When Phil started playing poker online in 2003, solvers didn’t exist. Once top players were able to program computers to find these optimal plays, it took their games to new levels. But it required.

Who wants to play some high stakes poker with a washed-up ex-pro?! (Hey, all – I just have a quick post for you today, but I’ll be back with some more updates in the very near future!)

I’m looking for some high stakes HU action to help promote Run It Once Poker, and I’d like it to be a challenge that we can build some hype around.

My first idea was one that was also related to RIO Training…

Open PLO Coach Challenge

An open challenge to anyone who currently makes training videos for a site other than Run It Once (Sorry Sulsky, Kruk, Joni, Cory, Richard, and the rest of the RIO team!).

HU PLO, similar to the infamous Durrrr challenge: 50k hands, 3:1 on a sidebet of 10 buyins, played at 100/200+.

Any competing training site coaches – please feel free to take me up on that! You’ll get preference over anyone else. (Plus you’ll get 3:1)

• After five years of operations, most people have heard of Run It Once poker training by now. With that said, beyond knowing the brand name and that RIO was founded by poker crusher Phil Galfond, if you haven't actually signed up to the training site, you might not know what distinguishes it from the competition.
• I'm poker pro Phil Galfond, AMA I've been playing poker professionally for over seven years. Though I have $1.8m in live tournament winnings, I spend my time and energy on my specialty: online cash games, where I have over $10m in net profit to date, mostly in NLHE and PLO.

I’d consider dropping the stakes if it helps get me some action here, but I would prefer a bigger game so we can bring in some viewers.

Everyone Else

I expect I’d probably not get any takers if that were my only offer (it’s a limited pool and a challenge like this is a big commitment) so I’m looking for challenges from everyone!

Phil Galfond Poker Training

A businessman like myself can’t offer 3:1 to all of you superstars, but I’m looking for some other challenges, varying numbers of hands (probably fewer than 50k and perhaps I can do a couple).

Here’s what I’m looking for:

• Prefer 100/200 through 300/600 PLO.
  • Will consider as low as 25/50
  • Will consider PLO/NL, PLO / limit games, and perhaps even straight NL if I get desperate enough!
• Strongly prefer play on Run It Once Poker, but would consider some or all of the match played elsewhere if necessary.
• You accept that I might make training content around the match and/or stream some of the match.
• Any opponent who would stream some of the match (on RIO Poker) will get preference and possibly better terms.

Phil Galfond Poker Training Videos

I believe anyone who’d take me up on this has a way to get in touch directly, but if you’re interested in playing and don’t know how to reach me, please email a challenge proposal to [email protected] with the header “Phil’s HU Challenge” and they’ll forward it along to me.

Phil Galfond Poker Training Site

I hope you all will be watching me in some high stakes action soon!