Introduction to CORE Ranges

In this introductory video, James “SplitSuit”Sweeney outlines the purpose of Level 1 of CORE. Our first goal is to give you a simple strategy that will allow you to play profitable poker as quickly as possible. Any such strategy, like every poker hand, begins preflop. Our opening ranges make sure the foundation to each hand you play is based on theoretical bedrock. These ranges do not guarantee that you’ll win, but they will allow you to avoid preflop errors that inevitably lead to losses.

In addition to the opening ranges, CORE L1 also provides some guidance on how to expand upon them. What variables and situations are important in making such “discretionary”deviations? The ideas we present will allow you to remove the training wheels when conditions permit. We also provide a simplified flop strategy for the common case when you find yourself heads-up and in position. Then to really flesh out your poker education, the remainder of CORE awaits you.

In the second phase of building CORE Level 1, we have added late-stage tournament push-fold ranges. Since these ranges and those for cash games describe preflop play, both are included in Level 1. However, the purpose of the tournament ranges is slightly different. They are sufficiently detailed and complex, that you may prefer to use them as a reference library when you’ve gained some MTT experience, rather than as a starting point for your MTT studies. A further description of how to use them is provided

in this introductory lesson.

Whether you choose to focus on the ranges for cash or tournaments as your next step in CORE, please always feel free to ask questions after lessons here on our site. Additionally, we invite you to join the discussion of this material on the

Red Chip Poker Discord server.