Are you stuck in the poker micro-stakes, feeling like you’re spinning your wheels? You know the basic rules, you’ve watched a few hands on YouTube, but you can’t seem to get ahead. If you’re tired of guessing and want to start building a real, sustainable strategy, you’ve probably heard of Run It Once.
In this in-depth 2025 review, we’re taking a deep dive into one of their most popular entry-level courses: “Foundations” by the legendary Phil Galfond. Is it the game-changer your poker journey needs, or just another basic guide? Let’s find out.
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
The Bottom Line Up Front
Run It Once’s “Foundations” is an exceptional course for advanced beginners and struggling low-stakes players. Instead of teaching you rules to memorize, it builds a deep, conceptual understanding of why winning poker works. For its very reasonable price point ($49.99), it offers incredible value by demystifying complex topics like GTO and setting you up for long-term growth. It is, without a doubt, one of the best first investments you can make in your poker education.
Meet Your Coach: Why Learn from Phil Galfond?
Before we get into the curriculum, let’s talk about the instructor. “Foundations” is created and taught by Phil Galfond, a true legend of the game. He’s not just another coach; he’s:
- The founder of the Run It Once training site.
- A multiple World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner.
- Widely considered one of the best Pot Limit Omaha and No-Limit Hold’em cash game players of all time.
What makes Galfond a world-class teacher is his ability to break down highly complex topics into simple, logical steps. His calm and clear teaching style is perfect for players who feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of poker information out there.
What’s Inside? A Look at the “Foundations” Curriculum
The course contains about 5 hours of video content across 49 easy-to-digest lessons, plus bonus materials like preflop charts. The core philosophy is to build your poker knowledge from a strong theoretical base so you can learn to think for yourself at the table.
Here are the key pillars of the course:
- GTO (Game Theory Optimal) Made Simple: This is the heart of the course. Galfond masterfully introduces GTO not as a scary, complex solver output, but as a logical framework for thinking about the game. You’ll finally understand what “being balanced” and “unexploitable” really mean and why it’s the foundation of modern poker strategy.
- The Fundamentals, Revisited: The course covers essential concepts like pot odds, equity, and expected value (EV). But it goes deeper, explaining why these concepts are the mathematical bedrock of every single profitable decision you’ll ever make.
- Learning to Exploit Your Opponents: “Foundations” isn’t just about theory. Galfond dedicates significant time to teaching you how to spot and exploit the common mistakes your opponents make at low-stakes tables. This is where you’ll really start to see your win rate climb.
- Building Your Poker Game Plan: The final section is your roadmap to success. It covers crucial career-building topics like bankroll management, game selection, and how to structure your study time for maximum improvement.
Is “Foundations” The Right Poker Course For You?
This course isn’t for everyone. It’s designed for a very specific player profile. This course is perfect for you if:
- You’re an Advanced Beginner: You know the rules and have some experience, but you lack a coherent strategy.
- You’re a Losing or Break-Even Player: You feel stuck at micro or low stakes and want to plug the critical leaks in your game.
- You’re Ready to Get Serious: You want to move beyond “playing cards” and start thinking about poker on a deeper, more professional level.
- You’re Intimidated by GTO: If you’ve heard about solvers and GTO and found it overwhelming, this is the most beginner-friendly introduction you will find anywhere.
However, you should probably skip this course if:
- You’re an Absolute Beginner: The course assumes you already know hand rankings and the flow of the game.
- You’re Already a Winning Player: If you’re consistently beating 25NL online or $2/$5 live, this course will be too basic. The “Essential” or “Elite” RIO subscriptions would be a better fit.
The Pros and Cons: A Balanced Look
What We Love (Pros):
- World-Class Instructor: Learning from Phil Galfond is a rare opportunity. His explanations are crystal clear.
- Focus on the “Why”: The emphasis on conceptual understanding is far more valuable for long-term growth than memorizing charts.
- Incredible Value: Priced at just $49.99, the value for your money is exceptional. It’s a low-risk, high-reward investment.
- The Best Intro to GTO: Makes a complex and vital topic approachable and practical for new players.
What Could Be Better (Cons):
- It’s a Starting Point: While fantastic, this course is a foundation. You will need to continue studying and practicing to apply the concepts successfully.
- Slightly Confusing Naming: Run It Once also has a “From the Ground Up” series. “Foundations” is the correct first step before moving on to those more specialized courses.
Final Verdict: Is Run It Once Foundations Worth The Investment?
Yes, absolutely. If you are ready to get serious about improving your No-Limit Hold’em game, Run It Once “Foundations” is arguably the best entry-level poker training product on the market. It perfectly bridges the gap between simply knowing the rules and truly understanding the strategy.
By teaching you how to think like a professional, Phil Galfond provides a framework that will serve you for your entire poker career. For the price, it gets our highest recommendation.