Dan "Jungleman" Cates

I sat down with Cary Katz, the man who quietly built the modern stage of poker. He’s the founder of PokerGO, the one who brought us the Super High Roller Bowl, Poker Masters, US Poker Open, and yes, even the Big Blind Ante. What fascinates me isn’t just his $40M+ in tournament winnings, but his mindset: the shift from frustration to gratitude, from creating a prison with losses to celebrating them. Cary opens up about business risks, how passion projects cost more than you expect, and why he thinks integrity is the only real strategy in life.
We also got into health, longevity, and some personal truths: how it took him 55 years to quit sugar, why lifting weights is a cheat code against the “four horsemen,” and how he views the next 30 years of his life as a freeroll. From billion-dollar loans to billions of minutes of poker watched, Cary’s story isn’t just about poker, it’s about building, adapting, and finding perspective through the swings. He also finally lays out who he thinks are poker's true icons... You're not going to want to miss this stunning conversation!
CHAPTERS
00:00 Cary Katz on being a “copycat” in poker & business
00:37 Dan introduces Cary Katz’s impact on poker
01:02 Building PokerGO, Super High Roller Bowl & majors
02:05 Why Cary prefers tournaments over cash games
02:34 Staking, friendships, and instincts in high rollers
04:14 Copying great ideas to grow poker brands
06:03 Making poker a true spectator sport
07:07 Challenges with live broadcasting & delays
07:33 Transition from Poker Central → PokerGO
08:48 Expanding PokerGO globally (Brazil, Japan, Spanish markets)
09:41 Cary’s mindset shift: embracing losses & positivity
12:16 Winning his first bracelet with a new mindset
13:30 Dan & Cary on gratitude, history, and perspective
19:00 Health & lifestyle: fasting, quitting sugar, longevity
22:17 Fitness, weightlifting, yoga, and cryotherapy
27:01 Fitness vs. business focus – finding balance
27:25 Cary’s sales background and path to building College Loan Corp
29:04 Scaling from $20M to $3B in student loans
33:26 Starting PokerGO as a passion project
34:53 The cost of poker productions & why paywalls exist
40:17 Online poker challenges vs. live poker instincts
43:22 Why Cary supports poker: passion & competition
45:16 The invention of the Big Blind Ante
48:18 Difficulties of the media business & PokerGO growth
50:59 Life balance, gratitude, and slowing down time
55:00 Business lessons: revenue, hiring, and integrity
58:51 Poker players transitioning into business
01:03:40 Cary’s goals: family, longevity, and staying present
01:04:09 What’s next for Cary Katz and PokerGO
01:04:45 Titles, bracelets, and long-term poker goals
01:05:22 Embracing swings & “the wave” in poker and life
01:06:12 Closing banter: Negreanu’s influence & poker icons
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Who are your top 5 poker icons? Drop em below...

You're about to meet a poker player who might have the strangest pre-game routine I've ever heard of. Global Kenny (@globalkennypoker on Instagram) has some absolutely wild theories about nutrition, energy, and cognitive performance that honestly sound crazy until you see his results. This guy went from complete unknown to playing some of the biggest pots on the West Coast, and his approach to preparation is... let's just say it involves some unconventional choices that most poker pros would never consider. I was skeptical going into this conversation, but his logic actually started making sense by the end.
What really caught my attention wasn't just Kenny's rapid rise through the stakes, but how he's navigating the modern poker landscape where everyone's trying to be both a player and a content creator. He's got some strong opinions about the "nit epidemic" in poker and has actually built a movement around it, but more importantly, he's figured out something that most poker influencers haven't: how to actually keep improving at poker while building a brand. We get into some fascinating territory about game selection, the West Coast scene, and why he thinks the path to higher stakes is more accessible than people realize. Plus, he drops some insights about international poker that might surprise you.
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Introduction and Global Kenny's poker background
00:03:20 - The anti-knit campaign and converting poker players
00:07:00 - Fasting and caffeine preparation routines
00:12:00 - Meditation vs morning routine philosophy
00:18:00 - Sleep tracking and optimization strategies
00:22:00 - Daily poker schedule and session structure
00:27:00 - Moving up stakes and bankroll building journey
00:32:00 - Building a social media brand in poker
00:38:00 - Biggest pots won and lost; the 50k hands
00:43:00 - Biggest bluffs and table presence discussion
00:47:00 - Future tournament and streaming plans
00:52:00 - Education background and investment interests
00:56:00 - Content creation challenges and balancing poker
01:00:25 - Closing thoughts and social media shoutouts
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What's your Monster Energy drink of choice?

Xuan Liu just detonated one of poker’s longest-standing glass ceilings—busting a 200-event streak with the first female title in Triton history, taking down the $25 000 WPT Global Slam in Montenegro (155 entries, $860 000 up top). I had to know how she did it, so we sat down to trade war stories: her Yukon bankroll challenge that started with two grand total (flights included), the cliquey staking webs that freeze most women out of 25 Ks, and why she thinks “marketing yourself” is the truest edge in high-rollers.
From double-board bomb-pots in the Arctic to four-bet battles on Poker Night in America, we unpack the mind-game, the money game, and the human game... plus a few leaks we’re still plugging.
If you’re chasing freedom through cards... or just wondering how a calm Canadian-Chinese grinder became the “Queen of Triton”, hit play, drop a comment, and let’s keep pushing the ceiling higher!
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Introduction & Xuan’s breakthrough Triton win
01:45 – Are there other female high-roller champs?
03:30 – Where Xuan ranks among the game’s top women
05:35 – The real barriers keeping women out of high-stakes poker
08:55 – Selling action online as a launchpad to live events
11:45 – Why community (and clean staking deals) matter
14:30 – Cash-game cred vs. tournament glory
18:50 – Stream games, thumbnails & the “female click-factor”
22:00 – The $2k cross-Canada bankroll challenge
28:15 – Yukon bomb-pots and soft PLO edges
33:40 – Wild travel poker tales from Newfoundland to Nunavut
38:45 – Couch-surfing, poverty roots & those early $5k shots
40:45 – Cutting costs: practical tips for the tour-grind lifestyle
43:50 – Re-igniting passion, building brand & fresh content goals
46:30 – WSOP plans, mixed-game temptations and China tour
50:15 – Dating on pause: focus, independence & life balance
52:45 – Growing the women’s game: golf analogy & untapped markets
55:40 – Final reflections, bracelet dreams & sign-off

PINNED COMMENT
Who should I have next on the podcast?

GTO Wizard - The best way to learn and practice GTO!
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DESCRIPTION
Alright, so I sat down with French OG for this episode of Winning The Game Of Life. This guy's got a wild background – went from grinding poker tables, understanding odds and variance, to coaching guys through the even more complex and sometimes brutal game of modern dating. We didn't waste time on fluff; we jumped straight into the deep end, applying strategic thinking and probability to figure out what actually works with women, relationships, and frankly, just navigating human psychology when the stakes feel high.
Expect some takes that might make you uncomfortable. French OG dropped some bombs, like comparing personality to makeup and arguing why chasing commitment can kill attraction. We went back and forth on whether optimizing for 'lays' is a fundamental mistake (a point where I think the Red Pill logic often breaks down), debated the real source of confidence, and even touched on whether my blue hair stunt was a calculated 'polarizing' move. It's raw, unfiltered, and definitely not your standard dating advice.
If you're tired of simplistic answers and want to explore the messy variables, the actual 'game theory' behind attraction and connection, then you need to check this out. We dissect common assumptions, challenge popular narratives, and try to find a real edge in understanding this crucial part of life. Hit play, listen close, and then tell me in the comments where you think we got it right or wrong – figuring this stuff out is part of winning the game.

CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro: Meet French OG
01:35 – Twitter Truths & Trolls
04:45 – French OG: Poker Player to Dating Coach
09:15 – Poker Strategy Applied to Dating
13:47 – Confidence, Uncertainty & Poker Mindset
16:10 – Coaching Smart Guys (INTJs)
18:20 – Boundaries vs. Ultimatums in Dating
20:30 – Dealing with Randomness (Poker & Life)
23:34 – Culture Clash: Agency vs. Environment
25:05 – Poker Analogy: Know Your Value & Spot
27:38 – Jungleman's Blue Hair: Polarizing Works
31:39 – Don't Be Average
32:10 – Niche Strategy: Poker Tables & Dating Apps
34:27 – Red Pill Critique: Optimize LIFE, Not Lays
36:16 – Lust vs. Love: Who Secures the Relationship?
37:03 – Debate: Leading with Relationship Intent
40:05 – Filtering for Partner vs. Max Quantity
44:45 – Why Men Shouldn't Chase Relationships
45:50 – Red Pill Flaw: Metrics Aren't Everything
48:05 – Defining Male Personality
48:39 – Coaching Different Men, Different Goals
53:40 – Advice for the "Average" Guy
58:24 – Looks, Fitness & Self-Care Matter
01:00:30 – Ripped vs. Money vs. Confidence Debate
01:04:40 – Personality is Male "Makeup"
01:07:20 – The "Good Woman" Debate
01:12:15 – Compatibility vs. Pedestals
01:14:05 – Predictable vs. Exciting Relationships
01:20:15 – Control Dynamics & Dealing with Damage
01:21:05 – Final Thoughts & Outro

PINNED COMMENT
French OG says that "Personality is makeup for men". Is 'game' the ultimate equalizer, or do looks/status still dominate? Weigh in!

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This week I'm with Wayne Yap, who literally dominated the Asian poker scene as the former #1 in Singapore, stacking up over $1.3M in tournaments and $3M+ in cash games before making a hard left into business. Seriously, why would someone leave crushing it at the tables? We dug into applying hardcore poker thinking – the EV, the polarization – to the business world, and turns out, most business folks are missing this crucial stuff. He breaks down why you actually need to repel some people to attract the right ones, a wild concept that makes a lot of sense once you hear it.
Beyond the strategy, we touched on some deep and unexpected territory: intense spiritual journeys, what it's really like buying and running businesses without prior experience, and the brutal lessons about who to trust along the way. If you've ever wondered if poker brains are wasted just playing cards, or how to find leverage and value in unconventional places, this is the conversation.
Check out Wayne's X linked below for more unfiltered thoughts.
https://x.com/wayneyap
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Wayne Yap: Poker Pro to Business Guru & Spiritual Explorer
01:00 - The Spiritual Rabbit Hole: Meditation & Transcendent Experiences
02:26 - Crushing Poker: Singapore's #1 and Big Wins
03:08 - Why Leave Poker at the Peak? Climbing a Higher Mountain
04:40 - Lessons from Life: Bowling, World of Warcraft & Obsession
06:05 - Poker Skills for Business: EV & Polarization
08:45 - Why You Need People to Like & Hate You
11:24 - First Business Acquisition & Fighting Industry Norms
15:19 - Finding & Exploiting Opportunities (Business vs. Poker)
19:05 - Bouncing Back: Overcoming Poker & Business Setbacks
20:49 - The Leap into Buying Businesses
23:16 - Solving Problems & Motivating Teams Without Experience
26:48 - Different Types of "Genius" in Life & Work
28:29 - The Inner Game: Motivation & Self-Talk
29:39 - The "Star Principle": Finding a Winning Market Niche
32:42 - If I Started Over: Poker as a Hobby?
34:40 - Business vs. Poker: Risk, Rewards & Finding Your Path
38:08 - Getting into Business Without Money: Apprenticeship & Acquisitions
44:16 - The Dangers of Partnering with the Wrong People
45:40 - Is Business for Everyone? Finding Your Archetype
50:00 - Deep Dive into Spiritual Experiences & Joe Dispenza
55:09 - Experiencing Energy & Questioning Miracles
57:25 - Samadhi, Unity, and Out-of-Body States
1:01:42 - Integrating Spiritual Insights into Business & Life
1:05:35 - Evaluating Tony Robbins: Value, Manipulation, and Ethics
1:09:38 - Connecting & Collaborating: Wayne's Community & Future Vision
1:12:21 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find Wayne
PINNED COMMENT
What do you think of Wayne Yap's decision? Smart? Crazy? Drop your thoughts below...