Inside the Mind of a Champion: Cody Stanford Talks Strategy, Mindset, and His Dominant 2025 Run

Poker is a game of skill, endurance, and adaptability, and Cody Stanford is proving to be one of the best on the Gulf Coast. His incredible 2025 run includes a win in the $1 million guaranteed at The Heater, chopping The Heater Main Event, back-to-back-to-back WSOP Circuit rings, and a leading spot in the Card Player Player of the Year race.

We sat down with Cody to talk strategy, mental sharpness, key moments, and advice for recreational poker players looking to level up their game.

You’ve had an incredible run in 2025, including a dominant performance at The Heater and back-to-back-to-back WSOPC rings. How has your approach to tournament poker evolved over the years, and what adjustments have been key to your success?

"Over the years I’ve just put in the time and gained the experience of short-handed and heads-up play, and I feel like it has helped me close in the moment. I also believe building big stacks early and getting an image of being a maniac helps late when the gears have switched, and I just get paid in so many spots others might not get paid in."

Winning three WSOP Circuit rings in five days is an extraordinary feat. How do you stay mentally sharp through long tournament grinds, and what do you do to reset between deep runs?

"I feel like my stamina from playing long hours in cash games has helped me in the last 7-8 years grinding tournaments. After I play, I try to get 8 hours of sleep and get back afer it. A lot of mornings when I wake up and I’m not mentally ready, I wait until I am before registering. The most important thing I’d say about mindset is learning how to separate outside issues from poker. If you can zone in and keep distractions out of your mind, you’ll make better decisions and stay focused at a higher level."

Take us back to Event #2, the Triple Stack $1M Guaranteed event at the Beau Rivage. What were some pivotal hands or moments that shaped your path to victory? Did you have a particular strategy going into the final table?

"At the final table, the most crucial hand was AJ vs. Steve Bierman’s AQ. Steve opened from the cutoff, and I 3-bet jammed from the button, thinking I had him covered. What most don’t know is I miscalculated his stack size. He was shuffling 8-10 million in chips that I couldn’t see, so I had more at risk than I would have liked. He tank-called with the best hand, but I flopped a Jack and won. From there, I just applied ICM pressure on the rest of the table, which propelled me to the win."

"Every final table strategy is different. A player must be able to adapt to different situations because one or two hands won or lost by certain players can be crucial to how the rest of the final table plays, even if you are not in those hands."

You’re known for your ability to apply pressure at the right times. What advice would you give to recreational players who struggle with knowing when to shift gears between tight and aggressive play?

"Feed off your image from the last few levels. Most players remember the last hour or two, not the whole day. So, switch gears every few levels, and you’ll find that you’re much harder to read."

You fired 12 bullets in the $1,100 PLO event before finally shipping it for $36,423. What made you so confident in that event, and how do you decide when it’s worth re-entering versus cutting your losses?

"Firing 12 bullets into a field of that size was poor bankroll management, and I wouldn’t advise it to most. But the extra incentive—a $10,000 WSOP PLO Bracelet Event Seat—made it worth it for me. I played some bullets extremely fast and aggressive, trying to build a stack. In the end, it worked, but it was risky."

Live poker is all about finding edges. What are some key tells or player tendencies you look for at the table that help you make better decisions?

"I want to give a short answer here. Every player has their own tell or tendency. Keep mental notes on how a player played a particular hand, or multiple hands, and use the bet sizing of those hands to help make a decision. There are far more things that go into that, but that’s one thing I’ll say."

You’ve battled back from tough spots and turned small stacks into big wins. What’s your philosophy on short stack play, and what are some mistakes you see less experienced players make when they’re low on chips?

"If the table lets me, I’ll limp hands in position against weaker players to build my stack with the least risk. Also, never give up. Too many players get down to 15BB and desperately look for an all-in spot instead of waiting for a better opportunity."

Many Gulf Coast poker players start in cash games before transitioning to tournaments. What was your biggest learning curve when making that shift, and how do you adjust your approach between the two formats?

"Strategy is different between cash games and tournaments. In cash, you can wait for premium spots because the blinds don’t go up. You also need to see more flops and identify the weaker players to target. In tournaments, you sometimes can’t avoid battling against stronger players—but the key is adapting to rising blinds and ICM pressure."

You’re currently leading the 2025 Card Player Player of the Year race with multiple major scores. Do you have your sights set on more WSOPC stops, or is there another big goal you’re chasing this year?

"I generally stick to a set schedule and balance poker with family time. If I’m still near the top of the POY race later in the year, I might add some stops, but for now, I’ll only be playing 4-5 more series before the summer."

The Gulf Coast poker scene is filled with talented grinders and weekend warriors. What’s the best piece of advice you can give to players looking to improve their tournament game and take their skills to the next level?

"Put the time in and work hard on your game. Know your strengths and weaknesses, and play into them. Poker is a hard game to master, and there are always multiple ways to play a hand. The key is to think through your decisions and avoid careless mistakes. Keep your mind sharp, and don’t let outside factors affect your play."

Final Thoughts

Cody Stanford’s 2025 heater is proof that experience, aggression, adaptability, and mindset are crucial to success at the highest levels. Whether you’re grinding the WSOP Circuit or following us on the Gulf Coast Poker Tour, his insights offer a valuable blueprint for taking your tournament game to the next level.

Make plans to join us at the Milly In Philly, March 18-30, 2025. Learn more about this event or click here to view the Tournament Schedule.