Poker On The Mind Podcast

In this solo voice note, Dr. Tricia shares her thoughts on one of the biggest stories in modern poker history—Leo Margets making the final table of the 2025 WSOP Main Event. Tricia breaks down why this milestone matters far beyond the headline and explores the deeper psychological impact of: Representation and identity in poker Long-term resilience and performance How moments like this shape the f...

In this episode, Gareth and Tricia tackle a timely listener question: What do most players get wrong when preparing for the World Series of Poker (WSOP)? If you’re gearing up for the WSOP (or any major poker series) and want to avoid common pitfalls, this conversation is for you. They discuss: Why tying your self-worth to poker results is so dangerous: How linking your identity to wins and losses...

In this episode, Gareth and Tricia dive into a powerful listener question from Martin—a poker player with ADHD—who’s struggling to find motivation and structure for his study and play routines. If you've ever wrestled with procrastination, guilt, or balancing poker with real-life responsibilities, this conversation is for you. They explore: Why tight deadlines help some players (especially those w...

In this solo voice note, Dr. Tricia Cardner breaks down Phil Hellmuth’s recent announcement that he’s skipping the 2025 WSOP Main Event—claiming it’s become too much of a mental grind. Is the Main Event really an endurance test now? What role does mental stamina play in long tournaments? How can you prepare to go deep when the pressure is on? Tricia shares insights from performance psychology, dis...

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Poker on the Mind - Episode 194: Transitioning from MTTs to Cash Games with Gareth James & Dr. Tricia Cardner 💡 Main Topic: Transitioning from MTTs to Cash Games Listener question from Alex: " I'm grinding mid-stakes MTTs but struggling to adjust to the open-ended nature of cash games. How can I adapt my mindset and study habits? " 🔑 Key Takeaways: Mindset Shifts: MTTs have clear structure a...

Welcome to Episode 193! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. The hosts continue their WSOP/SCOOP prep series in this episode by interviewing world renowned poker professional Daniel Negreanu. Topics discussed in this episode include:  A brief overview of Daniel’s new approach for 2024 & how it’...

Welcome to Episode 192! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. The hosts continue their WSOP/SCOOP prep series in this episode by interviewing poker professional, coach, and podcaster Carlos Welch. Topics discussed in this episode include:  A brief overview of his journey from recreational to profess...

Welcome to Episode 191! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. The hosts continue their WSOP/SCOOP prep series in this episode by interviewing poker professional, coach, and streamer Bryan Paris. Topics discussed in this episode include:  What a day in the life of Bryan looks like now that he has a w...

Welcome to Episode 190! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. The hosts kick off a WSOP/SCOOP prep series in this episode by interviewing poker professional, coach, and author Dara O’Kearney. Topics discussed in this episode include:  Preparing for live events by optimizing sleep, diet, and other li...

Welcome to Episode 189! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts continue their exploration of high-performance poker with a specific focus on “bouncebackability” also known as the art of resilience. Topics discussed in this episode include: A deep dive into the research on r...

Welcome to Episode 188! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts continue their exploration of high-performance poker with a specific focus on high-performance physiology. Topics discussed in this episode include: A deep dive into the most critical physiological aspects of hi...

Welcome to Episode 187! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts continue their exploration of high-performance poker with a specific focus on knowing your Achilles heel and developing strategies for dealing with it. Topics discussed in this episode include: A deep dive into...

Welcome to Episode 186! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts continue their exploration of high-performance poker with a specific focus on developing the right mindset. Topics discussed in this episode include: The difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset &...

Welcome to Episode 185! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts continue their exploration of high-performance poker with a specific focus on winning systems and habits. Topics discussed in this episode include: The power of atomic habits & the 4 laws of behavior change...

Welcome to Episode 184! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts explain that they are going to serialize the podcast into themes. This first theme is going to be around designing for and achieving high poker performance. Topics discussed include: What high-performance poker...

Welcome to Episode 183! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts discuss a question sent in by Georgina who wanted our advice on maximizing her study. Topics discussed include: Things to think about when studying for MTTs in particular How to determine the best areas to put y...

Welcome to Episode 182! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts discuss a question sent in by Barry who wanted our advice on managing his emotions at the table - and specifically about berating players via the chatbox. Topics discussed include: Why awareness is the first ste...

Welcome to Episode 181! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts discuss a question sent in by Matt who wanted our advice on managing a downswing early on one’s poker career. Topics discussed include: Being able to assess ability and separate that from your results How to man...

Welcome to Episode 180! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts discuss a Twitter comment by Lewis who asked about the mental game leaks associated with losing a good chunk of his bankroll in one weekend. Topics discussed include: Determining what is a good value MTT How to...

Welcome to Episode 179! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts answer a question from Armin which is “How do I memorize preflop ranges?” Topics discussed include: The difference between memorizing and truly learning How to study so you learn the “why” behind your actions Wh...

Welcome to Episode 178! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, Gareth makes a big announcement and then the hosts answer a listener question about how to focus when there is so much to study and limited time and ADHD tendencies. Topics discussed include: The ADHD traits that can make...

Welcome to Episode 177! MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts go back in time and talk about Tricia’s WSOP 2023! Topics discussed include: The payouts and how heavily weighted the WSOP payouts are The physical layout of the WSOP along with info on how long it can take...

Welcome to Episode 176! In this episode, MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, the hosts discussed their recent poker escapades including Gareth’s time playing SCOOP and Tricia’s recent visit to The Lodge. Topics discussed include: The role of variance in results and how it can be h...

Welcome to Episode 175! In this episode, MTT Coach Gareth James and Peak Performance Mindset Coach Dr. Tricia Cardner are back discussing all things poker strategy & mindset. In this episode, we answered a question from several listeners who want to know how to deal with being discouraged and de-motivated by the long journey to becoming a pro (or semi-pro). Topics discussed include: The import...