The High Stakes Lesson Most Poker Players Learn Too Late

In Episode 72, our guest Felipe "Lipe Piv" Boianovsky talks about how he used GTO as a psychological defense for years, defaulting to solver-approved lines not to optimize play but to protect himself from judgment whenever exploits went wrong. What looks like discipline can be a performance leak. Felipe walks through how insecurity shows up in high-pressure spots, how working with performance coaches and Eastern philosophy gradually shifted his relationship with external approval, and why trusting body intelligence is not mysticism but the output of years of subconscious pattern recognition at the table. The conversation covers the mental mechanics of downswings, including the victimization cycle that makes bad runs worse, how to distinguish the raw emotion from the thinking that amplifies it, and what it means to play your real game when the pressure is on. Felipe also discusses his transition from cash games to MTTs, the specific ICM gaps that hurt cash players in tournament final tables, how he selects live stops by EV calculation, and preparation routines for long online sessions. The honest tension running through all of it: are you using theory to get better, or are you using it to feel safe?

In Episode 71 of the Mechanics of Poker Podcast, we sit down with Yoshi "Play4livin" Paco Nagaki to break down the part of high-stakes poker nobody warns you about, the moment the body sends the bill.Most players think the climb is the hard part. Yoshi disagrees. He believes the real test starts after you get there, when chronic stress, lost sleep, and a body that's quit on you force you to choose between grinding harder or actually living.

In Episode 70 of the Mechanics of Poker Podcast, we sit down with Andy “Bowie” Wilson to break down one of the toughest realities in poker, surviving massive downswings.Most players think the game is about talent. Andy disagrees. He believes the real edge comes from the willingness to get destroyed over and over again, and still show up the next day.From his early days to battling through a 1,000 buy-in downswing, Andy shares the psychological and financial pressure of high-stakes MTTs, and the “war mode” discipline required to compete at the highest level of online poker.

Nickolas Schuler is part of a new generation of high-stakes poker players who have risen quickly through the online ranks, building a career in one of the most competitive and psychologically demanding environments in modern games. At just 25 years old and only a few years into his professional career, his path has already included rapid success, brutal downswings, bankroll setbacks, and the kind of high-pressure decisions that define whether a player survives in high stakes or disappears.

In Episode 68 of the podcast, we sit down with Raúl Mestre, a pioneer of poker coaching and founder of EducaPoker, the platform that helped shape an entire generation of elite Spanish poker players. Over the past two decades, Mestre has played a central role in building one of the strongest poker ecosystems in the world.In this deep conversation, we explore how Spain quietly became one of the most dominant forces in modern poker and what it actually takes to develop world-class players. Mestre shares the story behind the early days of structured poker coaching, how collaborative learning environments accelerated the development of players like Adrián Mateos, Juan Pardo, and Sergi Reixach, and why community-driven study changed the trajectory of professional poker.We also dive into the evolution of poker strategy before and after the solver era, the balance between intuition and theory, and what separates good players from the elite in high-stakes competition. Mestre explains how analytical thinking became the backbone of modern training, why emotional control during downswings is one of the most underrated skills in poker, and how many talented players fail not because of strategy, but because of psychology.The conversation also covers Mestre’s own journey from high-stakes online grinder in the early EPT era to building one of the first large-scale poker coaching communities in the world. He reflects on the challenges of scaling EducaPoker, the responsibility of mentoring hundreds of players, and why helping others succeed ultimately became more meaningful than his own results at the tables.

In episode 68 of the podcast, we sit down with high-stakes tournament pro Sam Greenwood, creator of the popular Substack "Punt of the Day" where he publicly dissects his biggest mistakes. In this deep 3-hour conversation, we explore the evolution of poker strategy, the mental game of high-stakes competition, and the challenge of building a sustainable life around professional poker. We chat about why documenting mistakes is more valuable than celebrating wins, how the solver revolution transformed tournament strategy and separated natural skillsets, the reality of risk management and the costly lessons from COVID-era online poker, what separates elite players at Triton-level competition beyond pure theory, managing performance under pressure across grueling live poker stops, and redefining success from "best in the world" to sustainable excellence with family and balance.

In episode 66 of the MOPP we are joined by high-stakes online cash-game player Sergio, better known as Donk Orleone. In this episode we break down why modern poker players are over-complicating the game, hiding behind solvers, and losing touch with intuition, experience, and performance fundamentals. We chat about why poker is hard, but not complex in the way most players think, how solver obsession creates fear, ego, and bad decision-making, the real difference between theory and performance, why intuition, self-awareness, and simplicity matter more at high stakes and how downswings, ego, and mental game shape long-term success.

In episode 65 of the MOPP we chat with high-stakes MTT player Seth Davies to break down what it really takes to survive and thrive at the highest levels of poker. We talk about resilience, composure under pressure, winners tilt, physical training, solvers, lifestyle, and the hidden skills required to move from mid-stakes to high-stakes poker. Seth shares how his sports background shaped his mindset, why self-awareness matters more than most players think, and how elite players adapt in today’s high-roller environment. This is a deep conversation about performance, preparation, and staying calm when the stakes are highest. Enjoy!

In episode 64 of the MOPP, we chat with freshly crowned cash-game world champ Pedro "Biluzin" Toledo about his rise up the stakes and his epic performance that took down the championship

In episode 61 of the MOPP we chat with high-stakes MTT player Justin Saliba. Justin breaks down what it truly takes to perform at the highest levels of poker. We talk about “war mode,” the mental state he uses to lock in quickly, manage emotions, and stay sharp under pressure—especially in deep runs and seven-figure spots. Justin shares how fatigue exposes your natural tendencies, why recovery and structure matter, and how he balances technical study with peak performance.