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 future of the game
• What you can learn from Leo’s composure and mindset

Mental Game Resources:
🧠 Feeling the pressure lately?
Grab the free Tilt Recovery Toolkit to reset fast and play your best—even when emotions run high: https://www.drtriciacardner.com/tilt-recovery 

🎯 Want to know how strong your mental game really is?
Take the free Mental Game Strength Quiz:
drtriciacardner.com/quiz

💰 Thinking about transitioning to cash games?
Start with the MTT to Cash Diagnostic:
drtriciacardner.com/cashquiz

🗣️ Have a question you'd like us to cover? Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group:
👉 Poker Mindset Mastery

Or in Gareth’s group:
👉 Poker Profits

Or tweet us:
@drtriciacardner | @MTTpokerschool | @PokerOnTheMind

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 leads to emotional swings and burnout – and ways to keep your confidence steady regardless of outcomes.
  
  
• The power of consistent routines: How solid pre-game rituals, in-game reset techniques, and post-game reviews keep you focused and mentally sharp throughout a long series like the WSOP.
  
  
• Process orientation vs. outcome obsession: Why a process-focused mindset beats fixating on results (especially when around 85% of the field won’t even cash), and how focusing on what you can control leads to better long-term performance.
  
  
• The danger of last-minute overhauls: Why the week before the WSOP is not the time to reinvent your entire game or make frantic strategic changes. Avoid the urge to “fix” your strategy due to a recent downswing – stick with what you’ve practiced and trust your preparation.
  
  
• Sleep, nutrition, and recovery as secret weapons: How neglecting basic self-care can sabotage your performance. Gareth and Tricia emphasize prioritizing quality sleep, good nutrition, and rest days, and explain why trying to play every event (or partying every night) on minimal rest often backfires.
  
  
• Smart bankroll management and scheduling: Planning out your WSOP events and budget ahead of time. Learn why it’s wise to sell action and set a realistic schedule so you don’t run out of funds or stress about money halfway through the series. (The last thing you want is to blow your entire bankroll before the Main Event!)
  
  
• Handling tilt and emotional swings: Evidence-based techniques to stay composed when variance hits hard. They share how acceptance strategies, 6-2-7 breathing exercises, and the “second dart” technique can help you regulate emotions, avoid tilt, and recover quickly from bad beats or bustouts.
  
  

Recommended Resources:

• Purposeful Practice for Poker: https://amzn.to/41QBGVC
  
  
• Download Tricia’s Free Tilt Recovery Toolkit (cheat sheet + audio guide) – https://drtriciacardner.com/tilt-recovery
  
  
• Mental Game Quiz: Take Tricia’s Mental Game Strength Quiz – https://drtriciacardner.com/quiz
  
  
• Gareth’s Newsletter: Subscribe to Gareth’s weekly poker newsletter “On The Button” – https://mttpokerschool.com/newsletter
  
  

Want us to answer your poker question? 
Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group (Poker Mindset Mastery Lab) – join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMasteryLab/

Or join Gareth’s private Facebook group (MTT Poker School Poker Profits) here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits.

You can also tweet your questions to @drtriciacardner, @MTTpokerschool, or @PokerOnTheMind

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 with ADHD) hyperfocus
• Parkinson’s Law and how it impacts poker study and productivity
• How dopamine dysregulation influences motivation and attention
• Gamified study tips like “poker sprints” and “beat-the-clock” sessions
• The power of body doubling, study groups, and external accountability
• Why guilt and perfectionism may be the real blockers—and how to reframe your mindset
• Finding the right balance between poker, work, and family life (and why it’s okay for that balance to shift over time)

Whether you have ADHD or not, this episode is full of actionable insights on how to design a routine that works for your brain—and your life.


📚 Recommended Resources:

Purposeful Practice for Poker by Dr. Tricia Cardner & Gareth James


Take Tricia’s free Mental Game Strength Quiz:
https://drtriciacardner.com/quiz

Looking to add cash games to your repertoire?
Take the MTT to Cash Diagnostic:
https://drtriciacardner.com/cashquiz

Sign up for Gareth’s free 5-day email course:
“How to Build Your First 10K Bankroll”
https://mttpokerschool.com/free-course

Want us to answer your poker question?

Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

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, discusses the impact of aging on decision-making, and gives practical tips to help you build your mental endurance at the table.

Mental Game Resources:
🧠 Want to know how strong your mental game really is?
Take the free Mental Game Strength Quiz:
drtriciacardner.com/quiz

💰 Thinking about adding cash games to your repertoire?
Take the free MTT to Cash Diagnostic:
drtriciacardner.com/cashquiz

Want us to answer your poker question?

Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

Are you into this idea? Comment on Spotify or tag @gazelligpoker or @drtriciacardner on X and let us know.

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:

1. Mindset Shifts:
   
   
   • MTTs have clear structure and end goals; cash games are open-ended.
   • Focus on process goals (hands played, time blocks) rather than outcomes.
   • Redefine success as consistently making +EV decisions, not session results.
2. Study Tips:
   
   
   • Prioritize deep-stack strategies, as cash games typically run 100BB+.
   • Practice Raise First In and Big Blind Defense with tools like DTO or GTO Wizard.
   • Study common flop textures and develop strategies for frequent board types.
   • Active learning beats passive study: Drill hands, take notes, and revisit concepts.
3. Emotional Resilience:
   
   
   • Cash players need strong mental toughness to handle reloading after losses.
   • Implement stop-loss rules if tilt becomes an issue, but bankroll should be the main determinant.
   • Be mindful of cognitive biases, like negativity bias and gambler’s fallacy.
4. Execution & Adjustment:
   
   
   • It's not enough to know strategy—you must execute it consistently under pressure.
   • Adjust based on player types: Identify tendencies and exploit them accordingly.
   • Use hand reviews to spot leaks and tailor future study.
5. Practical Tips for Transitioning:
   
   
   • Start at manageable stakes (e.g., $1/$2 live or 10NL online).
   • Experiment with formats (6-max, full ring, heads-up) to find what suits you best.
   • Set clear session goals (hands played, hours logged) to stay focused.

📚 Recommended Resources:

• Purposeful Practice for Poker by Dr. Tricia Cardner & Gareth James
• MTT to Cash Transition Diagnostic: Assess your strengths, weaknesses, and next steps for a smoother switch.
• PrimeDope Variance Calculator for understanding long-term expectations

💌 Stay Connected:

• 🎯 Mental Game Quiz: How strong is your mindset? Take the quiz at drtriciacardner.com/quiz
• 📨 On the Button Newsletter: Join Gareth’s weekly tournament tips at mttpokerschool.com/newsletter
• 💰 A FREE, 5-day email course breaking down everything you need to build rock solid fundamentals, study tournament poker effectively, confidently move up in stakes, and develop the right mindset for long-term success: mttpokerschool.com/free-course

Want us to answer your poker question?

Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

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’s paying off
• How Daniel prepares off the table for WSOP
• How he handles the wide range of player types at the WSOP
• The factors have helped him stay at the top of his game for so many years
• The advice that he thinks newer players should ignore and what they should do instead

Resources
Follow Daniel on Twitter/X: @RealKidPoker 

How strong is your mental game? Take Dr. Cardner’s  Poker Mindset Mastery Assessment and find out! 

Sign up for Gareth’s weekly newsletter On The Button

Check out Dr. Cardner’s Progressive relaxation video (short version): https://youtu.be/pBbuwcFbfFA 

Dr. Cardner’s < 60 second video with the instructions for tactical breathing to use when you’re tilted or stressed: https://youtube.com/shorts/bMfR8nwQdto?feature=share 

Check out Gareth’s program Train and Play Like the Pros that will  prepare you for large MTT series (both online and live): https://www.mttpokerschool.com/ 

Order Gareth’s book The Final Table: https://amzn.to/3ZOjCcV 

Order Purposeful Practice for Poker: https://amzn.to/41QBGVC 

Order Positive Poker: https://amzn.to/430foBf 

Order Peak Poker Performance: https://amzn.to/453miWX 


Want us to answer your poker question?

Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

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 professional poker player & WSOP bracelet winner
• How he determines which events offer the most value at WSOP & other properties
• How to be a big fish in a small pond and why that’s often the most profitable way to select your events
• Why WSOP mega-satellites can be profitable & how he adapts his game when playing them

Resources
Follow Carlos on Twitter/X: @HipHop101Trivia

How strong is your mental game? Take Dr. Cardner’s  Poker Mindset Mastery Assessment and find out! 

Sign up for Gareth’s weekly newsletter On The Button

Check out Dr. Cardner’s Progressive relaxation video (short version): https://youtu.be/pBbuwcFbfFA 

Dr. Cardner’s < 60 second video with the instructions for tactical breathing to use when you’re tilted or stressed: https://youtube.com/shorts/bMfR8nwQdto?feature=share 

Check out Gareth’s program Train and Play Like the Pros that will  prepare you for large MTT series (both online and live): https://www.mttpokerschool.com/ 

Order Gareth’s book The Final Table: https://amzn.to/3ZOjCcV 

Order Purposeful Practice for Poker: https://amzn.to/41QBGVC 

Order Positive Poker: https://amzn.to/430foBf 

Order Peak Poker Performance: https://amzn.to/453miWX 

Want us to answer your poker question?
Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

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 wife and kids
• How he schedules and maintains a consistent playing schedule and study habit
• How to put in the work to achieve poker success
• Why it’s important to pace yourself mentally in live events & other tips to use when playing long, multiday live events

Resources
Follow Bryan on Twitter/X: @bparispoker

How strong is your mental game? Take Dr. Cardner’s  Poker Mindset Mastery Assessment and find out! 

Sign up for Gareth’s weekly newsletter On The Button

Check out Dr. Cardner’s Progressive relaxation video (short version): https://youtu.be/pBbuwcFbfFA 

Dr. Cardner’s < 60 second video with the instructions for tactical breathing to use when you’re tilted or stressed: https://youtube.com/shorts/bMfR8nwQdto?feature=share 

Check out Gareth’s program Train and Play Like the Pros that will  prepare you for large MTT series (both online and live): https://www.mttpokerschool.com/ 

Order Gareth’s book The Final Table: https://amzn.to/3ZOjCcV 

Order Purposeful Practice for Poker: https://amzn.to/41QBGVC 

Order Positive Poker: https://amzn.to/430foBf 

Order Peak Poker Performance: https://amzn.to/453miWX 

Want us to answer your poker question?
Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

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 lifestyle factors
• An exploration of WSOP milestone satellites and how they differ from a regular satellite
• The importance of consolidating your learning and applying what you’ve learned at the tables
• How to look for specific mistakes to exploit 

Resources

Dara’s Books: GTO Poker Simplified; Poker Satellite Strategy; Beyond GTO: Poker Exploits Simplified 

How strong is your mental game? Take Dr. Cardner’s  Poker Mindset Mastery Assessment and find out! 

Sign up for Gareth’s weekly newsletter On The Button

Check out Dr. Cardner’s Progressive relaxation video (short version): https://youtu.be/pBbuwcFbfFA 

Dr. Cardner’s < 60 second video with the instructions for tactical breathing to use when you’re tilted or stressed: https://youtube.com/shorts/bMfR8nwQdto?feature=share 

Check out Gareth’s program Train and Play Like the Pros that will  prepare you for large MTT series (both online and live): https://www.mttpokerschool.com/ 

Order Gareth’s book The Final Table: https://amzn.to/3ZOjCcV 

Order Purposeful Practice for Poker: https://amzn.to/41QBGVC 

Order Positive Poker: https://amzn.to/430foBf 

Order Peak Poker Performance: https://amzn.to/453miWX 

Want us to answer your poker question?
Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery

Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits 

Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind

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 resilience
• The research findings regarding the ability to bounce “forward.”
• The importance of post-traumatic growth to improving and feeling good
• How learning from your mistakes can help you be more resilient

Resources
How strong is your mental game? Take Dr. Cardner’s Poker Mindset Mastery Assessment and find out!
Sign up for Gareth’s weekly newsletter On The Button
Check out Dr. Cardner’s Progressive relaxation video (short version): https://youtu.be/pBbuwcFbfFA

Dr. Cardner’s < 60-second video with the instructions for tactical breathing: https://youtube.com/shorts/bMfR8nwQdto?feature=share

Check out Gareth’s program Train and Play Like the Pros that will prepare you for large MTT series (both online and live): https://www.mttpokerschool.com/

Order Gareth’s book The Final Table: https://amzn.to/3ZOjCcV
Order Purposeful Practice for Poker: https://amzn.to/41QBGVC
Order Positive Poker: https://amzn.to/430foBf
Order Peak Poker Performance: https://amzn.to/453miWX

Want us to answer your poker question?
Post it in Dr. Tricia’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PokerMindsetMastery
Or in Gareth’s private Facebook group! Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerprofits
Or Tweet us: @drtriciacardner @MTTpokerschool @PokerOnTheMind