathanLittle) March 15, 2020

11. Sean McCormack

Sean McCormack, aka “ThePokerBoss,” really is the poker boss at one of the most prestigious poker rooms in the world. The Director of Poker Operations at Aria, McCormack’s Twitter is utterly devoid of any kind of negativity. Every post from McCormack is based in positivity, and his “ThePokerBoss” feed is a great place to look for a little optimism.

You have 2 choices:
Believe in fear and hate or believe in hope. I choose the latter. We are fighting much more than just a virus. Don’t lose your humanity along the way.#coronavirus #COVID19 #Endgame #hope #TonyStark pic.twitter.com/f7a2eIGQ9c

— Sean McCormack (@ThePokerBoss) April 29, 2020

12. Kristen Bicknell

One of the top poker players in the world (currently ranked No. 4 in the Global Poker Index), Kristen Bicknell is also one of poker nicest and most positive personalities. Bicknell’s Twitter is often filled with not just poker content, but also thoughts on overall health and life improvement.

Today, on my @partypoker blog, I post my Top 5 Tips for Home Workouts!

Check it out here: https://t.co/mVYL0L3s8I

Some benefits of daily workouts:
– improved focus and brain function
– improved mood
– slows aging
– increased energy
– decreases cortisol
– better sleep… pic.twitter.com/IzMHE0NhXC

— Kristen Bicknell (@krissyb24poker) April 18, 2020

13. Chad McVean

Perhaps the definitive authority on the world of poker podcasts, Chad McVean’s Twitter is a one-stop shop for positive promotion of poker’s best podcasts. If you’re looking for poker podcast content curated by someone who always keeps things on the up and up (with the occasional dose of hockey and all other things Canadian), look no further than the Twitter feed of Chad McVean.

Here’s another great episode of the @TopPair Home Game Poker Podcast with Bruce Briggs & Robbie Strazynski.

They discuss the new online home game reality which is booming!
Listen how!

Find it on the @cardplayerlife podcast page: https://t.co/M66yYkSGQ3#pokerlife #podlife pic.twitter.com/aoMgox78ZA

— Chad McVean (@Veaner85) April 13, 2020

14. Andrew Neeme

It’s nearly impossible to not like Andrew Neeme, one of poker’s essential content creators. Much like his poker vlogs, Neeme’s Twitter goes heavy on the positivity, and is yet another format in which Neeme acts as one of poker’s greatest ambassadors.

Are you debating taking a risk by putting yourself out there?

Ponder this… by NOT starting a YouTube channel, I would’ve taken a huge risk that I’d never get to know these awesome people in my lifetime. https://t.co/5kuvTwLvk8

— Andrew Neeme (@andrewneeme) November 11, 2019

15. Brad Owen

Much like his often co-conspirator Andrew Neeme, Brad Owen’s vlogs are some of the best video content poker has to offer, as over 200,000 YouTube channel subscribers can attest. Owen recently used his Twitter as a vehicle to raise funds for poker dealers during the COVID-19 crisis, a positive initiative if there ever was one.

It is tough times, especially for casino employees. If your favorite dealer has a twitter account, tag them (add a pic if you can) and tell me why you like them so much. I’ll choose a dealer to give $200 to.

— Brad Owen (@TheBradOwen) April 13, 2020

16. Uncle Ron

Always good for a laugh, Uncle Ron’s Twitter feed chronicles the adventures of “the ultimate poker railbird” across the country. Highlights include Uncle Ron selling PokerGO subscriptions door-to-door in Kansas, as seen in the tweet below. In an era where our game needs more engaging characters, Uncle Ron is as beloved as they come.

Selling @PokerGO perscriptions door to door has changed my life!

Use promos code UNCLERON for 10 dollars off a annual pass… pic.twitter.com/R3NVJMVdXI

— Uncle Ron (@UncleRonAA) May 23, 2017

17. Matt Savage

Matt Savage’s contributions to the game of poker go far beyond his duties as poker’s quintessential tournament director. Savage’s Twitter posts are always aimed at ways to improve and evolve the game, and there’s no better source for this than the WPT Executive Tour Director. Just note that if you follow him, you may be lured into watching the, ahem, “classic” poker film Lucky You.

I believe the following:
1. Poker should be fun and player friendly!
2. Action makes poker fun and most people play poker for the action.
3. If rules are posted in advance and the same for everyone they are fair
4. Short stacks SHOULD be under pressure!#AnteComes1st#NeverReduce

— Matt Savage (@SavagePoker) December 17, 2018

18. Jaime Staples

Another guy who’s just so easy to root for, Jaime Staples has proven himself as prolific in many forms of content production. Staples’ Twitter is a jump-off point to his many forms of poker content, including his Twitch channel and Weekly Poker Showdown program.

I woke up this morning really grateful for the last few days. Thanks everyone for rooting me on. I am sooo hyped for #wcoop I’m ready for the grind starting Sunday!

— Jaime Staples (@jaimestaples) August 31, 2018

19. Jennifer Tilly

Following along with Jennifer Tilly’s journey through the COVID-19 lockdown gives you some much needed humor, as well as some honest perspective. Her lockdown log aside, for years Jennifer’s Twitter account has been a source of fun, happiness and positivity for the poker world (as well as lots of Chucky-themed content).

Had a super fun time filming the #FridayNightPoker preview show with ⁦@jeffplatt⁩ ⁦@RadioAmanda⁩ and ⁦@Bhanks11⁩! ⁦ @PokerGO⁩ ⁦@WatchStadium⁩ pic.twitter.com/EkBBgAmEVv

— Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) November 8, 2018

20. Alec Torelli

As mentioned above, it was Alec’s Tweet that inspired this article. That said, Alec’s Twitter account ought not to be overlooked, as it, too, is a bastion of positivity. Always on the lookout to help poker players by providing and curating interesting content Alec is clearly not only a seeker of positivity but also a provider.

Happiness seems like a classic example of something that’s simple, but not easy. Let me explain.
.
It’s simple because it’s nothing more than appreciating what you have, and not deluding yourself into thinking that… https://t.co/cmZEfvQsCU

— Alec Torelli (@AlecTorelli) April 27, 2020

21. Tom Wheaton

The founder of Faded Spade playing cards, Tom Wheaton’s Twitter account is heavy on inspirational, positive posts. Wheaton’s Twitter account is another great follow for a daily dose of optimism.

Shoutout to those living the struggle right now trying to balance many facets of life like marital, parental, business, spiritual, mental, physical all in one place at the same time. The game is hard, but we can make it easier with an intentional positive mindset approach daily!

— Tom Wheaton (@TomWheaton_) March 26, 2020

Ed. Note: My sincere thanks to our contributing writer Geoff Fisk for his behind-the-scenes assistance in putting this article together, and specifically for including my own Twitter account and very kind description below as a “bonus member” of the list.

BONUS: Robbie Strazynski

“Relentless positivity” is the phrase that comes to mind when I think of Cardplayer Lifestyle founder Robbie Strazynski. One of the most enthusiastic promoters of the poker industry, Robbie finds ways to exude his inspiring and optimistic approach to life daily on Twitter. Whether it’s his own posts, promoting his contributing writers, or commenting on, curating, an retweeting the posts of others, Robbie’s Twitter truly embodies the word “positive”.

Spent all day putting this op-ed together.

It’s one I’d really love to see go viral.

Pun intended.

Please help me spread some (poker) #positivity.

It, too, can be infectious. https://t.co/xGAw6JBTS8

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 12, 2020